Fisher & Paykel ActiveSmart 442L Bottom Mount RF442 Series
Verified27 reviews
Disaster - don't buy – We bought this fridge freezer in the UK and had it shipped to Spain. Within 1 year the cooling broke down and F&P refused to honour their 5 year warranty as we had moved country. A €500 repair later the fridge was working... for 2 months then it broke down again with the same fault. No cover from F&P or the local authorised repairer. Never again. Show details
Recurring faults with defrost heater assembly after 2 years – It's a basic fridge which for the relatively high price had very few modern features, but it did the basics well. About 2 years after purchase, the fridge started freezing things in the fridge section and making loud noises. This required the defrost heater assembly to be replaced. As Fisher and Paykel only offer a 2 year warranty, the call out… Read more
and repairs cost was at our expense. (though they did pay for the part - about $50). The same issue started again after about 2 years and eventually got to the point where the fridge would beep every time you open it and would even completely freeze a 2 liter bottle of milk in the door section of the fridge. As there was only a 12 month warranty on repairs this means a minimum $220 call out and repair cost and $56 for replacement part. This was either a faulty fridge to start with, poor manufacturing, or a case of planned obsolescence by Fisher and Paykel. We choose Fisher and Paykel since a previous F&P fridge had lasted over 20 years with very few problems. But it now seems that the quality and service of F&P is no longer the same. We attempted to come to an agreement with Customer Service supervisor Jeenal but they were unwilling to negotiate. We will not be buying another Fisher & Paykel.
Not the best buy for the price – This fridge looks the goods, aesthetically pleasing, sturdy shelves, good lay out however very poor temperature control. I actually purchased a fridge thermometer to monitor as I was concerned something wasnt right, fruit and veg wilt quickly and I was proven correct there is gross temperature fluctuationswhich would not assist with food… Read more
preservation, This is supposedly a new model and I consider it was expensive for the size of fridge. This fridge was the best fit for existing recess.
I wish there was a MINUS! Whatever you do, DO NOT purchase Fisher & Paykel – I purchased a 'brand new' Fisher & Paykel (F&P) fridge which was delivered on Tuesday 7 December 2021. The fridge arrived with a known defect to F&P and yet they did not let the retail store know! I spent from 8am to 12pm trying to get a technician or a replacement arranged but received poor customer service from the customer support at F&P. … Read more
Needless to say I was upset. I wasted an entire morning without a resolution.
In the meantime, Appliances Online arranged to pick up and replace it with another fridge. After the poor customer service received from F&P, I opted to go with an LG fridge and I am pleased to say that it is a far more superior brand than F&P and comes with a 10 year warranty as opposed to 2 years from F&P! Also, LG are cheaper - so, sometimes paying more doesn't pay off or guarantee a better product.
I had built a bridge and gotten over it until today.... whereby, I received a text and email from F&P confirming a technician 2.5 MONTHS later.... WOW how is this is even deemed as acceptable by F&P is beyond me! I would be embarrassed if were them. Needless to say I will NEVER purchase F&P and I am telling friends and family to avoid as well.
Second one that won’t stop beeping! – This is the 3rd fridge of this make and model delivered by Appliances Online. The first one had a big dent in the side panel after unboxing. Second one beeped randomly day and night every 1-15 minutes. Third one delivered today and guess what? It beeps randomly as well! The doors are closed and temperatures set mid range, the manual doesn’t cover… Read more
this! Don’t know whether this is a bad batch or not? F&P servicemen to come out soon- if he can’t fix it a refund will be requested. Otherwise it’s extremely quiet- maybe that is the issue? Fan not working? I hope I get some sleep in the meantime!
Poor customer service, poor energy efficiency – We purchased this fridge after our previous F&P model died (14 years old). We decided to maintain brand loyalty despite the fact that this fridge is $300+ more than comparative models. We purchased online through Bing Lee (great service btw), received it and started to fill the new fridge. One of the first things we noticed is that it doesn't… Read more
come with egg trays! We emailed customer service as surely this is a mistake, they've just been left out. Nope, you have to BUY the egg trays as an "ACCESSORY".
So, after spending $300 more on their fridge, not to mention the fact that it is not as energy efficient as comparative brands (which will cost us $130 more per year based on calculations), we now have to spend additional $ purchasing accessories which should have come standard. This, by the way, isn't mentioned in the specs so, if you are purchasing online, you wouldn't know until after you receive the product.
Tried emailing with customer service to request they provide the egg trays and, no, we were told you must purchase them as an accessory. Do yourself a favour and purchase the Samsung instead: https://www.binglee.com.au/samsung-srl456ls-458l-bottom-mount-fridge
EDITED TO ADD: We have since returned the fridge, twice now. It was loud, humming and buzzing at rest. Bing Lee were kind enough to send a replacement and it did the same. Ended up having the second sent back for a refund. We've put the old garage fridge in the kitchen and it makes less noise than this F&P fridge. Avoid.
Very good fridge, quiet, and effective design – We recently purchased this F&P RF442 fridge because our previous Westinghouse fridge was 11 yrs old and getting noisy, although it was still working O.K. The final straw was the Westinghouse crisper drawer breaking, and finding it cost over $200 to replace it! We decided on a bottom freezer fridge as we were getting sick of bending down to try and… Read more
find things at the back of the Westinghouse on the lower shelves. The F&P works beautifully and is very quiet. The temperature controls are simple, and we find the lack of an ice maker isn't a problem. We love the upside down design, it ensures nothing gets lost at the back of the fridge as happened before. The over-centre action of the door hinges takes a little getting used to - you need to give the doors a firm push, to get over the "hump" in the hinge. However, if the door doesn't close, the audible warning soon reminds you it's still open. The only thing I could fault about the fridge is the shelves don't go right to the back of the fridge cabinet - there's a sizeable gap of about 50mm. I guess this is done so the cold air can circulate freely. However, this does also reduce the useable space in the fridge. I wasn't aware that fridges have a"rated" or "gross" capacity (measured as the volume of the inside of the fridge compartment) - but there is also a "useable" or "storage" capacity - which is what you can actually fit in it. These two figures are outlined on the model number tag on the fridge. Most fridges have the model number tag in a clearly-positioned spot, inside the fridge compartment, or in the door. However, on this F&P fridge, the tag is right at the bottom right of the cabinet, virtually at floor level! I had to lay on my stomach to read it! The F&P fridge rated capacity is 442L - but the storage capacity is only 368L. Our old Westinghouse was rated at 420L - but it had a storage capacity of 378L. So, we thought we were buying a slightly larger fridge - but we weren't! The F&P is slightly smaller in storage capacity, than the old Westinghouse. However, the storage capacity is quite satisfactory, as we fitted everything from the old Westinghouse into the F&P. Regardless, it would have been nicer to have a slightly larger storage capacity.
Perfect fridge – Bought this brand as our last fridge lasted 20 years. Our new Fisher Paykel is beautiful to look at and very functional on the inside. It is also very quiet with very little operational noise Show details
Very impressed – I am impressed. I had read reviews that said this fridge was noisy. No so. It is very quiet. I love everything about it. The lay out, roll out drawers, shelving and bright light. Hope it last 20 years like my previous fridge. Show details
Excellent Fridge! – Got 10 years use from our old Active Smart Fridge so replaced with the same (it's also the only fridge by any brand that fits in the space we have so I hope they keep making it!). This fridge looks great and performs really well. The pull out freezer drawers at the bottom hold a lot and I really like the separate drawer that stores ice cube trays… Read more
(and pastry packets). Another feature I like are the separate crisper bins for fruit and veges - you can adjust the airflow to each bin to suit what you are storing. The drink bottle (or wine) holders are a great idea and can be moved to suit (could do with 2 more!). The door trays are very sturdy and the main one at the bottom can reliably hold our large 3L milk container alongside a water jug and various other bottles. Would happily recommend this fridge.
Would never buy again – Bought this fridge as my apartment has a nook and door which seems to have been designed only for this fridge. Plus I read all these great reviews online. Immediately upon arrival I noticed a strange rattle noise when cooling. Have had multiple visits from F&P to be told this is the natural noise made by the new hard gas systems. Rattles for a… Read more
couple of hours at a time, definitely not good in area with hard surfaces to bounce sound off. Technician quoted me “you’re not the first to complain and you won’t be the last. You should speak to your retailer about exchanging for a different manufacture”.
Love it, Love it, Love it – I got this fridge just before Christmas and I couldn't be happier with it. It is very quiet. Just the right size for the space with plenty of room inside for parties. Every time I open the door and look inside I fall in love with it again. The layout is so clean and orderly I can see everything easily. The vegetable trays are at waist height and… Read more
so easy to use. We went away for a week and when we got back the fruit and vegetables were just as fresh and good as when we left. No hint of freezing products in the fridge area. The freezer is great too and very good layout which will even allow me to store an ice-cream cake.
Great fridge that fitted right in with our apartment! – This fridge was recommended to us when we moved in to a new flat as it was left hand side open and it fitted in with the kitchen door and the specific requirements. I like the freezer being at the bottom of the fridge as it is easier to access the fridge itself and the doors easily open and close. The freezer has practical compartments as well as the fridge with a spacious design as well. Very happy with the purchase indeed! Show details
Find out how Fisher & Paykel ActiveSmart 442L Bottom Mount RF442 Series compares to other Bottom Mount Fridges / Refrigerators
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Wonderful design,and extremely quiet – I am very happy with my Fisher and Paykel fridge, but I find the only small drawback is that the door will not stay open when putting food away, and keeps closing, which can be annoying.I like the design, and the food is kept nice and cold, and it is very quiet during operation. Show details
Decent features at a reasonable price – Bought this to replace an 25 year old Fisher and Paykel fridge. It has some nice additions, like beeping when you accidentally forget to close the door, which is great if you have kids who just leave doors open, without going over the top in features. I was concerned the shelves in the freezer compartment might be annoying, but they are… Read more
surprisingly useful, and it's just a better layout to have the freezer on the bottom. And the separate climate controls for the fruit & vegetables seem to keep them fresh for long, and the LED lighting should last longer than standard bulbs, and it's more energy efficient than the old fridge. The main negatives are that it's a bit noisy, with a rattling sound sometimes. Indeed, the first unit we had delivered was very noisy most of the time, and I recorded the sound and played it back to Appliances Online, and there were great about getting it replaced immediately with a new one. Only time will tell if it achieves the lifespan of 25 years that the old one did.
Fisher Paykel Fridge with ice maker – Great refrigerator. Works well and keeps balanced temperature in all compartments. It makes a slight noise when it's running but nothing unacceptable. Been using it for 24 months now. The ice maker is great and chilled water wonderful without loosing the shelves in the door. only complaint is filter needs changing ever 6 months. Show details
Excellent 442L Fridge – This is my second F&P fridge in this design, the other is the 519L model, I purchased this one for my holiday home after being unable to fault the 519L model. I really enjoy the internal design and layout of shelves, large capacity door storage and pullout freezer baskets. Keeps good temperature control on hot days, no evidence of fridge… Read more
freezing, is very silent and reasonable energy consumption.
Unboxing and installation was a breeze, instruction on packing and it rolled easily into its cavity.
I found the SS surface of the 519L very easy to maintain, this one is the same, a simple wipe over with a damp cloth no need for special SS cleaning sprays.
Works well but slightly noisy – Good refrigerator. Works well and keeps to required temperature in all compartments. It makes a slight noise when it's trying to cool things inside but very quiet when the cycle is complete. Been using it for 8 months now. The only complaint I have with fisher and paykel is their customer service. They charge 150$ just too send too her technician out. Show details
Fisher & Paykel ActiveSmart 442L Bottom Freezer – Overall really happy with this purchase, well designed unlike the last WRID Westinghouse rubbish I bought online. which had limited shelving options / slots and only lasted 4 years after 2 repairs and a new controller This one is perfect and runs very well, just notice some noise when open but apart from that small issue nothing major and a good buy from the Good guys Show details
Perfect fridge freezer – This fridge is perfect for us. It’s 442L so there’s a lot of space and the shelves are very strong so won’t crack like some of the cheaper fridges you can get. I love that the freezer is at the bottom instead of the top as it’s more useful to have the more frequently used fridge at eye level. It’s also one of the few fridges I could find that has… Read more
the option of opening to the left.
Bought about ten months ago, no issues with temperature, drawers are removable so easy to clean, nice and quiet, perfect!
Typical quality – We had to purchase a new refrigerator right on Christmas, so many to choose from. How ever we decided to go with what we had owned once before. Great to have the fridge on top, and the freezer below. Much better for older Aussie's. I love the fact that it has a pastry draw, in the freezer, and that it has smart technology, as to keeping your goods at the right temp. Show details
Great fridge – My partner and I purchased this fridge a few weeks ago. It runs well (we actually had to turn the temperature up as it was very chilly), is quiet, and is a good size for 2 people and maybe small families. It came with a couple of fridge organiser trays and ice cube trays which was nice. So far, very happy with it. Show details
Find out how Fisher & Paykel ActiveSmart 442L Bottom Mount RF442 Series compares to other Bottom Mount Fridges / Refrigerators
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Good all rounder and space saver! – This fridge was a replacement for a 10-year-old fridge. Initially, I wanted to buy something bigger, investigated lots of models and I need kitchen reno to be able to fit most of the fridges that I like. This 442 L fridge just fits and I still have room for everything. Happy with the purchase. Was not sure if stainless steel is magnetic and rang the company to find out. It is magnetic and keeps my magnets secure and fun to use! Show details
good simple fridge – this fridge was to replace another model i had because it was too loud. this model, doesn't have the bells and whistles but... it's quiet! it's just a simple fridge. no egg tray, no ice maker. the shelves don't really offer too much room. in fact, the fridge doesn't really offer much room. it's not very efficient with its use of space. it's only… Read more
a 3 star rating which is average. the fridge is fine, however i'm sure there's better out there for this price range. i was limited to choice because of small kitchen space. all in all.. it's quiet.. big plus!!
Huge & Very Effective Fridge – I love this fridge! In a nutshell: -It runs very quietly and beeps if you accidentally leave a door open which is very handy! -The freezer drawers are very practical and easy for sorting frozen food -There's a separate ice block tray which is also very handy -The fridge section is very roomy with flexible shelving -The coldest settings are… Read more
incredible
-Sleek and attractive (although it also integrates well so can be hidden if needed)
Only downside is its so deep it can be hard to clean (but i have short limbs!)
Good looking with flexible storage – My main priority was for something that was left-hinged, bottom mounted and stylish. This perfectly fits the bill. The bonus is that the shelves are easily configurable to fit larger bottles and jars and the unit is very quiet, barely noticeable in our open plan living space. The flat front with concealed handles gives very clean lines. The… Read more
trade off is that the fridge either has to poke out from the housing unit or have a space between the fridge and the side of the housing to access the indented side door handle. No big deal but I think the version with handles on the front would be easier for some people to use.
I was surprised that there was no egg tray included, not sure if this is standard.
This fridge is nice looking, easy to clean and has more than enough space for the two of us. I'm very happy with my purchase.
Great fridge – Great fridge Easy to use and easy to clean So quiet....I love this fridge and freezer The fast freeze option is great for when I make home made icecream... It lights up perfectly,,I love how I don't have to bend to find something in the fridge So much room in the freezer Show details
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