Product review (1 stars): Just poor
OK, so we purchased both the refrigerator and matching freezer last year. Summary: These appliances pretty much suck. We have had each repaired once and now the refrigerator needs another repair. The first repair was on the refrigerator: it stopped cooling after only three months. The repairman replaced the controller and some other part(s) to make the refrigerator operational again. The repair was covered under warranty, but the entire process from filing a claim to having the refrigerator fixed took almost a month! Six months later, the freezer had to be repaired. It started leaving a sheet of ice at the bottom, then it started to leak (thank goodness for ceramic floors!). Summit repaired the freezer at no charge under warranty. The time to repair completion was two weeks and required some follow-up after the first repair company Summit arranged for simply didn't respond. Now? The refrigerator has started to run constantly - it literally never stops. I cringe thinking about how much energy that thing is now wasting. And guess what? The refrigerator is just out of warranty. Summit has graciously (sneer) offered to provide me with the parts at no charge, however, I have to arrange the service, pay for labor and service call, and coordinate the ordering of the parts. When I questioned my being responsible for labor even if the problem was the controller that was replaced late last year, I was told that they provide (ONLY) a 90 DAY WARRANTY on parts. So, they know they are producing junk. Extended warranty to the rescue!

Wait -- the problems with these appliances isn't limited to their refrigeration capabilities. The hinge design is unbelievably cheap and basic for the cost of these appliances. The doors basically just swing on a metal pin. The materials are not created to exacting standards, so the refrigerator and freezer doors don't fit quite the same. Opening and closing the refrigerator causes screws on the bottom of the door to rub against the metal arm on which the door rests on a pin -- the door squeaks/groans when opened. We also have had to replace the screw that held the top pin, because the short screw provided barely caught the threads, the screw became stripped, and the door almost fell off.

If you are looking for a streamlined installation, you may want to opt for another appliance. The black hinges on these protrude above the top of the body, so a sizable gap is created above if you place these under a counter. Additionally, although these say they accept custom panels, because of the design of the door, the panels cant really be 24 wide (and centered as you might expect). If you put a 24 wide panel on, it will be aligned with the right side of the appliance (this is a must because of the hinge design) but will protrude about 0.75 past the other side of the door (creating a weird lip). This configuration will then not properly fit in the 24 wide space the fridge and freezer claim to fit. Fail, fail, and fail again.

They are not super loud, but they are not quiet either. The refrigerator noise is more annoying even though it is lower, because it is so frequent. The freezer is louder but cycles relatively infrequently. Opening the freezer can be difficult, because it creates a sort-of vacuum seal when closed. One of the freezer shelves was partially rusted on receipt.

I will say that the black interior is impressive and cool looking. The lighting and glass shelves in the refrigerator are good. The shelves in both the refrigerator and freezer have stops and supports that allow you to pull them forward without accidentally pulling them out - a definite plus. Note that the freezer has horizontal bottle holders at the bottom like the refrigerator.

We purchased extended warranties, because we were unfamiliar with the Summit brand. Also, it seems (from reading reviews) that mini fridges and freezers (especially the higher priced ones?) may be more prone to breaking down. The warranties limit our out-of-pocket expense but, honestly, who wants the hassle of frequently scheduling repairs, following-up, etc.? I wish wed used the money spent on the warranties to purchase better appliances from a different company. We happened to see some ULine mini fridges in a store some months after we purchased the Summit appliances. We were very impressed: quality hinges, smooth door opening, well-thought out door operation and design, etc. Ah well, you live and you learn. Lesson: Don't buy a Summit appliance.