A refrigerator is the one appliance you can’t easily live without — so when it starts acting up, the first question is usually “can this be fixed, or is it time for a new one?” In most cases, repairing is the smarter, far cheaper choice. Here’s how to decide.

The quick rule

If the repair costs less than about half the price of a comparable new refrigerator, and yours is still within its normal lifespan, repairing is almost always the better value. Most refrigerators last 10–15 years, and a typical repair is a small fraction of the $1,000–$2,500+ a new unit costs.

Common refrigerator problems — and whether they’re worth fixing

• Not cooling — often a faulty thermostat, dirty condenser coils, a bad evaporator fan, or a failed start relay. Usually an inexpensive, very worthwhile fix.
• Leaking water — typically a clogged defrost drain or a cracked water line. Cheap to repair.
• Ice maker not working — a common, affordable fix (valve, module, or line).
• Loud or constant running — fans, the defrost system, or worn door seals; usually worth repairing.
• Refrigerant leak or compressor failure — the big one. On a newer fridge it’s still worth repairing; on a 12–15+ year-old unit, this is often where replacement makes sense.

When replacement makes sense

Lean toward a new refrigerator when it’s well past 15 years, the compressor or sealed system has failed on an older unit, the repair would cost more than half of a comparable new model, or it’s had repeated unrelated failures. A much newer model can also noticeably cut your energy bill.

If that’s where you land, we make it easy — we sell brand-new refrigerators (never used or refurbished) at competitive prices, so you can replace it with us in one stop. Browse new refrigerators.

Not sure? Get an honest answer first.

The best next step is a quick diagnosis — our technician tells you exactly what’s wrong and gives you a straight repair-or-replace recommendation, with no pressure either way.

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See our full repair-or-replace guide · Appliance repair FAQ