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Most reliable fridge brands

Find the fridge brands that last, as reported by the people who own and use them.

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Where's my brand?

We've reported on brands that 50 or more people responded to in our survey. Brands that got fewer responses tended to be smaller brands and not as widely owned.

Warranty Warranty

Common faults

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A low score means the brand is less likely to have that fault, according to people who responded to our survey. A high score means there were more reports of this fault for the brand.

Compare brands by commonly reported faults. Brands with a lower percent had fewer faults, so are a better choice.

Source: CHOICE survey data from 1265 fridges purchased between 2013 and 2022.

Brand reliability score

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A high score means the brand is less likely to have faults over time, according to people who responded to our survey.

Brands that scored best for reliability over time.

Source: CHOICE survey data from 1265 fridges purchased between 2013 and 2022.

Brand satisfaction score

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A high score means people who own that brand are very satisfied with their fridge.

Brands that scored best for owner satisfaction.

Source: CHOICE survey data from 1265 fridges purchased between 2013 and 2022.

Warranty

Stated warranty of the fridge. You're still covered by Australian Consumer Law regardless of the manufacturer warranty.

Source: Average stated manufacturer warranty of the fridge brand, February 2023.

The top performers

These brands scored best for reliability, satisfaction and service. This information indicates the expected lifespan for various brands and can help when choosing a product.

Most reliable brands

Mitsubishi, Kelvinator, Fisher & Paykel, Westinghouse, Samsung, LG, Hisense and Electrolux are all highly reliable brands.

Highest owner satisfaction

Mitsubishi and Westinghouse

What we found

The most common faults people had with their fridges were drawer and shelf issues, frost and ice build-up, and door seals
Top-freezer models are more reliable than bottom freezers, French doors, and side-by-sides
66% of all problems happen in the first 3 years of purchase

Reliability and satisfaction

We looked at a ten-year purchase period, 2013–2022, for reliability and satisfaction.

Mitsubishi had both high reliability and owner satisfaction scores. People liked the size, versatile storage space and ability to control the temperature of individual compartments and sections of the fridge.
Smeg had the lowest reliability and owner satisfaction scores, despite often being more expensive. Smeg fridges are more likely to have problems with alarms, water dispensers, hinges, freezers, motherboards and displays.
Panasonic fridges also had poor reliability, despite many being more expensive. Panasonic fridge owners reported issues with ice and water dispensers, freezers and motherboards.

Warranty and your consumer rights

The stated manufacturer's warranty is one of the things to consider when buying a fridge. But it's just as important to understand your rights under Australian Consumer Law. You're entitled to a free repair, replacement or refund if your fridge develops a major fault within the first few years.

Your rights still stand even if the manufacturer's warranty has expired and you didn't buy an extended warranty.

FAQ

How did CHOICE get these results?

In 2023 we surveyed more than 1200 people. We asked them about the performance and reliability of their fridge over the past 12 months. We then cut the data down by selecting fridges between 0-10 years old with a sample size of more than 50 people per brand, so we're more confident that our results match real world experiences. Results were age standardised. See below for information on what this means.

What does age standardised mean?

To make sure the results aren't skewed by brands that may have recently come on the market, or that aren't making fridges anymore, we weigh results to an average distribution across the eight years. That means brands are compared more evenly.

How can I use this information?

This report shows you how happy people are with the brand and how reliable its products are. Alongside our expert test results, this data can help you choose the best fridge for your needs.

What does sample size mean?

The number of individual responses we received about a certain brand. For statistical accuracy we only included brands that had more than 50 responses.

Compare all products

Printing tips

Most reliable fridge brands

Find the fridge brands that last, as reported by the people who own and use them.

Filter by brand

Common faults Common faults

Reliability Reliability

Satisfaction Satisfaction

Warranty Warranty

Common faults

Brand reliability score

Brand satisfaction score

Warranty

The top performers

Most reliable brands

Highest owner satisfaction

What we found

Reliability and satisfaction

Warranty and your consumer rights

FAQ