Buying New Fridge - Panasonic, Hitachi Or Mitsubishi Or...?

[2ge]

Hi guys,

I spent couple of hours checking which fridge to buy. Read forum post over and over. I don't want to buy Samsung fridge

I downloaded Panasonic, Hitachi and Mitsubishi catalog. I am interested to buy freezer bottom, fridge at top, 3 shelves would do also. So far I am considering:

PANASONIC: NR-BY602X 602Litres (449/153), 27.900 BHT, 529 kWh/year (551 Litres cost 2000 BHT less)

Hitachi: R-WB460PY 455 Litres, 28690 BHT - nice design

Hitachi: T-SG37BPTH, 365 Litres, 26900 BHT - nice design

Mitsubishi: MR-C42E, 376 Litres (221/72/83), 21550 BHT

For me, Panasonic is the best price per liter, also for other, I can not find power consumption, so I guess Pana is doing really good, but when I compare it to EU models, I am not sure about that anymore Hitachi and Mitsubishi have 3 shelves, and design is also nice. I am spearfishing, so storing some freezed fishes would be good, I guess, I can store meat in "vegetable" department also (3 shelves).

So, which one you would grab? The most important is reliability, I don't want to bring my fridge to the shop for repair (living in small island).

My budget is max 30k.

[jackr]

I wouldn't have a Mitsu again. Had a fridge over freezer (not cheap) and it was pretty noisy.

[Carib]

Nobody ever bought a new fridge? I am interested too in experience with the various brands or models. Weak points maybe, or better the good features.

[sunlong]

Spending that kind of money I'd recommend a larger-style commercial chest-style freezer, save a ton on food not to mention your electric bill.

I was happy with my Samsung, but the plastic shelving bits regularly broke (house full of kids) and ended up spending as much replacing those as the unit cost. . .

[ignis]

which one you would grab? The most important is reliability

I have a Panasonic and a Samsung bot both twin doors or side by side as there called here.

Both have been in everyday use for 10 years, the Panasonic had a problem about 5 years ago [something to do with the auto defrosting sensor new part cost 700 baht] door seals need replacing, Samsung is still perfect.. cannot see any reason why they will not both last another 5 - 10 years

See/buy when they have the big sales at Home Pro

[poanoi]

Never mind brand, but i regretted every day i had to bend over to get to the fridge,

cause the freezer was above the fridge.

So whatever you do, make sure the freezer part is at bottom.

A friend eventually took mercy on me and made a table that i could place the fridge on,

so i dont have to act gay whenever i want an egg

[whiteman]

^{correct have the freezer on the bottom and when you marry a small thai lady easy for her to get into the freezer same with front end loader washing machines think of the future}

[mogandave]

I use the freezer quite a lot an like it on the top. I bought a big Samsung about six months ago and love it. It has glass shelves which i like.

Had a Whirlpool before that and it lasted 12 years without a problem, just wanted something bigger.

[TobiasML]

I have seen that BSH Bosch Siemens has a clearance sale at their warehouse in Bang-na (APL Logistics) on Sunday June 9th from 10am until 6pm. Maybe you are able to find something there. Not sure though about the offered products.

[aussiebebe]

My top tip is to find your nearest repair shop and ask them what brand is the cheapest to repair! I've lived by this rule in all the places I've stayed in Bangkok. It's even more important if you're on an island.
No matter how reliable the fridge is, certain parts will fail before the fridge:
1) glass shelves are prone to break and some brands like Samsung (which I noted you ruled out) are expensive.
2) plastic trays and draws not only break (the side bits) way before the fridge fails but they also get unsanitary.

3) magnetic seal - usually lose effectiveness
4) water or ice dispenser in the door never last.

Ask your local repair shop first.

[poanoi]

And another thing,

if you are at risk of having a thai girl live-in, brace yourself for having half the fridge occupied with water melons and whatnot,

even tho we now have a 2nd fridge, and even tho the fridge is now at a height where i can see <deleted> is going on without standing on my knees, it is still so stuffed with fruits and junk so i regularly ask her to pull out whatever i want, rather than wreak havoc myself,

so buy bigger than you think you need if you are at risk

Edited June 5, 2013 by poanoi

[sunlong]

And another thing, if you are at risk of having a thai girl live-in, brace yourself for having half the fridge occupied with water melons and whatnot, even tho we now have a 2nd fridge, and even tho the fridge is now at a height where i can see <deleted> is going on without standing on my knees, it is still so stuffed with fruits and junk so i regularly ask her to pull out whatever i want, rather than wreak havoc myself, so buy bigger than you think you need if you are at risk

No idea what this could be about, what's wrong with fruit ("and junk"??) in the fridge?

[poanoi]

Its wrong when there is no room for beer duh

[sunlong]

Its wrong when there is no room for beer duh

-

Well obviously it's her job to bring those to you anyway, so I still don't see the problem.

[poanoi]

But you see, there isnt room for more than 2 beers in the fridge at any one time,

and that is plain wrong

[sunlong]

Well if you have to choose between upgrading the fridge or your girl, which way you leaning?

Or rather than swapping, you could of course just invest in an additional one.

Whatever you do don't just get a big huge one or we might not be able to dig you out from under those melons. . .

[kevvy]

I brought a Hiitachi one with the freezer on the side and the fridge has glass shelves and plenty of room , it is very quite and has the ice making machine and water dispenser .it was worth more than 30 k but I love it . has amazing features.

