New Appliances

                How long do you believe a new refrigerator should last?  My husband and I built our home in 1979 and purchased all new appliances for our new kitchen.  We replaced the dishwasher in 2005 when we had the counters replaced –26 years and still working.  We replaced the refrigerator in May 2012 – 33 years and still working but without shelves in the door.  The kitchen stove is still in use – 36 years.

                Knowing what I know now, I might not have replaced my old Whirlpool refrigerator.  Whirlpool Refrigerator #2 lasted almost a year almost one year - and was replaced under the warranty.  Whirlpool refrigerator #3 was only one and a half years old when it quit last week. 

                Most of the food in the freezer was ruined and had to be thrown away, but the food in the refrigerator was still cold enough to be good.  We put it in cooler boxes and placed them on the back deck.  We assumed that the food would stay good because outside temperatures were below freezing.  We left the cooler boxes on the deck for several hours, brought them in for an hour or so, and put them back on the deck again.  It was a pain, but it worked.  Besides, how long could it take to get a refrigerator fixed?

                We spent a week trying to get some answers.  Our refrigerator-freezer quit freezing on Saturday of a three-day holiday weekend.  We called the authorized appliance repair shop but received no answer either Saturday or Sunday.  We called again on Monday and were told the repairman would be out late in the afternoon or the next day.  He showed up about noon on Tuesday, took a few minutes to open up the back of the freezer, took a quick look inside, and said it could not be fixed.  The sealed cooling unit was working in only a small portion of the line; it apparently had a “clot” in the line.  The cost of repairing the refrigerator would be higher than the purchase of a new one.  The repairman put the freezer back together, charged us $89 for a service call, and asked if we had purchased an extended warranty on the refrigerator.  We had not because we expected better quality even though Whirlpool #2 had quit for the same reason.  We thought it was abnormal – our mistake.

                Before the repairman left the house, he checked the Whirlpool web site and learned that Whirlpool warranties the sealed cooling systems in their refrigerators for five years.  This gave us some hope but not much.  The repairman said he would call the information into Whirlpool, probably the next day (Wednesday).  We called Wednesday and learned the call had not been made.  We called Thursday and learned the call had not been made.  Friday we went looking for a new refrigerator; we actually found a store that had on sale an almond-colored refrigerator the same model as our #3.  We were tempted but did not dare buy a third refrigerator when the previous two just like it had failed us.

                We stopped by the repair shop and were told the technician had called Whirlpool.  The person we talked with did not have an answer for us and said he would call Whirlpool on Saturday morning and then call us.  Saturday we got a call from the repair shop telling us that Whirlpool had been contacted and had all the needed information from the repair shop; the problem was now in the hands of Whirlpool and someone at Whirlpool would call us.  Later in the day my husband spoke with the Whirlpool representative and learned Whirlpool would do nothing for us.  This was the answer we expected but wanted to be sure before we purchased a new refrigerator.

                At this point we had been without a refrigerator for eight days and had hauled cooler boxes in and out of the house several times each day.  For ice and freezer food we had to go to the garage to our big freezers.  For refrigerator food we had to bring a cooler box into the house.  It was a pain and made us realize once again the value of modern appliances. 

                We decided that we would not purchase another Whirlpool refrigerator since two of them have failed in less than three years.  We found lots of makes of refrigerators but only three colors – black, white, and steel - in the stores because manufacturers are apparently pushing the new steel-colored ones. 

                The truth hit us squarely in the face:  If we wanted a different make and model of refrigerator and wanted it now, we would have to accept a new color of appliances in our kitchen – a new color that I did not particularly want.  Before we left the store, I noticed that 95 percent of the refrigerators, kitchen stoves, dishwashers, etc. – everything but clothes washers and dryers - were steel-colored.  This meant that if we chose a color other than steel for the refrigerator, we would mostly likely have to special order a new stove and dishwasher when we decide to replace ours. 

                We discussed the problem and pondered our choices.  We were leaning towards white but still did not want it.   What should we do?  We went to the Lord with the problem.  We knew that He knew our situation and the information available to us.  We also knew He would give us the best answer according to His perfect knowledge.  We asked, and the answer came:  buy a steel-colored refrigerator.  I did not like the answer.  I do not like the steel-colored appliances, either the color or the difficulty in keeping them polished. 

                I do however know how to receive personal revelation, and I believe the answer came from God.  I told my husband what I thought we were being prompted to do and shared some reasons why I thought it might be a good idea to get a new color.  I told him that the almond color was now outdated and would make our kitchen look even older.  I told him we would have an even more difficult time finding an almond appliance the next time we needed one.  I told him that we might as well “bite the bullet” and get a new color now – but I did not like the idea.

                I pondered, prayed and worried about the situation all night long and continued to come up with the same answer.  This morning my husband agreed with me – and I still did not like the answer.  I took the problem with me when I went to the temple the next morning where I pondered and prayed about it some more.  The answer continued to be the same - no matter how I asked the question or how many times I asked it.  I believe the Lord’s answer was to purchase a steel-colored refrigerator.

                We are so tired of eating out of cooler boxes and this whole process.  We are limited as to the size of the refrigerator we can buy because of the spot in our kitchen for one.  We went to the store all prepared to purchase a steel-colored refrigerator and discovered the price of one was more than for either a black one or a white one.  We spoke with the salesman and stalled some more.  Again, I went to the Lord.  Did I receive the right answer?  Yes.  Finally, we decided to buy the steel-colored one and told the salesman.  It was then that we learned that he had decided to sell it to us for the same price as a white or a black one.  The price problem had been solved, and the purchase went through.  We did not purchase another Whirlpool, but we did purchase the extended warranty for five years!  Delivery was arranged for Monday. 

                Our food is now in a refrigerator, and the cooler boxes are once again put away.  My husband does not care what color the refrigerator is so he is happy as long as he does not have to buy another refrigerator.  All the problems seem to have been solved except one:  Will I learn to like the color or forever hate it?