OT: Refrigerator: in door water?

[TerryBoyz]

The boneyard has always been a good source of information ranging from uconn basketball to best pizza in ct.
I’ve always appreciated the good, different and even on topic responses to my questions.
I know it’s a 1st world problem but im buying a new refrigerator and family debate over an in-door water dispenser
Could use a little help.

 

[formerlurker]

In door water has never given me an issue. It's the in door ice you need to make sure you worry about. They clog and the motors burn out easily. Mine just went and I had three different guys come out to look at it and all three told me to buy a new fridge. It seems Frigidaire realized they had an issue and no longer even make parts for mine.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I wouldn’t consider a refrigerator without that feature. But in AZ it’s in use 12 months a year. For best long team
maintenance empty the ice monthly.
If it’s not being used than maybe even more frequently.
My last house I was in for 12 years and the Both the original refrigerator and ice maker were functioning perfectly. The water sucks out here so we run the RO water to the refrigerator so it’s filtered and also tastes better.

 

[87Xfer]

We use the water all the time, because of the filtration. I''ve heard nightmares about in-door ice systems, but our LG has been faultless for both water and ice over 5 years. (knocking on wood)

 

[MuchoDogYears]

If you go with it, make sure that at the very least the filters are changed regularly.

I personally would never buy a fridge with a water dispenser. Mold grows where water has been. Parts like plastic tubing, and the dispenser itself, you can’t clean.

So a water dispensing system has always seemed problematic to me because of the growth of mold in parts you can’t get to. If anyone knows differently I’d be interested in hearing if you’d like to share.

 

[HooperScooper]

In door water has never given me an issue. It's the in door ice you need to make sure you worry about. They clog and the motors burn out easy. Mine just went and I had three different guys come out to look at it and all three told me to buy a new fridge. It seems Frigidaire realized they had an issue and no longer even make parts for mine.

I 100% concur with this. We've always had in-door water on our refrigerators and have had no problems. But the in-door ice makers are the problem. With our last refrigerator I had to replace the parts about 3 times and the last time I had a guy come out to fix it and he told me they always break. He said there are no brands that have good ones that don't break.

About a year ago we bought a new refrigerator and got one that has in-door water and makes ice in the freezer but not an in-door ice maker. No problems so far. It's kind of a pain to open the freezer every time you want ice but it beats annually fixing the in-door ice maker.

 

[Minicoop69]

I use the ice machine all the time. I also have a reverse osmosis system that feeds the frig and a separate faucet next to the sink. I have changed the filter once in 10 years on the fridge.

Never had a problem at all with my Kenmore.

 

[formerlurker]

I 100% concur with this. We've always had in-door water on our refrigerators and have had no problems. But the in-door ice makers are the problem. With our last refrigerator I had to replace the parts about 3 times and the last time I had a guy come out to fix it and he told me they always break. He said there are no brands that have good ones that don't break.

About a year ago we bought a new refrigerator and got one that has in-door water and makes ice in the freezer but not an in-door ice maker. No problems so far. It's kind of a pain to open the freezer every time you want ice but it beats annually fixing the in-door ice maker.

I bought a bunch of oversized, silicone ice molds and store them in a bin. No way am I buying a new fridge because the icemaker broke.

 

[HooperScooper]

I bought a bunch of oversized, silicone ice molds and store them in a bin. No way am I buying a new fridge because the icemaker broke.

View attachment 63692

We bought a new refrigerator because we renovated our kitchen.

 

[formerlurker]

We bought a new refrigerator because we renovated our kitchen.

Unfortunately, mine crapped out 2.5 years after I renovated.

 

[jibsey]

Caution, filters for these on the door types are expensive. I have a GE and I went to Home Depot to have the filter replaced (2x yearly) and it was $50! The fridges have computer chips on the filters now. There is a “hack” online to get the chip of a dummy filter (free from GE) so you can use online $13 filters and it works. I love the water, 2 types of ice.

 

[Greedo]

I love having filtered water right on the refrigerator. The ice machine gets clogged all the time though and it’s reached the point where I need to just take the whole thing apart to let it thaw. Looking at it, that seems like an afternoon of work that I just don’t feel like doing.

So we’ve just gone back to using ice trays, but having water out of the door is great.

 

[David 76]

The water from the door is filtered and better than from the sink. And getting ice w/o opening the freezer is great. If you use a lot of ice, make sure your fridge will make enough.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Caution, filters for these on the door types are expensive. I have a GE and I went to Home Depot to have the filter replaced (2x yearly) and it was $50! The fridges have computer chips on the filters now. There is a “hack” online to get the chip of a dummy filter (free from GE) so you can use online $13 filters and it works. I love the water, 2 types of ice.

Yep. We have a Samsung going on about 3 years now. The first time we replaced the water filter we got the "genuine" Samsung filter and it was about $40 for one.

I now get a generic two pack for about $25. Last about 9 months based on our use. I'll pay for the cost to get extra filtration beyond city water.

 

[formerlurker]

Talk to @Austin316 about water filters

 

[HuskyHawk]

We use it, but I have well water that is quite cold at the tap so it’s not essential. As others have said, it’s the in door ice that is a problem. We dumped our 6-7 year old Samsung after 3 ice maker replacements. Leaked, seized up, just a constant headache. Should have been recalled. Thousands of similar complaints across many models. Got a Bosch with water dispenser but ice only in the freezer, not the door. No issues.

 

[Austin316]

Talk to @Austin316 about water filters

dont get me started about water filters...

 

[jibsey]

Yep. We have a Samsung going on about 3 years now. The first time we replaced the water filter we got the "genuine" Samsung filter and it was about $40 for one.

I now get a generic two pack for about $25. Last about 9 months based on our use. I'll pay for the cost to get extra filtration beyond city water.

$40 is almost cheap because some of them are $60 every 6 months. That’s $1200 for 10 years! For those with chips on their filters you can be peel the chip off the bypass filter and tape it to the filter channel in the same spot in your fridge. Now you use a knockoff With no chip. The light on the door will say not filtering but it actually is.

 

[Brett95]

I used to work for GE Appliances and the change filter light is based on TIME, not how clogged or dirty the filter is. Filters should be changed every 6 months because they will get dirty and be less effective, just like in-line filters on your normal water system (assuming you installed some).

My setup is whole-house pre-filter for sediment, then a water softener, post-filter for taste and odor, and finally a UV light to kill bacteria because I'm on a well.

 

[Dove]

I used to work for GE Appliances and the change filter light is based on TIME, not how clogged or dirty the filter is. Filters should be changed every 6 months because they will get dirty and be less effective, just like in-line filters on your normal water system (assuming you installed some).

My setup is whole-house pre-filter for sediment, then a water softener, post-filter for taste and odor, and finally a UV light to kill bacteria because I'm on a well.

We're on a well, too. I want nothing to come between me and my natural H2O from a an aquifer. We found a place with no iron.

We have an ice maker in our Whirlpool Gold Series fridge. There is no funny taste. Not sure if there is a filter for this feature.

 

[jibsey]

I used to work for GE Appliances and the change filter light is based on TIME, not how clogged or dirty the filter is. Filters should be changed every 6 months because they will get dirty and be less effective, just like in-line filters on your normal water system (assuming you installed some).

My setup is whole-house pre-filter for sediment, then a water softener, post-filter for taste and odor, and finally a UV light to kill bacteria because I'm on a well.

Correct. How did I know? I put a new filter in and left the house for 7 months and when I got back it said it needed a new filter.