Best mini fridge for maintaining fermentation temp

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Chchadder

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So we live in hot as hell NYC where even when it rains during the summer it is still 95000 degrees celsius. We have successfully transferred our first batch of beer into its secondary fermentation stage, though we have little control over temps period. Ambient temp in any of my rooms is around 75-80 degrees at best, 85-90 at worst. No basement access, closets are pretty chock full of stuff, and corners out of the sun are, well, only corners.

What we are hoping to find is either a dead or cheap dorm-style fridge to at least maintain a little more temp integrity during the fermentation process. If it is not dead, all the more better for the whole process.

We are planning to take a trip to home depot to measure interior dimensions in order to know a bit more about what models we can look for, but if anyone has any personal experience with what works well we would appreciate it greatly!

Cheers!

The Rickshaw Brewing Company
 
Most dorm fridges have an intrusion into the fridge space to make room for the compressor in the back. This hampers your ability to put bigger buckets/ carboys.. as you have to put the bucket or carboy on TOP of that intrusion (usually about 8" from bottom).

I have a small dorm fridge and it is frustratingly a tight fit with a 5.5 Gallon bucket and no fermentation lock. I suppose a blowoff tube into a hole into the top of the bucket would work.. but still, right fit.

I won't be able to fit a 6.5 Gallon bucket inside unless I cut into the intrusion in the back bottom of the fridge, or if I cut into the door a bit. I've seen people do this and they re-insulate with no issues to be heard.

Sorry I can't give you more details on specific models.
 
I use the famous Sanyo 4912 for fermenting and I can easily fit my 7 gallon bucket in there. I keep it in my garage, where its routinely 95+ degrees. All I had to do was make a small shelf to get above the compressor hump and remove the plastic shelving from the door (no cutting, just take it out). Of course, I have to use a temp controller because the warmest temp it can sustain without it is about 50 degrees.

I got it on craigslist but it is no longer available new so this might not be any help either.
 

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