Home Improvement → [Appliances] Kenmore Side by Side Fridge, Clicking Noises, Bad Odor - Replac

I need a good replacement for this PoS Kenmore fridge we got in 2004. It replaced a 42 year old Hotpoint which never gave us a lick of trouble.
This morning, my wife noticed a burning smell. She thought it was the heating system because the heat was on at the time. But I noticed it later in the day and to me it smelled like a formaldehyde-like odor. Thought maybe it was garbage fermenting or something like that. Checked the cupboards, looked for leaking cans, checked the chemicals under the sink. Found no cause. Then later this evening I was having my coffee break in the kitchen and heard clicking noises from the fridge. This was unusual. I checked the fridge, the fan was on, but the fan speed would dip every time the relay clicked. I think it sounds like the compressor overload relay. I looked up the problem and it seems people have had house fires due to these 2004 model Kenmore fridges. So I immediately unplugged ours.

I've decided to replace it with a non-Kenmore fridge. Which brings me to the reason for posting. I need a recommendation for a GOOD brand and one that doesn't have a cardboard (read, fire sustaining) back or any other flammable panels on it. This bothered me when the installer brought it in (I remember thinking, how asinine to design an appliance with a flammable back panel) so I put a piece of asbestos against the back wall before the guy moved the Kenmore into position. And now, just a few years later, it's crapped out.

Here's what we're looking for:
33" width MAX. Preferably 1/2" less wide, so we don't have to fight to squeeze it between the counter and cabinets. A less important need would be something closer to counter depth. This Kenmore always stuck out about 10" from the rest of the cabinetry. More important--the wife wants stainless doors, side by side and an ice maker/water dispenser in the door.

I'm starting to look at a few brands at Home Depot's web site. LG, Whirlpool, etc.

Who makes a fridge that doesn't catch fire and has no cardboard in close proximity to things that can overheat during a malfunction? Can anyone recommend a brand they've had a good track record with? Sears is out as far as I'm concerned. $1700 down the drain.

I hope you understand that Sears did not manufacture the fridge you are are having problems with at their Kenmore plant.

Generally, mass retailers have an OEM make the appliance. Maybe KitchenAid, possibly. But I don't want to get another cardboard-backed fridge. Why the safety regulatory agencies ever allowed that, is beyond me.

Looks like Maytag and they have free repair. You maybe should have got a recall on it. Burned out relay catches noise insulation on fire.

JennAir.

Maytag, jennair, magic chef all are Maytag. Plus a few others.

So if Maytag makes this, then that nixes my plans to get a Maytag from Home Depot. Also looking at a Whirlpool unit. Options are limited because of the 33" width limitation of the space between cabinets and counters.

Does any company make a fridge that doesn't have cardboard near the compressor? Seems to me that after all those reported house fires, fridge makers would be moving away from using flammable materials near the compressor.

Maytag, Whirlpool, Jenn-Air, Amana ... All are the same company. They also manufacture most (if not all) Kenmore appliances.

We have an LG fridge and so far have been very happy with it. LG and Samsung are definitely not Whirlpool brands

Every LG product I've ever bought has had problems. Don't think I'll ever buy another LG product. Why would I want a Korean refrigerator?

+1
Some people would rather their money go to foreigners instead of their fellow Americans. Americans do make quality products and spend their money on products made by those not buying American.

Whirlpool aquired Maytag after 2004 on March 31, 2006. So Whirlpool may have had some changes made at Maytag since. So Whirlpool can not automatically be lumped in to problems from 2004 as they where seperate back then. Plus are now the parent company,

I don't appreciate the attack, Jack. Completely uncalled for and baseless.

I sure as hell don't prefer my money to leave the country, but I DO want a quality product for my money. The LG we purchased had the most room, the right feature set, and the right size for my kitchen. I wanted a door mounted ice maker which does not intrude into shelving space... that was an LG exclusive feature (at least when we bought our fridge) and so swayed our decision.

OF COURSE Americans make quality products - I have a GMC and a Cadillac in my driveway. They had the right feature set with the reliability and drivability I like.

Don't judge what you don't know.

Not an attack Dennis. Don't be so sensitive about buying a foreign Refrigerator. Everyone doesn't share your values but it is not an attack by any stretch.

I have a Whirlpool Gold with the door mounted ice and water dispensers. Mounting doesn't bother me at all and it's the right size for my kitchen dimensions. There were many others we looked at that would be fine but we stuck with Whirlpool for all our replacement appliances after Isabel wiped everything out.

It wasn't the door mounted dispensers that we liked, but the actual ice maker itself sits inside the french doors on the fridge... doesn't take freezer or fridge room for that - different than every other model we looked it.

It was all about maximizing space in the fridge; we tend to host parties and such quite a bit, and so being able to fit food platters matters.

Sorry if I overreacted; but I do buy American products when and where I can. Sometimes a foreign product is preferable for whatever reason (in this case, the fridge room) but as I said, we both drive GM cars and look American first, always.

I have a Samsung freezer on the bottom with ice and water in the door. I really like it and it works well for what you said you intent it for. I can put big plates, pots, platters whatever in it. Wide with adjustable shelves that fit just about anything.

On appliances in general. Many of the American brands went BK and were bought out etc. etc. in the 90's. All my appliances were GE and they turned out to be crap, happens GE sold off their appliance division and I can see why. I have noticed the quality of US made items have increased a lot lately. I know GE is bringing back manufacturing to the US but the real story is they could do that since most of the unions have been crushed. Simple business, run the brand into the ground, send manufacturing over seas until the unions and old workers are gone, come back to the US and play the who will give me the best tax deal. Usually where ever the new plant goes has much lower wages then the old plant. Also all the weird and some times abusive union rules are gone as well.

I'm probably going to get flamed for that comment but I'm very familiar with GM and what was actually going on. Well short answer is that doesn't go on any more after the BK.

The wife and I settled on a Whirlpool model. We had the Home Depot salesman call the distributor and find out if the back was made of anything flammable. He also showed me the back of some other floor models. All metal now. I guess the manufacturers must have learned from payouts on liability for fire damage ten years ago.

Now, if the weather would cooperate so we can get it delivered next Tuesday...

Might be a good opportunity to remove that sheet of asbestos from the kitchen.