Repair or Replace, Upright Freezer Edition
August 9, 2016 11:17 AM Subscribe
Should I repair or replace my 25+ year old GE upright freezer?
My stand alone freezer has failed for the third time in about five years. The first time I truly believe was user error (ie, the user did not properly close the door but swears up and down that it was closed properly); when it failed a second time we went ahead and had the rubber seal replaced, for about $200. A couple of months ago the freezer wasn't holding the correct temperature, and we again lost most of the food that it was holding. It's been empty (and turned off) since then, while I try to decide what to do.
At first I was just going to get rid of it, but something is nagging me in the back of my mind to keep it and repair it. Afterall, they don't make 'em like they used to, right? Major appliances used to come with a ten-year warranty (or before that, a lifetime warranty). Now they come with a one-year warranty and googling tells me you're often lucky if you get that long out of a new freezer without some sort of failure. When I'm looking for a reliable household item I usually turn to Costco, and I find that Costco does not sell freezers. That's telling.
I have heard from various repair people over the years to hold onto and repair older appliances, because newer ones just are not the same quality. My question now is, if I have the repair place come out and replace parts / thermostat / motor / what-have-you, if they are using new replacement parts, what's to say that the new parts won't fail in a year? So now I've thrown more money at something that has already failed multiple times.
At what point do I throw in the towel and say this old unit has had enough, and take a chance on a new unit?
My stand alone freezer has failed for the third time in about five years. The first time I truly believe was user error (ie, the user did not properly close the door but swears up and down that it was closed properly); when it failed a second time we went ahead and had the rubber seal replaced, for about $200. A couple of months ago the freezer wasn't holding the correct temperature, and we again lost most of the food that it was holding. It's been empty (and turned off) since then, while I try to decide what to do.
At first I was just going to get rid of it, but something is nagging me in the back of my mind to keep it and repair it. Afterall, they don't make 'em like they used to, right? Major appliances used to come with a ten-year warranty (or before that, a lifetime warranty). Now they come with a one-year warranty and googling tells me you're often lucky if you get that long out of a new freezer without some sort of failure. When I'm looking for a reliable household item I usually turn to Costco, and I find that Costco does not sell freezers. That's telling.
I have heard from various repair people over the years to hold onto and repair older appliances, because newer ones just are not the same quality. My question now is, if I have the repair place come out and replace parts / thermostat / motor / what-have-you, if they are using new replacement parts, what's to say that the new parts won't fail in a year? So now I've thrown more money at something that has already failed multiple times.
At what point do I throw in the towel and say this old unit has had enough, and take a chance on a new unit?
At what point do I throw in the towel and say this old unit has had enough, and take a chance on a new unit?
right after the second time you had it repaired and it failed again, IE now. freezers are pretty simple machines these days, buy one with zero options (no ice makers, no digital display, no anything except some lights inside, a thermostat and a pretty color) and i will bet you a donut it lasts you 10 years without another thought. and you will, without a doubt, save money in electricity as cecic mentions.
posted by chasles at 11:39 AM on August 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
right after the second time you had it repaired and it failed again, IE now. freezers are pretty simple machines these days, buy one with zero options (no ice makers, no digital display, no anything except some lights inside, a thermostat and a pretty color) and i will bet you a donut it lasts you 10 years without another thought. and you will, without a doubt, save money in electricity as cecic mentions.
posted by chasles at 11:39 AM on August 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
I have heard from various repair people over the years to hold onto and repair older appliances, because newer ones just are not the same quality.
That's partially correct - they aren't the same quality, they're generally much better (like cars). Newer ones definitely don't require as much repair and maintenance, for example. And they're vastly more energy efficient.
Also, Costco does sell freezers. I bought mine from them a year ago. (Danby DCF070A1WDB).
posted by dmd at 11:40 AM on August 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
That's partially correct - they aren't the same quality, they're generally much better (like cars). Newer ones definitely don't require as much repair and maintenance, for example. And they're vastly more energy efficient.
Also, Costco does sell freezers. I bought mine from them a year ago. (Danby DCF070A1WDB).
posted by dmd at 11:40 AM on August 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
Something I never knew until we were clearing out my parents' house a few years ago: freezers (including our family's) used to commonly have just a 2-prong plug, no ground. Add the fact that 3-prong plugs are just safer, plus the increased energy efficiency of newer freezers, plus you've had three repairs in the last five years and that's only going to increase....well, to me that all adds up to replace it.
ps --- of course repair people are always going to tell you to hang onto older appliances, that's their personal bias and income stream you're dealing with: they'd tell you the same thing no matter whether it was a piece of junk or something that'll keep running for the next century!
posted by easily confused at 11:59 AM on August 9, 2016 [2 favorites]
ps --- of course repair people are always going to tell you to hang onto older appliances, that's their personal bias and income stream you're dealing with: they'd tell you the same thing no matter whether it was a piece of junk or something that'll keep running for the next century!
