Did You Buy Your Refrigerator For Under 9K Baht?

[monekyface]

I was looking at refrigerators at The Mall and Big C today and it struck me that if I was back home I would use consumer reports, or some online reviews to narrow down my buying decision, but here that doesn't seem possible. I can't find any English sites with unbiased appliance reviews for stuff sold here. I saw so many today, but most of the ones I liked were around 7 cubic feet and between 6,000 and 9,000 baht.

Please tell me your compact refrigerator story. Does it have spill-containing shelves? LED lighting? A bottom freezer? Is it an all-together unit with one door and an internal icebox or does it have a separate door for fridge and freezer? Is it available in snazzy colors like alien green? Any other features that you love or things you have grown to hate?

I noticed that all of the energy-efficiency ratings are the same- every one is a "5". Is this odd?

Where else should a person look in Bangkok? My first several choices were out of stock at both stores, otherwise I would have winged it and grabbed one on a whim.

[thaicbr]

Me. i just buy the one that seems to fit my needs...strange as that may sound.

[bino]

Yes- less than 9000. I let her pick it, based as above, what we needed, esp space wise in our smallish condo kitchen. we ended up with a two door brushed stainless look Samsung jobbie. It isn't frost free- has a button that has to be pushed every few weeks to defrost, at which time it pisses all over the kitchen floor. Hate that.

Frost free refrigerators from the big brand names are a serious investment here. 20K ish and up.

[monekyface]

Thank you Bino that is just the kind of info I am looking for!

[wandrinstar]

Make sure you buy an Inverta New Type Motor to save electric. They couldn't sell that old stock at a normal price anywhere but here. Uneducated get screwed here. So get a big discount off old stock .

[monekyface]

Inverta? How can I tell?

[tutsiwarrior]

I got a Panasonic NR-BT222 7cuft fridge about 2 years ago from Makro for thb9999...best fridge I've ever owned, frost free and etc...and separate doors for fridge and freezer compartments...spend a little more and you get a lot more...gets a lot of use when I'm home (it's for my own use) as I use the freezer bin for ice for the vodka...very nicely designed...

[wandrinstar]

Just ask for Inverta Models, they look shy,then only have a couple ,and reluctantly show you cause they have been told to shift old stock.Doest matter much on a small fridge,but for Biggie's its a must IMO.

[tutsiwarrior]

^^yeah...I gotsa small regular job in my kitchen 'cause it's only me usin' it but up in the main family kitchen we got a 12cuft Sharp unit that we bought 10 years ago and when that one plays out it's inverter time...(country girls in shorts and t-shirts poking around in the new hi-tech unit: 'inverter tam alai?'

Edited October 28, 2011 by tutsiwarrior

[monekyface]

Great information so far guys- I appreciate it! At least I will have some intelligent questions to ask.

[wpcoe]

I went through that dilemma about six years ago when furnishing my refurbished condo. The deal-maker was a Hitachi model with glass shelves. Easy to clean, don't get dull and scratched as easily as plastic.

Then, six years later, I moved to Hua Hin and rented a townhouse. Lo and behold, the owner had put in a new refrigerator: a Hitachi with glass shelves! It's larger, but basically the same as the one I bought six years ago.

If I were in the market now, an inverter model would be quite high on my list, glass shelves or not.

[monekyface]

Any comments on LG, Samsung, Panasonic, or Mitsubishi Electric around 7 cu ft and 9,000 baht?

[janverbeem]

Make sure you buy an Inverta New Type Motor to save electric. They couldn't sell that old stock at a normal price anywhere but here. Uneducated get screwed here. So get a big discount off old stock .

Just ask for Inverta Models, they look shy,then only have a couple ,and reluctantly show you cause they have been told to shift old stock.Doest matter much on a small fridge,but for Biggie's its a must IMO.

And if the uneducated still don't get it you can try to ask for INVERTER type motors.Doubt that you will find many under the 9000 Baht label.

[wandrinstar]

Make sure you buy an Inverta New Type Motor to save electric. They couldn't sell that old stock at a normal price anywhere but here. Uneducated get screwed here. So get a big discount off old stock .

Just ask for Inverta Models, they look shy,then only have a couple ,and reluctantly show you cause they have been told to shift old stock.Doest matter much on a small fridge,but for Biggie's its a must IMO.

And if the uneducated still don't get it you can try to ask for INVERTER type motors.Doubt that you will find many under the 9000 Baht label.

Theres always a Bloody Teacher isnt there.?. Inverta Inverter, or veta if your Thai

[katabeachbum]

Samsung 2 door, freezer on top, silver color, 6-9k baht depending on weather, works for years, got a bunch of them in guest rooms.

