GE's Cafe line looks like a million bucks with those customizable handles and clean design, but the cooling system has a documented failure mode that hits around year three: the fridge compartment won't drop below 43°F while the freezer keeps working, and warranty repairs take two months with multiple failed compressor replacements. Shelves bend under normal weight, ice makers freeze into solid blocks instead of cubes, and temperature swings spoil produce or freeze it solid. If you're comparing this to a pre-2016 GE that ran for decades, understand you're buying a different company's product now. Skip unless you're leasing short-term or prioritize looks over function.
LG's sphere-ice party trick turns into a recurring flood hazard: the Craft Ice tray freezes but won't dump, the motor hums uselessly, water spills onto your floor, and you're reaching for a hair dryer at midnight. A class action lawsuit calls the mechanism fundamentally defective, and compressor failures within four years pile on the misery. The French door layout is roomy and the InstaView glass is genuinely useful, but the feature that commands the premium is the one that breaks. Buy a standard LG French door without Craft Ice, or choose a brand with a track record that doesn't require a mop.