Why do fridge warranties feel so murky?

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Those 10-year compressor badges don’t always mean full protection.

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You buy a new fridge, toss the box, and tell yourself the “10‑year compressor” sticker has you sorted. Then, two and a bit years in, the fridge warms up before a long weekend. This happened to Hana in Auckland: the part was covered, but labour and refrigerant weren’t. She paid hundreds, threw out a week’s groceries, and waited eight days for an authorised tech to have the right equipment.

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Here’s the twist most people miss: the most expensive failures are in the sealed refrigeration system, and the years advertised on boxes often cover parts only. In Australia and New Zealand, you also have legal rights under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) that can outlast the manufacturer’s written warranty. So the question isn’t “How many years?” It’s “What’s covered, who pays the labour, and how quickly can someone fix it where you live?”

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I’ve spent years comparing appliance warranties, retailer care plans, and the way claims actually play out. If you’re tired of fine print, this guide is designed to help you buy with your eyes open.

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Are you measuring the wrong kind of “years”?

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Most shoppers focus on the headline number: 1 year, 2 years, 10 years. That’s the wrong lens. A better way is to slice the warranty by risk and cost.

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Think of your fridge like a body. The shelves, lights, and icemaker are fingers and toes: they break sometimes, but they’re inexpensive. The sealed system is the heart and arteries: compressor, evaporator, condenser, filter‑drier, and the refrigerant tubing that connects them. When the “heart” fails, it’s a big deal.

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Manufacturers know this, so they split coverage:

1-2 years parts and labour for most components.
3-5 years for the sealed system (sometimes parts and labour, often parts‑only).
Up to 10 years parts on the compressor, but labour excluded.

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On the sales floor, those “10‑year” badges sound like blanket protection. In reality, you could still pay for the most expensive bit: labour. If you take one thing from this article, make it this: judge any warranty by sealed‑system labour coverage and the quality of the service network in your area.

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Better questions to ask:

Is sealed‑system labour covered after year one?
Is refrigerant included?
Who does the work locally, and how fast can they get to me?
Does this plan add anything I don’t already have under the ACL/CGA?

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What do the numbers actually say?

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Typical pattern in AU/NZ: 1-2 years parts and labour on the whole fridge; 3-5 years for sealed system (often parts‑only); up to 10 years parts‑only on the compressor. Labour beyond year one or two is the exception, not the rule.
Sealed‑system repairs are specialised. They often require refrigerant recovery, brazing, deep vacuum, leak testing, and precise recharge. In Australia, refrigerant work must be done by an ARCtick‑licensed technician. In New Zealand, refrigerant handling requires the appropriate approvals and competency under local regulations. Fewer qualified techs means higher labour cost and longer wait times.
Costs add up fast. In our market, sealed‑system labour, consumables, and travel can run into the high hundreds or more. Parts‑only coverage still leaves you with most of the bill.
Food loss is usually excluded in manufacturer warranties. Retailer plans sometimes include modest food‑spoilage reimbursement, but caps and conditions apply.
Your legal safety net matters. Under the ACL and CGA, you may be entitled to a repair, replacement, or refund when a product fails to be of acceptable quality within a reasonable time - even if the written warranty has expired. Extended warranties can’t take these rights away, and sometimes they simply restate them.

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Sealed‑system work needs specialised tools and certified technicians.

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What’s at stake for your daily life?

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Picture two Saturdays. In the first, your French‑door beauty gives a quiet click and warms overnight. You come back from kids’ sport to milky yoghurt, dripping berries, and a smell you’ll never forget. You call the warranty number, get told to wait for the one authorised tech who services your suburb, and brace for a “diagnostic fee” that isn’t covered. By Tuesday, you’re doing ice‑chest dinners and borrowing freezer space from the neighbours. It’s stressful, a bit embarrassing, and not how you wanted to spend the week.

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Now flip it. Same failure, but you’d checked sealed‑system labour coverage, confirmed refrigerant is covered, and verified a local authorised technician actually comes to your postcode. You kept receipts and registered your purchase. The call centre books an in‑home appointment within 48 hours. You still lose a few groceries, but your life rolls on.

