Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Beer?




--

Don't worry about people stealing an idea. If it's original, you will
have to ram it down their throats.
- Howard Aiken

I'd avoid anything electronic, or having a circuit board.
That may be impossible to do, but I'd at leat try.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Abby Brown" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking
refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive
units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am
paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

On Jul 14, 3:54*pm, "Abby Brown" wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. *An
ice maker is a given. *I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. *I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Serviceable. Unlikely, but we can dream. I have an old GE monogram
double door the has the compressor on a roll out shelf on top. Very
serviceable, but it has needed little & it has to be an early '80s
model. In its life time with us it has needed a defrost timer, and a
pair of defrost sensors.

Abby Brown wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator. An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar
looking refrigerators that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume
the more expensive units are better built but otherwise don't have a
clue what I am paying for.
Thanks,
Gary

I don't know much about the high end ones other than they are expensive.

What I'd look for would start with the following.

a good Energy Star rating - your refrigerator will run a long time, and is
an appliance that can actually save you noticeable money.

glass shelves throughout

split shelves that will give you a lot of flexibility in spacing.

Big door shelves that can handle 1/2 gal soda bottles, gal milk containers,
etc.

An egg tray

Big veg drawers with separate controls.

A bin for butter and cheese.

Some smaller door bins for mustard and other condiments.

A snack drawer that is up front and convenient.

Big freezer - you say you want an ice maker, but that probably won't leave
you room to freeze racks of ribs when you find them on sale. I have an
occasional wish that I'd gone for the ice maker, but it goes away when I see
baby backs on sale for $1.99/lb.

Quiet operation - I don't know how you learn this other than from online
reports, etc. Some refrigerators, even very expensive ones, are noisy to
the point of intrusion. Most aren't, not even basic boxes, and noise
probably varies within a given model. I've heard loud ones, and wouldn't
want one in my kitchen.

just my thoughts,

K

In article ,
Steve Daniels wrote:

Beer?

And the makings for a ham sandwich, at least.

On Jul 14, 6:43*pm, "K" wrote:
Abby Brown wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator. *An ice maker is a given. *I've looked at similar
looking refrigerators that range from $800 to $2500. *I would assume
the more expensive units are better built but otherwise don't have a
clue what I am paying for.
Thanks,
Gary

I don't know much about the high end ones other than they are expensive.

What I'd look for would start with the following.

a good Energy Star rating - your refrigerator will run a long time, and is
an appliance that can actually save you noticeable money.

glass shelves throughout

split shelves that will give you a lot of flexibility in spacing.

Big door shelves that can handle 1/2 gal soda bottles, gal milk containers,
etc.

An egg tray

Big veg drawers with separate controls.

A bin for butter and cheese.

Some smaller door bins for mustard and other condiments.

A snack drawer that is up front and convenient.

Big freezer - you say you want an ice maker, but that probably won't leave
you room to freeze racks of ribs when you find them on sale. *I have an
occasional wish that I'd gone for the ice maker, but it goes away when I see
baby backs on sale for $1.99/lb.

Quiet operation - I don't know how you learn this other than from online
reports, etc. *Some refrigerators, even very expensive ones, are noisy to
the point of intrusion. *Most aren't, not even basic boxes, and noise
probably varies within a given model. *I've heard loud ones, and wouldn't
want one in my kitchen.

just my thoughts,

K



We have a space problem so we had to pass on the double doors. Glass
shelves are nice. Be sure and test the drawers to see how hard it is
to take them out for cleaning. My last two refrigerators have been
middle of the line Frigidaire's. I still have the old Frigidaire -
the ice maker broke and it was too old to get a new one at a
reasonable price - so we moved it to the garage and it is nice to have
the extra freezer space. The only thing I don't like about the new
one is that it so "deep" - stuff gets lost in the back of it.

In article ,
"Abby Brown" wrote:

Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Well, Abby Gary, the last time I went refrigerator shopping, I was
always approached by some nice gentleman that asked whether he could
answer any questions for me. I usually started with the same question:
"what do I get when I pay 2500 that I don't get when I pay 800?"

I don't like to buy things from people who can't answer reasonable
questions about the merchandise they're hawking.

(I ended up with an 18 month old used machine from Craigslist.)

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:54:19 -0700, "Abby Brown"
wrote:

Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary


I'd look for the thickness of the insulation, per year cost of energy,
and as few features as possible. I like ice makers, but not through
the door which wastes space. Check Consumers Reports, they have very
good articles.

