We're considering buying one of the new Maytag Model MF12568AES french double door, bottom freezer with external water and Ice dispenser. Has anyone had experience with one of the units. Please respond to this forum and also to my email at g43abdurrahman@sbcglobal.net.

                                            Thanks, Sincerely, George

i was originally looking at the kenmore, french door with ice in the door because the unit was on the inside of the door, but i read some negative things about the model.  I am now looking at the amana french door, ice on door model - almost identical to maytag.  the only thing i don't like is that the ice maker takes up alot of space in the fridge on top shelf.  did you get any feedback from anyone?  if so please forward or i'd be interested to see what you're going with.

thanks

diane

d.steinke@comcast.net

 

 

It has come to my attention that the Maytag Model MF12568AES french door, bottom freezer with external door Ice and water dispenser is identical to the new Amana Model AF12538AES. When I called Amana I was greeted with an Amana greeting, but when I pressed the first prompt it suddenly went into Maytag. Since Consumer Reports has reviewed the Maytag, but not the Amana, I would appreciate a comment from CR or anyone else concerning this issue. Maytag is owned buy Whirlpool and I believe Amana is own by Whirlpool also. Amana has been consistently ranked at the top buy CR so I would like to know if there is any difference between the two both mechanically and in  features.                                                                                                                

                                                           Sincerely, George

     We have the Maytag MSD2656, bought it about 1999.  Large and works well, but ...

     Ice dispenser sounds like a jack hammer when getting ice. Can also hear it when it dumps ice in the interior bucket.  Poor sound insulation on the freezer side.

     We had a melting of some major unit on the freezer side just after it went out of warranty.  Maytag replace the entire refridgerator anyway, no charge.

     A year ago, we had a small electronic control board fail.  $300 labor and parts to repair. Part on the internet, $98.

     We just yesterday had a different small board replaced and the freezer coils thawed by a Maytag repairman.  Another $300 charge. Part on the internet, $48.

 

      I've never had so many refridgerator repairs.  You may want to consider another brand.  And the igniter on our Maytag cooktop has failed.  We are lighting manually.  $400 to repair, or we can replace the whole cooktop.

I too would love to purchase this unit, but the general reviews I have been able to find have been far less compimentary than the ratings on this site, leaving me confounded.  The biggest complaints I have seen have been the HV control board and the ice maker.  I have owned Maytag untis in the past as well as Whirlpool (now one and the same). 

My experience with Maytag products has always had me find one component of the each product that I have owned that never did work as specified.  I bought a fridge that was doa, I had a dishwasher that took eight (yes, 8) repairs to get it functioning somewhat properly (it still clogs).  My Jenn-Aire  range has had a noisy convection fan replaced three times.  None of these were deal breakers, but left me wondering about spending $2,400 for another Maytag product.

Any additional real-world experiences with this unit would be very helpful - I am looking at a three week leadtime to get one on special order as it is.

 

Thanks!

We have one of the ICE2Os in the kitchen.  Our food is in coolers and there is dry ice in the fridge to try and keep it cool.  There is a problem with the HV circuit board and they apparently can't get it fixed.  I have my second one in now.  First problem was the ice and water dispensor quit.  Put the board in.  Ice and water dispensor work, but the refrigerator and freezer quit.  We bought the extended warranty that promised 24 hour, seven day a week service.  Only problem is that they aren't open except 9 to 5 Monday through Friday.

I hope that Consumer Reports investigates this refrigerator soon.  Mine, likes hundreds of others I have read about on internet forums, went beserk yesterday,  just 17 months after I purchased it. 

The control panel lights started blinking on and off, and the flap door to the ice maker started constantly flapping open and closed.  For 24 hours I have listened to this “possessed” refrigerator.

After calling Maytag, I was told that since it over a year old, only parts are covered and not labor.  A service technician came out yesterday afternoon and determined that it is a faulty circuit board.

Today I researched this refrigerator on the internet and found that hundreds of people are having the same problem, yet Maytag has not issued a recall.  When I called Maytag back to request that labor be covered since this is such a widespread problem, the clerk told me that it is “not a quality issue”.  After asking to speak to a supervisor, I was finally told that parts and labor will be covered.  My next concern is are they using faulty replacement circuit boards?  After they replace the board, will I have the same exact problem in 13-17 months?

What does it take to make a manufacturer issue a recall? What rights do I have if this replacement board fails next year?

I expected more after spending $2400 on a refrigerator.

I have two friends with this model of refrigerator and both have had significant problems with it which sound similar. In both case there was a "motherboard" that failed. The part is apparently backordered which leads you to believe that it must be failing frequently.

