Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Samsung RSG257AARS 24.1 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Counter Depth Side-By-Side Refrigerator -

Samsung RSG257AARS 24.1 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Counter Depth Side-By-Side Refrigerator - Energy StarThis model is newer inside than the larger, non-counter depth model RS275ACRS. I returned that model to get this one and am very glad I did.

1. This model has interior LED lights when you open the refrigerator instead of the hotter old bulbs like the 275.

2. I am somewhat compulsive about temperature control. I have two precision thermometers, one in the fridge and one in the freezer compartment. On the RS275ACRS, the temperatures were nowhere near what the external display was reporting them as. On this model, however, the refrigerator is usually within 0.2 deg F of the reported temperature (at coldest setting of 34F, thermometer reports 34.1 whereas the 275 would be all over the place, never lower than 37 or so). In the freezer, this model is rock solid at -10 F when the external display is -14 F. I consider this excellent, as most freezers can't get this low. The 275 was lucky to get to -7 F with the display at -14 F. And yes, I allowed plenty of calibration time and took multiple readings over weeks. So, in my testing anyway, they have definitely upgraded the innards since the 275.

3. This model has the icemaker on the freezer door, not hogging the upper shelves of the freezer, which I love.

4. It is, obviously, slightly shallower than the RS275ACRS, but the markedly improved performance is well worth it to me.

5. Fridge very quiet.

6. External display slightly improved vs RS275ACRS.

We purchased the Samsung RSG257AARS a week ago to replace our old Whirlpool (around 25 years old) that chugged along like a locomotive and sounded like one too.

It's still early, but thus far I have to give the Samsung a big thumbs up.

Pluses:

1) Very attractive design inside and out.

2) The interior theatre lighting is a nice touch.

3) Very effective cooling.

4) Exceptionally quiet.

5) Simple-to-use controls

Minuses:

1) The shelving has limited adjustment capability.

2) The crisper drawers pull out only half-way, so access is a little compromised.

3) The freezer should have a special slot for pizza boxes to be stored upright.

Side note: This model has a stainless steel finish and a great cleaner to use is Weiman's Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish.

EDIT: (7/18/12) We've now owned this Samsung for nearly three years and are very happy with the purchase. The 5 stars rating remains accurate insofar as our experience is concerned. We've had zero problems with this product. It's super quiet. Keeps food consistently cold. And, for us at least, the ice maker works well.

EDIT (3/27/13) Still lovin' the fridge. Zero problems. Quiet. Nice.

Buy

Just got this after my old whirlpool died. It is very attractive, shallow in depth, and I love the inside LED lighting. The only thing I don't like so far is that the produce bins don't open all the way. You can lift the bin and pull it out more but then you risk the entire bin falling out.

I am really impressed with how much storage space there is inside this counter depth refrigerator.

UPDATE: The ice maker is SUPER slow. I run out of ice all the time if I have more than 4-6 people over for dinner and drinks.

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I really wanted a counter-depth side-by-side refrigerator. After researching a few minutes, I realized that Counter-Depth units are rare and cost much, much more for the same quality. Everything I put my hands on at the retailers (in my price range) felt like garbage, until I found this Samsung (one of the few brands I didn't research). The local store offered me a killer deal, so I had it delivered.

After going through all the procedures in the manual, and procedures on the phone with tech support, the icemaker didn't work. I have no issues with the water line, and my old, cheap refrigerator quickly churned out buckets of ice (old school interior style with no exterior dispensor) until the moment they hauled it off for this Samsung. I researched online and found all the Samsung icemaker horror stories. Many brands have icemaker issues but Samsung models seem to have quite a bit more?

I called the repair center and they said the first available time for a tech to arrive was 2 weeks. I did not want to get into the endless loop of "wait for repair wait for part to arrive wait for repair with part wait to see if part works rinse and repeat", so I called the local store I bought it from, and returned it. Plus, I believe that when you buy something new, and spend this much money, it should work. If not, they should send someone out immediately so you at least get up-and-running with what you paid for.

I gave up on the "counter-depth dream" and decided to buy a standard depth (in another brand) and will have to deal with the extra bulk. The price jumps too high for reasonable quality.

On the bright side, I will say that this Samsung model is beautiful and has rock solid feel to it (like the 3000-4000+ models). The LED tower lighting is amazing. Tons of space and features. I love the computer and it cooled super fast to requested temps. To me, it was like an expensive, high-end fridge and very impressive. Aside from a few minor flaws, I was blown away at the quality/price ratio. If they could only get the icemaker on par with the rest, it would be the best deal around (assuming you know how to haggle for a great deal).

In the year 2010, what is so difficult about making something as simple as an icemaker? Don't they know that this is what typically makes or breaks a refrigerator?

Want

We've had the refrigerator for 2 years now and I don't agree with most of the negative reviews. It's a perfect size for a frig that fits flush with your kitchen cabinets. The lighting in this model is perfect on ever shelf. It's cold on every shelf and bin. The ice dispenser is a bit slow but nothing to truly complain about. The stainless steel doors are a bit of a hassle with fingerprints, but every stainless steel appliance I've ever own shows prints. it's a beautiful design and super quiet.

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