Older Fridge vs New Fridge: Which Is Better?

Have you been debating whether to fix your older refrigerator or replace it with a new fridge? Looking for some advice on which fridge is better? Open the next tab to get our take on this popular subject.

To begin with, if you’re reading this, I’m guessing your current fridge is an older model. If that’s the case, consider yourself lucky, because it is built better than anything you could buy today. Full disclosure, we provide freezer and refrigerator repair service, so you might think we have a biased opinion. However, we fix any fridge, it doesn’t matter how young, so this post was written to answer your question.

“Is an older fridge better than a new one?”, or “Should I fix my old refrigerator or replace it?” Let me answer by sharing the following two facts. I have two fridges: a 1989 GE side by side and a 1985 whirlpool top freezer with one repair between them. The second fact is this: the average age of refrigerators people call me to fix is currently less than 4 years old, 20 years ago in 2003 it was 17 years old.

Pros of Your Old Fridge

• Cheaper to Repair
• Built with Quality in Mind
• Meant to Be Used for Decades
• Stronger Motors Capable of Heavy Use
• Basic Design Means Fewer Components
• Many Parts Still Available for Replacement

Cons of Your Old Fridge

• Not as Attractive by Comparison
• Not Designed for Energy Efficiency
• Interior Storage Not as Organized
• Fewer Conveniences: Ice Maker, Water Filter, Etc.

Pros of Newer Refrigerators

• Shiny and New
• Designed for Energy Efficiency
• Food Storage Areas Well Utilized
• Easier and Lighter to Move for Frequent Repairs

Cons of Newer Fridges

• Break Down Much Sooner
• Newer Parts Cost Much More
• Energy Efficient Parts Not Built to Last
• Complex Designs Use Many Additional Parts
• Luxury Features Mean Likelihood of More Repairs

Have you heard a friend boast how beautiful their new refrigerator looks in the kitchen? Perhaps your fridge leaks water on occasion, or it stopped making ice and you’re hosting a BBQ next weekend. As a result, you might be considering whether it would be better if you just bought a new one instead of having yours fixed. After all, wouldn’t a shiny, brand new refrigerator that claims to be energy efficient, be better than your current one?

Now I don’t want to sound as if I am against being eco-friendly, saving energy and doing our part in saving the planet. Nor am i trying to reduce the number of manufacturing jobs. However, if you take a closer look inside your refrigerator, you might discover that it will make more sense to have A Fast Local Refrigerator Repair prolong the useful life of your refrigerator.

Ask yourself this: what is more harmful to the environment? Is it your older, well-built refrigerator that may cost a few dollars more per year to operate? Compare that to the polluting factories that churn out cheaply made plastic  appliances.  Plus all the other factories in the supply chain that make the smaller parts required to assemble them. Don’t forget all the ships, planes, trains and trucks required to get all those appliances to the stores, and all the pollution they contribute to the planet. Maybe that older refrigerator isn’t that bad after all.

Consider this too: the hidden cost in owning appliances is not in the money you save due to energy efficiency, but the costs needed to keep it running. Why do older refrigerators last longer? Because they were built by companies focused on building a long lasting product. Business is much more cut throat now, they are focused on profit margin. Simply put, older refrigerators require less maintenance and repairs. New refrigerators are built to be energy efficient, but not to be long lasting. I have two refrigerators, main one is a 1989 GE side by side, no repairs, and my garage fridge is a 1985 Whirlpool top freezer that I replaced the freezer fan about 2006.

When I started fixing refrigerators in 2003 the average age of a refrigerator appliance that we repaired was 17 years old. Now the average age is less than 4 years old. Let that sink in for a second. I have two fridges over 30 years old with one repair between them. Older refrigerators use less, albeit stronger parts, that were also built to last longer, which translates to less breakdowns. Newer refrigerators require the use of multiple sensors to monitor temperatures, humidity, motor speeds, voltages and other system functions; more specialized motors that consume less energy to run because they are smaller and weaker, but are more prone to break down because they are weaker; high voltage and low voltage electronic circuit boards and user interfaces that require constant voltage, and are usually quite expensive to replace; automatic dampers and ducts which also contain more motors; all of which are made up of or contain a large increase in plastic and plastic components, as compared to older refrigerators. Considering a fridge with less bells and whistles? You still are not buying a better built fridge, it just uses less of those parts that are prone to breaking down.

If you do even the most basic of math, the typical 22-25 cubic foot refrigerator on the market today, which is sufficient for a 4 person household, will be in the $1000.00 – $3500.00 price range, and will likely require one to two mechanical repairs, and possibly more, just within the first 4 years, so add $150-$500 to your budget for repairs.

Now, we will gladly fix ANY refrigerator, old or new, we are only offering advice that some people wish they had been given before they bought a new appliance. We are here to help you in any way possible. In conclusion, doesn’t it make sense to spend a small amount on a minor appliance repair from A Fast Local Refrigerator Repair then a fortune to replace it? Absolutely. So if you want refrigerator repair near me in the suburbs of Chicago, call 630/424-0646 now!