Best Refrigerator Warranty (2023 Guide)

There’s no getting around it: refrigerators are expensive. This major appliance can be expensive to buy and fix. However, a refrigerator warranty can help cover some or all of the costs related to refrigerator repairs.

A refrigerator warranty can refer to one of several things, including a manufacturer’s warranty, an extended warranty, and a home warranty. The first two usually apply exclusively to one appliance, but a home warranty covers multiple home systems and appliances. We’ll break down the different types of refrigerator warranties and explain how to get the most for your money when it comes to buying and maintaining your refrigerator.

Best Home Warranty Companies for Refrigerator Coverage

Which Refrigerator Has the Best Warranty?

Manufacturer’s warranties are offered by the refrigerator manufacturer. They typically cover the first year of the refrigerator’s use and cover breakdowns due to manufacturing defects. Essentially, these limited warranties only cover repairs or replacements if the refrigerator arrives with defective materials or workmanship. Most cover both parts and labor for repairs, but some only cover parts.

When choosing a refrigerator brand, make sure that it has a comprehensive warranty and that the appliance itself is reliable and unlikely to break down. Here’s a table comparing top refrigerator brands, how often their products need to be serviced, and what kind of refrigerator warranties they offer.

Nearly all refrigerator brands offer a one-year warranty that covers parts and labor due to defects in materials or workmanship. Beko offers this for two years. It only covers parts in its five-year sealed system warranty.

A refrigerator’s sealed system typically refers to the compressor, evaporator, condenser, dryer, and connection tubing. Most companies cover both parts and labor for this system for five years. Miele and KitchenAid extend this sealed system warranty for an extra five years. Note that years six through 10 cover parts only.

LG and Samsung extend coverage for certain types of refrigerator compressors for 10 years. For fridges with water dispensers, GE and Whirlpool cover water filters for the first 30 days. Samsung offers a two-year parts and labor warranty on IceMax ice makers. Finally, Bosch will replace any defective electronic part for the first five years, but its warranty doesn’t cover labor.

Home Warranty Refrigerator Coverage

While extended warranties cover new refrigerators, they generally last for five years and only cover a single appliance. If you’re looking for another protection option for multiple home appliances and systems, consider a home warranty. A home warranty, also known as home appliance insurance, covers repairs or replacements of important systems and appliances that break down from normal wear and tear. Nearly all home warranty companies provide at least one plan that covers refrigerators.

If your fridge wears out and stops working and you have a home warranty, simply call your home warranty company to file a claim. Your provider will send a trusted contractor to your home to diagnose the problem. If the issue falls under the terms of your warranty, the technician will repair it for a low service fee, which is a one-time fee you pay the technician at the time of service.

If a repair isn’t possible, the company will either replace the refrigerator or pay you cash instead. Typically, home warranties only cover wear-and-tear damage, but there’s usually no age limit to appliances, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that more than just your refrigerator is protected.

Top 4 Home Warranty Companies for Refrigerator Coverage

Many home warranty companies offer some kind of coverage for kitchen appliances, but not all of them include refrigerators in their basic plans. Here are four of the best home warranty providers in the industry that offer superior coverage for refrigerators, among other appliances and systems.

• American Home Shield: Best for Comprehensive Coverage
• Liberty Home Guard: Best Customer Ratings
• Select Home Warranty: Best Value
• First American Home Warranty: Best Appliance Coverage

Compare the Best Home Warranties for Refrigerators

In the table below, you can compare the coverage caps and appliances of our top recommended home warranty providers.

Our Rating Methodology

The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our home warranty ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each provider. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts from each company, and conducting focus groups and consumer surveys. We then score each provider against our review standards for coverage, value, trustworthiness and transparency, availability, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.  

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.