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Farm Kitchen:  Refridgerators aren't made like they used to be!  |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 06:08:23 AM
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I had to call the Sears folks because the fridge that I bought 2 1/2 years ago to replace my old 1970's era beige side by side (with no space whatsoever) is, how should I say it? Rife with shoddy craftsmanship. All of the shelves are glass and removeable, but they have this hard plastic material on the edges as an enforcement or "support". All four of the plastic strips in the front of each of the shelves is cracked...and will, ultimately, not give support anymore. One of the "levers" on the crisper drawers broke off.
This fridge wasn't cheap! It's one of those new-fangled stainless steel models! I did buy a warranty, but when I called to report my issues, the girl on the phone said she didn't think "those" shelves were covered (???) If it's broken and the fridge is only 2.5 years old, everything should be covered. That's ridiculous.
As ugly and as incompatible with my lifestyle as my old 70's fridge was, it was never broken. Never. All the shelves were sturdy, there weren't any stupid fixtures to break off--I just don't think anything is made well anymore!!!
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 06:29:29 AM
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Jonni, you are absolutely right. Nothing is made to last anymore. It's so cheaply made that it's cheaper to buy a new one. I want to design my own refridgerator. I have been looking at them and none of them is what I want. There is NO room and the shleves are so small. I hate side by sides. ANd I was thinking I would like one with the freezer on the bottom. But not now after looking at hundreds of them. So now what I will be looking for is an industrial fridge and a separate ice maker. I have 2 huge upright freezers and a chest freezer and a half freezer. So I don't really need a freezer except for making ice. But then ice makers are around $500. Anyway, you're right about the crappy workmanship anymore. And it's just about everything that is made these days. We are a throw away society for sure.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 07:02:02 AM
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I agree about not finding what you "exactly" want, Kris. It took me a long time to find one that I thought was both affordable, and suited my purpose, and was a good product. I've always counted on Sears and Kenmore, but since this purchase and my washer and dryers (front loaders), I'll think twice about Sears. Both have had issues.
I also thought I wanted one of those freezer on the bottom ones. Turns out, I didn't. My mil has one and I think it's awkward, and there's not reall a great deal of space. I know hers was pricey, too! We have a freezer on top, just like the old models, and I don't mind it, but we make ice the old fashioned way, and don't have the water hooked up because when I Sears gave me the plumber who would come and do it for the $50.00 hookup fee I paid, the plumber said, "No, I don't do crawlspaces. You can pay me $200 extra for that." So, I complained to Sears, got the $50 reimbursed and never bothered. We use tap water, mostly, anyway!
My husband just called and said the Sears guy was on his way. We shall see.....
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Turtlemoon
Farmgirl Legend Schoolmarm
378 Posts
Tanya
Port Orchard
Washington
USA
378 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 1:56:25 PM
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Jonni, i feel your pain! We bought our fridge from that "S" store 6 years back and like yours not cheap & a stainless model. Three years into it started breaking. Our tv from that store we had problems with as well. After the second item and their lack of customer service with our warranties we no longer shop there for anything. Hubby even has it posted at work that any purchases made from this store will not be reimbursed to his crew, lol.
Raggedy Ann stuck in a Barbie Doll World
FarmGirl#1737
http://www.etsy.com/shop/moonhonu |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22937 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22937 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 2:29:52 PM
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Jonni- when I get stuck in situations like that I escalate the situation to their manager. You are their customer and livelihood. They should treat you with care so you are a repeat customer!!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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Edited by - Alee on Jul 06 2011 2:30:46 PM |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 3:40:07 PM
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My husband is *the* complaint man. He gives customer service reps cold sweats at night. If the rep on the phone won't help you after you have asked nicely, you need to say: "That isn't how the terms of the warranty (service plan) was expressed to me, and if you can't help me I need to speak to someone who can. Give me your supervisor." Every time you get someone who says they "can't" help you, ask for someone who has the authority to do so. If you get to the top of the call center food chain, ask for corporate. If at any point you hit a dead end, inform them you will be making a complaint to the Better Business Bureau, and if they still don't help you, do so. Corporate divisions of those big name companies comb BBB complaints trying to resolve them to keep up appearances of the company.
My husband not only regularly gets us out of terms of service contracts when the service becomes poor, he's had a corporate rep of a major national cell phone company call him, and cut him a check.
In my experience, General Electric is good about living up to their warranties, until hearing this, I would have said Sears too, they had the gold standard of protection plans when I was working for them.
Sears lately though is really losing their market share big time, so they may be cracking down trying not to lose any more money on repairing.
My recommendation for new appliances goes to Best Buy and their black tie protection program, If they can't repair something they replace it for you with a new one (which is what Sears USED to do >_<)
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 7:38:44 PM
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I know what you mean. We have been married 10 years and are fridge number 4!!!!!
Stoves/ovens same way!
I plan on trying to save money and buying from a company like lehman's or such. They are expensive, but I thought it would be worth it for quality. We had the same fridge my whole childhood, my parents got rid of it some time after I got married and have went through fridge after fridge since! UHG!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2011 : 06:41:12 AM
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Well, the Sears guy came and left, my husband said, "in two minutes". He looked at the shelves and said, "Yeah, I see this all the time." What does THAT tell you!? I'm both sorry and glad to know I'm not the only one who's experiencing trouble with Sears products, though. I hope this fridge lasts a while, but when it finally goes kaput, I'll go to our local family owned shops from now on. I just feel like you should recall a product if you "see this all the time". I mean, who wants to keep buying extended warranty plans for shelves? That's ridiculous.
