In January of 2002 we bought a second refrigerator to put in the garage. We got a decent price because it was used. It worked fine for several months until the weather got warm. Then in June, July, and August, it just wouldn’t stay cool, and it needed to be defrosted about once a week. (We live in the midwest, which has all four seasons).
Thus, we have decided to buy a brand new refrigerator. We went to Best Buy and saw a Frigidaire which has about 18.2 cubic feet for about $350.
Generally, the warrentees that come from the manufacturers are void if you keep it in the garage. (I can understand that).
However, if we purchase the extended warranty from Best Buy, the fridge is covered even if we do keep it in the garage. I think the warrenty is $49 for 3 years or $99 for 5 years.
So, In Your Humble Opinion, should we buy this extended warranty?
In the past, everything I’ve read says that extended warrantees are usually never worth it. Also consider that this is a relatively inexpensive refrigerator to begin with. But since I did have a bad experience with by previous fridge in the garage, I would be assurred of at least 3 years of service.
If you have a refrigerator in your garage, what has been your experience?
Well…I have never kept a refridgerator in my garage, but I have known several people that do with no problem.
Maybe the problem is because it’s not a “Frost Free” fridge?
In answer to your first question GET THE WARRANTY!
We had a fridge that went out after 5 years…we had the extended warranty…which was of course no good 3 months previous to the fridge’s death. However, since it was so recent, I called the manufacturer to complain, and they gave me 60% off a new fridge of equal value (not price, VALUE of the old fridge…the new fridge cost more, but had comparable features such as glass shelves instead of wire ones).
I found that to be much more reasonable than I was expecting, and I am very happy with my new fridge!
I’m in hot and humid south Texas. My deep freeze, bought new, lasted about 14 months in the garage. The warranty was 12 months. I lost 16 gallons of frozen breast milk (frozen in handy 4 to 8 oz packages). My experience would incline me to advise you to skip the whole thing, but who knows- lots of people have done it with no problems. Maybe I’m just unlucky.
I have an upright freezer in my garage, situated against an outside wall. This freezer has given good service for about ten years with no problems. Some contributing factors for this success may be that I am in Alaska and that the freezer is against the outside wall - dunno. I am surprised that you consider paying $99 for a five-year warranty to be an expensive proposition. That is a very good value, in my opinion.
A fridge should easily do 10 years IMHO if it doesn’t break in year one. This ignores an icemaker and water dispenser. $99 on a $350 product that should easily do the time seems too much.
If it does brake in year 4.5 they will repair it for free and you will have a 4.5 yr old fridge that had been repaired at least once. I don’t know, I wouldn’t do it.
My mother has had a fridge in the garage for at least the last 20 years, and never had a problem with it. This is in Tennessee, where the summers are very hot.
IMHO you shouldn’t buy a Frigidaire - they are next to the worst rated on Consumer Reports.
Besides that, no, we’ve never had a problem with fridges in the garage except that time when my dad ran into it with his Mercedes. :rolleyes: That was ten years ago and we still haven’t let him forget it.
Give the manufacturer a call, and they will be able to tell you the room temperature range the refrigerator is designed to operate in. If your garage is too warm, the appliance will wear itself out trying to battle against the heat. Too cold, and there’s a chance that the freezer compartment won’t keep food sufficiently frozen.
Tennessee!?!? I remember when I vacationed in Tennessee the locals were all apologizing for the “oppressive” upper 80’s/lower 90’s heat!
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I had a refrigerator, first in the morgan building, then in the garage, here where it gets “very hot” ;), like, in the 100’s! and it worked fine for several summers. However, curiously, I always had to unplug it in the winter (all three weeks of it) because it would never work when it was cold.
