The price difference is peanuts compared to the cost of cleanup. Last kitchen flood I saw from a fridge line cost the homeowner over $2k in repairs—drywall, baseboards, flooring, the whole nine yards.
Couldn’t agree more about the cost of cleanup—my neighbor had a plastic line burst while they were on vacation, and it turned into a full-blown disaster. Personally, I replaced my line with steel braided last year. It was a bit of a wrestling match behind the fridge, but totally worth it for peace of mind. I’d rather fight with fittings than mop up water at 2am.
Steel braided lines are definitely the way to go. I’ve seen too many cheap plastic ones fail, and it’s never at a convenient time. Honestly, the extra $10-15 upfront is nothing compared to tearing out soggy drywall or warped floors. It’s a pain to get behind the fridge, but once it’s done, you don’t have to stress every time you leave the house. If you’re already fixing the ice maker, might as well swap the line too—saves a headache down the road.
I get the appeal of steel braided lines, but I’ve actually had good luck with the newer reinforced plastic ones. They’re easier to maneuver if you’ve got a tight space behind the fridge, and less metal means less manufacturing impact. Haven’t had a leak yet—knock on wood.
I hear you on the reinforced plastic lines—they’ve come a long way. If you’re not seeing any leaks and you’re checking connections every now and then, you’re probably in good shape. I’ve swapped out a few steel braided ones that corroded at the fittings, so it’s not always a guarantee with metal either. Just keep an eye out for any kinks or signs of wear, especially if you ever move the fridge. Sometimes the simplest solution really does the trick.
Had a job last month where the homeowner thought the steel braided line was bulletproof—turns out, the fitting corroded and started a slow leak behind the fridge. Ended up costing them more in water damage than the ice maker repair itself. I’ve seen reinforced plastic lines hold up just as well, honestly. As long as you’re checking for wear and not cranking the connections too tight, you’re usually fine. Sometimes people overthink it and swap lines every couple years when it’s not really needed.
