A few weeks ago, my family bid adios to the faithful refrigerator that had anchored our kitchen for almost 24 years. It had been through at least a half-dozen moves and, as happens over time, the seal around the door had started to crack and break. And for the past two years, the inside light would only come on for a few moments every now and then.

We bought the white refrigerator — it was about 19 cubic feet — fr...