Smallest usuable chest freezer

I'm looking for the smallest chest freezer that can hold a 6gal carboy. Ive seen a couple from the 5-6 cubic foot range that look like they would work with some slight modifications such as the 2x4 lip that people put around their keezers. This mod is fine for me as I may very well use this freezer as a keezer in the future. I'm concerned about the un-even bottom, it looks like the compressor takes up some of the space on smaller freezers. Anyone else use small chest freezers for temp control?

I use a 5.3 cu. ft. Holiday freezer from Lowes, it fits a 6.5 gallon carboy just fine. I just bought it a couple weeks ago. Apparently Holiday is updating their product line because I got the last old model in the store for $75. I use a Johnson temp controller and it works great. Also, the collar you are talking about is not needed if you are just looking for a fermentation chamber.

I saw those on lowes website, it looks like all the stores in my area are out of them now though so its a no go. I was going to use the collar only if the freezer wasnt deep enough. Most freezers this size are only 22-23 inches deep, I think i measured my carboy w/ airlock at a little over 24.

Most I have seen are 34" High and 24" wide.

dfohio said:

I use a 5.3 cu. ft. Holiday freezer from Lowes, it fits a 6.5 gallon carboy just fine. I just bought it a couple weeks ago. Apparently Holiday is updating their product line because I got the last old model in the store for $75. I use a Johnson temp controller and it works great. Also, the collar you are talking about is not needed if you are just looking for a fermentation chamber.

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So a 6.5 gallon glass carboy will fit in that model without any mods? How about the airlock, is there clearance for that too?

Yes, a 6.5 gallon carboy w/ airlock will fit without any modifications to the freezer. The depth measurement refers to the front to back measurement.

5.0 GE from Best Buy, holds a carboy, no mods.

However, the 5.3 Holiday holds 3 cornies I think, so that is better if you might use it for those as well.

remilard said:

5.0 GE from Best Buy, holds a carboy, no mods.

However, the 5.3 Holiday holds 3 cornies I think, so that is better if you might use it for those as well.

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FYI on the NEW Holiday Freezers; I went to Lowe's the other day and they had the new models in. They no longer have the compressor hump in the corner but instead going across one side just like the other brands.

Sweet, going to bestbuy tonight to pick up the GE, thanks everyone!

OK, so I just got back from bestbuy with the frigidaire 5.0 and just so everyone knows... Neither a glass or betterbottle 6Gallon carboy will fit in the bottom, 5G fits perfect. Looks like its time for some mods! Maybe some fermcap drops?

Thanks for the heads up Zacharomyces. I was just about to pull the trigger and get one I seen on cl.

Does anyone know the latest on small chest freezer's that'll fit a carboy (5 or 6.5g OK) with airlock without mods?

Hi

Are you after low cost or small footprint? In some cases bigger is actually cheaper.

Bob

yeah small would be nice. I'm in a small apartment and this will probably end up in a corner or outside on a balcony that is only a few feet deep.

Hi

First thing I would do is get out the tape measure and scope out the space available. Freezers grow a fairly small amount in external dimension and get a lot bigger inside. I know that's nuts, but it pretty much is the way it works. The wall thickness does not change a lot and the compressor compartment soaks up almost as many cubic feet on a 5 as on a 15 cubic footer.

The first keezer we did was an 8.8 because "it's all we can fit". There's now a 14.8 in it's place and you would be hard pressed to see where anything got moved to fit it in.

All that said, 5 to 7 cubic feet is still the low end of the size range. Between them Sears and Lowes have pretty much everything. 7 cubic feet is about as small as you can go and fit 16" diameter stuff into it.

How big are your fermentation containers? If you don't have them yet, what are you considering? 5 gal will be a lot easier than 6.5. Glass will be a different set of dimensions than Better Bottles. If you already have airlocks , how tall are they and how much clearance do you need for an overflow tube above them?

If it's going to be outside - how's the weather likely to be while you are fermenting / what are you fermenting? You may need both heat and cooling. Certainly that's the case out here. Heat can indeed be done, but it takes up more space.

Bob

Is there any chance 2 fermenters can fit in a 5.0 cu ft? I have no problem with adding a collar if need be. I didn't think it would be an issue but after reading this I am a little nervous. I typically ferment in a 6.5 gallon pail and a 6.5 gallon glass carboy. I don't know the dimensions off the top of my head. I also want to have room for heating element (paint can).

smittygouv30 said:

Is there any chance 2 fermenters can fit in a 5.0 cu ft? I have no problem with adding a collar if need be. I didn't think it would be an issue but after reading this I am a little nervous. I typically ferment in a 6.5 gallon pail and a 6.5 gallon glass carboy. I don't know the dimensions off the top of my head. I also want to have room for heating element (paint can).

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No. The ledge is too much in the way.

FYI : I ended up getting a Danby 401 freezer. It will not fit my 6 gallon glass, but my 5 gallon fits easily with airlock. As others said, not all carboys of same volume have the same dimensions.