No Cristal In Mine (LG GWB227WLQ)

Member Name: stickywicket

Product:	LG GWB227WLQ
Date:	28/07/09 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You can put everything in there, even the kids !

Disadvantages: There's a lot more at the dog's eye level !

Curry's ...Whatever Happens Insurance Policy. I'm sure there is a category slot for that one, but my point of mentioning this service is how I came about owning this beast of a fridge. A long story involving a broken TV and reading the small print I found myself in credit with Curry's to the tune of £600.

I was the unhappy owner of a tall freestanding white fridge freezer that needed regular defrosting as the fan in the freezer kept stalling and freezing. Out of warranty, no insurance on it.

The decision to buy :

I wanted the side by side design I know it's the American lifestyle thing (and watching too much MTV cribs) that attracted me, but more than that doesn't it make sense ? Previous fridge freezers I've owned have all had the standard 3 or 4 draws located under the fridge section, the top compartment opened by hinged lid or smaller draw. Am I alone in having easily breaking the draw fronts or rear catches as you pull the draw put looking for the peas?

I did my research, unfortunately Dooyoo didn't have much info on these fridges and the revoo site attached to Curry's own products was very informative. Many reviews complained the fridge was too big, freezer too small. I'll come back to that. One thing I didn't want was a drinks dispenser, which involves plumbing and something else to go wrong. By the time we hit Currys I was all genned up on twin thermostats and cubic feet.

This fridge was priced at £599 on the website, but I needed to 'see it'. I don't have a huge kitchen, and I don't have many cupboards either. I wasn't worried about the depth because it was 5 cm deeper than my old model. The interesting thing is the height. A good 10 cm shorter than my older fridge it doesn't tower over everything else.

We found it, compared it to a couple of others but were totally sold when we saw the instore price was £499. With delivery, connection and taking the old thing away I was looking at £540. I was happy.

The delivery:

I knew they'd have to take the doors off it to get it in, I'd read this many times. All quite simple though and reattached very quickly, 20 minutes later the silver beast was gently rumbling in it's new home.

The beauty of the beast :

The brushed silver doors with the long handles are for the show, behind the fascia the sides are a grey textured plastic, this bothers some but not me, you can't really see it. Temperature setting and indicator on the freezer door, four buttons, simples. It has castors - easy to move, and level adjustment.

The freezer :
Open this and you get the visible gentle blast of cold air. The five door compartments are surprisingly deep, easily accomodate six cones, but I find they hold the bags of vegetables well, as the products remain upright and aren't rummaged over to get to the bottom.

You have two draws at the bottom and then the wonderful ice tray. How is it wonderful ? Well I'm easily amused, but you fill the three trays up. Each one is on a swivel and spring, once frozen you twist and they fall into the tray underneath. Tray pulls out. In fact if you don't want this little effect, removed and you have another shelf.

You still have three more glass shelves to fill. Many reviews and complaints I've read suggest that things can't balance/fall out. Well if you load these shelves with awkward shaped items then yes you are going have a freezer avalanche ! The suction seals on these doors can aid any get fit regime so don't put the peas at the front on the top shelf !

I have become oh so much more efficent in my freezer house keeping. I've started batch cooking, doubling up on lasagnes etc. Any left overs are stored in those little rectangular plastic Chinese takeway containers and labelled. I can find it all,see it all and don't have anything lurking at the back for months.

The fridge:

The door, four deep shelves, can fit everything in there, I mean everything. Six pinters, 2 litre bottles every condiment going. Top cheese compartment with a hinged door which is easy to forget to close, you forget - you open you have flying dairy !

The main compartment. What I love about this fridge is the ability to stand wine bottles and 4 pints of milk upright in the main area. There are four shelves in total. A massive salad bin and a smaller chiller compartment which you can switch to meat or veg. Note: it's not advertised as a chiller compartment but it does the job.

Easy to clean, all shelves and compartments fit in the dishwasher. The outside brushed silver wipes beautifully. The handles are a rough texture and I admit to wiping these at every opportunity. (Boys!)

Leave the doors open for longer than a minute and you get nagged at with a series of beeps.

So some say the fridge is too big the freezer too small. I think it depends how you shop. I can fill the fridge and just top up, the length of time some products keep these days. And let's face it it's easy to fill a freezer because it doesn't have to be used immiediatly. The fridge side is at constant pecking and grazing control in this house.


Energy wise I have an energy monitor and have noticed no change in the day to day usage.

As far as insurance is concerned, after the year I've had I took LG's product insurance on this £11.10 a month for a year and it's covered until 2014, repair or replacement. I rarely do this but this was too good to miss.

Summary: Good looking, functional, changed the way I cook.

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