7 Signs You Need a New Fridge

We love the retro look. But also our drinks cold, ice frozen, and energy bills low.


1. You proudly displayed your son's first school picture on your fridge the day it got delivered ... but it hasn't moved since then and he just graduated college.

2.  The Arm & Hammer baking soda box you stash in the door is made from tin, not cardboard. 

3. You decided to be trendy and chose the avocado green color when you bought it.

4. Your refreshing homemade lemonade becomes a slushie when you chill it in the back right corner.

5. Somewhere along the line your ice started getting more ... liquidy.

6. You've gotten used to the din of a fridge that constantly runs, but it drives your houseguests crazy.

7. You bought a model with a capacity perfect for two before you had kids, but now need to store grocery overflow in a fridge you plunked in the garage (and you've heard that's a bad idea).

OK, we kid (sort of). But, seriously:
If your refrigerator is no longer cooling food to below 40° F, you need to repair or replace it. In generall, we recommend considering a repair if the cost is less than half the price of a new fridge. But if your fridge is more than 15 years old, and especially if it pre-dates 1997 (when Energy Star ratings were introduced for refrigerators), it's time to hit the appliance aisle. You'll keep your food as safe as possible, and cash in on the energy savings today's more efficient fridges provide.

NEXT: 5 Biggest Mistakes You Make With Your Fridge »

Photo: WIN-Initiative/Getty

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