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> Their appliances (washer/dryer/etc) are notoriously unreliable What I don't get about this is that consumer reports continues to frequently recommend their a

> Their appliances (washer/dryer/etc) are notoriously unreliable What I don't get about this is that consumer reports continues to frequently recommend their appliances. We bought a Samsung fridge, and that experience told me "don't buy any more Samsung appliances" but when we needed a new washer and dryer, CR rated a pair of Samsungs as top of the list. I thought "well, CR is supposed to be reliable, so maybe I am okay to get these." Both broke within the first 18 months of ownership and left us unable to wash clothes until a repair could be scheduled. Fool me twice, yep. I'm the fool. But I can learn, and never another Samsung appliance shall be brought into my house. With the possible exception of a TV; my current TV is a big Samsung and it's been flawless. I think it's actually a different company entirely, even though the appliances and electronics all claim to be "Samsung"

gjsman-1000 4y ago
> my current TV is a big Samsung and it's been flawless. The TVs are better... but the OS was too much for me. Not only because it is full of ads and unlikely to get updates for very long, but also because it's Tizen (which one security researcher, admittedly in 2017, said "may be the worst code I've ever seen" and "Everything you can do wrong there, they do it." He also single-handedly found 40 separate flaws.) Considering Samsung's track record, I find it hard to believe that they would have improved in the last 5 years. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/04/samsungs-tizen-is-riddled-with-security-flaws-amateurishly-written/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/04/samsungs-tizen-is-ri...
SllX 4y ago
Samsung makes good components but they make lousy products. If you’re tempted by a Samsung TV, find another brand that has their panels (e.g. I know Sony used their QD-OLED panels).
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  That's a good piece of advice I hadn't thought of. I hope my Samsung TV lasts many more years, as it seems to be one of the last "smart" TVs that isn't preloaded with ads (and I've never connected it to the 'net, nor will I). That's going to be my major bit of research whenever it comes time to buy the next one. If I must, I'll get a commercial unit.
FractalParadigm 4y ago
Friends of mine own an appliance store. They begrudgingly sell Samsung appliances and TVs because that's what people want to buy. No matter how much they tell their customers that Samsung is crap, and that they'll be replacing their appliances in 18-24 months. Cue the customer's surprised when they're back 22 months later buying a new non-Samsung washing machine or dishwasher, paid out of pocket, because Samsung came up with some ridiculous reason why warranty won't cover it.
- lostmsu 4y ago
  What do they recommend?
Marsymars 4y ago
CR relies on user surveys for their reliability metrics/estimates. Are those failing to appropriately capture appliance reliability for some reason?
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  That's the only explanation I can think of. Out in the wild I hear nothing but bad reviews of Samsung appliances from other owners. On the repair forums, they have a similar reputation (they're great for business, if you are a repair pro). I still rely on CR, however, in the absence of personal experience, bias, or that of someone else I trust. I just bought a new induction cooktop and Samsung was nowhere to be found on their recommended list, so I thought maybe they were starting to get wise to all the problems, but I noticed that the top gas cooktops are Samsung. Maybe those particular models are that good, but I'd never risk finding out. Gas cooktops are awfully simple devices, though, so the risk is limited.
  - nucleardog 4y ago
    For anyone worried they were going to need to adjust their world view, don't worry. Samsung makes a line of "Smart" gas cooktops and managed to Samsung-ify them. Lots of reviews of poor build and materials quality ("stainless" surfaces bubbling or being scratched by paper towels, knobs breaking, the finish on the grate coming off during regular use and it rusting, etc), burners failing, burners melting the knobs, samsung denying warranty for various and sundry reasons, service techs being unavailable in many areas, service techs saying samsung doesn't supply parts and half the cooktop needs to be replaced for these issues, etc. In products ranging from a couple weeks to a year old. I'm dreading the day when we have to replace our decades old propane cooktop + oven.
  - Marsymars 4y ago
    Can't edit my old post, but I went and checked, and for the actual appliance reliability ratings on CR, Samsung rates pretty low currently: https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/which-brands-make-the-most-reliable-appliances-a3000811083/ https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/which-brands-make... Sandwiched between "Fisher & Paykel" and Asko.
sundvor 4y ago
As we are discussing anecdotes, my Samsung fridge is over 15 years old and still ticking along ok. I've cracked one of the plastic shelves and it's hard to get replacement parts, that's all. And for a nearby post: Older phone batteries tend to go out if stored fully charged and left for ages. Turning them off at 50% is the better option, especially if cycled once in a while.
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  That's the one positive I can say for my 11 year old fridge, and yes it is an important one. It still makes things cold. It eats front displays like candy, so I stopped feeding it those, but as long as I can work around that then the fact that it still gets cold is why I haven't caved and bought my wife the new fancy fridge she's been eyeing.
  - sundvor 4y ago
    Nice. I'm all for making the most of my purchases, and when the time comes I'll get something more efficient etc - nonetheless, fingers crossed that'll be another decade. My hi-fi system is 25 coming up on 26 years old. Rotel. :)
- alvarezbjm-hn 4y ago
  I replace fridge plastic shelves with thick glass shelves when the originals inevitably crack. Ask your nearest locksmith for references.
  - sundvor 4y ago
    Oh thanks! I didn't realise this was a possibility. Edit: Ah the flat ones are still fine, they have decent glass in them - it's the plastic milk/bottle door bins (also called bottle shelves or guards) that are cracking up. Sorry my original post wasn't precise. Good to know about the actual flat shelves, they're the main thing.
anakaine 4y ago
We bought a Samsung washer and a Samsung dryer 6 months ago. Top of the line. I've never had a front loader before, didn't want one, but here were are. Every month or so the bottom filter sensor says that its blocked. So you have a machine full of water that can't drain, and the lowest point in the machine saying there's a blockage. There's not. There never is. It's an optical sensor that gets dirty. The thing is, at that point, the only way to drain the machine and clean the sensor is by undoing a little 3mm ID hose and pulling the stopper out that they have helpfully supplied. You get water everywhere. Why on earth you would use an optical sensor in a machine built to handle dirty water, small solids, and is known to accumulate soap and detergent scum is absolutely beyond me. To remedy that, I have a 12v laptop adapter + a 12v bilge pump for a boat and some spare drain hose, put the bilge pump in a baking tray, let the bilge pump take care of sending the water to the shower or sink, and drain the machine via the tiny hose. Clean off the sensor with water from a spray bottle, maybe a little vinegar or glass cleaner. Replace everything, and start the load. Well over $1,500 of machine and in my mind it's a piece of crap. I wished for a small commercial top loader. It didn't match the nice theme. Now we have a Rube Goldberg disaster mitigation plan that gets actioned quite frequently. Also, booking a Samsung service tech is hard.
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  That is an awful experience. I guess I'm 'lucky' that I don't have that particular sensor (or at least it never malfunctions). But on my machine, the narrowest part of the drain system is were the hose from the tub connects into the filter box. So when something finally gets lodged there, you have to use really long pliers and then just pull as hard as you can and hope the box doesn't crack as it comes through. And as you say, draining is a great big PITA. I've gotten okay at doing it without any water hitting the floor, but it took some flooding before I nailed my technique. No more Samsungs. Every time ours fails my wife gets a little more amenable to the idea of a Speed Queen toploader.
  - anakaine 4y ago
    If I have a larger say in regarding our next machine it will be something like that speed queen. Whatever the medium commercial units are. Easy to service and replace parts. Few sensors. A dirty water pump that can move hair and solids.

