Things are melting. This is bad.
March 13, 2015 1:47 PM Subscribe
I need a small freezer much more ASAP than is comfortable. Where can I obtain such a thing, in Seattle, today?
So, funny story: my freezer-obtaining plans fell through, and I find myself in possession of a whole lot of frozen mice for my snakes-- a couple of months' worth of food-- and no way to keep it frozen. I don't buy appliances often (ever), so it had escaped my notice that everything needs to be ordered online and in advance now. But I need a tiny freezer (1-2 cubic feet), and I need it today, and wow I am not having any luck with this.
I'm haunting Craigslist and looking for shops that might have such a thing on the ground somewhere, but I am hoping (oh so very much) that one of you lovely people might have a recommendation for an appliance store somewhere in the Seattle area which actually stocks appliances and not the Ghosts of Appliances Future. Because as it stands the Ghosts of Rodents Past are sitting in a box in the corner melting through the shipper's supply of dry ice, and this could get ugly in ways much stinkier than hungry corn snakes. And I rather doubt that my roommates would take kindly to me replacing all of their food with mice.
You guys are magical and you know everything, and I have the utmost faith in you. No pressure.
Thanks in advance for any ideas!
So, funny story: my freezer-obtaining plans fell through, and I find myself in possession of a whole lot of frozen mice for my snakes-- a couple of months' worth of food-- and no way to keep it frozen. I don't buy appliances often (ever), so it had escaped my notice that everything needs to be ordered online and in advance now. But I need a tiny freezer (1-2 cubic feet), and I need it today, and wow I am not having any luck with this.
I'm haunting Craigslist and looking for shops that might have such a thing on the ground somewhere, but I am hoping (oh so very much) that one of you lovely people might have a recommendation for an appliance store somewhere in the Seattle area which actually stocks appliances and not the Ghosts of Appliances Future. Because as it stands the Ghosts of Rodents Past are sitting in a box in the corner melting through the shipper's supply of dry ice, and this could get ugly in ways much stinkier than hungry corn snakes. And I rather doubt that my roommates would take kindly to me replacing all of their food with mice.
You guys are magical and you know everything, and I have the utmost faith in you. No pressure.
Thanks in advance for any ideas!
You could prolong the search by just buying more dry ice.
posted by BrandonW at 1:52 PM on March 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by BrandonW at 1:52 PM on March 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
On Walmart's website, you can show only items available to pick up today in local stores: Try this link and enter your zip code at "refine" > "store availability." Make sure you check the little box and see a green check mark. Then all the results will be freezers you can buy today in Seattle-area Walmarts. Other websites than Walmart have this function, where you can show only items available in store, but I'm not sure which off the top of my head.
Even if it says it's available for pick up today, I would still call and make sure because technology.
You can either keep the item, or use it and return it later once you have your longterm solution set (which I'm sure some people will judge me for, but screw Walmart).
posted by AppleTurnover at 1:54 PM on March 13, 2015
Even if it says it's available for pick up today, I would still call and make sure because technology.
You can either keep the item, or use it and return it later once you have your longterm solution set (which I'm sure some people will judge me for, but screw Walmart).
posted by AppleTurnover at 1:54 PM on March 13, 2015
Best answer: Dry ice is expensive, but you can buy it at Smart & Final. BUY THIS AND PUT THOSE MICE IN A COOLER.
Any refrigeration device you buy will be need to remain upright and unplugged for at least 8 hours (I think, maybe 5?) before you can even plug it it. In other words, you already need to rig a temporary solution (cooler + ice) to keep things frozen before your permanent solution is sorted.
posted by jbenben at 1:55 PM on March 13, 2015 [6 favorites]
Any refrigeration device you buy will be need to remain upright and unplugged for at least 8 hours (I think, maybe 5?) before you can even plug it it. In other words, you already need to rig a temporary solution (cooler + ice) to keep things frozen before your permanent solution is sorted.
posted by jbenben at 1:55 PM on March 13, 2015 [6 favorites]
Home Depot generally has a few small freezers in stock. Best Buy also sells appliances.
posted by rockindata at 2:00 PM on March 13, 2015
posted by rockindata at 2:00 PM on March 13, 2015
Do you have a Best Buy easily accessible? This was several years ago at this point, but I definitely purchased appliances from them before. You can usually check online to see what they have in stock.
Maybe check out Sears (or Wal mart if you have one, as suggested above).
On preview, I see that rockindata has also suggested Best Buy. Definitely check them out.
posted by litera scripta manet at 2:01 PM on March 13, 2015
Maybe check out Sears (or Wal mart if you have one, as suggested above).
On preview, I see that rockindata has also suggested Best Buy. Definitely check them out.
posted by litera scripta manet at 2:01 PM on March 13, 2015
Fred Meyers (at least the Ballard one) also have dry ice.
posted by sevenless at 2:10 PM on March 13, 2015
posted by sevenless at 2:10 PM on March 13, 2015
I've seen dry ice sold at QFCs, Fred Meyer and other supermarkets. Sometimes out front, sometimes in the seafood section (I'd ask there if you can't find it).
Also, looking at Home Depot's website, this $99 1.7 ft freezer should be in stock at the North Seattle store on Aurora.
posted by ShooBoo at 2:14 PM on March 13, 2015
Also, looking at Home Depot's website, this $99 1.7 ft freezer should be in stock at the North Seattle store on Aurora.
posted by ShooBoo at 2:14 PM on March 13, 2015
I walk past this place on Pike St all the time and I assume they sell the stuff off the floor, try calling them?
posted by the agents of KAOS at 2:24 PM on March 13, 2015
posted by the agents of KAOS at 2:24 PM on March 13, 2015
Here's one north of Ballard/east of Greenwood for $50.
