My valiant and faithful refrigerator, which celebrated its 21ste birthday last winter, is about to give up the ghost. The seal is crumbled, and the part no longer exists. I found a factory in Drummondville that made me an almost identical copy, but the compressor has been running non-stop since and its hum has increased in decibels. Despite this therapeutic relentlessness for ecological and financial reasons, I see the end approaching.
So out of foresight, I started looking for a new fridge that will take over when the time comes. The rather unpleasant experience perfectly illustrates the complexity of consumption and the shortcomings of modern customer service.
In 2002, I obviously didn’t do any research online before going to the store. On television, the advertisement said that Corbeil was the specialist in household appliances, so I went there. The purchase was concluded the same evening, quickly, all the models being quite similar.
This time I spent hours online researching whether it was better to choose a model with a top or bottom freezer, French doors, three or four doors, with or without an ice dispenser, with or without handles, connected to the internet, able to send text messages1… Too much choice is like not enough. I also read reliability rankings published across North America, reading reports citing repairers in an effort to find a device that was more durable than others.
Waste of time. Faced with the variety of points of view, I was no further ahead.
And above all, I wonder what size to take. The space that can accommodate my future fridge measures a little less than 34.5 inches. These devices come in three formats: 30, 33 and 36 inches.
I was confident that any experienced salesperson could easily tell me if I could upgrade to a 33-inch model. Because it seems “borderline” to me.
“Buy a 33-inch, it comes in big,” the first salesman I met told me, convinced. The air is circulating from below now. » A video on the Home Depot website emphasizes the importance of leaving space all around for air circulation, but perhaps it’s not up to date? Anyway, I ask him:
— Thirty-three inches even if I have a wall that will obstruct the full opening of the left door?
– No problem.
— Doesn’t the door need some space to swing?
— Ah… He places his hand near a hinge and opens the door to check and decides: it’s safer to go there with a 30-incher.
– Yes of course.
Friendly, the seller then warns me against the LG brand. There was collective action, because the compressors break down quickly, he told me. “I change lots of compressors on LGs! »
– Oh yes ? According to Protect yourself, two of the three best 33-inch models are made by LG though. (Checked, the legal action in question was undertaken in the United States on models from 2014 to 2017. It concluded with a settlement in 2022 to which Canadians are not entitled).
Next comes the question of the ice and water dispenser. In his opinion, if my partner is a little handy with his hands, he will bring the water to the fridge and make the connections very easily. Not a word about the frequent water damage that this system can cause and the frequency of breakages.
Second retailer: three or four salespeople are sitting at their computers. When I get home, I tell them I want to speak to a fridge expert. The store is deserted. They let me hang around for a while while I walk around the two rows of refrigerators.
One of them finally comes to meet me.
— Do you have any GE models, I would like to check something?
– Of course !
– Oh yes ? I said in a skeptical tone. The salesman looks in his computer to realize that there is no GE… around him. It starts a little badly.
For my width dilemma, he plays it safe by immediately recommending a 30 inch.
I ask him about the water dispenser. He also says it’s an easy project, but if I need a plumber, the bill will be $150 at most. He gives me the phone number of a company, Quick Contractor, to validate the amount. This company in Ontario told me that they did not do plumbing, but installed appliances, including microwaves. Do you need help plugging in a microwave?
I’m calling five plumbers. Two give me an approximate price of $500 before taxes. I learn that “it’s about two hours for two guys, plus travel and copper pipes.”
I go to a third merchant. The experienced seller is confident that I can choose a 33 inch model without problems. He easily answers my questions, but refrains from any advice to help me make a choice. All brands are equal in terms of quality, but be careful, there are shortages for certain models, he warns me. I’m adding this to my list of considerations.
By looking at fridges and playing with drawers that are often poorly designed, I have come to identify my favorite.
I’m crossing my fingers that it is of quality while knowing that the life expectancy is 12 years, according to the American government, 11 according to French manufacturers.
Because my colleague Sara Champagne taught us that schools training appliance repairers have never been so empty2. The profession no longer interests young people, despite an average salary of $26 per hour after 18 months of training.
Count on me to favor repair over replacement for as long as possible. When I calculate the time spent (and wasted) in the shopping process, when I think about the quality of customer service received, the idea of starting all that again doesn’t appeal to me.
1. I invite you to read this judgment in which a man is compensated by the Court because his new fridge does not send him text messages as expected. The seller had not warned him that his phone was incompatible with the household appliances.