One friend got such a runaround from the repair people to whom she was sent by Maytag, that she ended up calling the Amana Chairman of the Board and his administrative assistant got involved. The other is still struggling for a repair.

I wouldn't buy this product if I were in the market, which is a shame since its features are so attractive.

my wife purchased the amana french door after weeks of her researching she finally decided on the amana and we are very happy with it so far works great  and my my loves how easy it is to clean hope this helps

THE REFRIGERATOR IS AN AMANA, WHICH HISTORICALLLY IS A GOOD UNIT.  HOWEVER, WITH CORPORATE PROFITS ALWAYS BEING THE PRIORITY I WAS ALWAYS DISMAYED WHENEVER I SAW THE "NEW AND IMPROVED" MODELS COME DOWN THE PIKE (YES, I WAS A DEALER).  ONE THING TO CONSIDER IS THAT GE IS THE ONLY COMPANY THAT HAS ITS OWN FACTORY SERVICE.  ALL THE OTHERS ARE FARMED OUT TO INDEPENDENTS.  YES, THEY ARE "FACTORY AUTHORIZED," BUT ARE NOT LINKED DIRECTLY TO AN ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AS A BONA FIDE GE REPAIRMAN IS.   GE AND LG SHARE THE SAME FACTORY WHERE THE REFRIGERATORS ARE MADE.  I PERSONALLY OWN AN OLDER AMANA BOTTOM FREEZER FRIG------NEVER HAD A PROBLEM.

I broke down and purchased this unit because of the rebates being offered by Home Depot in August (I saved over $300 on the unit).

So far, it has performed perfectly.  I am very impressed with the even cooling and the perfect humidity control.  The unit is louder than I would have thought, but that is really not a major issue.

I just hope I do not become a victim of the circuit board problem.  I did purchase an extended warranty for about $80 which will cover all items for five years, including food loss.  Usually I pass on these warranties, but after reading all the issues with the control boards, I figured it was money well spent.

 

Other than that, I would give this fridge an 8/10 for performance.

****ONE THING TO CONSIDER IS THAT GE IS THE ONLY COMPANY THAT HAS ITS OWN FACTORY SERVICE.  ALL THE OTHERS ARE FARMED OUT TO INDEPENDENTS.  YES, THEY ARE "FACTORY AUTHORIZED," BUT ARE NOT LINKED DIRECTLY TO AN ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AS A BONA FIDE GE REPAIRMAN IS.****

This is incorrect.

General Electric "Factory Authorized" or Factory Trained"  service is overwhelmingly a sub-contracted affair. This has been a trend (using independent servicers) that began during the late 1980s.

Even Whirlpool Factory Service is a blend of full time Whirlpool employees as well as independent servicers--from the single self-employed business owner up to the regional service centers (such as Boscovs-owned: "Appliances Unlimited" service).

JCPenney at one time was in the national-level appliance service business but closed shop at or about 1989.

Frigidaire had a national appliance service network--it too closed in the 1990s.

Maytag (before Whirlpool acquired it) entered the service business not that long ago (Maytag All Brand Service) at the nationwide level and lasted something like 39 months before quitting. 

I  read a VERY interesting article in the Appliance Service News sometime around 1999-2001 timeframe--in which the author explained something well known to CFOs and Accounting professionals: RETURN-ON-INVESTMENT-ANALYSIS.

Just prior to the article--- Frigidaire had recently closed it's national service business and the reason for this was explained by the author--- NOT enough profit for the dollars invested. 

If I remember the details correctly---the cost to operate Frigidaire's nationwide service operations was pegged at 30 million dollars per year. Annually, they recouped the 30 million plus earned an additional 30 million as profit. This may sound fantastic to most of us non-corporate-savy mortals but it was decided that much more profit could be made in other areas of investment. To run a service network with thousands of full time employees took more work for each dollar earned. Companies were eager to unload the burden of a service business and decided to focus more intently on sales (and investing in other business ventures--some of it not remotely connected to appliances at all).

 

****GE AND LG SHARE THE SAME FACTORY WHERE THE REFRIGERATORS ARE MADE.****

Incorrect.

All LG refrigerators are manufactured by LG Electronics of South Korea.

General Electric (GE) french door refrigerators are *built by LG*.

The ONLY major appliance that LG Electronics does *NOT* manufacture--is the LG GAS RANGE. This is built by GE for LG.

I know it's confusing. I have had occassions where I forgot who made what.

John

 

 

John,

Are GE ref. made in Mexico by a company named Campo or Camco or something like that? I think I read something like this back a while ago before I needed one.