In article , Steve Daniels
wrote:

Beer?

I'm on my way to Steve's house . . . .

-Frank

--
Here's some of my work:
http://www.franksknives.com/

Frank Warner wrote:
In article , Steve Daniels
wrote:

Beer?

I'm on my way to Steve's house . . . .

You beat me. You could have left just one beer?

On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:29:43 +0100, against all advice, something
compelled "Clot" , to say:

Frank Warner wrote:
In article , Steve Daniels
wrote:

Beer?

I'm on my way to Steve's house . . . .

You beat me. You could have left just one beer?



There's more. Look for it in the 'fridge.




--

Don't worry about people stealing an idea. If it's original, you will
have to ram it down their throats.
- Howard Aiken

Steve Daniels wrote in
:





Beer?





Some leftover pepperoni pizza would be nice too.

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:54:19 -0700, "Abby Brown"
wrote:

Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Try to get one in Harvest Gold. I have one and I really like it.

In article ,
mm wrote:

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:54:19 -0700, "Abby Brown"
wrote:

Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Try to get one in Harvest Gold. I have one and I really like it.

Some prefer Avocado.

Abby Brown wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary


Suggest you google your question and read some articles.
A good deal part of choosing is how the thing is going to be used and
part is what you like.
If I had the $$ I would get a french door (has freezer on bottom).
Brand is another story.

Good luck.

Lou

Abby Brown wrote:

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator.

We had a Kenmore Eurotech (worked fine - just too small). It was 18 cf
and top-freezer, about 15 years old. We wanted a larger fridge and
bottom freezer.

We picked up a Maytag 20 cf unit from Sears Outlet store for something
like $750 (it was a steal at that price).

This fridge seems to "cluck" about a dozen times every time the
compressor comes on.

Our Eurotech was extremely quite - except that half the time the
compressor shut down it did so with a loud clunk. It had an exposed
rear radiator, but this new maytag must have the radiator under the
fridge (nothing exposed on the back) so it needs a fan to move the air
and cool the coils. I don't like that - I wish it had exposed coils and
no fan (I don't like the additional noise of the fan, even though it's
quiet by most standards).

The Maytag has an ice maker, but I don't go through enough ice to deal
with installing a line and messing with maintaining it (keeping it
clean, etc). It's easier to just throw some water in a tray and shove
it into the freezer.

We specifically did not want double doors - you loose a lot of space
with a french-door setup, and it just makes it less ergonomic.

I think the most desirable features a

1) size - 20 cf better than standard 18 cf.

2) Bottom freezer - better than top freezer (but they will make
you pay a premium for bottom freezer)

3) swing freezer door - slide-out freezer drawer (personal
preference, maybe depends on available space in front of
fridge, but they will REALLY make you pay for slide-open door
vs swing-open freezer door)

4) stainless steel vs painted (or powder-coated?) finish
(personal preference I guess)

5) operating noise (hard to judge on a show room floor, very
noticable in the dead of night in your kitchen)

Amount of insulation or ease of service is next to impossible to judge.
Many units from different brands are actually made at the same plant.


An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

mm wrote in
:

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:54:19 -0700, "Abby Brown"
wrote:

Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator. An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar
looking refrigerators that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume
the more expensive units are better built but otherwise don't have a
clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Try to get one in Harvest Gold. I have one and I really like it.



You are cruel :-)

"Abby Brown" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator.
An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators
that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units
are better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

I find that for every 10% higher the price, you get 5% more in value. What
you get extra is often not ever seen, such as the compressor system. Some
are more efficient and quieter than others, but you won't find
specifications of what is actually behind the fancy cabinet. More money
tends to buy more features, heavier material, glass shelves instead of wire,
and so forth.

I prefer the Whirlpool lines rather than say, the Frigidaire family of
brands. You may see two brands under the Whirlpool flag with the same price
but with different layouts inside. That is your preference.

Most models are now Energy Star rated and yours should be too. Given the
age of your old unit, the electric bill will go down.

Be sure to check your local dealers too if you are looking at the big box
stores. The local guy usually belongs to a co-op and can be very
competitive in price and will usually offer better service for delivery,
removal, setup, etc. If you have a problem, the local guy is going to be of
more help than calling some conglomerate.

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator.
An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators
that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units
are better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

We ve never liked the SXS types..freezer part is too narrow.
We do like the 22 cu ft, bottom "Roll out" freezer made by Amana and sold
under their name, Maytag and KitchenAid (and maybe now Whirlpool since they
bought Amana). It has an icemaker down there but plenty more freezer room.
We have GOOD water here so I made sure I DIDN'T get one REQUIRING a water
filter of ANY kind.

