Refrigerator Door Swing

[longball53098]

I'm posting this in the General forum to get the best exposure.

I am looking for a new fridge to keep the beer cold. It needs room for the other less important stuff also.

Here's the question?

I have been to all the major appliance stores around Pattaya and Rayong and they stock only one style of fridge. The model with a right door swing (hinge is on the right). When I inquire about ordering a left hand swing (hinge on left) they all say cannot get.

So is there anyone out there that has seen or bought a left door swing fridge? The caveat is I will not pay more than 25k for this fridge. I could special order a Samsung in from somewhere at a cost of about 60k. No thanks.

[H2oDunc]

Im pretty sure that most modern fridges come with the hinges that can be swapped round so it opens the other way ? I may be wrong but I've done it twice before so i know its possible. Have a look and if there are little plastic pop in covers opposite the hinges in the same position then it can be done

[TexasRanger]

I too thought that most fridge doors were changeable. Don't trust Thai staff they are clueless.

[coventry]

Both posters so far are correct. Cancel that. I just looked at mine and I can't change them over. It's a 'Sharpe' fridge/freezer.

Edited March 18, 2009 by coventry

[ricklev]

I changed the door swing direction on my fridge. It was a bit of a pain to get it right. I wouldn't expect the tesco or Big C "technician" would have the patience I did. Still, sometimes things do get done right......

[Pushit]

get a 2 door that's as close as you will get

[phaethon]

When I used to deal with commercial refrigerators for my father's company the doors were often reversible -turn the door upside down and swap the hinges on the body for balnking plates on the other side - but they were simple, utilitarian, square designs. Looking now at my new Mitsubishi (cheapo Carrefour model) it all curved and flush hinges so not reversible. Maybe larger more expensive models that are designed to fit into expensive fitted kitchens rather than my 'plonk it in the corner' variety.

[Eff1n2ret]

Stand it upside down

[JetsetBkk]

Neither my Mitsubishi nor my Electrolux has reversible hinges, although I'd assumed they both had them. It would've been nice if one of them could be reversed, then I could open both of them - the left one to the left, and the right one to the right - and it would be like one really big fridge.

[longball53098]

The best answer so far is turn the fridge upside down.

Yes, I know in the US the fridge you buy typically has the fittings built in to allow changing the door swing after sale.

Check out the fridges you see in any shop here. Be it Carrefour, Homemart, HomePro, Homeworks or any other retailer and you will not see fittings built on to the fridge to allow any door swing changing.

If someone does find a brand here that markets a line of fridges that the door can be changed let me know and I'll buy you a case of beer. But you will have to prove it. Remember the fridge cannot cost more than 25k.

[rick75]

Fisher and Paykel are a New Zealand company that have just started manufacturing in Thailand so I would assume they are selling them in Thailand as well, my 3 F&P fridges all have reversable hinges.

[Pierrot]

We had the same problem. We bought a fridge (I believe SHARP) the door can open on both side. You don't need to change anything, there is a handle on both side and you can open from the left or the right. I'm not in Bangkok so I can't give you the exact model but it does exist.

[happylarry]

Where are the hinges then Pierrot????

HL

[PennyFarthing123]

About 1 1/2 years ago we were looking for a left hand swing refrigerator. We did finally find a couple at Index in Hua Hin. They were much too small and expensive for what we wanted. At the moment I can not remember the brand or the price. When we asked about the ability to change the door swing most sales persons just looked at us confused.

Had a similar problem when we were looking for a washing machine that had hot and cold water inlets. No such thing available here that we could find. I bought one that only had the one inlet and hooked up my on demand hot water to it. The problem is it was not designed for hot water and I think it is ruining the gaskets. Am finding pieces of brown waxy cardboard in the machine after washing a load.

Good luck on your search for your refrigerator.

[Pierrot]

Where are the hinges then Pierrot????

HL

I'm no engineer but it works ! As far as I remember it's not traditional hinges (on the side) but something on top and bottom of the door. There are handles on both sides, you can open from the right or the left. we had the same problem as the OP and we were very happy to find this fridge. Next time I go back to bkk, I take pictures and will post it here if needed.

The door is for the main compartment, the freezer is a classical drawer.

Below picture I found on the internet, it's not mine but it's similar model and you can clearly see the two handles

Edited March 19, 2009 by Pierrot

[Eric1949]

The best answer so far is turn the fridge upside down.

Yes, I know in the US the fridge you buy typically has the fittings built in to allow changing the door swing after sale.

Check out the fridges you see in any shop here. Be it Carrefour, Homemart, HomePro, Homeworks or any other retailer and you will not see fittings built on to the fridge to allow any door swing changing.

If someone does find a brand here that markets a line of fridges that the door can be changed let me know and I'll buy you a case of beer. But you will have to prove it. Remember the fridge cannot cost more than 25k.

