# Refrigerator & Furniture



## Nannetteph (Aug 13, 2015)

I've been living here for 1-1/2 months and found a beautiful 4 bedroom house outside of Manila for $400/month which includes a dirty kitchen with a maids quarters and chauffeur's bedroom. The place is furnished with 2 refrigerators. However, none of them are working properly. I want to buy my own. Where can I find one that works and would last long? I noticed electronics here don't seem to be built to last. 

<Snip>


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Nannetteph said:


> I've been living here for 1-1/2 months and found a beautiful 4 bedroom house outside of Manila for $400/month which includes a dirty kitchen with a maids quarters and chauffeur's bedroom. The place is furnished with 2 refrigerators. However, none of them are working properly. I want to buy my own. Where can I find one that works and would last long? I noticed electronics here don't seem to be built to last.
> 
> <Snip>


My wife and I have had the best luck with appliance stores in the large malls, GE products are good but have found that Electrolux items are much better. Higher in cost a bit but they work well. We have also started using a local Filipino online shopping site. Bought a toaster and electric outdoor bug light killer. Good quality and they last.


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## JM101 (Jan 6, 2015)

Found out the hard way that buying the cheap definitely gets you the cheap.

Bought a toaster from SM Dept Store...when that went out just after the "warranty" expired, we bought the same model and fortunately it broke down just before the warranty did. 

So we took the second one back and decided on not playing that game again and with the refund and some more cash, we bought a medium priced one, which is still working.

YES you get what you pay for.

JM101


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## JM101 (Jan 6, 2015)

Please delete...duplicate post


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## Rebaqshratz (May 15, 2016)

I agree...paying a bit more up front is well worth avoiding the frustration later on down the road. SM has a pretty good selection of appliances (from ok to pretty good) but for top end stuff try Rustan's. There is one in the Alabang Town Center (ATC)and other spots. Over priced "but" great quality.


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

We went to a local shop "Imperial". Don't know if it is a chain or just local.. My fridge is Sharp, tv is Sony. Both have lasted almost 4 years so far. No problems with either one. I bought a Hitachi window aircon 2 years ago at SM and no problems with it either. None of this was the most expensive - but not the cheapest either. I figured if I stick with known brands it might be ok


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

I have all of the new ECO-NAVI Panasonic Products from Japan...they are very good quality, (Japan is well noted for its quality electronics), and I have had all of my products for nearly two years with absolutely no problems at all...

Washer and Dryer unit, Refrigerator, Freezer, Microwave, Stove Top and Baking Oven, a big split type Air Conditioner and two smaller window type Air Conditioners...all the same Panasonic ECO-NAVI line of electronic appliances. Eco-Navi is the Panasonic system that uses far less electrical consumption than typical kitchen appliances. I have neighbors with *LESS* appliances than I have and they pay *MORE* on their electrical bills than I do...so the Eco-Navi works and keeps my electric bill down to a minimum.

If I ever need a new appliance for my home here in the Philippines, I would definitely buy Panasonic again...


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

We have had our LG inverter frig for three years with no problems. I have an LG Smart TV here and also had one in the U.S. They have all been great and LG is widely available.


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## bidrod (Mar 31, 2015)

We have a Condura fridge from Abensons since 2010 no problems

Chuck.


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

I have 2 refs and a freezer all are LG never had a problem at all. One thing you might want to think about is a generator during the brown out which come quit often.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Electrolux Side by Side*



Nannetteph said:


> I've been living here for 1-1/2 months and found a beautiful 4 bedroom house outside of Manila for $400/month which includes a dirty kitchen with a maids quarters and chauffeur's bedroom. The place is furnished with 2 refrigerators. However, none of them are working properly. I want to buy my own. Where can I find one that works and would last long? I noticed electronics here don't seem to be built to last.
> 
> <Snip>


 
Our Electrolux fridge has been through hell and back, it has gone through two floods and both times floating, we've had it since 2005 it's a Side by Side, perfect fridge to store ice and meats on the left even frozen vegetables you name it and then a huge fridge for everything else.

I thought you were going to retire in Laguna? Ouch $400 for rent?


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

DonAndAbby said:


> We have had our LG inverter frig for three years with no problems. I have an LG Smart TV here and also had one in the U.S. They have all been great and LG is widely available.


I also have an inverter frig but made by Samsung, bought at Imperial like Tukaram in Iloilo City. Don't know what inverter stands for but runs flawlessly. 

Fred


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

The inverter takes the AC power and inverts it to DC power (think transformer'ish). I worked on lots of HVAC equipment with inverters in the US. They can have more control over the speed of the motors, change directions easier, vary the load. Supposed to save a lot of money on the electric bill. From what I saw of them in the air conditioning business... I would not own one ha ha. They go bad easier and are more expensive to replace or repair. Mostly we had circuit board issues. Expensive circuit board issues, and explosions. They burn in pretty colors though


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Tukaram said:


> The inverter takes the AC power and inverts it to DC power (think transformer'ish). I worked on lots of HVAC equipment with inverters in the US. They can have more control over the speed of the motors, change directions easier, vary the load. Supposed to save a lot of money on the electric bill. From what I saw of them in the air conditioning business... I would not own one ha ha. They go bad easier and are more expensive to replace or repair. Mostly we had circuit board issues. Expensive circuit board issues, and explosions. They burn in pretty colors though


Thanks for the warning. Already have it so I guess I'll just see how long it lasts, it did come with a 10 yr warranty but .... I've heard good things about the Inverter Welders and have been considering buying one as I enjoy doing things with metal. I will put that on hold for awhile. 

