Fridge/freezer - Smeg vs AEG vs Bosch

EssexExile

pinkteapot said:

Sandtree said:

pinkteapot said:

Whatever you get, make sure it's frost-free.  

Other than what has written off our 3 Samsung freezers is a fault in the "frost-free" mechanism - freezers aren't actually frost free they just go through a periodic defrost cycle... warm up enough to melt the frost/ice on the walls but not the contents. Unfortunately ours keeps getting stuck on so go to bed with a freezer at -23C and wake up with a freezer at +16C

I think you've been unlucky, or that Samsung has a design flaw then. I've had a few frost-free freezers (including, as I mentioned, a dirt-cheap Currys own brand one), as have family etc, and I've never heard of this fault before. Definitely won't stop me replacing our freezer that needs defrosting with a frost-free one when it dies!

In a frost-free the icing happens out of sight. If the walls are icing up then melting it's either faulty or it's not frost-free.

Frost free are a little more complicated as they have timers and heaters that ordinary freezers don't have. When they first appeared back in the eighties they were a real pain, but the problems seem to have been sorted since then! I've had my cheap LG frost-free fridge/freezer for about 15 years and it still works fine.

floppydisk1

Back to OP - Siemens is Bosch in a slightly posher coat ( and so is Neff with built in  machines, made by the same company and with most of internal parts identical ), AEG, electrolux and zanussi are another  same company  ( with most internal parts being identical again  ).   Nothing much wrong with either choice - decent fridges  in that price range, so are  not all but most of Korean models  - LG and Samsung. Also good  are John Lewis machines ( mostly made by Electrolux/AEG/Zanussi ).  Slightly pricier , though much, much better built quality is Liebherr .   In fact most of fridge/freezers are not too bad as they are fairly simple machines , with notable exception of Indesit and its clones ( cheap and nasty inside ) and aforementioned Smeg ( used to be solid Italian make, now they use whatever cheapest parts they can put together and you pay extra for external aesthetics )  I'd go as far as to say I'd get Beko over Smeg every time as Beko is cheaper and arguably  better quality machine.

Rosa_Damascena

WaywardDriver said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

WaywardDriver said:

For what it's worth the Which best buys are all LG and Samsung. For reliability Fisher & Paykel is best with Samsung, LG and Bosch close behind.

Can I be super-cheeky and ask you to paste the whole Which? review on FS !!!!!! into a PM to me please?

What is FS !!!!!! ?

Free standing fridge freezers. I looks like the software identified the latter three letters (fridgefreezer plural) as a sweary expletive.

Sandtree

pinkteapot said:

Sandtree said:

pinkteapot said:

Whatever you get, make sure it's frost-free.  

Other than what has written off our 3 Samsung freezers is a fault in the "frost-free" mechanism - freezers aren't actually frost free they just go through a periodic defrost cycle... warm up enough to melt the frost/ice on the walls but not the contents. Unfortunately ours keeps getting stuck on so go to bed with a freezer at -23C and wake up with a freezer at +16C

I think you've been unlucky, or that Samsung has a design flaw then. I've had a few frost-free freezers (including, as I mentioned, a dirt-cheap Currys own brand one), as have family etc, and I've never heard of this fault before. Definitely won't stop me replacing our freezer that needs defrosting with a frost-free one when it dies!

To be honest I agree, however there are plenty out there who say frost-free is an issue waiting to happen... but then there are plenty out there that say the government is controlled by lizard men in flesh suits

jennifernil

We just got a new upright freezer, a Bosch.  Freestanding and frost free.  Hoping it will be as good as our other Bosch  appliances, which are lasting well.

We are all Bosch now apart from the oven and tumble drier, which are AEG, plus we still have our old Electrolux larder fridge as a drinks fridge.  It is at least 43 years old and has only ever needed a new thermostat.

[Deleted User]

Has no one mentioned Miele yet? They are a quality manufacturer and their prices for fridgefreezers seem reasonable. 