gjsman-1000 4y ago

> my current TV is a big Samsung and it's been flawless. The TVs are better... but the OS was too much for me. Not only because it is full of ads and unlikely to get updates for very long, but also because it's Tizen (which one security researcher, admittedly in 2017, said "may be the worst code I've ever seen" and "Everything you can do wrong there, they do it." He also single-handedly found 40 separate flaws.) Considering Samsung's track record, I find it hard to believe that they would have improved in the last 5 years. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/04/samsungs-tizen-is-riddled-with-security-flaws-amateurishly-written/ https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/04/samsungs-tizen-is-ri...

SllX 4y ago

Samsung makes good components but they make lousy products. If you’re tempted by a Samsung TV, find another brand that has their panels (e.g. I know Sony used their QD-OLED panels).

rootusrootus 4y ago
That's a good piece of advice I hadn't thought of. I hope my Samsung TV lasts many more years, as it seems to be one of the last "smart" TVs that isn't preloaded with ads (and I've never connected it to the 'net, nor will I). That's going to be my major bit of research whenever it comes time to buy the next one. If I must, I'll get a commercial unit.

FractalParadigm 4y ago

Friends of mine own an appliance store. They begrudgingly sell Samsung appliances and TVs because that's what people want to buy. No matter how much they tell their customers that Samsung is crap, and that they'll be replacing their appliances in 18-24 months. Cue the customer's surprised when they're back 22 months later buying a new non-Samsung washing machine or dishwasher, paid out of pocket, because Samsung came up with some ridiculous reason why warranty won't cover it.

lostmsu 4y ago
What do they recommend?

