Fridge-Freezer with Super-Magnet Doors

[Ross365]

My sister has bought this new fridge-freezer and the magnetic seal on the (bottom) freezer door is just super strong. She's getting on, so has to brace herself before she can pull the door open. I've tried putting down two layers of masking tape around the frame of the door. This has only had a small effect.

I'm not sure about putting more masking tape, or some thicker tape on; could this eventually create gaps in the seal?

Has anyone ever dealt with this problem previously? The fridge is a budget-price Hotpoint and I am not impressed with any part of it!

 

[julianf]

So, at the other end of the age scale, our daughter has never been able to get the freezer door open. Until yesterday, when I explained levers to her, and showed her where to put the slither of wood under the handle.


I mean your sister clearly shouldn't have to, and I'm not trying to excuse the design, simply offer a quick work around.

Curiously the handle on my elderly parents fridge actually moves on a pivot, to break the seal. A built in lever, I guess. But out own fridge is just a simple fixed handle so you're pulling against the magnet in full.

Or at least I do. My daughter now uses her special bit of wood. She is 4.

 

[Ross365]

This unit does not have handles as such, but just has shaped plastic "extensions" at the bottom of the doors. Getting some sort of lever under the bottom door, which is 40mm off the floor....? It's quite definitely by far the most difficult unit to open doors on that I've ever encountered; it's not just my ageing sister but everyone who baulks at it and it's just very bad design for Hotpoint to have made it like that.

Your daughter will soon grow to not need the lever, but my sister (who is 80) is heading in the opposite path.

Just searching Google for ideas, there seems to be a widely held view that such problems are due to a"vacuum" forming when freezer doors are closed and the warm air which has just got in cools down.

 

[6ply]

We have a tall fridge that is "difficult" to open if it has only just been closed. I just slip my finger tips between the seal which breaks the vacuum and it is very easy to open. This saves yanking the door hard and risking tipping bottles etc over.

 

[frank horton]

i think the mag strip is inside the rubber seal....
any chance taking it off a getting 1/2 of the mag out.....might involve a stanley knife

 

[weldingnovice]

Fitted a kitchen a month ago, it's got separate full height integrated larder refrigerator and freezer.

Mkn kitchen with budget cda appliances, cda freezer was unavailable so some other budget thing supplied.

Freezer door difficult to open, handles being more form over function doesn't help.

Tried setting the freezer further back in the cabinet so that magnetic strip had less purchase made no discernible difference until the point where it wasn't latching. So put back to correct position.

Customer complained to the supplier who sent engineer to correct it. He was expecting to see it poorly fitted which it isn't and admited as such.

Warm air vacuum is a thing and there is a noticeable effect.

They have agreed to supply the cda freezer and take other back. I said you'll be coming back to do the replacement or giving me half a days money to do it for you.

Manufacturer has agreed some deal with mkm to reimburse me.

New appliance not yet delivered.

Not much help to you but it is happening elsewhere.

Good luck with it.

 

[voipio]

Something like that should have been picked up during manufacture, and never left the factory gate.

 

[dobbslc]

You could fit a screw on knob or handle to the top of the door with some self tapping screws. Probably invalidate the warranty though.

The fridge is a budget-price Hotpoint and I am not impressed with any part of it!

Same here! We have two separate tall fridge and freezer models from Zanussi (same as Hotpoint) that are integrated and the facia door fixing kit has always been very poor, yesterday I ripped the whole door off the fridge door sliders!
They also have a very annoying drone that reverberates through the housings that only I can hear
I can't find any replacement metal door sliders so I'll have to buy more of the crappy plastic ones and hope that six with be enough to keep the doors together.

 

[dobbslc]

Something like that should have been picked up during manufacture, and never left the factory gate.

Problem is it's a design fault not a manufacturing one.

 

[daleyd]

On our LG fridge freezer the “handles” pull out and they operate a little plastic latch which pushes against the frame to break the seal and open the door - if you try to open without using the handle (eg if you grab the top of the door) it’s remarkably difficult due to the magnet and seal effect.

 

[dobbslc]

It's almost like it's an anti fat bastard device they are installing to prevent overeating...

 

[daleyd]

It's almost like it's an anti fat bastard device they are installing to prevent overeating...

That’s why I bought one with easy access handles

 

[Gritineye]

Our Miele fridge freezer, simple quality.

 

[dobbslc]

That's nice but unfortunately can't be done with an integrated unit.

 

[colnerov]

It's almost like it's an anti fat bastard device they are installing to prevent overeating...

Possibly, however, you have to have a bit of weight to yourself to get it open.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

You could have a go at reducing the strength of the magnets...for permanent magnets heat works but I have no idea how much heat would be needed.

Other way I know is an AC magnetic field (ie coil of wire) which I think would disrupt the perm magnet....but how you do it to get a desired effect is anyones guess....I'm just offering up raw ideas!

...I guess you can always re-magnetise the seal with a strong perm magnet if you go too far!

 

[T689]

Apt timing reading this - our full height integrated fridge (1 year old) has always had a very stong magnet and seal effect.

Yesterday when son opened it, due to this it broke all x4 plastic sliding door fixings which go from fridge door to cupboard door.
It has broken these in the past - I got second use from them last time by rotating the slide runners on the kitchen door 180 degrees.

Now I'm going to have to get another kit.
I'll probably get two kits and fit both to spread the pull force around so they don't keep breaking!
Like posts above, many fridges nowadays seem to have a super strong seal.

 

[Agrismith]

They do aids to help people with arthritis. Probably unappealing on an integrated unit but if it helps it might be the best option.

Here is one example.
I have also seen one that was a cam system on the side of the fridge to help break the seal

Fridge door opener - Remap - Custom Made Equipment for Disabled People

The client has arthritis and experienced great difficulty and discomfort using the small and recessed handles on their fridge/freezer door. An angled operating lever was produced which could easily be held by the client. It […]

remap.org.uk

 

[Beanwood]

I might be missing something, but do tape magnets have polarity? (I assume they do) Could you apply the opposite polarity tape to the fridge carcass - so it's trying to push the door open? Tune accordingly with quantity of tape....

 

[qwakers]

*same polarity tape...opposites attract...