National cannot be used in the US because it was registered by other company. So, Matsushita Electrics started using brand Panasonic. Lat time for audio product they use brand Technic for the US market. Now almost all products sold under Panasonic brand.

Well, Panasonic products are result of takeover like Quasar from Motorola. Sanyo brand is also changed to Panasonic as well. I believe the Panasonic fridge is originally Hitachi brand. If you look at its multi-door units, resembles Hitachi but just different capacity to be different. Last time I used to have Hitachi video camera which resembled the Panasonic one and it was Hitachi that released the product first.

I can also say if you are not lucky you get bad one. Compressor is probably made by other companies. The technology of fridge is like air-cond and they are all similar in technology (the way it works). For me I choose fridge on which interior compartments whichever practical for my need. With inverter technology, now the compressor warranty is no less than 10 yhears unlike previously and that is the most expensive part of the fridge I believe.