Toshiba Model A906Z on sale in Tesco Samui for Baht 4990. It is none too big, but not as small as the ones in some Hotels. As it's only small, I'll accept a case of small beers, ta. Joke joke, hope your local Tesco can get for you.

[autonomous_unit]

How strange, our nicely sized Mitsubishi Tiara fridge, purchased from HomePro a few years ago, has most of the reversible door trimmings, but I just checked the top of the cabinet and it does not see drilled and tapped to change the hinge to the left! But the doors are molded for hinge on either side and I do see small flush-mounted dust caps at the front where the hinge between the upper and lower door would be transferred.

This must be the missing link generation between ambidextrous and right-hand only fridge generations!

[bangsaenguy]

There is a fairly new home store on Suk. in Pattaya. Benthavorn or similar. I was in last week and the clerk showed me a catalog that had an Electrolux the could be ordered that opened right to left. It had a bottom freezer

Edited March 19, 2009 by bangsaenguy

[phaethon]

There is a fairly new home store on Suk. in Pattaya. Benthavorn or similar. I was in last week and the clerk showed me a catalog that had an Electrolux the could be ordered that opened right to left. It had a bottom freezer

Yeah, right. He was holding the catalogue upside-down. Anything for a sale.

[longball53098]

There is a fairly new home store on Suk. in Pattaya. Benthavorn or similar. I was in last week and the clerk showed me a catalog that had an Electrolux the could be ordered that opened right to left. It had a bottom freezer

This could have been the same model I saw in a book at HomePro. If so they wanted almost 60k and a special order and wait weeks if not months.

[longball53098]

The best answer so far is turn the fridge upside down.

Yes, I know in the US the fridge you buy typically has the fittings built in to allow changing the door swing after sale.

Check out the fridges you see in any shop here. Be it Carrefour, Homemart, HomePro, Homeworks or any other retailer and you will not see fittings built on to the fridge to allow any door swing changing.

If someone does find a brand here that markets a line of fridges that the door can be changed let me know and I'll buy you a case of beer. But you will have to prove it. Remember the fridge cannot cost more than 25k.

Toshiba Model A906Z on sale in Tesco Samui for Baht 4990. It is none too big, but not as small as the ones in some Hotels. As it's only small, I'll accept a case of small beers, ta. Joke joke, hope your local Tesco can get for you.

You did indeed find one but rather small for my needs. The small, small case of beer is in the mail.

I'm still looking but no luck so far.

[bangsaenguy]

There is a fairly new home store on Suk. in Pattaya. Benthavorn or similar. I was in last week and the clerk showed me a catalog that had an Electrolux the could be ordered that opened right to left. It had a bottom freezer

Yeah, right. He was holding the catalogue upside-down. Anything for a sale.

You seem to think you know more about it than me. How about making a small wager and meet me there tomorrow? Put your money where your big mouth is.

[LennyW]

We bought a Bosch fridge freezer from Numchai on Sukhumvit, reversible doors, the shop reversed them before delivery the same day. I thought it was normal??, what surprised me though was that it came with a UK type 3 pin plug and a super cheapo adapter to the Thai 2 pin!!

[bangsaenguy]

I haven't seen Bosch in the shops around me. 5 years ago, when we built our house, I looked everywhere. Bought a left handed one. Hated it ever since

[ukrules]

We had the same problem. We bought a fridge (I believe SHARP) the door can open on both side. You don't need to change anything, there is a handle on both side and you can open from the left or the right. I'm not in Bangkok so I can't give you the exact model but it does exist.

A friend of mine had one of these a few years back, from what I remember they are not cheap, there are no hinges, there's some kind of release mechanism at the top/bottom of the door on both sides which allows the door to open from either side, I think it swings open on a bearing at the bottom instead of a hinge at the side. I was impressed by the design.

[Pierrot]

We had the same problem. We bought a fridge (I believe SHARP) the door can open on both side. You don't need to change anything, there is a handle on both side and you can open from the left or the right. I'm not in Bangkok so I can't give you the exact model but it does exist.

A friend of mine had one of these a few years back, from what I remember they are not cheap, there are no hinges, there's some kind of release mechanism at the top/bottom of the door on both sides which allows the door to open from either side, I think it swings open on a bearing at the bottom instead of a hinge at the side. I was impressed by the design.

It was not that much more expensive than the standard model as far as I can remember. But when you have the choice between redesigning your new kitchen or adding a few bucks for the fridge ...

I checked the Sharp Thailand catalog I can't find it anymore, maybe they stopped importing /manufacturing this model.

[ignis]

have 2, the main one is big and has doors both side, the smaller one Panasonic 19.8 cu size with freezer on the top, has plastic grommets on the other side so you can fit the doors on the other side.. No problem with the handle as it runs the full 2m high [of course split 2 thirds up for the freezer part]