I would not bother with frost free as they can be less reliable with a smaller internal capacity than conventional. 

I defrost our freezers maybe once a year (if that) and it’s easy enough. 

[Deleted User]

floppydisk1 said:

Back to OP - Siemens is Bosch in a slightly posher coat ( and so is Neff with built in  machines, made by the same company and with most of internal parts identical ), AEG, electrolux and zanussi are another  same company  ( with most internal parts being identical again  ).   Nothing much wrong with either choice - decent fridges  in that price range, so are  not all but most of Korean models  - LG and Samsung. Also good  are John Lewis machines ( mostly made by Electrolux/AEG/Zanussi ).  Slightly pricier , though much, much better built quality is Liebherr .   In fact most of fridge/freezers are not too bad as they are fairly simple machines , with notable exception of Indesit and its clones ( cheap and nasty inside ) and aforementioned Smeg ( used to be solid Italian make, now they use whatever cheapest parts they can put together and you pay extra for external aesthetics )  I'd go as far as to say I'd get Beko over Smeg every time as Beko is cheaper and arguably  better quality machine.

Thank you, that's really useful 👍

floppydisk1

Deleted_User said:

Has no one mentioned Miele yet? They are a quality manufacturer and their prices for fridgefreezers seem reasonable. 

I would not bother with frost free as they can be less reliable with a smaller internal capacity than conventional. 

I defrost our freezers maybe once a year (if that) and it’s easy enough. 

I forgot to add, most Miele fridges are made by Liebherr to Miele specifications, so they cost more but aren't any better than Liebherr. There are better quality domestic marked fridge freezers ( or any appliances for that matter ) than either Liebherr ( only f freezers), or Miele ( pretty much  full range of appliances ), let alone Bosch, AEG or LG ,  but they cost obscene amount of money with prices long like telephone numbers.... And it would not be  correct nor fair  to compare say  £ 250 - 300 Beko fridge with £ 35 000  - 50 000 SubZero one, so I mentioned  domestic market appliances within reach of average working person.

Chickereeeee

Sandtree said:

pinkteapot said:

Whatever you get, make sure it's frost-free.  

Other than what has written off our 3 Samsung freezers is a fault in the "frost-free" mechanism - freezers aren't actually frost free they just go through a periodic defrost cycle... warm up enough to melt the frost/ice on the walls but not the contents. Unfortunately ours keeps getting stuck on so go to bed with a freezer at -23C and wake up with a freezer at +16. 

I was going to ask if that was the problem with the Samsung. I want a large freezer to replace my old non-frost free one (frost free reduces capacity, it seems) and was looking hard at the Samaung. However, on Samsung's own website, 50% of reviews are 5 star, and 50% 1 star. Nearly all 1 star reviews are due to the freezer warming up at random times. This has been going on for years, it seems. So Samsung crossed of my list.

Rosa_Damascena

floppydisk1 said:

Deleted_User said:

Has no one mentioned Miele yet? They are a quality manufacturer and their prices for fridgefreezers seem reasonable. 

I would not bother with frost free as they can be less reliable with a smaller internal capacity than conventional. 

I defrost our freezers maybe once a year (if that) and it’s easy enough. 

I forgot to add, most Miele fridges are made by Liebherr to Miele specifications, so they cost more but aren't any better than Liebherr. There are better quality domestic marked fridge freezers ( or any appliances for that matter ) than either Liebherr ( only f freezers), or Miele ( pretty much  full range of appliances ), let alone Bosch, AEG or LG ,  but they cost obscene amount of money with prices long like telephone numbers.... And it would not be  correct nor fair  to compare say  £ 250 - 300 Beko fridge with £ 35 000  - 50 000 SubZero one, so I mentioned  domestic market appliances within reach of average working person.

Miele products are known for their quality but my own view is that the premium price of securing this marginal gain is disproportionate. Sometimes good enough is good enough, and this is one such occasion.