We recently purchased this Samsung model (almost 2 weeks ago) and not wanting to jinx anything (knock on wood), it is working flawlessly (right now anyway). The 2 biggest complaints I have is the intolerably loud noise the ice-maker creates when ice is ejected into the bucket. It’s even more frighteningly loud when the ice bucket is empty as the sound amplifies upon impact with the hollow plastic container. I read other reviews commenting on this and thought it was an exaggeration, it’s not. Samsung should really consider re-engineering the container by adding some sound deadening material around it to help muffle the noise (yes, it’s truly that annoying). The other issue is relatively minor and indicative of all stainless appliances… the never ending battle against finger prints and skin oil smudges.All that aside, the bottom line to any appliance purchase today is akin to betting on roulette and expecting to win (worst odds ever). Like many, I did an inordinate amount of product research and read countless customer reviews prior to purchasing. Opinions and experiences are all over the map. And this is a fundamental problem for all brands not just Samsung. As mentioned elsewhere there is much outsourcing going on and it seems almost impossible for manufacturers to attain consistent quality levels. BTW, I was surprised to learn (after purchasing) this refrigerator is imported from Korea. I bring this up only because it supports many customer complaints concerning long wait times when breakdowns inevitably occur. The delays are primarily the result of long distance parts delivery. Several service repair companies I contacted are not even qualified to work on these appliances as Samsung strictly controls the qualification process along with parts distribution (exporting from Korea).To be fair, this Samsung replaces a 12-year old Maytag side by side (with ice-maker) which I can’t begin to relate just how horrible and unreliable a refrigerator can be! It was the first appliance I ever bought with an extended warranty (reluctantly). It was also the first appliance I inevitably recouped my money from using that warranty (and then some) due to abnormally frequent repairs and parts replacement (both costly to the insurance company). What I learned from this is warranties can be useful for offsetting expensive service and food replacement costs but doesn’t instill customer confidence or improve product reliability… it is what it is. Factor in countless hours due to lost work time; aggravation with incompetent CSR agents; delays and missed appointments with repair ppl and inordinate amounts of wasted food… you can easily see where this is going.So don’t hate Samsung just because it’s not assembled in North America (who is?) or you see customer complaints online. In fact, check any brand and it’s pretty much the same for all. CR may rate some models and brands higher but unfortunately (and inevitably) they all have issues. There are only a handful of companies (worldwide) making compressors and major components for refrigerators these days and every manufacturer is buying from them. So no brand is immune and “inconsistent” quality has been around for awhile now. The days of buying a refrigerator (or any major appliance) and expecting it to last for 20 years are long over. And spending more money doesn’t help either. High end brands such as Viking and Sub-Zero are notoriously problematic and appear even more unreliable.The bottom line is no matter how much research and regardless what brand you prefer or currently own… you definitely will be rolling the dice and taking a bigger chance than you might expect on your next purchase. The days of “Maytag reliability” are long gone (I can most definitely attest to that). Long term reliability is not the norm, it is an anomaly. Don’t expect your next refrigerator to provide more than 7-10 years of consistent reliability (at most). Like other “tech toys” refrigerators have become trendy fashion statements, several high end models have built in flat screens with wi-fi, so don’t expect them to last long. In fact, the tech will easily become obsolete long before the warranty ends prompting many to upgrade just to stay current.The best advice I can offer anyone is cover your bets and consider an extended warranty and use AmEx or Discover (check their respective policies) to extend it another year. Because unlike back in the day, it may not take years to see problems develop in new appliances and 28 cubic feet of food spoils real quick and gets real expensive…Update: 07-29-12A brief update: After more than 7 months there is no significant issues to report and that is really saying something these days…The refrigerator continues to operate flawlessly albeit with the following very minor issues. Every so often the unit makes a slight humming, mechanical or vibrating noise emanating from the rear. If I give it a slight nudge or push, it stops but returns infrequently. My suspicion is there may be a lose line inside the back that vibrates in sympathy with the compressor when it kicks on. Still its only sporadic and not repeatable enough to call out a tech… yet.Beyond that all areas of the fridge appear to operate normally maintaining correct temps within acceptable tolerances. I installed 3 small digital thermometers within the upper, mid and lower (double door fridge, pull-out drawer & freezer) sections. Depending on time of day and frequency of access, the temps rarely deviate beyond +/- 5 degrees, which is really good especially with the unrelenting summer heat.Our electric utility bills appear slightly higher than last year but the utility’s “smart meter” indicates outdoor temps to be almost 2 degrees hotter these past months. Factor in our utilities super high rate pricing or “peak demand” for July & August (thanks SRP) and abnormally higher temps and it’s tough to know if the refrigerator’s efficiency gains aren’t offset by our home’s dual AC systems which cycle more frequently this time of year?Lastly, the annoying ice maker continues to do it’s part, still functioning normally albeit loudly. We have come to terms with it and now view it as a “feature” enhancement as you always know when its working. Guess you can get used to anything, all in all no real regrets…