Frost free fridge freezer?

[SunonmyFace]

Need a fridge freezer for our new kitchen. Is frost free any good, or noisy and expensive to run? Thanks

they're fine, but, being more complicated, do sometimes go wrong. Old simple ones have hardly any working parts or eleectronics.

the most common fault seems to be that the ducts in the back, where cold air is blown through, clog with excessive frost and get blocked with ice, more than the automatic defost can melt. Effect is that temperature is too warm. Remedy is do do a manual defrost until there is no more dripping (can take 24 hours)

if the cause was door being left open, it will probably not recur.

if cause is damaged door seals, renew them

if cause was automatic defrosters failing, may be uneconomic to repair.

IME new FFs are more economical on energy than old ones. They seem quiet.

Which reliability ratings (best first)

Fisher & Paykel 88% ★★★★★ 78% 91%
Haier 87% ★★★★★ 72% 91%
Samsung 86% ★★★★★ 73% 92%
Panasonic 85% ★★★★★ n/a 95%
LG 84% ★★★★★ 78% 98%
Bosch 83% ★★★★★ 69% 85%

www.which.co.uk/reviews/fridge-freezers/article/top-fridge-freezer-brands-anUP31D5GeNb - Which?

I loved ours. We moved and replaced the kitchen and put in an integrated 'low' frost one. The kitchen guy assured me it was just as good as frost free. It bloody isn't and needs defrosting.
My poor old frost free darling has been relegated to the garage, I apologise to it regularly and miss its gurgley, swirly noises.

I have a Samsung frost free. It's silent most of the time. Occasionally gurgles but it's worked perfectly for 4 years. No complaints.

Thank you! I had one years ago and it was noisy!
I’ll have a look Piglet John :)

Had a hotpoint frost free for over 20 years. Worked well. No complaints till it stopped working.

I've got an integrated frost free Zanussi. It's really quiet and efficient.

I chose it for decent litres and cost.

We've got a Siemens allegedly frost free and it bloody isn't. It's a PITA.

@MaggieFS

It may be that you have the clogged ducts in the back. Because they are enclosed and inaccessible, they take a long time to melt out completely, and if you stop before then, you have wasted your time. You can do it by pulling it out from the wall, so you can see the drip tray usually at the back, and leaving it, empty, in a warm room for 24 hours or until there are no more drips coming, either into the drip tray, or into the cabinet.

Before I found out this trick, I bought my old mum a new FF and paid for the old one to go to recycling.

Sadly you have to take out all the food and eat it, or put it in some other freezer or very cold shed until the defrost is finished.

Don't use a heater, hammer or knife to try and get the ice out.