You are standing in front of the refrigerator with a wrench in your hand or trying to order a spare part, but you can’t find the main thing - model number. Without this combination of letters and numbers, no master will undertake the repair, and the seller will not select the exact part. The problem is that manufacturers hide markings in the most unexpected places: from an obvious sticker on the door to an engraved plate under the compressor, which you need to reach with a flashlight.
In this article we have collectedand all possible locations for 95% of refrigerators on the market - from budget Biryusa to premium Liebherr. You will learn where to look for a model on Samsung with a system No Frost, how to read the code on Atlant with a worn label, and what to do if the plate fell off 10 years ago. And also - we will analyze the coding of the models in order to determine the year of manufacture and the country of assembly by the first letters..
1. Standard places: where the model is indicated on 90% of refrigerators
Let's start with the obvious. Most manufacturers duplicate the model in 3-4 places, but users often overlook them. Here top 5 locationsthat are worth checking first:
- 📋 Sticker on the inner wall (on the right or left, next to the shelves). Most often white or silver, the size of a business card. On LG i Samsung may be under the egg tray.
- 🚪 Front side of the door (upper or lower corner). On models Indesit i Ariston it is often hidden under the decorative panel.
- 🔧 Back wall (upper left corner). On Atlant i Stinol the plate is screwed on with self-tapping screws - it will not be lost even after 20 years.
- 📄 Warranty card or instructions. Look for the “Technical Specifications” or “Model No” section.
- 🛒 Fridge box. If preserved, the model is indicated on the end sticker with a barcode.
On Bosch i Siemens the model is often duplicated on plastic door frame (look at the junction with the body). But Haier and Hisense may have two markings: Model No (for the user) and Type No (for the service) - the first one is needed.
📊 Where did you find the model of your refrigerator?On the inside stickerOn the back wallIn the documentsOn the doorAnother placeStill looking
2. Hidden places: where manufacturers hide markings
If the standard options do not work, prepare a flashlight and a screwdriver. Some brands place signs in places that are rarely visited:
- 🔦 Under the bottom panel (on Liebherr and Gorenje). It is necessary to remove the decorative grille above the compressor.
- 🧊 Inside the freezer compartment (on Samsung s
Twin Cooling). Look under the ice tray.
- 🔌 Next to the power plug (on Beko and Vestfrost). Sometimes the model is stamped on a metal plate.
- 🔄 Under the removable shelf (on Electrolux i AEG). Carefully pull the shelf towards you - there may be a sticker.
On Whirlpool and KitchenAid the model is sometimes indicated on plastic bottle holder on the door. And the Miele plate may be under the top cover - it needs to be opened by pulling towards you.
⚠️ Attention: On refrigerators Samsung 2018–2022 editions, the model can only be indicated in service menu. To get there, press Power Cool + Power Freeze (3 seconds).
How to read the model if the label is erased?
If the label is worn, try wiping it with a cotton pad with acetone (do not use solvent!). If it doesn’t help, take a photo of the remaining text and increase the contrast in a graphics editor. It is often possible to make out at least part of the symbols, which is enough to find spare parts.
3. How to decipher a model: what letters and numbers mean
The model number is not a random set of characters. It encodes information about refrigerator type, country of assembly, year of manufacture and even color. Here's how models of popular brands are deciphered:
Brand
Model example
Decoding
Atlant
MHM 2835-100
MHM — freezer;
28 — volume (280 l);
35 — modification;
100 — color (white).
LG
GA-B409SLQL
GA — series;
B — color (black);
409 — volume (400 l);
SLQL — region and equipment.
Indesit
BIAA 13
B — built-in;
I — No Frost;
AA — design;
13 - volume (130 l).
U Samsung the first letter means type:
R - refrigerator, F - freezer. Numbers after the hyphen - year of manufacture (for example, RL-44ECBP1, where 1 — 2021). On Bosch the letter K in the beginning means No Frostand G —standard defrosting.
4. Models on an electronic display: how to find them in the menu Here's how to display it:
Modern refrigerators with a display (for example, Samsung Family Hub or LG InstaView) often hide the model in service menu. Here's how to display it:
- 📱 Samsung with touch screen: Press
Power Cool + Power Freeze for 5 seconds → select Model Info.
- 🔄 LG with display: Press
Ice Plus + Child Lock (3 sec) → go to Product Info.
- ⚙️ Bosch i Siemens: Hold
Super Cooling + Super Freezing → enter the code 1969.
On Liebherr with the system SmartDevice the model can be seen in the mobile application: connect the refrigerator via Wi-Fi and open the “Device” section. If the display does not respond, try unplug the refrigerator for 1 minute —sometimes this clears menu errors.
⚠️ Attention: Do not confuse serial number (S/N) with the model (Model No). The serial number is needed for warranty, and the model is needed for selecting spare parts. On Atlant and Stinol they may be on the same sticker, but are designated differently.