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Appliances aren’t just metal boxes. They’re your morning routine, your lunchboxes, your Sunday roast. Getting the protection settings right is about convenience, pride in your home, and not throwing money away because of a line in the fine print.

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So how should you judge protection that actually matters?

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Use the CHILL framework to evaluate any fridge warranty or plan:

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C Coverage specifics: Split it into whole‑appliance, sealed system, and compressor. Note parts vs labour for each, and whether refrigerant is included.
H Home service: Is in‑home service included, with travel and diagnostic fees covered? Or are you expected to haul a 120 kg appliance to a depot?
I Inclusions and exclusions: Door seals, icemakers, cosmetic parts, power surges, or “wear and tear” often sit in the exclusions list. Read them.
L Local service network: Who are the authorised technicians in your area? What’s the typical response time? Rural buyers especially need to ask.
L Legal rights: In AU/NZ, your ACL/CGA rights apply regardless of any add‑on plan. Don’t pay for coverage you already have.

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Questions to put to a salesperson or support rep:

“Is sealed‑system labour covered after year one? Is refrigerant included?”
“Do you cover travel and diagnostic fees for my postcode?”
“If a repair is uneconomical, do you replace like‑for‑like or pro‑rata a refund?”
“Is the warranty transferable if I sell the appliance or my home?”

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What’s the smart, step-by-step way to buy without regret?

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Start with the model’s actual warranty document. Ask for the PDF for your exact model, not a brochure. Look for three lines: sealed‑system coverage period, compressor coverage period, and whether labour matches parts beyond year one or two.

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Call the brand’s service line before you buy. Give them your suburb/postcode and ask who services your area and typical lead times. If they can’t name a local authorised tech, that’s a flag.

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Compare models on real protection, not just marketing. Two similar fridges at the same price? Choose the one with longer sealed‑system labour coverage or clearer refrigerant inclusion. For many brands sold here, you’ll see 1-2 years full coverage, 3-5 years parts on the sealed system, and 10 years parts‑only on the compressor. That’s fine if the brand has strong reliability and service; less fine if you’re remote or the model has a patchy track record.

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Think carefully about extended warranties. In Australia and New Zealand, many extended “care plans” mainly repackage rights you already have under the ACL/CGA, then add extras like food‑spoilage cover or fast‑track service. They can make sense if:

You’re risk‑averse and want a single number to call and faster service.
You live rural and the plan explicitly covers travel and diagnostic fees.
The plan clearly includes sealed‑system labour and refrigerant beyond the manufacturer term.
The model is feature‑dense or expensive to fix.

If the plan is parts‑only on the compressor and vague on labour or refrigerant, save your money.

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Use free alternatives first. Many credit cards in AU/NZ include extended warranty insurance when you pay with the card - often an extra year on the manufacturer’s warranty, up to a cap. Check your card’s policy and keep your receipt and statement. Also check your home insurance: some policies cover motor burnout or add “fusion”/machinery breakdown, and many cover food loss from power outages (mechanical failure may need an optional add‑on).

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Match the choice to your household:

Families and entertainers: Prioritise fast in‑home service and sealed‑system labour coverage. Food loss adds up.
Renters and landlords: Transferable coverage helps resale and tenant satisfaction. Confirm who is authorised to make claims.
Rural and regional buyers: Service network and travel fee coverage matter more than headline years.
Budget buyers: Consider self‑insuring. Set aside a small “repair fund” and lean on your ACL/CGA rights if something major goes wrong.

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Before you swipe:

Get the model‑specific warranty text.
Confirm in‑home service, travel, and diagnostic coverage.
Ask directly about sealed‑system labour and refrigerant.
Validate local authorised service availability and response times.
If buying a plan, weigh the price against likely sealed‑system repair costs in your area and read the exclusions line by line.

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The real shift here is simple. Stop chasing the biggest number of “years.” Start chasing the clearest promise on the most expensive failures, delivered by people who can reach your kitchen quickly.

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If you align those three - coverage detail, service quality, and your legal rights - you’ll pick a fridge and a protection setup you won’t regret.

Fridge Warranties Decoded - AU & NZ