Any experiences with convertible refrigerator-freezers

February 27, 2021 9:18 AM

I have a refrigerator and freezer in my garage (to be clear, two separate appliances) that are due to be replaced. I'm looking for simple, no-frills appliances and now that refrigerators are becoming available again I am seeing units that convert between refrigerator and freezer, such as this one. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience concerning these? Are they good at both tasks? Or should I stick with a conventional refrigerator and freezer that are dedicated to their roles? As always, thanks in advance for your help!
posted by TedW to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

If you have a freezer, you can make ice to use in a cooler for the occasional times you need extra fridge space. Extra appliances use a fair bit of electricity/ fossil fuel. You may have gotten used to having the spares, but on assessment, might not need both.
posted by theora55 at 9:23 AM on February 27, 2021

We bought a brand new upright freezer/refrigerator at an old job. We used it as a fridge because it was just for people to put their lunches in. The seal was so tight (I assume to make it function efficiently as a freezer) that the entire appliance slid forward if you didn't yank the door open properly to break the seal. It did a great job keeping things cold and I never noticed it getting too cold. It was efficient. But for frequent usage it ended up being a problem due to the door.

Sorry to tell you I do not recall the brand, so I can't warn you off of it.
posted by Emmy Rae at 12:03 PM on February 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

These generally work fine but remember: you're paying for that flexibility so consider if you actually require that flexibility. Maybe you do! Just saying think about it.
posted by aramaic at 1:21 PM on February 27, 2021 [2 favorites]

Most freezers can be run as refrigerators, but not the other way around.
If you search for kegerator conversions, the most common thing that needs to happen is the adjustment of one screw on the thermostat.

I did this years ago with a chest freezer and it was super simple (though it took time to double check the new range available on the dial). If I sometimes needed a fridge and sometimes needed a freezer, I'd do that.
(and I would leave myself a note saying how many turns I made on the screw!)

Also note that you can buy a digital thermostat which would be even easier to readjust, but would cost more than zero dollars.
posted by Acari at 12:03 PM on February 28, 2021 [1 favorite]