I don't think it is better where it matters. Modern fridges circulate the air to manage humidity and temperature better for different zones (meat, vegetables etc).
Also, less energy usage and no ozone-destroying coolants.
Having to throw a fridge in the landfill every 5 years negates the energy usage and ozone issues.
Where are you buying these fridges that fail every five years? Perhaps consider a different brand next time; that's not normal. Modern fridges probably will not last 50 years (or at least only a tiny fraction of them will) but you should be getting a lot more than 5.