He told my husband that they would be in the mail to us within a few weeks and to keep the others as "spares" or throw them out, whatever we wanted to do.
My lesson in this is: if it ain't broken, don't fix it. There was nothing really wrong with my old fridge except for the lack of space (and it was UGLY). But, in all the years it was around, it never had any issue. Shouldn't have been so quick to replace it with bigger and better!
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2011 : 07:10:20 AM
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I'm with you on Fridge design Kris. In fact I am doing just what you said in my new kitchen. It was delivered yesterday as a matter of fact! I got an Kitchenaid refrigerator only unit. We already have a stand up full size freezer and a free standing (Small) ice maker. The fridge is in the kitchen of course and the freezer and Ice maker are in the pantry right next to the fridge. I'll let you know after we move in if this system works for me. I sure hope it does. We used the ice maker for 3 mos to see if we like it. We did, the only concession we had to make was to keep an ice bin in the freezer with extra ice in case we had more than 4 people needing a glass of ice or for when I was blanching veggies. That took up less room than an ice maker! And the ice was always fresh. No more evaporated little slivers of old ice in my tea. Much better taste.
The fridge has no bells and whistles. Very spare inside but sturdy. Fine with me!
This is my new kitchen. Fridge and pantry door on the right.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2011 : 8:20:11 PM
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Is it horrible of me to say that I am really wowed by the new fridge with the touch screen on it? It connects to your home internet network and you can surf the internet on it. It sounds so debauched by farmgirl standards, but I would LOVE to be able to watch an online cooking tutorial or recipe without running back and forth from my computer and across the house to the kitchen-- although it's great exercise!!
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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sissarge
True Blue Farmgirl
502 Posts
Linda
Montgomery
Texas
USA
502 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2011 : 8:22:57 PM
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| Connie, your kitchen is beautiful. I too have redone my kitchen about 15 months ago, I also have wood floors, and I have a viking range. What is your range? It has always been a dream of mine, and I finally achieved it. 6 burners, and a grill, with the double ovens, it is dual fuel. My cabinets were custom made and also in white, looks like we have the same handles on cabinets. Congratulations on your new kitchen, hope you have as many happy cooking hours as I have and look forward to the future meals. My base family is 10 and can have as many as 22 at any given time. My table I built myself, and its seats 12 people. God bless! Farmgirl #946 |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2011 : 8:55:51 PM
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Linda, Thanks! Sounds like we have similar taste. My range is a KitchenAid Duel Fuel Convection. I chose the griddle instead of the grill. We usually have 13 on Sundays but that can swell to 20 occasionally. I designed the dining area to accommodate a 14 seat table. But I don't have a table yet! I'd love to see your table. What kind of wood did you use? I have thought about building ours but I would like one that has self contained leaves so I don't have to leave it full size all the time. I don't have the skill for that. It is our only eating area and it would feel a bit empty for just the two of us! I just had a visual of one of us at each end of the table and someone saying please pass the salt. LOL
One of my favorite things in the kitchen are the soapstone counter tops. I know they are fairly common in the north east but it took some doing to find someone here that would work with it for me. I can't wait till the 15th to move back in.
My beans are making and will be ready to be picked right around the same time so I'll be canning and unpacking at the same time. Wish I had two pressure canners. I could use them both at once now!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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nancypo
True Blue Farmgirl
362 Posts
nancy
boise
idaho
USA
362 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2011 : 9:31:30 PM
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Sadly, I think once Sears was sold their quality went way down. Think KMart, their new owner. I have problems with my Kenmore fridge too, one shelf in the side door falls off if you look at it wrong, all plastic :( Oh well, works for now. Came with the house...
Be the change...
http://littlehomesteadinboise.blogspot.com/ |
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Betty J.
True Blue Farmgirl
1403 Posts
Betty
Pasco
WA
USA
1403 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2011 : 10:11:06 PM
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My main complaint about sears and their appliances is the 20-somethings selling them. All they seem to know is the handles and what goes inside. They don't know how to keep them clean and any of the other intricate things that may happen. I had to wait three weeks to get a new fridge and when it arrived it was too large because the measurements given me were in error. I'll go to the locally owned store where I can get good service.
Betty in Pasco |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2011 : 09:08:12 AM
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Sears has horrible hiring practices, I actually received a settlement in a class action lawsuit in the mail because of how they were treating the comission sales positions. How it was set up, you earned pure commissions, and if you didn't sell enough to beat minimum wage they paid you that--and then YOU PAID IT BACK from your future commissions.
If that's not bad enough, they purposely over hired and flooded the floor with double the people the departments needed so that any sales that did happen were spread out as much as possible. It was a sad hungry job, but it was my first real one out of high school so I didn't know enough to tell them to "pack sand" and the other ladies in my department were moms that had worked there forever and couldn't just up and quit.
I haven't bought a single thing there since and I absolutely wouldn't go there for a big purchase-- as a company I don't think they deserve any of my money back.
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
Edited by - Dusky Beauty on Jul 08 2011 09:09:56 AM |
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Farm Kitchen: Refridgerators aren't made like they used to be! |
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Refridgerators aren't made like they used to be!