Good Luck!
posted by O9scar at 2:25 PM on March 13, 2015
Good Luck!
posted by O9scar at 2:25 PM on March 13, 2015
How about emailing all matching ads on Craigslist and see if any of them will let you pickup today? Alternatively, I would try a discount used appliance store (I've used this place on Lake City before). If you call them, they'll either have something in stock or not.
Also, second the buy more dry ice and put it in a cooler, either a plastic one or a foam one.
How much mice are you talking about? Would it be possible to ask your neighbors if they have spare freezer space to lend you temporarily?
posted by ethidda at 2:26 PM on March 13, 2015
Also, second the buy more dry ice and put it in a cooler, either a plastic one or a foam one.
How much mice are you talking about? Would it be possible to ask your neighbors if they have spare freezer space to lend you temporarily?
posted by ethidda at 2:26 PM on March 13, 2015
Costco? I got my small freezer from Costco the same way you buy anything else there; they had quite a few in stock.
posted by cgg at 2:28 PM on March 13, 2015
posted by cgg at 2:28 PM on March 13, 2015
Response by poster: To clarify: I've looked at Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, Target, Kmart, Fred Meyer (though not for dry ice yet-- thanks, sevenless!), and a couple other such places. Unfortunately, none of them seem to have anything I could get before the 23rd which are actually freezers and not just refrigerators with the tiny freezer-drawer at the top. I'm hoping someone knows of some local options I, not having liver here for long, wouldn't know about.
And thanks, jbenben, for reminding me that it's actually already past Zero Hour. I'm going to start hitting up my reptile friends for temporary freezer space. It's not like I don't have anything to trade them as rent, after all.
Thank you guys so much. Please keep ideas coming if you have any!
posted by Because at 2:30 PM on March 13, 2015
And thanks, jbenben, for reminding me that it's actually already past Zero Hour. I'm going to start hitting up my reptile friends for temporary freezer space. It's not like I don't have anything to trade them as rent, after all.
Thank you guys so much. Please keep ideas coming if you have any!
posted by Because at 2:30 PM on March 13, 2015
It isn't beautiful and it is in Olympia, but this mini fridge/freezer is on sale for $50 on Craigslist: http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/app/4930761175.html
posted by bearwife at 2:36 PM on March 13, 2015
posted by bearwife at 2:36 PM on March 13, 2015
Best answer: the Woodinville Costco has 17 chest freezers in stock in the warehouse RIGHT NOW, you could walk in and walk out with one. I just called and confirmed.
posted by KathrynT at 2:37 PM on March 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by KathrynT at 2:37 PM on March 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
Call Albert Lee Appliances, Seattle's dependable store.
posted by Carol Anne at 2:38 PM on March 13, 2015
posted by Carol Anne at 2:38 PM on March 13, 2015
Oops, missed that you didn't want a fridge/freezer. How about this item, which Amazon says they can get to you by March 18? http://www.amazon.com/SPT-UF-114W-Upright-Freezer-White/dp/B00KVRGNTE/ref=dp_ob_title_ma
posted by bearwife at 2:39 PM on March 13, 2015
posted by bearwife at 2:39 PM on March 13, 2015
Sears has chest freezers in stock in Shoreline.
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:20 PM on March 13, 2015
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:20 PM on March 13, 2015
Call daves appliance rebuild.
They were capable of helping me out in similar circumstances, although i ended up going the craigslist route. They had ones in their shop, ready to go, that i could take home and immediately plug in.
Hate to say it, but you're probably going to end up having to buy an at least somewhat larger freezer than you wanted. the small ones like that are a fairly niche product. but if anyone would have it on site ready to go, it would probably be daves(they have some oddball stuff in there, at least last time i was there).
They'd probably also be able to tell you who to call who would have one.
I'd also call fix n fix on aurora, and emerald city appliance. There are small commercial and undercounter freezers this size too, and i could imagine ONE of those three places having something.
posted by emptythought at 3:53 PM on March 13, 2015
They were capable of helping me out in similar circumstances, although i ended up going the craigslist route. They had ones in their shop, ready to go, that i could take home and immediately plug in.
Hate to say it, but you're probably going to end up having to buy an at least somewhat larger freezer than you wanted. the small ones like that are a fairly niche product. but if anyone would have it on site ready to go, it would probably be daves(they have some oddball stuff in there, at least last time i was there).
They'd probably also be able to tell you who to call who would have one.
I'd also call fix n fix on aurora, and emerald city appliance. There are small commercial and undercounter freezers this size too, and i could imagine ONE of those three places having something.
posted by emptythought at 3:53 PM on March 13, 2015
Response by poster: Update: snakey Christmas dinner is saved! I discovered a cache of random freezerburned horror that my ex-roommate had left when she moved out and managed to wedge the snake food into my fridge's freezer once I had levered all that stuff out. This is still a temporary solution and I still plan to buy a freezer specifically for this purpose, though, so thank you all for your suggestions. Happily, I have a little more time than I expected in which to investigate them.
Thank you so much!
posted by Because at 6:17 PM on March 13, 2015 [6 favorites]
Thank you so much!
posted by Because at 6:17 PM on March 13, 2015 [6 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
As a backup, is it possible a pet store with a freezer for this sort of thing would stash it for you for a while?
posted by beagle at 1:52 PM on March 13, 2015