I Was About to Buy a Samsung Refridgerator, But These 7 Factors Scared Me Off

Samsung is a maker of much more than kitchen appliances. It has also made its name in electronics. Its largest subsidiary, Samsung Electronics, is one of Apple’s top competitors. Luckily for Apple, it only has to compete with Samsung in one industry, and not with kitchen appliances. Since the 1970s, Samsung has been selling appliances to American households, so much so, that some laundry machines, dishwashers, and even a few refrigerator models are made in the USA.

With such a strong brand presence in the US, one might assume that purchasing a refrigerator might be a good idea. However, after dipping my toe into mainly Samsung’s own community page, I have found some reasons that might dissuade me from that purchase:

#1 Short Return Period

A top complaint with Samsung is that you only have 15 days to initiate a return request, and then an additional 15 days to return a defective product to Samsung after purchase. Of course, you can’t forget about the 15% restocking fee. On top of that, anything that arrives at your home damaged, defective, or non-functioning in any way must be reported within two days after installation for the return to be eligible. No, that wasn’t a typo: two days.  Many customers have found that even though they have followed the warranty instructions correctly, customer service took so long to engage in the return process that the 15-day deadline had passed and the warranty was deemed void.

Short Return Period

On Samsung’s own community page poster, Rae Sutherland said, “Less than 24 hours after installation, the water dispenser didn’t work, one of the drawers was filling with water and the leak wouldn’t stop, we had to dump 5 gallons of water every few hours just to prevent water damage, and I had to wake up multiple times at night to stop my floors from flooding. I contacted Samsung daily from 2/27/2025 to 3/1/2025, speaking to over 15 representatives. On 3/1/2025, I was told I was past the return window- even though it had only been three days since delivery when I first tried to initiate a return!”

#2 High Price Point

The very most expensive Samsung refrigerator model is the AI-powered Bespoke Family Hub Refrigerator which retails at $8,227.00. If you do not prefer a refrigerator that thinks for itself, the lower price points start around $1,499. Of course, the price point does allow you to have the very smartest refrigerator in the neighborhood, which is completely fair if that is appealing to you. Touchscreens, family calendars, streaming services, music, connecting to your doorbell camera, and being able to see inside your fridge without opening the door might help you finally achieve your goal of meal planning this year, who knows?

#3 Appliance Technicians Will Not Service Them

To be considered covered under the warranty, appliance technicians must be certified by Samsung. If you are already out of warranty anyway and try to find a technician on your own, you might have a tough time doing that.

Many Appliance technicians refuse to service Samsung appliances for several reasons. The first reason is that it is quite difficult to source Samsung parts. Not only do they tend to be expensive, but replacement parts can be on backorder for several months, which isn’t just frustrating to them, but also to the customers.

Appliance Technicians Will Not Service Them

Samsung refrigerators often come with high-tech touch screens, dual cooling systems, and even Wi-fi connectivity. Most appliance technicians simply don’t know how to fix some of this proprietary technology. Several Samsung refrigerator models aren’t compatible with the standard diagnostic equipment that most appliance technicians use. The specialized training and diagnostic equipment is an investment that many choose not to make.

#4 Costly Repairs

As mentioned in the previous section, Samsung appliances can become costly to repair.  This is due to the specialized labor it requires to service a Samsung refrigerator. For most customers who are fed up with their refrigerator needing frequent repairs, why would they pay the amount it would cost to repair it instead of replacing it? The specialized labor, costly replacement parts, and frequent maintenance needed to ensure the appliance stays functioning can become too much for some customers.

#5 Terrible Customer Service

One of the biggest complaints that customers have against Samsung isn’t any of their products, per se, but against its customer service. User Bespokeisalemon said, “The first service call was right after the item was delivered by Samsung and that tech said he would recommend that Samsung provide a replacement. Now, many months later, I am told by a customer service rep that Samsung will not repair or replace this new fridge and there is nothing I can do about it. He said my only recourse is to email the president.”

Terrible Customer Service

Another user, Nofolo, said, “I have sent all documents (receipts from Home Depot) requested and my refund was approved. I was sent a terms of service document for the refund. I signed the documents and sent the serial number stickers that say ‘do not remove’ from the inside of the refrigerator, along with the form. Customer service said it would be 7 to 10 days.

I get a call from them requesting documents that I have sent multiple times to multiple customer service reps. They say my refund is under review and asked for yet another document that was sent in our [text] chain where I’ve sent every receipt. So, I am now going on months of not having a working refrigerator. What can I do about it? Nothing because I signed a document saying I release them of all liability.”

The hamster wheel of customer service can feel like one of Dante’s Circles of Hell, especially when something as expensive as a refrigerator is called into question. Do corporations make their customer service experiences horrible on purpose? That is a sneaking suspicion you may have if you’ve ever screamed, “SPEAK TO A HUMAN,” after a computer asks you for the third time what your issue is. Nothing quite reminds the human soul how precious the resource of time is quite like being stuck in a customer service loop.

#6 The Ice Maker Always Breaks

Another common complaint for Samsung refrigerators seems to be the issue of the elusive ice maker. Reports of leaking, frost build-up, and just not making ice are the forerunners of consumer woes. A unique complaint, but alarming nonetheless, was by plasticdispen saying, “The French door fridge has been a nightmare. Twice I’ve had it repaired now it needs repairing again plus I’ve discovered plastic shavings in mine and my kid’s drink for some time just to work out it’s been coming from this ice maker. Please avoid fridges from Samsung they have probably been poisoning my family with their microplastics for years now.”

Big yikes! I mean, the probability that every human on earth is riddled with microplastics definitely isn’t zero, and that might not be an issue specific to Samsung, but macroplastic shavings are a bit on the nose for my tastes.

#7 Planned Obsolescence

Planned obsolescence is one of the tactics that corporations employ to speed up the amount of time it takes for you, a hard-working person, to exchange finite hours of your life for enough money to purchase the same item from them again. Most companies plan for obsolescence.

Planned Obsolescence

For legal reasons, we aren’t making any allegations against Samsung, but all I know is that nearly every suburban family has a garage fridge that is at least 20 years old, functioning perfectly, and banished to the garage purely for aesthetic reasons. It now lives out its’ infinite lifespan, chilling the beverages and frozen bulk meats at appropriate temperatures and reminding each human who gazes upon it that there is consistency and reliability somewhere in this universe. And those brand-new appliances, regardless of the brand, might not be one of the reliable and consistent things.

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