I am still looking(I have another one I have moved stuff to-it is just inconvient ). The other day I went to look at this small appliance store and they deliver and set up for free plus they have a service company that does their work for them. They sell Frigidaire ref(and SQ W/D's). She said they didn't seem to have any throuble out of the Frigidaires. She said they used to sell W/pool but that they started having trouble with some of those so they decided to go to Frigidaire. I didn't say anything but I couldn't figure that out. They have been in business for years(40 or so) and she seems very honest but I couldnt see Frigidaire being better than Wpool?

I keep thinking Lowes will have a good sale and I will get a Wpool there. I like the one with the ice bucket in the door.

Oh yeah, I read something the other day about LG parts  and that they are shipped from a warehouse/business in Alabama? Do you know if this is true? If so I might could get service here, although I have already asked one company and they said NO we don't do LG. I had thought when my Neptune has to be replaced I might get the LG that is similar to the Neptune(console controls) but then it might walk/shake all over the place and the Neptune never moves.Shouldn't even mention that as I haven't gotten the fridge yet!

Thanks for listening to me rattle!

Roger

 

I purchased an Amana french door fridge model AFI2538AEW. I would not buy another or suggest anyone buy one. The frigde is not working properly. It has been repaired (new sub board and thermistor). The food in the freezer is freezer burned and the food in the frigde part is frozen.  I even had a repair person tell me there isn't anything else to do. I'm trying to get a new frigde.

We bought this refridgerator Nov. of 2007. We really like all that it offers. Very convenient options for rearranging shelving. The deli tray is a genius design. This appliance keeps food at the recommend frost levels which extends the life of useable food stuffs. Great!

The right door storage arrangement is also well thought out for maximum retension of freshness.

Ease of cleaning interior and electric elements underneath.

 It is very well designed for persons who CANNOT easily bend at the waist to remove food from lower levels.

Note of convenience: carefully measure the space where it will be placed. We barely made it. It is larger than it looks in the "warehouse/store " display.

The standard options are remarkable with this model. We are satisfied with our purchase.

 

 

We recently installed these Maytag/Amana products in a new house....stackable washer/dryer...refrig/freezer with ice maker....we have nothing good to say about the quality of Maytag or their customer service...seems like after Maytag was purchased, quality no longer is a consideration...we have had nothing but problems with the washer/dryer and it now needs to be replaced...the problems started while in warranty but got worse after warranty expired...many calls to customer service produced no real solution....they did agree to replace the washer/dryer at a 10% discount!! We had always had Maytag and Amana products in our homes for 30 yrs....no more!!  The ice maker is noisey and ice cubes are dispensed with such velocity several water glasses have been destroyed!! The temperature control has a tendency  to freeze milk, juice and pop in the upper shelves!! We elected to get the Stainless Steel doors, bad choice as they are nearly impossible to keep clean....even the best SS cleaners leave streaks and a mess.

I wouldn't go to Whirlpool prods. from there.  I paid 1600 for a fridge that is cracking and they literally want to put a patch over the cracks and insist that this is the only repair. The fridge is not even a year old. I have refused because it is not a fix but a  cover up. I can do the same thing with duct tape. They have insisted that I do this because it is the "next step" that we have to take. Next step to what? Permanent disgruntlement every time I look into my fridge? I don't want to do it because it is a permanent patch and can't be fixed if I don't like it. I already don't like it and it's not even on yet. For some reason they won't accept that as my response and skip the step that I don't want to take. Anybody have any advice?

I sell both appliances at a big box store and have dealt with the previous Maytag Ice2O model for two years prior to the Amana being released.

If you were to compare the previous Maytag (model # MFI2568AES) with the "new" Amana (AFI2568AES) you won't find any differences mechanically, only an "elevator" shelf inside the Maytag is not available with the Amana. Also each brand has their own "unique" handles, some people are very particular about that and others are not.

The new Maytag (MFI2569VEM) has an integrated dispenser in the door with different layout and thats about it as far as differences go.  As far as the real 'nuts and bolts' they are almost exactly the same. I am trained bi-weekly through Whirlpool/Maytag/Amana reps at a store level and even the reps say there is not much different with the Maytag vs. the Amana. Only difference is price: MSRP for Maytag in stainless steel (MFI2569VEM) $2499; Amana (AFI2568AES) $2099.

Hope this helps. Last tip, ONLY buy it when its on sale. Us box stores have sales all the time.

 

 

 

We have the same problem with a Sears Kenmore refridgerator that has cracks in the liner that is 15 months old. Sears won't stand behind their product. Even if we had an extended warranty they would only put an epoxy on it. I have contacted Sear One Source, Sears headquarters, and Sears National Customer Relations with no acceptable response. I finally contacted the Better Business Bureau. I have had it with Sears. If anyone has any suggestion, I'd like to know as well.