Hard to say. I think they're all made by only 2-3 companies. I have heard only bad things about Samsung, fwiw. My parents have an expensive French door Samsung and it had issues after just a few months. It's been repaired multiple times and now they've just made peace with its ice maker not working. I have a cheap side-by-side Kenmore I got at a Sears Outlet 9 years ago or so. It ices up too much around the ice maker but otherwise no issues.
I think there is a valve that feeds water to the icemaker you probably have to replace. If you have excess water getting to the icemaker, then you may see icecycles coming from the icemaker or frozen water streams on the sides. I had that problem and it was a bad valve that controls water flow to the icemaker and water dispenser. Easy part to replace on your own. If those are your symptoms, then I'm pretty sure that's your problem. There are rubber seals in the valve that tend to disintegrate over time. I have a Whirlpool Gold I bought back in 2005. I'm of the mind that a refrigerator should last decades. That doesn't mean it won't need maintenance. Aside from replacing the multi-port water valve, I've had to replace the icemaker because the non-stick coating on the ice tray was starting to break down meaning that coating slowly flakes and gets in the ice. It was kind of nasty. Another easy part to replace. I'm not sure what you would go with nowadays. I would follow the reviews. Try to ensure common parts are available and you're not buying some one-off refrigerator that has its own unique parts. A lot of the parts, like the icemaker and water valve I mentioned, tend to be common parts that apply to multiple brands and/or models. I know a relative bought what he thought was a good refrigerator but, in a few years, it broke down and turns out the model was discontinued with no parts available...so had to be replaced. As with anything, there is always the chance you get a lemon. I also wouldn't recommend you getting one with one of those wimpy icemakers that make small ice and don't hold a lot of ice. You want a big ice bin with normal sized ice imo. That said...I don't have a particular brand in mind. I'm not sure a Whirlpool Gold model is what you want nowadays but you could consider. Just remember...the reviews you read which may be negative don't necessarily mean it's a bad one to go with. There are likely many more who never posted about being happy with their refrigerator. You just have to sort through it trying to distinguish between lemons and ones with real problems (that may even have recalls, etc.).
Most people have told me to stay away from Samsungs and LG's in general, but definitely stay away from Samsungs. A lot of the new ones are difficult to fix on your own, too. A lot of the new ones have unnecessarily stupid gadgets and functionality on them that can die on you, too. Like I really need internet/wireless on my fridge or a door I can see through to see what's inside (open the door and look, ya MORAN), etc. I have a Kenmore Elite I bought when I bought my house back in 2004 that still runs fine. The only issue I've had with mine was the ice maker on it croaked about 10 years ago, so I ordered a new one for something like $50-$70 and replaced it myself. I'm not sure that's easy to do on newer fridges. The only issue with keeping stuff that long is the newer ones are way more energy efficient, but I keep seeing a lot of failures on newer fridges and I don't want to be buying a new one every 3-5 years, either
I think there's been a ton of consolidation in the industry, but there's got to be more than that many companies making refrigerators. Maybe you're thinking about hot water heaters. Those were all made by about 3 or 4 companies for the longest time (I don't know if that's still true, but probably is).
The simpler the fridge, the better the fridge in my experience. Ive got a Whirlpool that has digital buttons(not a digital screen, just buttons), but thats as fancy as it gets and it has lasted me over 8 years and still going strong. Dont get tempted by all the fancy do dats and gadgets, its a fridge that serves one main purpose- to keep things cold.
Don’t get Samsung…They are technologically amazing but problems . Probably the best bet with the best features is whirlpool ..edit , I didn’t even realize what the other responses were until I posted this and I just saw that people are saying the same thing about Samsung and praising Whirlpool for the most part ihate to crack on a brand like that But Before I started my own business, used to be a manager at a big box store that sold refrigerators
Do you plan on using the water and ice dispensers? My family doesn't use them and we got a fridge that doesn't have a through door dispenser. It's really nice the extra door shelf space without the through door dispensers. It's also a bit more efficient. There is a ice maker in the freezer, but we turn it off to use as regular freezer space. GE 27 cu ft French Door fridge If you do plan on using the water dispenser, I don't recommend it. The button to start water dispensing is positioned in such a way that you 100% will spill some water in the fridge if you use the dispenser.
I actually just bought a good ice maker, I have a french door samsung which I love but the ice sucks, not its fault but the water isn't as clean as I would like and it tastes funny............nice investment and it beats always getting a bag of ice Frigidaire EFIC189 Compact Ice Maker
Another vote for Samsung sucks. Bottom freezer drawer handle broke off, ice/watermaker broke and they had to replace the entire door because it was the computer. And the door icemaker sucks anyway. They look nice, but that's it. My 15yo GE side by side garage fridge works better and is more functional at this point.
I have a Kenmoore that I use as an extra fridge that's 15 years old and never had an issue. Purchased Kitchen Aide appliances about a year and a half ago the dishwasher has issues on occasion with not draining water. The crew that installed them told me I would be making a huge mistake is I didnt by the extended warranty as there is just so much that can go wrong and its all expensive to repair. I did purchase the extended warranty on all of them which some how the dishwasher wasnt included, the control panel for it is more than the cost of a new dishwasher ugh
Don't get Samsung Appliances. If you want a great appliances, get Bosch. Their dishwashers are terrific and refrigerators are top-notch.
Thats all appliances are nowadays- a bunch of circuit boards that constantly go out and need to be replaced. Better to stick to basic
Avoid LG, everyone in my family that has gotten one (3 of them), all of them have failed just out of warranty.
I recommend Costco for the extended warranty, especially if you have a Costco credit card. Major appliances come with 2 year warranty by default and 4 years if purchased with a Costco credit card. Price is very competitive with other retailers if it's on sale.