What would you do with an additional fridge?

March 14, 2023 8:35 PM

We just ordered a small outdoor fridge and it arrived damaged but still works. The company is sending us a replacement and not taking back the damaged fridge. What would you do with the additional fridge?

Like, for example, keeping some things (fruits? Veg? Homemade sauerkraut?) at a different temp or storing wine or ?? The temp range is 32-72 F.

posted by 10ch to Home & Garden (24 answers total)

I would put those fridges under a used slider door, and use them to hold up a work surface, if they are counter top height.
posted by Oyéah at 8:39 PM on March 14, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Donate to a local nonprofit who needs one.
posted by matildaben at 8:44 PM on March 14, 2023 [29 favorites]

Sounds like you’ve got yourself a cooler for wine and chocolate!
posted by calgirl at 8:48 PM on March 14, 2023 [1 favorite]

More fridge space.
posted by mekily at 9:18 PM on March 14, 2023

Donate or use as a beverage fridge for the basement or garage
posted by wowenthusiast at 9:21 PM on March 14, 2023 [6 favorites]

We've got a mini fridge in our basement and it comes in very handy.
posted by potrzebie at 9:29 PM on March 14, 2023 [1 favorite]

I’ve thought about getting a mini fridge just to keep cheese at a warmer temperature than the normal fridge. And butter.
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:42 PM on March 14, 2023

We have two small under-counter fridges out on our deck. We use one all the time for storing drinks and the other one only occasionally for storing drinks. food, whatever if we're having a party or similar. The unused one stays turned off when we're not using it.
posted by dg at 10:24 PM on March 14, 2023

Throw it in the bedroom if it is large enough, cold drinks en suite.
posted by jcworth at 10:33 PM on March 14, 2023 [2 favorites]

Bring it to my worksite/office.
posted by tristeza at 11:04 PM on March 14, 2023 [2 favorites]

Donate to the local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. They can always use more fridge space, or to be able to get rid of an old inefficient model.
posted by Bottlecap at 11:08 PM on March 14, 2023 [5 favorites]

I would keep the functional-but-damaged fridge.

I have a hard time justifying the use of a single fridge when there's drying, canning, fermenting, and similar. I would find a local org that redistributes furniture to people who are just moving into new places, immigrant and refugee orgs, domestic violence orgs, buy nothing or similar if I used facebook, other mutual aid groups, etc.
posted by aniola at 12:02 AM on March 15, 2023 [3 favorites]

Where does your electricity supply come from? If it comes from fossil fuels, maybe don't run an additional electrical appliance just because a store allowed you to keep it.

If it comes from renewables and you have watts to spare, I'd use it as for drinks.
posted by Thella at 12:10 AM on March 15, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Beer is best chilled but not fully refrigerated, and an adjustable fridge is ideal for this. While American beers are usually best fairly cold (though perhaps not fridge cold), Belgian beers want to be a bit warmer and British beers want to be warmer still, so adjustable is great if you are interested in that sort of thing.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 12:32 AM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: If I had space for it, I would have a dedicated kimchi/miso/fermenting/pickling fridge. Absolutely!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:03 AM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

As a homebrewer I would turn it into a keg cooler/dispenser. Or a space for strategic beer reserves.
posted by terrapin at 5:39 AM on March 15, 2023

Best answer: I'd put it in my basement and use it for storing root vegetables, which take up too much space in my regular fridge and go bad too fast in the basement. I'm not really into wine or other drinks but that seems like an ideal use too, if you are.
posted by randomnity at 5:42 AM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Note: We live in a very small, quite rustic home (hence outdoor fridge), are 100% solar, and the fridge is energy star. It's a little larger than a dorm-fridge, 2'x3' basically, ~5 cubic ft.
posted by 10ch at 5:55 AM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: @dg Any issues with the occasional use fridge getting smelly? Do you air it out first or keep the door ajar?
posted by 10ch at 5:57 AM on March 15, 2023

Best answer: I've always wanted to make cheese or aged sausage but never had a second frig.
posted by tmdonahue at 6:09 AM on March 15, 2023

Mod note: Comment removed. If you're feeling the need to express that you're rolling your eyes about the situation, please refrain or move on from the thread, thanks! Ask Metafilter is for supplying helpful, concrete answers to problems!
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 10:25 AM on March 15, 2023 [3 favorites]

See if your community has a community fridge program.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:37 PM on March 15, 2023

I suppose you’d have mentioned this already if it applied but a lot of people store cosmetics/skincare in the fridge. So along this line, any non-food thing that’s sensitive to temps.
posted by kapers at 5:45 PM on March 15, 2023

Best answer: @dg Any issues with the occasional use fridge getting smelly? Do you air it out first or keep the door ajar?
We keep it closed when not in use, but air it out for a couple of days by keeping the door ajar after we turn it off. As long as it's completely dry inside, it doesn't seem to have any issue with becoming musty or anything. It's usually out of use for a few months at a time.
posted by dg at 6:55 PM on March 15, 2023