I looked into fixing it and it’ll cost almost $300. I refuse to spend any money to fix a stupid Samsung. So, my wife wants a new refrigerator made by an actual reputable appliance company, but I don’t want to spend $3000. So we just live without ice, and I anticipate this will be our life until the refrigerator stops working completely.
There is no universe in which you have to pay $3000 for a new refrigerator. Not even a full size French door ice-and-water-on-the-door arrangement.
Don’t buy appliances from the big box hardware stores or Best Buy. Just don’t. These guys sell at full MSRP/list price all day, every day. I don’t care what their advertising says, you are not getting a “deal” there. Your town probably has an independent appliance dealer. Find it, and buy from them.
And yes, don’t replace your Samsung with another Samsung. Their appliances are consistently awful. LG or Whirlpool (or any of Whirlpool’s myriad sub brands) are probably your best bet for non-premium options.
I’ve had trouble with LG and despite their reported reliability I read that LG is one of the two top brands for refrigerators that can’t hold temperature in a year or two (Samsung was the other). Samsung is the absolute shittiest appliance brand. The previous owner went all Samsung and every appliance has some problem and we’ve already replaced most of them.
Someone else suggested Habitat for Humanity stores, so I’m going to try to find one of those when the time comes. Thanks for the advice though, that’ll be our second option.