Marsymars 4y ago

CR relies on user surveys for their reliability metrics/estimates. Are those failing to appropriately capture appliance reliability for some reason?

rootusrootus 4y ago
That's the only explanation I can think of. Out in the wild I hear nothing but bad reviews of Samsung appliances from other owners. On the repair forums, they have a similar reputation (they're great for business, if you are a repair pro). I still rely on CR, however, in the absence of personal experience, bias, or that of someone else I trust. I just bought a new induction cooktop and Samsung was nowhere to be found on their recommended list, so I thought maybe they were starting to get wise to all the problems, but I noticed that the top gas cooktops are Samsung. Maybe those particular models are that good, but I'd never risk finding out. Gas cooktops are awfully simple devices, though, so the risk is limited.
- nucleardog 4y ago
  For anyone worried they were going to need to adjust their world view, don't worry. Samsung makes a line of "Smart" gas cooktops and managed to Samsung-ify them. Lots of reviews of poor build and materials quality ("stainless" surfaces bubbling or being scratched by paper towels, knobs breaking, the finish on the grate coming off during regular use and it rusting, etc), burners failing, burners melting the knobs, samsung denying warranty for various and sundry reasons, service techs being unavailable in many areas, service techs saying samsung doesn't supply parts and half the cooktop needs to be replaced for these issues, etc. In products ranging from a couple weeks to a year old. I'm dreading the day when we have to replace our decades old propane cooktop + oven.
- Marsymars 4y ago
  Can't edit my old post, but I went and checked, and for the actual appliance reliability ratings on CR, Samsung rates pretty low currently: https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/which-brands-make-the-most-reliable-appliances-a3000811083/ https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/which-brands-make... Sandwiched between "Fisher & Paykel" and Asko.

sundvor 4y ago

As we are discussing anecdotes, my Samsung fridge is over 15 years old and still ticking along ok. I've cracked one of the plastic shelves and it's hard to get replacement parts, that's all. And for a nearby post: Older phone batteries tend to go out if stored fully charged and left for ages. Turning them off at 50% is the better option, especially if cycled once in a while.

rootusrootus 4y ago
That's the one positive I can say for my 11 year old fridge, and yes it is an important one. It still makes things cold. It eats front displays like candy, so I stopped feeding it those, but as long as I can work around that then the fact that it still gets cold is why I haven't caved and bought my wife the new fancy fridge she's been eyeing.
- sundvor 4y ago
  Nice. I'm all for making the most of my purchases, and when the time comes I'll get something more efficient etc - nonetheless, fingers crossed that'll be another decade. My hi-fi system is 25 coming up on 26 years old. Rotel. :)
alvarezbjm-hn 4y ago
I replace fridge plastic shelves with thick glass shelves when the originals inevitably crack. Ask your nearest locksmith for references.
- sundvor 4y ago
  Oh thanks! I didn't realise this was a possibility. Edit: Ah the flat ones are still fine, they have decent glass in them - it's the plastic milk/bottle door bins (also called bottle shelves or guards) that are cracking up. Sorry my original post wasn't precise. Good to know about the actual flat shelves, they're the main thing.

anakaine 4y ago

We bought a Samsung washer and a Samsung dryer 6 months ago. Top of the line. I've never had a front loader before, didn't want one, but here were are. Every month or so the bottom filter sensor says that its blocked. So you have a machine full of water that can't drain, and the lowest point in the machine saying there's a blockage. There's not. There never is. It's an optical sensor that gets dirty. The thing is, at that point, the only way to drain the machine and clean the sensor is by undoing a little 3mm ID hose and pulling the stopper out that they have helpfully supplied. You get water everywhere. Why on earth you would use an optical sensor in a machine built to handle dirty water, small solids, and is known to accumulate soap and detergent scum is absolutely beyond me. To remedy that, I have a 12v laptop adapter + a 12v bilge pump for a boat and some spare drain hose, put the bilge pump in a baking tray, let the bilge pump take care of sending the water to the shower or sink, and drain the machine via the tiny hose. Clean off the sensor with water from a spray bottle, maybe a little vinegar or glass cleaner. Replace everything, and start the load. Well over $1,500 of machine and in my mind it's a piece of crap. I wished for a small commercial top loader. It didn't match the nice theme. Now we have a Rube Goldberg disaster mitigation plan that gets actioned quite frequently. Also, booking a Samsung service tech is hard.

rootusrootus 4y ago
That is an awful experience. I guess I'm 'lucky' that I don't have that particular sensor (or at least it never malfunctions). But on my machine, the narrowest part of the drain system is were the hose from the tub connects into the filter box. So when something finally gets lodged there, you have to use really long pliers and then just pull as hard as you can and hope the box doesn't crack as it comes through. And as you say, draining is a great big PITA. I've gotten okay at doing it without any water hitting the floor, but it took some flooding before I nailed my technique. No more Samsungs. Every time ours fails my wife gets a little more amenable to the idea of a Speed Queen toploader.
- anakaine 4y ago
  If I have a larger say in regarding our next machine it will be something like that speed queen. Whatever the medium commercial units are. Easy to service and replace parts. Few sensors. A dirty water pump that can move hair and solids.