Smitty Two wrote in
news
In article ,
mm wrote:

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:54:19 -0700, "Abby Brown"
wrote:

Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator. An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar
looking refrigerators that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume
the more expensive units are better built but otherwise don't have a
clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Try to get one in Harvest Gold. I have one and I really like it.

Some prefer Avocado.

Did you and mm torment dorks in school together as kids or something?


Of course, they should go with the coppertone brown.

K wrote:
Abby Brown wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator. An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar
looking refrigerators that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume
the more expensive units are better built but otherwise don't have a
clue what I am paying for.
Thanks,
Gary

I don't know much about the high end ones other than they are
expensive.
What I'd look for would start with the following.

a good Energy Star rating - your refrigerator will run a long time,
and is an appliance that can actually save you noticeable money.

glass shelves throughout

split shelves that will give you a lot of flexibility in spacing.

Big door shelves that can handle 1/2 gal soda bottles, gal milk
containers, etc.

An egg tray

Big veg drawers with separate controls.

A bin for butter and cheese.

Some smaller door bins for mustard and other condiments.

A snack drawer that is up front and convenient.

Big freezer - you say you want an ice maker, but that probably won't
leave you room to freeze racks of ribs when you find them on sale. I
have an occasional wish that I'd gone for the ice maker, but it goes
away when I see baby backs on sale for $1.99/lb.

Quiet operation - I don't know how you learn this other than from
online reports, etc. Some refrigerators, even very expensive ones,
are noisy to the point of intrusion. Most aren't, not even basic
boxes, and noise probably varies within a given model. I've heard
loud ones, and wouldn't want one in my kitchen.

just my thoughts,


You put MUSTARD in the fridge?

You know you can maybe double the available space by NOT refrigerating some
things. For example:

* Mustard
* Ketchup
* Pickles and relish
* Margarine
* Some salad dressings (i.e., oil & vinegar)
* Peanut butter
* Maple syrup
* Nuts
* Coffee
* Flashlight batteries
* The dead cat you haven't buried yet
* Canned soft drinks (use a glass and ice)
* Most uncut fruits and vegetables (except watermelon, of course)
* Olive oil
* Eggs if you plan on eating them in a week or two
* Most cheeses

Anyway, check the container. Unless is SAYS "Refrigerate after opening" you
needn't do so.

"HeyBub" wrote in message

Anyway, check the container. Unless is SAYS "Refrigerate after opening"
you needn't do so.

Some say it and you still don't need to.

Abby Brown wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary


Hi,
The more bells and whistles, the more chance of getting trouble.
I don't use ice maker. Drinking anything ice cold is unhealthy.

In article ,
Red Green wrote:

Smitty Two wrote in
news
In article ,
mm wrote:

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:54:19 -0700, "Abby Brown"
wrote:

Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator. An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar
looking refrigerators that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume
the more expensive units are better built but otherwise don't have a
clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Try to get one in Harvest Gold. I have one and I really like it.

Some prefer Avocado.

Did you and mm torment dorks in school together as kids or something?


Yes, but MM never outgrew tormenting. He keeps stacks of old lawnmowers
and plywood outside to torment his neighbors. He's trying to bring that
genuine Appalachian feel to his condominium complex.


Of course, they should go with the coppertone brown.

Tony Hwang wrote in
:

Abby Brown wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator. An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar
looking refrigerators that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume
the more expensive units are better built but otherwise don't have a
clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary


Hi,
The more bells and whistles, the more chance of getting trouble.
I don't use ice maker. Drinking anything ice cold is unhealthy.



So is the Internet.

Abby Brown wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary



I know a guy who only looks for one thing in a refrigerator,
..
..
..
..
..
BEER.

TDD

On Jul 15, 1:06*am, The Daring Dufas
wrote:
Abby Brown wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator.. *An
ice maker is a given. *I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. *I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

I know a guy who only looks for one thing in a refrigerator,
.
.
.
.
.
BEER.

TDD


On my list would be water and crushed ice in the door. The ice
systems have improved a lot over the last 20 years and I love the
crushed ice. It instantly cools warm beverages and you don't have
the anoying cubes trying to escape the glass when you drink. If you
want to see a nice ice system, check out Kitchenaid, which is what I
have. It doesn't take up as much space as many other ones and has a
nice bucket in the door which you can just pick up and remove if you
want to take it out to get bulk ice cubes. Also, with the water
system, most of the better ones have water filters. The downside is
the replacements cartridges that last about 6 months cost about
$25-30. You could install your own inline conventional one, provided
you have a place to locate it, eg basement.