Fred


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

fmartin_gila said:


> I also have an inverter frig but made by Samsung, bought at Imperial like Tukaram in Iloilo City. Don't know what inverter stands for but runs flawlessly.
> 
> Fred


Forgot to mention, it is almost 2 years old but does have 10 year warranty.

Fred


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

I have talked to a lot of guys that have home equipment with inverters and are very happy with them. Maybe the Japanese make better products ha ha. Or maybe it just works better on the smaller scale appliances.


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## mentallyretired (Jun 22, 2016)

Appliances have bar codes. Somewhere there is a "country listing" of those bar codes. So not only do you know the manufacturer of the appliance, but you can also find out in what country it was made.


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## HondaGuy (Aug 6, 2012)

There's a gentleman with a website detailing how he had his house built in the Philippines near IloIlo City.
He decided to go with inverter air conditioners and he himself has admitted that was a mistake.

Here's his very detailed post about the troubles he's had with his Samsung inverter aircon. Hopefully it can help others in his situation decide if they want to go with them or stick with regular aircons:

Inverter Air Conditioners – we give up on inverters and on Samsung | My Philippine Life


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

HondaGuy said:


> There's a gentleman with a website detailing how he had his house built in the Philippines near IloIlo City.
> He decided to go with inverter air conditioners and he himself has admitted that was a mistake.
> 
> Here's his very detailed post about the troubles he's had with his Samsung inverter aircon. Hopefully it can help others in his situation decide if they want to go with them or stick with regular aircons:
> ...


I had seen that write up before Honda Guy. Much as I like the idea of saving money on electric bills, I think I will go with conventional split units when I buy for my house at the end of this year.
The warranty doesn't come into play if the circuit boards have failed because of insects or lizards getting splatted on the boards.
Apart from the expensive repairs, Im not convinced of the overall savings anyhow. You have to run the units a long time to pay back for the much higher purchase costs.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

Nannetteph said:


> I've been living here for 1-1/2 months and found a beautiful 4 bedroom house outside of Manila for $400/month which includes a dirty kitchen with a maids quarters and chauffeur's bedroom. The place is furnished with 2 refrigerators. However, none of them are working properly. I want to buy my own. Where can I find one that works and would last long? I noticed electronics here don't seem to be built to last.
> 
> <Snip>


Whatever you do, I'd steer clear of buying a used refrigerator, like I did. We were running low on money as our house was being completed, so we were trying to be extra careful about spending money on appliances. My wife and I found a guy who had an outdoor lot where he had used refrigerators, fans, and televisions for sell. I asked him if he had a refrigerator with a three prong plug, because I wanted mine to grounded. To make a long story short, I go back a few days later and pick up refrigerator for around 4,000 Php, and it also had the type of plug that I wanted on it. 

I was kinda distracted with other stuff, so I didn't really pay too much attention to it at first, but after a few weeks my wife kept complaining that it was giving her electrical shocks. 

I took a closer look at the refrigerator and found that the cord had been spliced in using electrical tape, and that the ground wire from the compressor motor wasn't even connected to the three prong cord. The ground wire from the motor was just laying inside the tray, and the underside of my refrigerator was heavily corroded, as if the previous owner never emptied the tray. 

To make a long story short our used refrigerator failed after about year, and then after that we went to Asian Home Appliances and picked up a new LG Refrigerator for around 15,000. It's now about a year and half old, and has been working fine. 

Sometimes I drive past the place where I purchased my old used refrigerator, and I see his employees out there with a spray gun painting the old refrigerators to make them look new again. Oh well, lessoned learned.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Maxx62 said:


> Sometimes I drive past the place where I purchased my old used refrigerator, and I see his employees out there with a spray gun painting the old refrigerators to make them look new again. Oh well, lessoned learned.


Got a big laugh and lots of memories at this. At one time in the 1960s I worked for one of the larger forklift companies dealers in Phoenix. My job was to rebuild old forklifts traded in on new units. Mostly we did a decent job and all units were sold with a 90 day warranty but there were some units which were just not worth it and were "rattle can overhauled" just to make a quick cheap sale and out the door with no warranty. The Boss's favorite saying "A good paint job can cover a multitude of sins". 

Fred


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## Eduardo50 (Aug 4, 2016)

*Bed Mattress*

Can anyone suggest a good brand of mattress in the Philippines?


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

There was quite a discussion sometime back about mattresses. We use a 6 inch thick Dewfoam.

Fred


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

We had troubles with a firm mattress and the locally made mattresses the coils would stick into my ribs and then the bed could not support us or me so after several years I had my first experience with Uratex bed at a Philippine house we were visiting but had no idea what kind of mattress it was till several years later so we use Uratex we have a King sized and queen sized bed, I can't afford those other beds but sure miss my Sealy Posturepedic bed.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

M.C.A. said:


> We had troubles with a firm mattress and the locally made mattresses the coils would stick into my ribs and then the bed could not support us or me so after several years I had my first experience with Uratex bed at a Philippine house we were visiting but had no idea what kind of mattress it was till several years later so we use Uratex we have a King sized and queen sized bed, I can't afford those other beds but sure miss my Sealy Posturepedic bed.


I had a Sealy many years ago and really liked it. Then when living in Twin Falls Idaho, I had a bed custom made my the Twin Falls Mattress Co. That one turned out to be the best and most comfortable bed I have ever owned. If I ever hit the lottery {laugh-laugh} I'll have them make another one and have it sent here.


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