"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 6 Feb 2018 08:53:06 -0500, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

I've been tossing around the idea of replacing my 1970's fridge with
this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VX01P2...d_rd_w=pU 4Jp

Are chest-type refrigerators practical? I think it's easier to
find and remove something from a crowded cooler than a crowded
refrigerator shelf.

I so seldom use coolers any more, I can't remember. How often do
you
use your fridge? Being a bachelor, I cook up full family sized
meals,
separate it into storables, and put some in the fridge and some
into
the freezer for later. That way, I only cook once/nuke thrice.
Fresh
veggies take up a lot of space, 8 different beverages, condiments,
huge jars of pickles, etc take up every bit of the space most often.
I
use the hell out of my fridge, so a cooler style wouldn't suit me,
at
least while the power is on.

Other folks don't use their fridges much, so it depends on how much
space you take up on a regular basis. I've heard bad things about
the
college fridges (novelty, as Whynter calls them) for decades, and
the
reviews reflect that, but the price difference here is just gagging.
A brand new 18c/f Kenmore is $499. Niche market price?

They don't give that away, do they? thud At 8F, the high side is
55F? My wallet just started sweating. Dual voltage is good, but
$700
for three 5-gal buckets worth of cool space? Ouch. I've never heard
of Whynter, not that it means much. Oh, they're ten years old and
are
sold at Overstock.com and Fry's Electronics. ??? Perhaps their
fame
is in the cigar humidor sector.


I bought an 18"x18" Summit dorm fridge at a yard sale in the early
80's for beer in the shop. When the house's original 1970ish fridge
acted up I moved the necessities into the small one and found I could
live with only it, and store 6-7 days of food if I kept larger, less
perishable containers like wine and meat marinade outdoors in a cooler
in winter. I set it (with a thermocouple meter) slightly below
freezing where frozen food stays frosted but liquids other than pure
water don't freeze.

There are several other brands of DC-powered compressor refrigerator
similar in price and size to the Whynter. I think they are meant to go
in the Land Rover when roaming the Kalahari.
https://www.amazon.com/Dometic-CFX-6.../dp/B00SZ7XJ8K

I haven't found a cheaper well-rated trucker or RV alternative.
Thermoelectric coolers are too feeble and inefficient to consider for
extended battery operation although I use one when defrosting the
Summit.

If/when mine dies a compact refrigerator double the size of it is an
inexpensive possibility, if my inverter can start it. This Summit's
12A starting surge is at the limit of my APC1400's rating. Having to
buy a larger pure-sine inverter kills the cost advantage.

So again, does anyone have something good or bad to say about chest
type camping refrigerators?
-jsw