posted by easily confused at 11:59 AM on August 9, 2016 [2 favorites]
This is one of those things, like dishwashers, where the technological advances and energy efficiencies make replacement almost a no-brainer.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:02 PM on August 9, 2016
posted by Lyn Never at 12:02 PM on August 9, 2016
Different angle: How old is your refrigerator? You may come out ahead by not replacing the failing freezer but replacing your fridge with one that has a large enough freezer that you don't need a new stand-alone. Any modern appliance will be more energy-efficient, and you'll save again by not having the second unit. If you absolutely need the stand-alone, don't repair the dinosaur.
posted by sageleaf at 1:01 PM on August 9, 2016
posted by sageleaf at 1:01 PM on August 9, 2016
First, I'm amazed you were charged $200 to replace the rubber seal; when ours went it was closer to $16 to get it replaced.
Second, echoing the comments on replacing it for the efficiency benefit alone. Take a look at freezer/refrigerator energy use over time - if your freezer is 25 years old let's say it was built to the 1990 standard; a new unit will use less than half as much electricity as the old one did when it was in its best condition. Your profile doesn't say where you're located, but using the US average of 12 cents per kWh, that's $60 per year in electric savings (estimating the savings from that chart at 500 kWh per year for easy math; really it's more). An ENERGY STAR unit will use ten percent less than a unit built to the current standard, so that's an extra $6 a year in savings.
I just found a 16.6 cubic foot ENERGY STAR unit on Home Depot's website that uses 431 kWh, so that's $72 in savings per year. The freezer is marked at $565, so the savings alone will pay for the thing in less than 8 years. Despite the warranty being one year, I think the odds of it lasting those 8 years are actually pretty solid - and the payback is a lot quicker when you consider the saved repair cost to your current unit, maybe five years if the repair is only $200 again. Plus your electric company may very well offer a rebate for high efficiency appliances.
TL;DR: get a new freezer.
posted by nickmark at 1:36 PM on August 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
Second, echoing the comments on replacing it for the efficiency benefit alone. Take a look at freezer/refrigerator energy use over time - if your freezer is 25 years old let's say it was built to the 1990 standard; a new unit will use less than half as much electricity as the old one did when it was in its best condition. Your profile doesn't say where you're located, but using the US average of 12 cents per kWh, that's $60 per year in electric savings (estimating the savings from that chart at 500 kWh per year for easy math; really it's more). An ENERGY STAR unit will use ten percent less than a unit built to the current standard, so that's an extra $6 a year in savings.
I just found a 16.6 cubic foot ENERGY STAR unit on Home Depot's website that uses 431 kWh, so that's $72 in savings per year. The freezer is marked at $565, so the savings alone will pay for the thing in less than 8 years. Despite the warranty being one year, I think the odds of it lasting those 8 years are actually pretty solid - and the payback is a lot quicker when you consider the saved repair cost to your current unit, maybe five years if the repair is only $200 again. Plus your electric company may very well offer a rebate for high efficiency appliances.
TL;DR: get a new freezer.
posted by nickmark at 1:36 PM on August 9, 2016 [1 favorite]
I think the new v old appliance quality issue is that older appliances were more reliable from unit to unit - manufacturing standards were higher once upon a time (though honestly, I think they had overall declined by 1991).
However, most big-ticket/energy hog home appliances more than make up for that in efficiency and advanced materials. Use Consumer Reports to find the most reliable brand/model you can but DEFINITELY replace.
posted by vunder at 1:47 PM on August 9, 2016
However, most big-ticket/energy hog home appliances more than make up for that in efficiency and advanced materials. Use Consumer Reports to find the most reliable brand/model you can but DEFINITELY replace.
posted by vunder at 1:47 PM on August 9, 2016
Unless this is of some significant sentimental or, and I doubt this part, antique value you need to upgrade now. Like yesterday. Like before you lost all the food that was in it the last time it failed.
I've had nothing but good experiences with chest type freezers (if that would work for you) and they're super affordable and very efficient. If you don't get power surges and/or lightning strikes then I'd expect a nice long life out of it since they're pretty much bombproof regarding their on/off cycles and design. Not to mention that there's no reason you couldn't get it repaired (and be saving significant dollars in operating costs in the meantime) if it had any issues out of warranty.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:29 PM on August 9, 2016
I've had nothing but good experiences with chest type freezers (if that would work for you) and they're super affordable and very efficient. If you don't get power surges and/or lightning strikes then I'd expect a nice long life out of it since they're pretty much bombproof regarding their on/off cycles and design. Not to mention that there's no reason you couldn't get it repaired (and be saving significant dollars in operating costs in the meantime) if it had any issues out of warranty.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:29 PM on August 9, 2016
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posted by cecic at 11:28 AM on August 9, 2016 [1 favorite]