Decent Deal on Mini Fridge

I mentioned in another thread that I'm going AG....first batch this weekend!

Well, I'm also going to start kegging. I'm getting sick of having bottles all over the damn place. I asked the wife nicely the other day, and to my surprise she went for the kegerator idea.

I've read that one of the best mini-fridges you can get for conversion to a kegerator is the Sanyo 4911. It seems that they're discontinuing it, and replacing it with the (as far as I can tell) identical 4912. This thing doesn't have a freezer, which is nice. Best Buy carries them for $199, and I've heard they put them on sale fairly often.

But I'm impatient, and didn't want to wait for a sale. Luckily, I found this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat58100050013&type=category&d=1&dcmp=rdr0000057

If you follow that link and either sign into your account or create one, you should be able to get $10 off every $100 you spend, up to $500. So if you can find a cheap item to bump that $199.99 total to just over $200, you get the fridge for $179. Then you can go pick it up in the store.

Still not a bargain, but I've read that it'll hold two cornies and a 5 lb CO2 tank internally. Don't quote me there, as I don't have it yet! I'll pick it up tomorrow.

So anyway, there's the deal for those interested. Hopefully I get the conversion stuff (tower, faucets, CO2 tank, etc) soon, and I'll be able to keg up my wit.

I got a cheap fridge that holds two cornys and a CO2 tank. Now my problem is I just invested $200, when I should have invested $300 to get a chest freezer to convert which would hold a heck of a lot more. Now I'll end up spending $500 total. Go for the freezer conversion. You'll outgrow two kegs in no time. Plus with a freezer, you have the option of lagering (or at least cold conditioning)

The chest freezer is key, I hope to purchase one this summer (need the OK from the wife). Hey, if you have the room, you can never have too many fridges.

For fermenting and serving, I think it's best to separate these two things. If you are fermenting a lager at 55 F, this is awfully warm to serve the rest of the beer in your fridge. The best route is probably a chest freezer for fermenting and an upright for serving. The upright is a bit more suited to beer faucets, is probably cheaper, and a bit easier to convert.

If you comb the classifieds, I can guarantee you will find a perfectly good upright fridge that will hold at least 3 kegs, maybe 6 if it's wide enough, for less than $100. Be patient, look around, they are out there. I picked up mine for $45. Refrigerators are extremely reliable, so I wouldn't worry too much about age. Spend your money on good beer faucets to mount on the front. That's the best facelift any old fridge can get. I can highly recommend the forward sealing faucets (Vent-Matic or Perlick), they are worth the money. No sticking and hardly any cleaning at all.

Prosit,

i did that same thing Dennis. I found a fridge from a friend for free. it was probably 10 years old when i got it (4 years ago). still works like a champ. spent my $$$$ on good taps, co2 bottle, guages, etc. i found a <1 yr old 7 cu ft chest freezer for $60 on a local classifieds web page that i use to ferment/lager/condition. i just asked everyone i knew to be on the look-out for fridge/freezer. just wish i had room for another, larger chest freezer, but my set-up works great......
i understand how these guy's feel, though. i'm an impulse kinda guy, and have to work on my patience every day!

Kephren said:

I got a cheap fridge that holds two cornys and a CO2 tank. Now my problem is I just invested $200, when I should have invested $300 to get a chest freezer to convert which would hold a heck of a lot more. Now I'll end up spending $500 total. Go for the freezer conversion. You'll outgrow two kegs in no time. Plus with a freezer, you have the option of lagering (or at least cold conditioning)

Click to expand...

What's the problem with having both?

well I live in a college town, and it's probably the same in college towns all across the country - wait till school gets out and everyone moves, and mini fridges are guaranteed to pop up in dumpsters all across town. Just dive in!

I know, I know. I should have shopped around more. I'm sure I could have found something a lot cheaper, but the one I'm getting (actually just got) is perfect for the conversion.

Plus, I want to get it done before my wife changes her mind.

You all's advice is great for someone with considerably more patience than myself, though!!

homebrewer_99 said:

What's the problem with having both?

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It's hard to sneak a chest freezer past the wife
I probably will end up with both and use the freezer for lagering and storing kegs to replace the empties in the standup

Sam75 said:

I know, I know. I should have shopped around more. I'm sure I could have found something a lot cheaper, but the one I'm getting (actually just got) is perfect for the conversion.

Plus, I want to get it done before my wife changes her mind.

You all's advice is great for someone with considerably more patience than myself, though!!

Click to expand...

Oh Grasshopper.....
you did good Sam. as long as we keep moving towards beer perfection, we're movin' in the right direction. my wife told me last night i needed ANOTHER freezer so i can have lagers going, and one for my ales! MAN I LOVE THAT WOMAN!!!! i'm look'n today, WOO-HOO!

DeRoux's Broux said:

Oh Grasshopper.....
you did good Sam. as long as we keep moving towards beer perfection, we're movin' in the right direction. my wife told me last night i needed ANOTHER freezer so i can have lagers going, and one for my ales! MAN I LOVE THAT WOMAN!!!! i'm look'n today, WOO-HOO!

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YOU SUCK.

Just so I understand about the freezer concept....are you guys talking about using a chest style FREEZER as a dispensing fridge by using an external temp control gauge? And you just run your tap tower out the top of the chest?

Any issues with storing your CO2 tank IN the freezer/fridge?

I am in the market and was going to buy a small fridge like the Sanyo. I have all the tapping and faucet equipment since I had an old upright fridge set up with two taps drilled through the front, but sadly that fridge has died, and I am looking for a replacement.

Thanks.

Gilbey

I still bottle/mini-keg so I need another fridge because my present one only holds 3 cases.

Gilbey said:

Just so I understand about the freezer concept....are you guys talking about using a chest style FREEZER as a dispensing fridge by using an external temp control gauge? And you just run your tap tower out the top of the chest?

Any issues with storing your CO2 tank IN the freezer/fridge?

I am in the market and was going to buy a small fridge like the Sanyo. I have all the tapping and faucet equipment since I had an old upright fridge set up with two taps drilled through the front, but sadly that fridge has died, and I am looking for a replacement.

Thanks.

Gilbey

Click to expand...

we're talking about over-riding the thermostat of a chest freezer in order to manipulate the temperature to ferment and lager/condition at the appropriate temperature for the yeast/style of beer we are brewing.

i use a full size fridge that i converted to a keggerator, much like you mentioned. i keep my co2 bottle in the fridge (and have for 3 years) w/ no problems at all. you can use a chest freezer to dispense w/ an external thermostat controler and use a tower set-up though.......

Excellent, thanks!!!

I already have the external thermostat. Funny, 'cause I was looking at Lowe's the other day and saw a chest style freezer that I thought was the perfect size to hold up to 4 corny kegs and a tank for under $200, but I was stuck in the "FREEZER" mind set. Looks like I will be making a purchase tonight!!!

On the topic of towers, has anybody made their own tower? I have taps, tubing and fittings. I did a little online shopping and was not impressed with how expensive two or three tap towers are!!!!

Gilbey

ehh, i'd rather spend my money on my brew system. my beer conversion works great, and it was cheaper......to each his own though. the towers sure look nice though.