A Frenchdoor fridge freezer has two doors standing side by side that open out from the middle to reveal the refrigerated compartment, with the freezer being located at the bottom of the unit. This provides more horizontal room for larger items and means that you don’t have to open both doors at the same time. French door bottom freezers are now one of the most popular fridge configurations but they do have a few drawbacks, so read on to discover some French door fridge problems:
You may initially experience a bit of confusion in the use of your French door refrigerator as you need to get used to the freezer being located at the bottom, and only needing to open the left or the right door to source your food.
In a French door fridge the water dispenser is typically on the inside of the fridge and the icemaker is inside the freezer compartment, which takes away storage capacity in both areas. Several incidents have been reported that involve these features also leaking or malfunctioning, so it’s worth investigation these issues before you make your purchase.
French door fridge freezer problems
Common French door fridge problems include malfunction of the crushed ice maker which is a hard-working part of your appliance that uses a lot of energy to make perfect ice cubes on demand. It draws power to engage heating elements that stop all the inner workings from actually freezing up. The water filter is also tied to the ice maker, so a breakdown can cause issues with other related components.
When the bottom freezer doesn’t maintain the correct temperature this could be caused by a defective defrost heater, defrost sensor, or the main control board. The temperature monitoring sensor or thermostat may not be reading the temperature correctly, and these parts may need repairing or replacing.
Condensation problems may also occur which can soak surrounds, door lights can remain on, and doors may occasionally pop open – all of these are irritating issues that can be simply resolved by your appliance repair expert.
Here’s an assortment of French door fridge freezer pros and cons:
French door fridge freezer pros:
- Wide shelves allows easy storage of meats, stews, and casseroles.
- Door bins are spacious enough to hold large jugs and pitchers.
- Vision and access is logical due to general excellent layout and design.
- The unit can be placed in a tight space as doors require minimum motion with easy opening and closing systems.
- Single freezer drawers are deep and ideal for boxed items.
- Stainless steel and brushed metal designs makes them an excellent addition to modern or contemporary kitchens.
French door fridge freezer cons:
- Higher prices – French door refrigerators cost more than traditional styles.
- Fresh food shelves are closely stacked reducing the amount of vertical storage.
- Ice dispenser units reduces the amount of storage space in the drawer.
- More features means more energy to run and to cool, so opt for Energy Star approved models.
- Compact freezers need you to bend down to access them.
- Ice dispensers tend to be more repair-prone than those without this feature.
More French door fridge freezer pros and cons
- French door fridge freezers have added depth which allows for easy opening and closing of doors.
- Adjusting the height of the top shelf offers better orientation in general.
- Small, retro kitchens aren’t designed for a French door fridge freezer without removing installed cabinets.
- French door fridge freezers are diverse but simply don’t suit everyone’s needs.
The best French door refrigerators
According to current data French door fridges accounted for 29% of fried freezer models bought in 2016. They’re so popular due to offering the best organisation options for storing a family’s worth of food! In recent years Samsung, Whirlpool, and LG have dominated the ratings alongside Kenmore and GE.
Fridges are monitored for longer than a month to evaluate thermostat control and temperature uniformity. Readings detect warm and cold spots and determine which fridges will keep food fresh for longer. Energy efficiency, noise, and how long food stays frozen during a power cut are all measured.
Fridge maintenance
French door fridge maintenance is an essential part of keeping your appliance functioning well and extending its lifespan. Ensuring your refrigerator coils are clean is one of the tasks that can be done to prevent the compressor from working harder to cool the refrigerant.
Regular cleaning every six months will properly maintain the coils. All you need is a vacuum cleaner with a narrow hose attachment, a flexible appliance cleaning brush, a torch, and a dust mask.
Locate the coils behind the metal plate at the back of the refrigerator. Disconnect the appliance and unscrew the metal plate to access them. Remove all visible dirt and dust with the vacuum cleaner, followed by brushing into crevices. Vacuum again and replace the metal plate.
The cleanliness of the fridge can be maintained by emptying each shelf of all items and throwing away expired or mouldy food. Pull out all the shelves and drawers and wash with warm soapy water. Wipe down the interior and then disinfect with a sanitising solution. Dry with a clean cloth before returning food.
Clean and sanitise an empty freezer with hot, soapy water and wipe clean to remove soap excess. Then dry everything with a clean towel.
Fridge repair services
The refrigerator repair cost on a French door model can be up to 26% more costly than the average repair for a standard fridge. This is due to the refrigerator having more parts and an increased risk of potential component connections that cause the likelihood of failure. Many problems with French door refrigerators happen within five years of purchase as these models are more susceptible to damage than all other types of refrigerators. Refrigerator compressor repair is just one of the services provided by domestic appliance repairers. The compressor is often referred to as the heart of the fridge as it pumps the refrigerant gas through the embedded coils. Repairing this component requires careful removal of the gas followed by removal of the compressor, and soldering of the new compressor before recharging the refrigerant gas.
Repairing the compressor can be expensive and may not be worth it if your French door refrigerator is 10 years old or more, or has had this part replaced or repaired before. However, a totally replaced compressor will be extremely reliable.
Your refrigerator freezer repair can effectively be carried out by trained and experienced engineers who have the skills and knowledge to fix an extensive range of problems. Emergency fridge repair will be provided when you have an issue that requires urgent attention.
Bear in mind that any repairs carried out will be covered by a six-month part and labour guarantee.
