Since 1921, Frigidaire refrigerators have been at the forefront of quality refrigerators. Today, the company offers five different styles from French door to compact, and over 150 models. With modern-day features like smudge-proof stainless steel and water filtration systems as well as the option to customize the features based on your needs, Frigidaire remains a top option for refrigerator seekers.
Maytag refrigerators have been available since the 1940s. Now owned by Whirlpool, Maytag refrigerators offer most of the same style options, with the exception of the compact model, and offers standalone icemakers. Stainless steel is a standard offering with both brands.
Customizability and personalization are keywords in modern day appliance shopping. Frigidaire boasts over 100 ways to organize with their Custom-flex DoorTM. Maytag features, like their Strongbox TM door bins, which the company claims are 50 times stronger than standard door bins, and hinges, and handles with the same technology, give them a unique selling point over competitors.
The price range for both brands is expansive with options ranging from $750-$2,799.00 for a Maytag and from $209 (for a compact model) to $3099.00 for the fanciest Frigidaire. Customization costs though, and could take the price of your new refrigerator into the $4,000-$5,000 range.
According to applianceassistant.com, Frigidaire has fewer repair problems and slightly longer longevity. Maytag offers a 10-year limited parts warranty with every new 2014 model. However, digging a little deeper will reveal that this covers the compressor only. Warranty information is a little harder to find on the Frigidaire web site. A comprehensive warranty (a one year limited warranty) comes standard with all their appliances with the option to purchase a service contract.
Both company’s appliances are designed, engineered, and assembled in the United States. According to consumerreports.com, Frigidaire refrigerators rank as safe bets in the bottom freezer, side-by-side, and top-freezer categories. Maytag holds the same rank in the bottom-freezer and side-by-side categories but is not as well regarded for their top-freezer models.
There are pros and cons for both brands and you can find praises and criticisms for both as well. Both brands have low, 1-star ratings on consumeraffairs.com.
The Frigidaire Gallery 27.8 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerator got a B grade from Good Houskeeping and 4-star average customer review on Amazon.com. The comparable Maytag French Door Refrigerator with Cool Core temperature management also got a B grade from Good Housekeeping. No Amazon reviews are available for this model.
For the consumer seeking a quality appliance that’s reliable, attractive, and American made, both Frigidaire refrigerators and Maytag refrigerators have solid options that are customizable and relatively affordable. However, because there’s so much more to a refrigerator, and appliance shopping in general, shopping around and reading up on specific models and features is more important than in times past.