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Samsung accidentally freezes its smart fridges with a software update

247 points · 284 comments · Markoff

diskzero · 1790171248 · focus · HN ↗
We ended up with a Samsung fridge in our new home. It has no external display or any other indication that it is a "smart" fridge. I only found out when a friend visited who has a Samsung phone and the phone offered to connect to the fridge. We spent the next 30 minutes removing panels from the fridge and found the wifi/bluetooth antenna on a small board under the top-right hinge cover. The board was disconnected and the fridge continues to operate normally.
I am now eyeing my dishwasher very suspiciously.
1. cogman10 · 1790171586 · focus · HN ↗
  Samsung has made garbage appliances for my entire life. A family member went through about 3 different samsung fridges before they swore them off for good. The compressor would routinely break after only a year or 2 of service.
  I will never own a Samsung or LG appliance. They are built almost explicitly to force you to get a new one in a couple of years.
  Then couple that with both companies trying to use weaselly legal maneuvers like putting the EULA that agrees to arbitration on the outside of a box and saying "If you open this box you agree to the EULA".
  1. malfist · 1790172593 · focus · HN ↗
    Why are you throwing LG in with Samsung? They routinely have some of the most durable appliances, check consumer reports if you don't believe me. They even offer ten year warranty on their direct drive washer and dryers
    lmz · 1790172884 · focus · HN ↗
    There was a US lawsuit against them for their linear compressors: <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/consumer/fridge-failures-federal-lawsuit-cites-lg-refrigerator-issue/3552575/" rel="nofollow">https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/consumer/fridge-failures-...
    throw0101c · 1790177191 · focus · HN ↗
    > There was a US lawsuit against them for their linear compressors: <a href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/consumer/fridge-failures-federal-lawsuit-cites-lg-refrigerator-issue/3552575/" rel="nofollow">https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/consumer/fridge-failures-...
    Out of all the fridges that LG sold, what percentage had issues? LG sells a lot of units, so even small percentages may end up with 'critical mass' of problems that gains wider awareness.
    An article from an appliance retailer that has their own in-house service department, and so has statistics on repair rates of the various OEMs that they sell:
    * <a href="https://blog.yaleappliance.com/lg-compressor-class-action-lawsuit-2024" rel="nofollow">https://blog.yaleappliance.com/lg-compressor-class-action-la...
    Looking at service rates in total (for all issues), LG has the lowest number out of all the manufacturers they sell/service:
    * <a href="https://blog.yaleappliance.com/the-best-counter-depth-refrigerators" rel="nofollow">https://blog.yaleappliance.com/the-best-counter-depth-refrig...
    * <a href="https://blog.yaleappliance.com/most-reliable-counter-depth-french-door-refrigerators" rel="nofollow">https://blog.yaleappliance.com/most-reliable-counter-depth-f...
    brycewray · 1790178111 · focus · HN ↗
    Yes, recently replaced an LG refrig with that issue. Its second linear compressor in eight years was dying the way the first one had (four years after purchase, with the sympathetic repairman telling us this second compressor was the “fixed” model and should last for quite a few more years), so we bailed on it. Its 1985-vintage Whirlpool predecessor had worked for 32 years, FWIW.

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