I thought I would put in some helpful advice on this issue even though the thread is old. This info is as of March 2013.
I know someone who used to sell appliances for Sears and is now selling for Lowe’s.
I purchased a Samsung refrigerator French Door back in 2010 and have not had any issues with it. To be fair, I do not use the ice maker in the freezer nor do I have a water dispenser. Samsung’s line of appliances have won top reviews such as JD Power and stuff. According to reports of sales from around the country, Samsung appliances have sold the most and have had the least amount of issues. Another brand I was recommended was Whirlpool. Avoid KitchenAid because although they make great counter top appliances, their refrigerators are just Whirlpool with extra buttons and things.
The company I was told to not purchase was GE. I am not sure whether that meant the Profile line but the fact is many people are returning the refrigerators because of poor performance.
Another thing in purchasing from Lowe’s over Sears is that the warranty coverage is much less $$ and at least with Lowe’s, if the price on your item drops within 30 days, you can go into the store and get your difference.
My contact told me the other hassle right now are the new water-efficient washers. People are complaining that their clothes are not rinsed well, there is a funny smell etc. The issue is that you can no longer regulate how much water you use. The machine weighs the load and determines how much water. The settings are complicated esp. when you want to wash a comforter that is big on size but light on weight. Some of he fancier front load washers have to be ventilated correctly or else you start to develop mold. I still have a 2003 Kenmore washer with agitator and love it because I took it apart, cleaned the tub and there are plenty of videos on how to fix them.
One more piece of info…Aztec appliance. I had a co-worker purchase some Kitchen Aid appliances from them and he liked their service. He mentioned that when you purchase the extended warranty from them, you have to option that if it expires and you never used the policy, you can go to Aztec with the original paperwork and they will refund you the cost of the policy.
