Is a temp controler hard on a freezer or fridge?
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No more so than the original built in temperature control, just so long as you don't program in a dead band that's too tight so that it short cycles. There will also be less chance of temp swings if you put the probe of the controller in liquid inside the freezer instead of just in the air.
It depends. The hardest thing for the compressor is the starting. Starting too soon after stopping is especially hard because there is still back pressure that the compressor must start against. If you tightly control the temperature of the air, the compressor starts and stops often since there is so little thermal mass. If you have a little looser controls (like 5 degrees instead of 1) the compressor will start less often and run longer each time. If you put the sensor on the liquid container you can set the control much closer since it won't change temperature as quickly as air.
TyTanium
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Many controllers have a built-in programmable delay to keep the compressor from short cycling. For example with the STC-1000 (ebay aquarium temp controller), you can specify a delay of 1-10 minutes. I set a 0.5 degree tolerance, but the fridge won't kick on without at least a 10 minute wait.
