Haier CFE633CW/U Fridge Freezer

Got this fridge as a stopgap while I save up for a luxury side-by-side and I'm glad I followed Which? review recommendations as this is a great fridge/freezer. Freezer storage, given its size is great and no frost. Its quiet. Fridge tower light looks classy and lights up the whole interior. Granted this is a Chinese made product but its well put together and the 2yr warranty is adequate. Haier certainly impress with this little number. Really recommended especially if you are tight on kitchen space. S.D + W.R van 24..professional delivery service from Appliance City.

I bought a Haier Fridge Freezer (model CFE633CW/U) from Comet on 17 December 2011 and it was delivered on 28 December 2011. Loads of room, great freezer draws, looked really swish, and seemed good value for money compared with the more usual brands.

It broke down on thursday 19 January 2012. Dead as a dodo at 3 weeks old. I rang Comet the next day (at 10 pence a minute....must have been six quids worth of phone calls) and they said they couldn't get an engineer out to me until 24 January (lol I had to buy an old banger of a fridge for £25 out of my local paper classified ads when Comet said they couldn't come out until the tuesday just so's I had a bloody fridge!).

Tuesday the engineer came and told me that the circuit board had failed completely. Given that I had owned the appliance for less that 28 days he said I was entitled to a relacement appliance if I wished, or could have this one fixed, or get a full refund. I opted for the refund and went back to the same Comet store I bought the Haier from last night. The staff there were really helpful and apologetic by the way and sorted my refund out.

I did some research on Haier. They are Chinese made. It is difficult to get parts for their appliances and you will probably need to source the part from China. An example. A Haier washing machine costs £190 brand new. If the drum needs replacing (IF you can get the part) it will cost £220 just for the part. Doesn't add up does it?

Haier has been selling stuff in the UK for a couple of years (washing machines, fridges, freezers......and they will soon be selling tv's in the UK), but have been in America and Canada for longer. There are scathing reviews from American and Canadian consumers on the internet (including Facebook) about Haier products. One guy on Facebook bought several Haier fridge-freezers to put in the apartments he rented out. They didn't last more than a couple of years and broke down regularly. The Haier air conditioning units and tv's seem to be the appliances most talked about for unreliability from American consumers.

I went to Comet last night and chose my new fridge-freezer (Indesit this time) to replace the Haier. A member of staff told me his daughter had bought a Haier washing machine, had three replacements in three months then gave up. Says a lot really.

My advice? Stick to the brands you know. Shame because I've got a Chinese made petrol lawnmower and it's fantastic.