[Stradavarius37]

Wait for a sale and get a nice one - got a beauty stainless steel Samsung for about 26,000 on sale at Powerbuy - lovely appliance

[seajae]

we bought a samsung that is about 480 ltrs last year and it is brilliant. Has top freezer but my last fridge in Australia was a bottom freezer and it was bloody hard to find everything although it was great having the fridge area at a good height. We paid 15,000 for the fridge and it is a good buy, plenty of room and easy to get at everything except when the wife and mother fill it with containers of god knows what and vegetables/fruit they never use. They always forget what they have in the containers as well so when you open up fish that hgas been in the fridge for months your eyes water profusely and the gag reflex takes over

[2ge]

I brought a Hiitachi one with the freezer on the side and the fridge has glass shelves and plenty of room , it is very quite and has the ice making machine and water dispenser .it was worth more than 30 k but I love it . has amazing features.

what model exactly you bought ?

The problem with repairing is, I am living in Koh Phangan, and here are just "funny" repair shops. For promotion/discount, I am going on mainland just sometimes, so basically I am checking online prices (Powerbuy and so on).

It seems all fridges are so-so, some models good than others, but as far as I can see, there is not much differences, some people are happy with Samsung, some not (and this apply to any brand). So, I will just decide by "feeling" what suits me most (the bigger, the better, so Panasonic wins so far).

[aussieinthailand]

Go too the choice mag website and read the reviews on the fridge you are looking for.

[kevvy]

I brought a Hiitachi one with the freezer on the side and the fridge has glass shelves and plenty of room , it is very quite and has the ice making machine and water dispenser .it was worth more than 30 k but I love it . has amazing features.

what model exactly you bought ?

The problem with repairing is, I am living in Koh Phangan, and here are just "funny" repair shops. For promotion/discount, I am going on mainland just sometimes, so basically I am checking online prices (Powerbuy and so on).

It seems all fridges are so-so, some models good than others, but as far as I can see, there is not much differences, some people are happy with Samsung, some not (and this apply to any brand). So, I will just decide by "feeling" what suits me most (the bigger, the better, so Panasonic wins so far).

this is the picture of it . it cost 85000 baht , i love it . or just go to the hitachi website thailand .it is the black and silver fridge with seperate vegie compartment , fridge and side freezer

http://www.hitachi-th.com/hitachi_new/products/index.php?lang=&menu=ref_sidebyside_e

[101734]

I brought a Hiitachi one with the freezer on the side and the fridge has glass shelves and plenty of room , it is very quite and has the ice making machine and water dispenser .it was worth more than 30 k but I love it . has amazing features.

sounds amazing

[sunlong]

You tink too mutt.

In your situation, go down to the repair shops and ask them what they think, which ones are easy/cheapest to get parts.

Done.

[uptheos]

which one you would grab? The most important is reliability

I have a Panasonic and a Samsung bot both twin doors or side by side as there called here.

Both have been in everyday use for 10 years, the Panasonic had a problem about 5 years ago [something to do with the auto defrosting sensor new part cost 700 baht] door seals need replacing, Samsung is still perfect.. cannot see any reason why they will not both last another 5 - 10 years

See/buy when they have the big sales at Home Pro

I'd agree with Samsung, never had a problem - now almost 9 years old, very quiet too.

[chickenslegs]

Off topic I know - but I was in Tesco a couple of days ago and saw they had a small Samsung fridge/freezer reduced from 7,590 Baht to 6,990 Baht (saving of 600 Baht).

I asked the sales assistant why it was reduced (I was thinking ex-display).

"It doesn't get cold" was the answer.

[lujanit]

We looked long and hard for a new fridge. Eventually we purchased something from Powerbuy but they couldn't deliver it for 3 weeks. The weekend following the purchase we went to a home show at Impact. We purchased a side by side fridge/freezer baht 5k less than the smaller one from Powerbuy. Cancelled the order from Powerbuy, no problem, full refund. The only difference is we had to go pickup the new unit from the distributer. Interesting manoeuvre trying to get a big two door fridge off a ute.

My advice is, if you have the time, wait for a home show and check it out before you buy anything.

[mogandave]

You tink too mutt.

In your situation, go down to the repair shops and ask them what they think, which ones are easy/cheapest to get parts.

Done.

The repair guys only know about stuff that breaks down. Parts are cheap and easy to get because they go through a lot of them and keep them in stock.

I've bought five refrigerators (still have three of them) in the last 12 years here, and never had a problem with any of them.

I like having an ice maker, but I would not buy a fridge with an ice-maker in Thailand because I don't drink tap-water.

[Sandman77]

High!

Mostly in the eu proberbly in thai same

Thoshiba give 5 year warrenty and Panasonic 3 year!

I. Lived in many hotel rooms during my journeys, there was not any fridge that was not noisy espasaly bigger ones!

Also Asia not have energy saving laws!

I think Miele from Germany is the best brand in the world

Dishwasher and washing mashine works like a Swiss watch and when it's gone after 10 year is normal!

Small fridge needs around 600 bath in the month with 2 solar cells 100 watt each for around 200€ you have 0 coasts for a lifetime!

European fridge are quite!

[ignis]

noisy would not say my Panasonic was noisy but you can heard it when it is working......... The Samsung is silent, it still is, remember back when bought would keep opening as thought it was not working

Most things expensive in my house are Panasonic, but of the 2 fridge/freezers would have to say the Samsung is a bit better + was cheaper

Edit: Wow that takes me back, my Parents had Miele Dishwasher and washing machine that was back early 70's, but I do agree they work like Swiss watch.

Edited June 7, 2013 by ignis