When my wife and I first started using our Maytag Performa refrigerator (model PTF216LHR), we instantly fell in love with it. About a year later, the honeymoon phase is over and we’re starting to question our marriage to it.
Let me take a moment to explain that we didn’t buy the Maytag Performa. We purchased our first home last September and, since it was an estate, the appliances were thrown in as part of the sale. And, the fact the refrigerator had been bought new by the previous owner just months before she passed away definitely aided in the sale.
Prior to buying the house, my wife and I had lived in an apartment with an old refrigerator. That refrigerator was small and didn’t keep food fresh all that long; especially fresh fruits and vegetables. So when we saw the Maytag Performa we naturally started comparing it to that refrigerator and it won out on every category.
Overall, the Maytag Performa isn’t a bad appliance. The 20.8 cubic feet of space doesn’t seem like much but it holds plenty; something we appreciate since we tend to have a lot of leftovers. And, I especially like the adjustable shelves; something that makes things easier when I have a tall item I need to put in there. The freezer section also holds quite a bit. The refrigerator also comes with an ice maker but we’ve never been able to use it because it needs to be hooked up to a source of water and our kitchen sink is on the opposite side of the room.
In terms of keeping the food fresh, I have no real complaints; at least when it comes to fruits and vegetables. Typically, we can store fresh tomatoes and lettuce for up to 3 or 4 weeks in there before they start going bad and we still have oranges from Christmas in there that are perfectly edible.
The problem I have with the Maytag Performa is it works a little too well in terms of keeping food cold. The refrigerator temperature is currently set on “3,” which is one step below the recommended setting. Yet, if we put any food on the top two shelves, we run the risk of it freezing. We have a large jug of apple juice on the top shelf that is nothing more than a block of ice now. And, we can’t turn the refrigerator down any lower because the food on the bottom shelf and in the crisper won’t be cold enough.
The Maytag Performa also isn’t very quiet. The first few nights we were staying in the house, I thought for sure it was going to die on us. But, it just turns out it runs very loud and we’ve gotten used to the clicking sound it makes when it turns the motor on and off.
Do I like my Maytag Performa refrigerator? Yes. Am I still in love with it? No. In fact, if given the chance to replace it, I probably will.