No inverta at these prices tho

Tempered glass shelves better than plastic, but come at a price

and they are no frost

where to get, powerbuy, homepro, homeworks, mum and pup shops, anywhere

edit, forgot, the EGAT 5 rating. read the small print within 5 it can differ 20% in electric costs

[Langsuan Man]

Just make sure you get one with a separate freezer door, either top or bottom, the integrated ones are impossible to keep frost free

[tutsiwarrior]

Just make sure you get one with a separate freezer door, either top or bottom, the integrated ones are impossible to keep frost free

I hear that one...the 10 y.o. 12cu ft Sharp that we got is frost free with separate freezer door, still pluggin' away...not too long ago we got a Mitsubishi 7 cu ft with no separate freezer door and I thought: 'frost free, it's gotta be at that price (10k plus, plus couldn't check as all the printed stuff was in thai)...'...no dice, it defrosts automatically and pisses all over the floor as someone noted earlier with a different brand...big disappointment but I made too many assumptions and with too much money to spend, etc...

I got a Sanyo 7cu ft in Vietnam not too long ago with separate freezer door (made in VN) and frost free and quite cheap as well but awkwardly designed as it couldn't hold veges from the week's shopping very well...unless all the shelves were removed...

then there was the 7 cu ft unit that I bought in Jeddah on the previous job...a major brand but can't remember, only used the freezer to hold packages of arabic bread and no separate freezer door but never did have to defrost...hadta remove all the shelves to handle the veges from the weekly shopping...

Edited October 30, 2011 by tutsiwarrior

[monekyface]

Good info. I almost bought a Mitsubishi with a single door- you get more cu ft for the baht with those models. I knew there was a good reason that I didn't want that type but couldn't remember what it was! So, if the power usage varies 20% within the "5" rating, is there a way to see on the tag just how much a particular model uses?

[katabeachbum]

Good info. I almost bought a Mitsubishi with a single door- you get more cu ft for the baht with those models. I knew there was a good reason that I didn't want that type but couldn't remember what it was! So, if the power usage varies 20% within the "5" rating, is there a way to see on the tag just how much a particular model uses?

yes, the small print in baht/month is comparable between 2 door fridge/freezers. a one door will use more power each time fridge door opens, as freezer looses temp

[janverbeem]

Any comments on LG, Samsung, Panasonic, or Mitsubishi Electric around 7 cu ft and 9,000 baht?

Would stay away from LG as I noticed that almost none of their models,including the inverter ones,have the "5" rating sticker.

[saintofsilence]

Any comments on LG, Samsung, Panasonic, or Mitsubishi Electric around 7 cu ft and 9,000 baht?

Would stay away from LG as I noticed that almost none of their models,including the inverter ones,have the "5" rating sticker.

Samsung can be very noisy .

[katabeachbum]

Any comments on LG, Samsung, Panasonic, or Mitsubishi Electric around 7 cu ft and 9,000 baht?

Would stay away from LG as I noticed that almost none of their models,including the inverter ones,have the "5" rating sticker.

Electrolux best on after sales service

[monekyface]

I ended up buying the Panasonic "bottom freezer" model, 7 cu ft, frost-free for 7500 baht. I am pretty happy with it but 7 cu ft is smaller in real-life usage than it looks in the store. I am pleased that it cools evenly- things near the sides don't get frosty like other models I've had. Oh, it has LED lighting as well. I doubt it's an "Inverter" model at this price- so we will have to see how bad the electric bill is next month. I love the bottom-freezer as I am in and out of the fridge 10X as often as the freezer, so why not put that on the bottom?

Thank you to everyone who commented.

[tutsiwarrior]

I ended up buying the Panasonic "bottom freezer" model, 7 cu ft, frost-free for 7500 baht. I am pretty happy with it but 7 cu ft is smaller in real-life usage than it looks in the store. I am pleased that it cools evenly- things near the sides don't get frosty like other models I've had. Oh, it has LED lighting as well. I doubt it's an "Inverter" model at this price- so we will have to see how bad the electric bill is next month. I love the bottom-freezer as I am in and out of the fridge 10X as often as the freezer, so why not put that on the bottom?

Thank you to everyone who commented.

is that the NR-BT222? if so it's the same one that I have but it cost about thb10k 3 years ago...I buy a lot of vegetables and there doesn't ever seem to be enough room but the freezer drawer is perfect for ice for the drinks...

a kilo of green beans (bulky) bought today languishes on the kitchen table as there is no room in the fridge...got to make some BEAN SALAD tmw to keep the freshness...as I was inspecting the beans in the market this morning a woman sidled up and squished a bean, suggestively...

[monekyface]

NR-BT223. It looks like yours has a handle on the front, but mine is on the edge of the door so you can't see it from the front at all. And I guess mine is a 6.9 cu ft, just like yours. They must be very similar. Also like you I have had enough of women making sexually suggestive comments to me while fondling produce. It makes me feel dirty and cheap.