5. If the model is not found: alternative methods
The sign fell off, the text was erased, the documents were lost - what to do? Here 4 working methodsto identify a refrigerator without a model:
- Photo of the insides. Take a photo of the compressor (it has a sticker with a code), evaporator and thermostat. Upload a photo to the forums
Mastergrad.com or Holtik.ru —the experts will help you identify the model by details.
- Search by appearance. Use services like
Yandex.Pictures or Google Lensby uploading a photo of your refrigerator. It works especially well for Samsung and LG with a unique design.
- Request to the service center. Send photos of the refrigerator (front, side, compressor) to the brand's official service email. In 80% of cases, they will determine the model by design.
- Analysis of characteristics. Measure dimensions, check the type of defrosting (
No Frost or drip), color and number of chambers. Compare with catalogs on Market.Yandex.ru or Onliner.by.
If the refrigerator Soviet production (for example, ZIL, Oka, Minsk), the model may be indicated on a metal plate under the compressor in the format XK-120 or KSh-240. For such models, spare parts are searched for compressor type (for example, DH-1 or FG-0.7).
Take a photo of the compressor and thermostat|Measure the dimensions of the refrigerator|Check the type of defrosting (No Frost/drip)|Upload the photo to Google Lens|Contact the brand's service center-->
6. Common mistakes: what is confused with the refrigerator model
Users often mistake other designations for the model. Here's what ISN'T a model and why:
- 🔢 Serial number (
S/N). data-i="239">. Required for warranty service, but not for selecting parts. 1234567890AB. Needed for warranty service, but not for selecting parts.
- 🏭 Plant code (
Lot No). Example: LOT2205. Indicates the production batch, but not the model.
- ⚡ Nominal power. Example:
220V 150W. These are technical specifications, not an identifier.
- 📦 for the store. Example: assigned by the seller, not the manufacturer.
ART-98765. Assigned by the seller, not the manufacturer.
On Samsung and LG sometimes the model is confused with modification code (for example, RL44ECBP1/WTwhere /WT is the color. For spare parts, only the main number is important). (RL44ECBP1).U Indesit and Ariston the model can be duplicated with the letter P at the end (for example, BIAA 13 P) - this means delivery region (Russia), and its can be ignored.
⚠️ Attention: On Atlant models for Belarus and Russia may differ by one letter (for example, MHM 2835-100 vs MXM 2835-101If you are not sure, take it). spare parts only if the code completely matches.
7. Search for a model by photo: services and applications
If the plate is unreadable and the refrigerator is a rare model, it will help search by image. Here are 3 proven services:
- Google Lens (free, accuracy 70–80%).
- Yandex.Pictures (better recognizes Cyrillic).
- App PlantNet (unexpectedly, but sometimes finds equipment by logo).
Action algorithm:
- Take a photo front panel (with logo) and internal sticker (even if the text is illegible).
- Upload the photo to the service and add the brand to the search query (for example,
Samsung refrigerator model).
- Check the first 10 results - often the model is indicated in the description on forums or in the instructions.
For old refrigerators (before 2010) it is better to use specialized databases:
Retro-Technics.ru —a catalog of Soviet technology.Holtik.ru/forum —a section on identifying models.
FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions
Can I find out the refrigerator model by the serial number?
No, the serial number (S/N) is unique for each instance and does not contain information about the model. However, some service centers can use it to determine the model through the manufacturer's database (for example, Samsung or LGTry sending a request to the official service with a photo of the serial number.
Where to look for the model on the refrigerator No Frost?
In refrigerators with No Frost (for example, Samsung RB37J5230SA), the model is most often located:
- On inner wall freezer (under the tray for ice).
- On rear wall next to the fan.
- In service menu (press
Power Cool + Power Freeze).
Avoid stickers on the door - there may only be a logo or energy efficiency.
What to do if the model on the plate does not match the documents?
This situation is for refrigerators assembled for export. For example, Atlant for Belarus and Russia may have the same design, but different models (MHM 2835-100 vs MHM). 2835-101In this case:
- Focus on plate on the case —it is more important than the documents.
- If the spare part is not found, try searching by alternative model (indicated in the passport).
- Check with the seller or service center whether your model is rebranding (for example, Indesit and Ariston are often interchangeable).
How to determine the model of a refrigerator Samsung by appearance?
Samsung uses several design lines by which you can roughly determine the model:
- Family Hub: large touch screen on the door → series
RF (for example, RF56A9671SG).
- Twin Cooling Plus: two separate cooling systems → series
RL or RB.
- SpaceMax: thin walls and increased volume → series
RS.
- Retro design: rounded shapes and pastel colors → series
RR.
You still need to look for the exact model on the sticker or in the service menu (Power Cool + Power Freeze).
Where is the model indicated on built-in refrigerators?
Built-in models (for example, Bosch KIN86VF30R or Liebherr ICBN 3366) often do not have external signs. Look for the model here:
- On metal frame, which is attached to the furniture facade.
- Under top cover (you need to remove the decorative panel).
- On side wall inside the refrigerator compartment (behind the shelves).
- B documentation (built-in models are always supplied with a passport).
If you don’t find it, take a photo mounting holes i connectors for connection. Using them, service centers determine the model with an accuracy of 90%.