The energy star rating should be looked at too, though for most models
the energy used has been improved greatly and in the end likely won't
be the deciding factor.

One big difference in cost is going with stainless. No one can
predict design trends, but I feel safer with stainless and think it
looks great. But of course it depends on what else you have.

"Abby Brown" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator.
An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators
that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units
are better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary


Reliability and operating cost are the keys for me. Check Consumer Reports
who recently reviewed refrigerators.

On Jul 14, 3:54*pm, "Abby Brown" wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. *An
ice maker is a given. *I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. *I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

I shopped by comparing the yellow gov energy tag, at www.EnergyStar.gov
all units are compared as to annual operating costs. I also picked a
unit with the coil underneath since I wanted it against an insulated
wall that closed in to save energy.

"Some Guy" wrote in message ...
Abby Brown wrote:

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator.

2) Bottom freezer - better than top freezer (but they will make
you pay a premium for bottom freezer)

3) swing freezer door - slide-out freezer drawer (personal
preference, maybe depends on available space in front of
fridge, but they will REALLY make you pay for slide-open door
vs swing-open freezer door)

i was just in an appliance store and saw a new idea. try to get a bottom
freezer with 2 smaller doors rather than a single large door with a pull out
drawer. it is much easier to get to stuff on the bottom shelf of a bottom
freezer if it has it's own door.

regards,
charlie
cave creek, az

On Jul 14, 3:54*pm, "Abby Brown" wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. *An
ice maker is a given. *I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. *I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Read up on the ins and outs of current offerings in Consumer Reports.
Whether you choose to use their ratings as a guide is up to you, but
they have many technicians involved in real live tests which IMO are
well supplemented by anecdotal opinion from newsgroups. Bottom line,
never turn down a credible source of good information.

Joe

"Abby Brown" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator.
An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators
that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units
are better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

Just avoid Maytag. They are the noisiest on the market. Try to get an
Energystar model of any kind.
When we moved last year we bought a GE Profile with in-door ice/water
dispenser. We are in Nevada and these hot summer days it sure is convenient
and energy conserving to not open up the doors for cubes or water. Also,
ours has a big slideout freezer on the bottom and split doors on top. It
gives us slide out shelves; shelves that tip up to make room for large
items; room for the big soda bottle and three separate pull out drawers for
meat, produce veggies etc.
Joe J

HeyBub wrote:
K wrote:
Abby Brown wrote:
Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new
refrigerator. An ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar
looking refrigerators that range from $800 to $2500. I would assume
the more expensive units are better built but otherwise don't have a
clue what I am paying for.
Thanks,
Gary
I don't know much about the high end ones other than they are
expensive.
What I'd look for would start with the following.

a good Energy Star rating - your refrigerator will run a long time,
and is an appliance that can actually save you noticeable money.

glass shelves throughout

split shelves that will give you a lot of flexibility in spacing.

Big door shelves that can handle 1/2 gal soda bottles, gal milk
containers, etc.

An egg tray

Big veg drawers with separate controls.

A bin for butter and cheese.

Some smaller door bins for mustard and other condiments.

A snack drawer that is up front and convenient.

Big freezer - you say you want an ice maker, but that probably won't
leave you room to freeze racks of ribs when you find them on sale. I
have an occasional wish that I'd gone for the ice maker, but it goes
away when I see baby backs on sale for $1.99/lb.

Quiet operation - I don't know how you learn this other than from
online reports, etc. Some refrigerators, even very expensive ones,
are noisy to the point of intrusion. Most aren't, not even basic
boxes, and noise probably varies within a given model. I've heard
loud ones, and wouldn't want one in my kitchen.

just my thoughts,


You put MUSTARD in the fridge?

