Samsung vs. LG Refrigerators: Which Is Better?

These two brands are more alike than either would like to admit. Both are Korean electronics giants that came into American kitchens from the consumer-electronics side, and both compete on the same things: styling, screens, features, and finish. If you want a fridge that looks impressive and does clever things, this is the aisle you shop in.

Where they differ is in how they fail, what those failures cost, and how long you wait for the part. That’s the comparison worth having, and it’s the one showrooms don’t make.

A note on what follows: reliability data on these two brands genuinely conflicts depending on who you ask, and we’ll be straight with you about that rather than pretending there’s a clean answer.

The honest headline

Two credible sources say different things:

• Retailer service-call data (the kind published by large appliance dealers who track first-year service rates across thousands of units) tends to rate LG quite well, often among the better mainstream brands, with Samsung a step behind.
• Independent repair technicians, asked which brands they’d avoid, frequently name both, and the reason isn’t usually the failure rate. It’s parts and service: proprietary components, fewer independent shops willing to work on them, and longer waits.

Both things can be true. A fridge can have a decent first-year record and be a headache to fix in year seven. If you keep appliances a long time, and most people do, that second half matters enormously.

Head to head

Samsung’s reputation problem: the ice maker

You cannot discuss Samsung refrigerators honestly without this. Ice makers in Samsung French-door refrigerators have been a widely reported, long-running source of complaints, frosting over, freezing up, jamming, and failing, to the point that it has drawn class-action litigation in the US.

That doesn’t mean every Samsung fridge fails. Plenty of owners have no trouble at all, and Samsung has revised the design over the years. But it’s a well-documented pattern, and when it happens the fix isn’t always cheap or permanent.

The practical response: if you’re looking at a Samsung French-door model and the ice maker matters to you, ask specifically about the ice maker on that model year, and consider whether you’d be happy with the fridge if the ice maker gave you trouble.

LG’s reputation problem: the compressor

LG’s linear compressor is genuinely good engineering, quieter, more efficient, and it’s why LG fridges hold temperature well. It also became notorious, because a period of failures (predominantly affecting older units) generated a wave of complaints and litigation.

The important nuance: LG revised the design, and more recent models have a considerably better record. Reports on post-2020 units are much more positive, and it’s covered by a long compressor warranty.

The catch is what that warranty actually covers. A 10-year compressor warranty typically covers the part, not the labor, and on a sealed-system repair the labor is most of the bill. Read the terms.

LG’s other common complaint is the same as Samsung’s: ice makers. The consolation is that LG ice maker faults are generally a cheaper fix than a Samsung compressor or control-board failure.

The thing that actually decides it: can you get it fixed?

This is the part we care about most, because we service appliances, and it’s the argument that repair technicians keep making.

Samsung and LG use proprietary parts. A control board, an ice maker assembly, or a compressor for either brand is not a commodity item you pull off a shelf. That means:

• Longer waits. Parts frequently have to be ordered, and it’s common for that to add days to a repair. Your fridge is the one appliance you can’t live without for a week.
• Fewer technicians. Many independent repair shops simply decline to work on these brands, which narrows your options and can push you toward manufacturer service.
• Higher parts cost. Proprietary means priced how they choose.

Compare that with Whirlpool and GE, whose parts are widely stocked, whose repair procedures are well documented, and which almost any technician will service. That difference is invisible on delivery day and enormous in year eight. It’s the core of GE vs. Whirlpool.

So which should you buy?

Between the two, if you’re asking us to pick: LG, narrowly, on the basis of better service-call data, a compressor design that has been improved, and failure modes that tend to cost less to fix. But it’s a narrow call, and the more important decision is whether you want a feature-led brand at all.

Our honest position as a dealer that also repairs these machines: if the styling and features genuinely delight you, buy them and enjoy them. If what you actually want is a fridge that keeps food cold for fifteen years with minimal fuss, you’re shopping in the wrong aisle, and we’d rather tell you that now.

The used and scratch-and-dent angle

Both brands are common on the used market, and there’s a specific way to think about them.

• Buy tested, not hopeful. With these brands especially, the ice maker and the compressor are what you want verified. That’s exactly what our inspection process checks.
• Scratch-and-dent is a strong play here. These are premium-styled fridges, and a dent on a side panel that ends up between cabinets is a discount on a flaw you’ll never see. See where the dents actually are.
• Factor the repair reality into the price. A cheap out-of-warranty Samsung or LG is only cheap if you can get it fixed. Ask us what parts availability looks like on the specific model before you commit.

And whatever brand you land on, size it first: how many cubic feet of fridge do you really need? and how to measure your space.

Frequently asked questions

Is Samsung or LG better for refrigerators?

LG has the edge, narrowly. Service-call data from large retailers tends to rate LG better than Samsung, its compressor design has been improved on recent models, and its typical failures (mainly ice makers) cost less to fix than Samsung compressor or control-board failures. But both are feature-led brands with proprietary parts, and both are harder to service than Whirlpool or GE.

Do Samsung refrigerator ice makers really fail?

It’s a well-documented, long-running complaint, particularly on French-door models, serious enough to have drawn class-action litigation in the US. Not every unit is affected and Samsung has revised the design over the years, but if a reliable ice maker is important to you, it’s worth asking about the specific model before buying.

Are LG linear compressors reliable now?

More so than they were. A period of linear-compressor failures, mainly on older units, generated significant complaints and litigation, but LG revised the design and reports on more recent models are considerably better. Note that the typical 10-year compressor warranty usually covers the part, not the labor, and on a sealed-system repair the labor is most of the bill.

Are Samsung and LG appliances hard to repair?

Harder than the American mainstream brands. Both use proprietary parts, which means components often have to be ordered rather than pulled from a technician’s stock, and many independent repair shops decline to service them. That doesn’t matter in year one; it matters a great deal in year eight.

Which refrigerator brand is most reliable overall?

For mainstream refrigerators, Whirlpool and GE consistently come out ahead on reliability and, more importantly, on serviceability, parts are widely stocked and almost any technician will work on them. Samsung and LG generally beat them on design and features.

Should I buy a used Samsung or LG refrigerator?

It can be a good buy, but only if it’s been properly tested, with the ice maker and compressor specifically verified, and only if you know parts are still available for that model. A cheap out-of-warranty unit that can’t be repaired isn’t cheap.

Come see the difference for yourself

Home Star Appliances has served Houston since 2018 with new, scratch-and-dent, and quality-tested used refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers, and microwaves, plus delivery, installation, parts, and financing. Come look at the units in person and ask us anything.

Visit us: 10216 Almeda Genoa Rd, Houston, TX 77075
Call: (713) 568-6088
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Sunday by appointment)
Browse our current inventory or contact our team.

Related reading

• GE vs. Whirlpool Appliances: A Buyer’s Comparison
• Is LG a Good Appliance Brand? Honest Pros & Cons
• Best Samsung Appliances for the Money
• How to Choose the Right Refrigerator for Your Kitchen
• Smart Refrigerators: Are the Features Worth It?
• How to Spot a Good Used Refrigerator (Checklist)
• Houston Homeowners: When to Repair vs. Replace an Appliance
• Most Reliable Appliance Brands (and Why)
• Best Refrigerator Brands for Longevity
• Refrigerator Repair in Houston: Common Problems & Fixes