How long did YOUR freezer last?

[JDgreen227]

Back in '92 I paid $365 with tax for a new GE 15 cubic foot chest freezer, it died from compressor failure three days ago. I went and purchased a new Kenmore, same size and type, $394 with tax, and switched them in a timely enough manner I only lost about $30 worth of food.

I really thought the GE would give me more than 19 years of service, and the salesguy told me the new models today have smaller compressors so the makers can claim they make the "Energy Star" rating, and he further said I'd be lucky to get 14 years out of the new one.

A lady I know tells me the chest freezer in her garage is at least 50 years old and it's still running okay, probably a real energy gobbler but the purchase price was long amortized.

If it hadn't been such a rush deal to save $400 worth of meat and if getting a replacement for my compressor was a DIY job I would have preferred to salvage my old model.

Any comments? Thanks.

 

[techman]

20 years is a reasonable life. I would not complain. Over that time period improvements in overall efficiency make the purchase of a new unit worth it as well.

paul

 

[flyingcow]

Almost 20 out of ours. Still going. Just keep 'em clean of cat hair/dust bunnies,etc helps. Same with a frig. Just took ownership of a 5yr old frig because previous owners said it would quit in the humid heat. Brought it home and cleaned all the debris out of coils. Runs fine. Got as nice garage frig for nothing.

But I am expecting our chest freezer to quit in the next few yrs.

It would be nice if they located the coils on top of frig, not on bottom where the dust is.

 

[JDgreen227]

20 years is a reasonable life. I would not complain. Over that time period improvements in overall efficiency make the purchase of a new unit worth it as well.

paul

Energy cost of the older one, stated at 6 cents per kwh, adjusted for current cost of kwh on the label of the new one, was $59. New one is $38. A savings of $21 a year...WOW, over the projected service life of 14 years I will save a total of $294. But if you say a service life of 20 years is reasonable, thanks for confirmation.

 

[JDgreen227]

Almost 20 out of ours. Still going. Just keep 'em clean of cat hair/dust bunnies,etc helps. Same with a frig. Just took ownership of a 5yr old frig because previous owners said it would quit in the humid heat. Brought it home and cleaned all the debris out of coils. Runs fine. Got as nice garage frig for nothing.

But I am expecting our chest freezer to quit in the next few yrs.

It would be nice if they located the coils on top of frig, not on bottom where the dust is.

We have four cats and you wouldn't believe the c--- that ends up under the appliances in the kitchen, last time I used a polyduster under the range it pulled out a dozen milk rings among other debris. Agree with you about placement of coils, seems to me if they were on top they would stay cleaner and heat would not radiate up into the bottom of the fridge which would make it run cooler. But then how would people store stuff atop the box?

 

[KB9UDE]

AC power surges and low voltage can cause harm to any electrical device especially a compressor or motor. We lost a fridge, furnace blower motor, and a well pump due to these problems.

 

[polo1665]

Probably jinxing myself, but we've got a 22 cubic foot Sears Coldspot. Think it was made in '86 or '87. Thing is an absolute beast. Been moved twice, don't want to have to move it again.
If it does die one day, I'll be one meat movin' son of a gun. Thing holds a lot of food.

 

[JeremyL]

At the risk of being called an "old fogey" I have to say, they don't make 'em like they used to.
All my major kitchen appliances are name-brand, well regarded by Consumer Reports and yet have peeling finish, cracked and discolored plastic parts, and generally show accelerated falling-apartness, even though they still heat and cool.

I had occasion recently to move a neighbor's vintage clothes dryer and was amazed at how heavy it is compared to newer ones. Steel vs. plastic. At some point cheapness will make most things useless.

Thanks for the rant; I feel better now.

 

[thatguy]

my parents chest freezer died just a few months ago after +30 yrs of service .. It was bought in the mid - 70's and the last time i looked in it there was 4" ice frost build up on it.. Id love to know how much stuff got 'lost' in the bottom of that beast... lol

Brian

 

[JDgreen227]

AC power surges and low voltage can cause harm to any electrical device especially a compressor or motor. We lost a fridge, furnace blower motor, and a well pump due to these problems.

Man, maybe you pinpointed the early (IMO) demise of my freezer. The first ten years of it's life it was in a basement with 60 amp fused service, next to an electric water heater, and a well pump running on 230 volts. Then in '02 we upgraded to underground service and 200 amps, and after rewiring the basement I put in a dedicated circuit for the freezer, the only other thing running on the circuit is a 19 cubic foot top freezer fridge down there...hmm, makes me wonder how often both fridge and freezer compressors kick on at the same time?

Good point, thanks for your input !! :thumbsup: