Fisher & Paykel ActiveSmart 403L Bottom Freezer

freezer it’s working getting cold but top never get cold this is the common issues – Please don’t ever buy this fridge, we have a log problem with this brand and the company will never help. freezer it’s working getting cold but top never get cold this is the common issue for this brand. Don’t waste your money Show details

Can't stand the noise! – Loved this fridge for the first two years but then just out of warranty it started making horrendously loud vibrating noise. At first only when it was full, but now most of the time. It is so loud that I feel like I'm living with a jet engine going on in my house constantly. Awful. I expected way more from Fisher and paykel.  Show details

Excellent fridge – This is the 3rd incarnation of this fridge that I've purchased. The first (white) was bought 2nd hand, which I only had to replace because of recurring electrical brown outs (courtesy of Essential energy) cooking the fridge. The 2nd version I bought was also white, very stylish, and a fantastic fridge operationally. However when I recently sold… Read more

my apartment, the buyers wanted all the furniture included, so goodbye much enjoyed fridge. When I moved into my new home, and when buying a new fridge I wouldn't consider anything else but this make and design. This time around I've bought the more expensive stainless steel model, simply because Fisher & Paykel seem to have stripped down the inclusions of the standard white version, eg no egg racks or ice cube trays, and there was something else missing that I thought odd. And I didn't really like the look of the fridge with it's recessed handles, but I guess that's just a personal preference. Anyway, the design and functionality of this fridge can't be faulted. This size is ideal for a one or two person household. The bottom mount freezer section has brilliant capacity (I cook a fair bit and prefer generous freezer space), with 3 individual freezer bins and a central slimline tray for ice cubes, and it has some great operating features such as fast bottle chill. The fridge just seems to be a well considered design, with a great balance between freezer space, vegetable crispers, and fridge capacity. It's also very very quiet. Purchased whilst on sale at DJs, the RRP at that time was $1649 which I thought a bit steep when comparing brands, but still highly recommended.

This is Perfect ! Great Innovations in Refridgeration Technologies in a Stylish Design – This Fridge/Freezer has been an excellent choice in every way. It replaced a 16-year-old Fisher and Paykel Fridge/Freezer and we are very pleased with the new technologies. It offers a convenient Bottom located Freezer which is very well designed offering maximum space storage design and middle area for Ice Trays or Iceblock storage. We have… Read more

been so impressed with the design improvements. The fridge area is spacious, well lit and crystal bright. Easy to keep tidy and clean it offers Fruit and Veg drawers which are spacious and individually humidity regulated. The Door spaces permit the storage of wide range of bottle heights, jars containers, or cheese, eggs and bottles. I am so happy with the number of foods and beverages we can store in our fridge particularly the Door Space. We are three people and the fridge accommodates our needs perfectly. If you have a large family you may need a bigger fridge than this. The temperature control permits manual regulation depending on extra hot days or extra cold days, you can regulate it as you require. A great value purchase.

I don't get it that this frig bought late November is a discontinued model. (402) – I bought it because of the brand, the Consumer recommendation, good tall door storage, and the slide out racks in the freezer. Also I like [name removed] the manager of this store and he always gives good advice. In this case it was about pull out freezer trays for ease of use. The frig is quiet and the LED light is great. However, there is some… Read more

silly pull out disposable type plastic tray above the vege bin that is hard to clean and may last a year at max. Someone spilt sauce in the frig and we had a difficult task cleaning it. We pulled the whole tray out them had to manage this strange fragile plastic tray in our sink. (our sink is large). There was a strange crack at the back of the pull out slots at the side of the frig. I had to clean the sauce out of the open crack with a tooth pick. It should have been bogged in.

Also, in the freezer, the ice tray is in the middle for some strange reason. When you pull out the ice frig rack the lower tray comes out. Why is the ice not at the top?

I asked Noel Leeming and Fisher and Paykal why I paid full price for a model that was bought late October and not delivered until late Nov. Fand P replied that it was made in August so it doesn't make sense. I've always bought Fand P but now I'm not too sure about Fand P customer inquiry answers.

Alright fridge – Every single compartment has the exact same temperature except for the fridge and freezer obviously. All the compartments in the top fridge have the same temperature. The only aspects of this fridge I don't like is the freezer does not have lots of room. The freezer draws have also broken which makes it hard to get out the draw. The fridge doors are easy to open  Show details

Good, quiet, functional fridge – A very good fridge. Good Points. Reliable, well laid out, excellent lighting, fridge above, shelf supports allow more configurations than most, quiet, door open alerts, freezer drawers with separate ice tray drawer is a great idea. Bad Points. Has sometimes frozen items on top shelf of fridge compartment but very rarely. Also, I'm used to… Read more

setting up a fridge so that the doors swing shut. These doors have a resistance built in just before closure that stops this from being possible. A little annoying but these are the only faults I have noticed in three years.

Very Stylish Works Well – We bought this because it perfectly fits the alcove in our kitchen and it looks absolutely fantastic in place. Chills beautiful and very evenly. I really appreciated how quickly drinks cooled over summer. Plenty of freezer space and it is whisper quiet when running. We have had plenty of Fisher and Paykel machines in the past and they are always reliable. We think it's a very good choice.  Show details

I could live without this Fridge and wish i had my old Westinghouse back – The freezer has 3 sections and the top shelf DOES Not pull out so you are unable to see what is in there the middle self is very small and wont hold much So the only usable section is the bottom drawer so really a small freezer The fridge does not have egg compartments nor cold meat and cheese section I did not know of this when I bought it… Read more

otherwise I would not have purchased this model

The company takes 10 days before they can come to repair it as their service section is so busy

That says to me one of two things a bad product with not enough service people or they need to at least double the size of their service team

Just a OK fridge – We bought it just recently. Overall, it is a ok dredge. If you get a tight budget on white goods. You might consider about this one, but I do not know the quality and After-sales service for now. The good things I am kind of enjoy the sleek lines and effortless temperature control.  Show details

Dead fridge after six years – The fridge was good while it lasted. After six years of ownership, the freezer section stopped defrosting resulting in ice build up and lack of cooling throughout the fridge. I contacted F&P and got quoted $150 for a call out fee plus parts. Customer service left a lot to be desired. I wanted to confirm the nature of the error based on the fridge… Read more

beeping codes but F&P refused to provide this over the phone. A F&P service technician took over a week to come and diagnose the fault. Unfortunately after replacing the supposed faulty part, the fridge still did not defrost. Will not buy another F&P fridge based on poor reliability, poor customer service and expensive repair costs, with no guarantee that they will fix the fridge.

Great Fridge Looks Fabulous – We went with Fisher and Paykel because our last fridge was with them and it put in a stellar performance. This is a beautiful well designed fridge and a big relief after "old faithful'. It seems so much colder with the new fan forced system although I have found its important to keep food covered as it dries out more quickly. It is easy to… Read more

clean and looks beautiful in our kitchen and makes little more than the quietest hum. We are very pleased with it.

Great fit for a Medium Sized Home – This Fridge is a dream come true for a medium sized home like ours. The size of the fridge is perfect and fits in nicely within the space provided for the Fridge in the house. The refrigerator part of the Fridge is very spacious and the door is solidly built. The shelves in the door are sturdy and holds bottles of milk, water and juices quite… Read more

well. The shorter shelves are good for the jams, sauces and others.

The glass shelves are quite strong and I have observed they are scratch proof too. Cleaning is very easy and it has a spill protector that stops it from spilling on to other shelves.

The freezer is good but could have been designed better to use the volume available in an optimum fashion.

Overall, I am very happy with the purchase and definitely worth it.

Fisher and Paykel 403L had it 4 years and still love it – I have had this Fisher and Paykel 403L fridge since May 2014 and I love it. I would buy another one of these in a heart beat. 2 crisper bins. Roll out bins in freezer. Looks schmick and stylish in my kitchen. Can you be in love with a fridge?  Show details

Study, reliable, well built machine. Design lacking! – This fridge is excellent at doing the job, and reliably so. We haven't had any issues with the cooling system for the whole time we've owned it. Although the inside design is plastic, it is very hard wearing and looks almost good as the day we bought it. The freezer draws sometimes get stuck, possible design improvements here. But the reliability is top notch. Much recommended if looks are not your priority.  Show details

Awesome fridge – Love this fridge. It maintains the freshness of the fruits, veggies for more than 2 weeks without damage. They keep the veggies fresh. The only problem is if you use the top rack for yougurt it gets frozen and the veggies also gets wet. Avoid the top rack use it for drinks.  Show details

Giant, spacious fridge – I live with my house mates. bought this fridge in August when I moved to new apartment. Ample space. We store litterally two three days of food and yet we have so much space. The best thing is freezer is down so we don't have to bend that often as we have very few stuffs in freezer. Powerful freezer and nice cooling.  Show details

Adore this fridge! – I went from having a leaking awful fridge to this one! Never skipped a beat. I really like the lay out, especially the ice shelf. You can get soo much into that freezer! I found with a upside down fridge; things don’t get lost like they used too and I can easily organise everything so even the male of the species can find stuff. Quite fridge, bright light, easy to clean for a fridge.  Show details

Can't live without it – The fridge temperature is well maintained and keeps all my food extremely fresh. Love the functions and space. This fridge is extremely quiet and smooth. Very easy to use. Haven't had any problem so far. Cleaning wise, it's pretty easy to clean and it keeps clean. Just a sponge and some cleaning products.  Show details

Cool – This fridge does what you ask of it and maybe more! Keeps everything to a fresh cool temp and the freezer, most importantly, keeps an overall freeze of all the goods. Even though 403L may not seem much, it certainly keeps enough cooked meals and freezer items for a family of three :)  Show details

Does what it says on the box – This fridge is a joy to own. It is spacious and well-lit inside, keeps everything cold to perfection and is well built with a good solid feel to it. I had similar problems to other posters in that the space it needed to fit in to was quite narrow. I can honestly say that it does not feel like any space has been lost inside the fridge because of… Read more

this. I like the fact that the top of the fridge door rises above the top of the fridge body so it becomes a nice little hideaway for things you don't want on display. The unit is very quiet (unlike a similar sized LG model that another family member owns) and aesthetically doesn't compete with the kitchen decor because it is nice and flat and has the recessed handles.

Good fridge for a tight fridge space – I had to go for a slimmer model of fridge as I bought a 1-bedroom apartment and the space was only good for those less than 700mm wide. In comparing this particular F&P model with others it was taller so had the same capacity. I'm ok with the height as the fridge shelves are all comfortable to use. I find the shelves to be of high quality and… Read more

the door holders are good sizes for bottles etc.

The vegetable trays don't collect liquid or condensation which I've had trouble with in other Samsung and F&P fridges.

The freezer boxes are good sizes and there is a smart drawer for ice trays.

It has a modern looking facade and handles.

A perfect fit for my kitchen and for my family 's needs – This fridge areplace an old refrigerator only and small upright freezer. it is so fantastic. I have a small house and this fridge fits exactly into the space. The light is lovely and bright, which is great for my low vision. The compartments are big and easy to access, the shelves are sturdy and the whole fridge has a light bright look. The… Read more

freezer section is a good size for my small family and I can fit heaps into it without. Sacrificing ice trays. The ice tray drawer is perfect for icy poles and other delicates that need to be kept safe and easy to access. I'm really happy with my purchase.

Continues to Beep – I'm wondering if anyone can help me, recently my F & P E402B fridge started beeping and the control panel inside is flashing, it is a different beep to the "door open" alarm, both fridge and freezer temperatures appear ok. I push the selector button to mute the alarm and then it may not do it again for some time. The fridge is about 2 years old… Read more

and is the Active Smart type.

Does anyone know how I can fix the beep or stop it?

Would be greatful if anybody can help.

The best fridge you can buy – After reading lots of reviews about Fisher and Paykel we decided to buy the stainless steel bottom freezer model. Although it costs a little more, it does look rather stylish and matches with the other appliances in our kitchen. I must say that since we bought the fridge we have had no issues with it at all. It is quiet (though when it self… Read more

defrosts it is a little noisy - but not too much). It maintains a good temperature in all compartments. I particularly like the crisper drawers as they keep the fruit and vegetables cool for longer. The freezer also maintains a good temperature. All in all, this is a fridge (and a brand) I would recommend.

Great Fridge, wish the freezer was a bit bigger – Love my fridge, it keeps the temperature well, is quiet and easy to clean. Vege drawer can be changed to allow breathing of items which I have found means that they last longer. The freezer section is drawers, but I wish it was a bit bigger. It is sometimes hard to fit it all in!  Show details

Great fridge for small family – Reasonably quiet. Stainless steel-great look. Dual crispers for fruits and vegs are great. Adjustable shelves-great flexibility. Freezer at the bottom makes more sense. To be able to completely pull out freezer drawers is also great. Only thing-when you pull out the middle drawer, the bottom drawer comes out with it. Warning beeps-useful.  Show details

Great Fridge – Glad I selected a bottom mount fridge this time, the freezer section is made up of plastic bins that slide out for easy access so you can use all the space. With the freezer at the top things fall off the shelves and you can't pack it full. The LED light at the FRONT of the fridge lets you see inside really well, the door alarm is great when… Read more

the door doesn't close properly or you get distracted in the kitchen and leave it open.

Keeps everything nicely chilled.

At first mine was noisy until I walked up to it and pushed it slightly and the vibration stopped - so I realised I had to adjust the front feet to stabilise the fridge and stop it rocking.

THE FRIDGE IS NOT NOISY, PEOPLE JUST CANNOT ADJUST THE FEET.

Good.... Loud – Nothing wrong with the fridge as a whole and good spacing in the door and never had an issue with the overall performance but holy jeez... This thing is like living with a constant mechanical issue - so. Loud. I would not have gone this route had I known how loud this thing was.  Show details

Hesitant at first but glad I bought it – I was limited in the choice of fridges due to the size of the fridge cavity in the kitchen. Quiet running. Shelves and compartments well placed. Loving the dual crisper and my freezer is now well organised with the 3 drawers. Easy to clean. Doors 'beep' if left open too long. Doors do need a bit of a nudge to close. Very happy.  Show details

Sooo Noisy – Had it for a year now and its so noisy, it wasn't like this when I first brought it. Such a shame otherwise it would have been a great fridge. From the other posts it looks like there is not a lot I can do about it. Would not have purchased it if i had known how loud it was going to be.  Show details

If I had listened to the negative reviews on this site I would not have bought this fridge – I find the fridge quiet and it works well. I think this site throws up a lot of the negative reviews but few people who are pleased with their fridge post a review.

Finally, a good fridge – I have had very mixed experiences with fridges over the years, with some going on for ever and some lasting only a few years and then being uneconomic to repair (hint, avoid Samsung - terrible products and worse customer service). What first drew me to Fisher and Paykel was a friend, who damaged a door compartment in a 15 year old fridge, and was… Read more

able to get a replacement part cheaply and quickly from them... because they have standardised parts which fit multiple models - great idea! I know others have mentioned the noise, but it's not something we have noticed even though it's close to the living area. This model works well and is well designed, highly recommend it to anyone.

Regretful Purchase - THE NOISE MACHINE – Fisher & who? I bought this as a family member recommendation. At first detection of the fault I accepted that this particular model may have just been an outright dud & I could easily replace. I am currently suffering the cricket pitched audio as I write this review. This is due to the fact FISHER & PAYKEL have been very strategic in how they… Read more

deal with any faulty product they may produce. This being I am unable to speak with anyone regarding my dud purchase due to each phone attempt I hear a message stating "we are currently experiencing a high volume of calls" very reassuring I thought.

The other option upon an email response was to have a "Service Technician" take a look at it after completing an online service request form?? It's eight weeks old!!!

Do not be fooled by the sleek design of this product unless you enjoy unnecessary extended periods (15mins plus) of high pitched noises throughout your house.