Consumer Reports Reviews Sub-Zero Refrigerators
April 26, 2008
Consumer Reports tests product performance in its labs. But it gets reliability data from consumers who respond to its yearly reliability survey. By combining this data — performance and reliability — you can find products that are most likely to work well and be trouble-free.
I always check Consumer Reports for reliability ratings before making a major purchase. But two years ago when we remodeled the kitchen, the magazine did not have reliability ratings for electric wall ovens.
This year’s survey results are based on responses from more than 950,000 readers who rated 30 different types of products, including ovens, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ranges, refrigerators, televisions, lawnmowers, and automobiles.
Upscale Sub-Zero refrigerators are a designer favorite. Consumer Reports lab tests show Sub-Zero delivers “superior food preservation.” But the editors say, based on reader feedback, Sub-Zero models are repair-prone.
During the last few years, 24 percent of all Sub-Zero models needed to be repaired, the survey shows. Compare that to the results for Whirlpool, whose refrigerators needed the fewest repairs — 14 percent for side-by-sides and 7 percent for top or bottom-freezer models.
For the most stylish and sleek looking refrigerators, go with the built-in design. Built-in refrigerators create a seamless feel in your kitchen so that the fridge will be flush with your cabinetry. Built-ins are often so well hidden behind cabinet facades it’s hard to tell where they are in a kitchen. They come in side by side models or bottom-freezer designs and are the most expensive style available with prices ranging from $4000 to $7000. Some of the cabinet depth models of built-ins are cheaper at $1500 to $3200. You will find built-ins at 36 inches wide or larger and some even come in the newer french door styles. The biggest drawback to built-in refrigerators are that they are very pricey and at the same time prone to repairs. The top rated built-ins per Consumer Reports are the Sub-Zero 650F ($6500), the GE Monogram ZICS36ONR ($6400) and the KitchenAid KBFC42F ($6800). The Sub-Zero built-in is the cheapest of the 3, but also gets terrible repair ratings. At 37 inches wide the Sub-Zero provides plenty of storage space and rates high for temperature performance. Some owners have said the icemaker is problematic and that the drawers don’t come out far enough. As for the GE, it’s quiet and does a great job on temperature control and has a beautiful stainless steel finish. The KitchenAid is the most expensive of the group but is 43 inches wide giving you plenty of storage space. It also features the french door style doors are becoming more and more popular in commercial refrigerators found in homes.
It’s natural for anyone who gets a sub-par rating to challenge the validity of the survey. So I was not surprised when Paul Leuthe, corporate marketing manager for Sub-Zero, told me, “The numbers are not accurate.”
Sub-Zero is the only built-in refrigerator on the survey. “So it has a lot more potential for problems than a free-standing refrigerator that is just plugged in,” Leuthe says. “Someone who buys a $5,000 to $8,000 refrigerator is less tolerant than other customers,” he adds.
But Leuthe admits there could be another reason why this top-of-the-line brand rated at the bottom of the reliability survey. He says about four years ago they got a bad batch of copper tubing. It was used in the evaporators for models made from 2003 to 2006.
That tubing is now rusting and causing leaks. “These evaporator problems could be skewing the ratings,” Leuthe says. He points out with some pride that Sub-Zero is making free repairs with no questions asked.
The kitchen is one of the first areas that people tend to update or upgrade when they are remodeling any portion of their house. The refrigerator is an important appliance in the kitchen that comes in many styles and designs. You can choose from top-freezer, bottom-freezer, built-in, side by side, french door, counter depth, undercounter, and more. Over 11 million refrigerators were sold in the United States just a few years ago so sales are trending upwards as new refrigerators are hitting the market. The top manufacturers for refrigerators are Whirlpool, Kenmore, Amana, GE, LG, Hotpoint, Maytag, Frigidaire, KitchenAid, Viking, Samsung, Jenn-Air, Bosch, Sub-Zero, Thermador, and Fisher & Paykel. Down below we will go into desired features on all types of refrigerators followed by reviews of the top models per Consumer Reports.
With many kitchen renovations running $15,000 to $25,000, it’s clear that homeowners are willing to invest in their vision of the perfect kitchen. Cabinets and countertops account for about half the cost, but appliances represent a big investment as well.
Over the past few months, Consumer Reports (CR) has tested hundreds of appliances - refrigerators, ranges, cooktops, wall ovens, dishwashers, microwave ovens, and high-speed cooking appliances - that cost from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. CR has also tested cabinets, countertops, sinks, and faucets in all price ranges to determine the pros and cons of the major types. Whatever your budget, we’ll help you make smart choices and get the most for the money.
“In Consumer Reports’ most comprehensive kitchen package ever, our tests showed that you don’t have to pay top price to get top performance,” said Mark Connelly, Consumer Reports’ Director of Testing, Appliances and Home Improvement. “In fact, pricey Dacor, DCS, GE Monogram, and Viking pro-style ranges were among the lowest-scoring of the models we tested. And the premium-priced Sub-Zero built-in was among the most repair-prone brands of refrigerators, offsetting its fine performance. The package contains the three R’s of Consumer Reports: ratings, recommendations and repair histories.”
Today’s refrigerators do a good job of keeping things cold. They’re also about 30 percent more energy efficient than fridges were just a few years ago, thanks to new federal energy standards. Within any one category, model-to-model performance differences are minor. Your deciding factors will probably be type, exterior dimensions, storage capacity, convenience features, styling and price. Smart choices include the following:
Basic ($600 to $850) The Maytag MTB1956GE, $825, is feature-laden and convenient. Nearly as good, and quieter, is the Kenmore 7118, $750; it offers a lot more storage space. Among bottom-freezers, the Amana Distinctions DRB1801A, $695, is a good value, at several hundred dollars less than the other bottom-freezers we tested.
Midrange ($850 to $1,800) The real bargain among side-by-side refrigerators is the GE GSS25JFM, $890, a CR Best Buy. If you’re looking for a bottom-freezer, the GE GBS22LB, $1,050, offers the best combination of performance, capacity and flexibility.
High-end ($1,800 to $5,000) Two side-by-side, cabinet-depth refrigerators are less expensive than true built-ins and performed well overall: the Whirlpool Gold GC5THGXK, $2,300, is slightly more efficient and quieter than the GE Profile Arctica PSI23NGM, $2,300. Whirlpool is also among the more reliable side-by-side brands.
The Sub-Zero 650/F, $4,600, is the ablest bottom-freezer built-in that we tested. It’s very energy efficient. But it’s noisier than the others, and reliability is a concern with the brand. The GE Monogram ZIC360NM, $3,900, is almost as good, and it’s quieter.