Revisiting the topic of a second refrigerator

[BrightBay]

I thought the hot NC summers would be the biggest problem in adding a refrigerator w/freezer to our garage. I got positive feedback regarding that, so I went looking for one. However, in reading, it seems like it's the cold (and freezing coils) that I have to worry about. It seems like every garage I see open has an extra refrigerator in it, so that conflicts with what I'm reading. Unless they don't have them turned on. They make a couple of models meant for unheated/uncooled rooms, that have an added heater if it gets below 32 degrees, but they're considerably more expensive.

What is everyone's personal experience with a refrigerator/freezer combo in a garage or outbuilding?

[arabian knight]

Just this. ALL soda machines that stay outside in the cold have a Heater in them. Or the soda would freeze. I bet quite a few did not know that.
This heater plugs into the condenser fan which always runs.

Item# RE0014
Regular price: $82.90
Sale price: $41.45

[sticky_burr]

use a chest freezer and a cheap themostat . i plan on using them for regular refrigeration .. what happens to the expensive cold air when you open a refidgerator door .. thats right its all gone .. with a chest freezer if you wanna add some thermal mass to the new freezer fridge too i dont know but it cost next to nothing to run anyway..
as for freezing i wouldnt worry the insulation will even out the temp inside i am not sure if you get prolonged sub zero snaps but it will take a while to get through the insulation. like when you have a power outage you are suppose to leave the fridge/freeze shut it will stay cold longer .. exactly the opposite

[BrightBay]

I have a chest freezer with an external thermostat I added. It's now currently having issues, though (the very very old freezer, not the thermostat). Using the chest freezer works wonderfully, but does have an issue. It doesn't remove moisture like a refrigerator. This sometimes causes the produce to get an off smell and taste. I have a large family and we're ova lacto vegetarians. We go through lots of produce and I need a larger place to store it. I was just thinking a traditional refrigerator freezer would better suit our needs. Now, for all the overflowing abundance of milk and eggs in the spring? That converted to refrigerator chest freezer is wonderful.

I'm going to show my son the heater. If that's all we need, then wonderful!

And yeah, I just never really thought about the stuff freezing. Mostly, I guess, because here in the southern piedmont we just don't have cold temperatures all that much. . but we do have them. Like right now! brrrrrr. Despite being in the mid teens, looks like the garage hasn't gotten below 38 so far. Might be because we've had sunny days. We have two days coming that aren't supposed to be above freezing, fully cloudy and mid teens at night. It'll be a good time to see if it will freeze out there.

[DQ]

Here in okie world we have chest freezer and extra frig/freezer in our garage now and have for years. we always did growing up and most people I know also have a frig/freezer in their garage. Never had a problem that I know of.

[mothernature]

Granted I'm in north Tx but, I have an elderly friend who still lives on her family farm. She has a 1947 fridge that stays outside under her carport all year long- hot Tx summers, and freezing temps. Things were made better back then!! It just has sodas in it, but they never freeze in the winter!

[sticky_burr]

lol my grandparents had a crosley shelvadoor (wow door shelves ) fridge like normal not commercial with the deadly locking mech that we never got trapped in. it was funny .. if it was unlevel the inside would freeze solid.. looked it up 1952 vintage