You know you can maybe double the available space by NOT refrigerating some
things. For example:

* Mustard
dries out, gets a crust, seperates
* Ketchup
gets nasty acidic tasting, turns dark and funny smelling
* Pickles and relish
gets mushy, and the sugar overwhelms the taste.
* Margarine
turns into mush, tastes nasty, separates
* Some salad dressings (i.e., oil & vinegar)
agreed
* Peanut butter
tastes nasty, and if real PB, the oil separates
* Maple syrup
agreed, but it can become unpourable from crystallization, and you have
to add a dash of h20 and nuke it.
* Nuts
some nuts go rancid at room temp if not in sealed containers
* Coffee
sealed containers only
* Flashlight batteries
no significant diff from home refrig, since they are not kept cool in
supply chain
* The dead cat you haven't buried yet
that is what the back fence line is for. recycle, etc.
* Canned soft drinks (use a glass and ice)
not if you have soft water- the ice tastes nasty.
* Most uncut fruits and vegetables (except watermelon, of course)
some yes, some no. I prefer my veggies crisp.
* Olive oil
yes
* Eggs if you plan on eating them in a week or two
no way in hell. my brother tried that on a road trip with boiled eggs,
and I refused to touch them after first 36 hours. I hate dysentary with
a passion. If in doubt, throw it out.
* Most cheeses
only if in factory pack or wax-dipped

Anyway, check the container. Unless is SAYS "Refrigerate after opening" you
needn't do so.
if it is sold cold, I keep it cold. If it is sold warm and I eat it
cold, I keep it cold. I also keep bread products in frig- they last
longer before going green, and it is harder for the ants and mice to
find them.


aem sends...

aemeijers wrote:

Some observations:


You put MUSTARD in the fridge?

You know you can maybe double the available space by NOT
refrigerating some things. For example:

* Mustard
dries out, gets a crust, seperates

See below on ketchup

* Ketchup
gets nasty acidic tasting, turns dark and funny smelling

Possibly, after several years. Ever see a restaurant that put its ketchup in
the cooler? In your case, you might be better off with small, sealed,
packets of condiments.

* Pickles and relish
gets mushy, and the sugar overwhelms the taste.

Huh?

* Margarine
turns into mush, tastes nasty, separates

Some margarine turns mushy. The margarine manufacturers deliberately add
liquifiers because they know people are going to cool the product.

* Some salad dressings (i.e., oil & vinegar)
agreed
* Peanut butter
tastes nasty, and if real PB, the oil separates

True. But commercial PB IS real PM, it's just been homogenized. If you make
your own, you'll have a separation problem. Same with mayonnaise.

* Maple syrup
agreed, but it can become unpourable from crystallization, and you
have to add a dash of h20 and nuke it.
* Nuts
some nuts go rancid at room temp if not in sealed containers

Then don't eat that kind.

* Coffee
sealed containers only

Huh? Do you mean only if in the original packaging should live outside the
fridge? Or do you mean uncovered coffee should be kept cool?

* Flashlight batteries
no significant diff from home refrig, since they are not kept cool in
supply chain
* The dead cat you haven't buried yet
that is what the back fence line is for. recycle, etc.
* Canned soft drinks (use a glass and ice)
not if you have soft water- the ice tastes nasty.

Water-softener lines should NOT run to the ice-maker. Softened water is an
ice-maker killer. De-ionized is okay.

* Most uncut fruits and vegetables (except watermelon, of course)
some yes, some no. I prefer my veggies crisp.

Then slice them thinly and fry them.

* Olive oil
yes
* Eggs if you plan on eating them in a week or two
no way in hell. my brother tried that on a road trip with boiled eggs,
and I refused to touch them after first 36 hours. I hate dysentary
with a passion. If in doubt, throw it out.

So he and his family died a most horrible death and you got to live large on
the inheritance. Or was there some other outcome for your brother and his
family? Now if your brother ALSO threw out the eggs, I'd suspect a motive on
his part other than merely sharing a tasty meal.

* Most cheeses
only if in factory pack or wax-dipped

Cheese was around for about 50,000 years before refrigeration. On the other
hand, all the first century Romans who ate unrefrigerated cheeses are now
dead...


Anyway, check the container. Unless is SAYS "Refrigerate after
opening" you needn't do so.
if it is sold cold, I keep it cold.

I've never had a burger served with a frozen meat patty. You may be on to
something.

If it is sold warm and I eat it
cold, I keep it cold. I also keep bread products in frig- they last
longer before going green, and it is harder for the ants and mice to
find them.

I, too, keep bread in the cooler. But that's because I buy giant quantities
at once from Sam's Club. Maybe that's why I'm so anal about what to put in
the fridge. For example, 55 gallons of jalapenos simply won't fit in the
refrigerator, no matter how much packing I do.

On Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:59:33 -0500, HeyBub wrote:

Water-softener lines should NOT run to the ice-maker. Softened water is an
ice-maker killer. De-ionized is okay.
If tap water straight from the city taste bad, so will the ice cubes.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using 'soft water" (magnesium
removed) in an ice maker. How pray tell can removing minerals and
inpurities harm an ice maker? Do you think they use crud for
lubrication?

