Refrigerators are among the appliances you don’t want to buy used, but even buying a new one doesn’t guarantee that it will last for a long time. For many shoppers, reliability is an important factor in choosing a refrigerator, which is why the latest JD Power 2025 U.S. Appliance Reliability Study can be helpful. The study found that GE side-by-side refrigerators ranked highest for reliability, reporting the lowest number of problems per 100 units in the category at 52. 

Whirlpool followed in second place with 60, while LG came in third with 68. Samsung, which may have just clinched the title for worst refrigerator, had 76 problems per 100 units. Frigidaire rounded out the list at 81. These results show a significant gap in reported issues between GE and the rest of the manufacturers included in the rankings.

JD Power’s study evaluated the real-world performance of top household appliances during the first one to three years of ownership. Reliability was measured across each product category, with lower scores signaling fewer reported problems. The study also evaluated the service experience for in-home tech visits and accounted for factors such as scheduling ease, timeliness of repairs, and more. The study is based on 12,755 appliance reliability responses and more than 1,400 service experience responses from online customer surveys.

GE’s performance in JD Power’s U.S. Appliance Reliability & Service Study wasn’t limited to side-by-side refrigerators. The brand also ranked first in both top-mount freezer refrigerators, with 51 problems per 100 units, and French door refrigerators, with 65. In contrast, LG and Samsung placed further down the rankings across these categories, thus reflecting higher reported problem rates compared to GE.

Outside of this study, GE is known as one of the top major refrigerator brands, but its products sometimes receive mixed reviews. For example, on ConsumerAffairs, GE refrigerators have a large number of low ratings, with some customers reporting issues such as ice makers and water systems failing within weeks or months. However, anyone can submit a review on ConsumerAffairs, so it’s often best to look for reputable reviews on a model-by-model basis instead. Customer feedback can vary by platform.

Before you decide to go with GE, or any brand for that matter, consider how efficiency and performance impact reliability. For example, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends replacing older refrigerators with newer, energy-efficient models. These units can support more consistent performance while also reducing operating costs. This can matter for reliability because systems that operate more efficiently and with less stress may be less likely to run into issues over time.