A typical residential refrigerator lasts 10 to 15 years, per U.S. Department of Energy appliance data. Side-by-side and French-door units tend to fall toward the lower end of that range because their compressors and ice-maker systems run under higher thermal load. Top-freezer models last longer on average because the design is simpler.
Built-in and professional-grade units are different. Sub-Zero backs its sealed systems with a 12-year factory warranty, and the design lifespan of a Classic or Designer column is 20-plus years. Thermador, Wolf, and Bosch built-ins land in a similar range.
Sacramento's summer heat shortens refrigerator life if the condenser coils aren't cleaned. A fridge fighting 100-plus-degree kitchen temperatures with dusty coils runs longer cycles and works the compressor harder. Vacuum the coils twice a year — once in spring, once in fall — and you add measurable years to any unit.
At the 10-year mark it's worth a repair-or-replace conversation. A $400 repair on a 12-year-old side-by-side rarely pencils out; the same $400 on a 12-year-old Sub-Zero almost always does.