I live where the city water is nasty canal water and I use a line from
the undersink RO purifier for ice. Works great. Neighbor has a whole
house water softener as do two of my relatives. Obviously their ice
makers work just fine. Do you have some confused notion that water
softeners add salt to the water output? They don't. The salt is only
used to recharge the purification rods/beads.

Abby Brown wrote:

Hi,

We are about to replace our 28 year old Kenmore with a new refrigerator. An
ice maker is a given. I've looked at similar looking refrigerators that
range from $800 to $2500. I would assume the more expensive units are
better built but otherwise don't have a clue what I am paying for.

Thanks,
Gary

In general the mid-upper priced units will be better built, fit, finish
and durability than the lowest end units. The highest prices units
usually only differ from the upper middle priced units in the foofy
brand name badge on them.

The first thing to determine is what style you prefer as this is very
subjective and based on your typical use and will drive your other
decisions.

The top freezer models are typically the most efficient from an
operating cost perspective, but in my opinion horribly inefficient from
an ergonomic and daily use perspective since they force you to bend down
constantly to get routine stuff from the refrigerator.

The bottom freezer models are ok, however I find that since the bottom
drawer requires stacking items on top of each other, they can be pretty
inefficient organizationally, and also problematic when you have a pan
of something you need to chill, can't find a flat surface in the freezer
drawer, or have slosh issues trying to close the freezer drawer.

I prefer the side by side configuration since it eliminates most of the
stacking and flat space issues, eliminates slosh issues, and allows you
to organize both the refrigerator and freezer sections to avoid bending
for commonly accessed items.

Once you get past the style selection, you look for operating cost
(energy star rating), durability of the construction, functionality of
shelves, bins, etc., warranty, parts availability, operating controls (I
prefer digital with real temp displays vs. arbitrary numbers), and
serviceability.

"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:59:33 -0500, HeyBub wrote:

Water-softener lines should NOT run to the ice-maker. Softened water is an
ice-maker killer. De-ionized is okay.
If tap water straight from the city taste bad, so will the ice cubes.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using 'soft water" (magnesium
removed) in an ice maker. How pray tell can removing minerals and
inpurities harm an ice maker? Do you think they use crud for
lubrication?

I live where the city water is nasty canal water and I use a line from
the undersink RO purifier for ice. Works great. Neighbor has a whole
house water softener as do two of my relatives. Obviously their ice
makers work just fine. Do you have some confused notion that water
softeners add salt to the water output? They don't. The salt is only
used to recharge the purification rods/beads.

you can use an r/o supply for the icemaker, but you don't want to use metal
tubing for delivery. the water will quickly pull metal ions out of the
tubing causing leaks pretty quickly.

AZ Nomad wrote:
On Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:59:33 -0500, HeyBub
wrote:

Water-softener lines should NOT run to the ice-maker. Softened water
is an ice-maker killer. De-ionized is okay.

I live where the city water is nasty canal water and I use a line from
the undersink RO purifier for ice. Works great. Neighbor has a whole
house water softener as do two of my relatives. Obviously their ice
makers work just fine. Do you have some confused notion that water
softeners add salt to the water output? They don't. The salt is only
used to recharge the purification rods/beads.

I was wrong about soft-water / ice-maker. Soft water does make better ice
and is easier on the ice-maker.

I'm not confused about salt, although many others are. People on a low-salt
diet are really supposed to be on a low-SODIUM diet. Water softeners
exchange Sodium ions for Magnesium (and other) ions, so people on a low or
salt-free diet are really getting MORE Sodium than without using a softener.

Now the facts are these. Sodium or salt does not CAUSE hypertension, it
merely aggravates the condition. About six percent of the population has
hypertension and about half of those have the kind that doesn't take kindly
to salt.

Bottom line: 97% of the population can use as much salt as they want with NO
adverse health problems. Several studies have been done where test subjects
ingested up to 25 GRAMS of salt per day for extended periods with no adverse
effects. Anyone who's ever eaten in a military mess hall can verify this.

Pete C. wrote:

In general the mid-upper priced units will be better built, fit,
finish and durability than the lowest end units. The highest prices
units usually only differ from the upper middle priced units in the
foofy brand name badge on them.


You make a good point.

I wonder if one could buy, say, a Kenmore and slap a SubZero or KitchenAid
or LG medallion on it.

Who would know?