Suggest small cooler without that compressor bump?

[Epimetheus]

Can you suggest a front-opening cooler unit with more interior space? Intent is to fit a 6 1/2 gallon bucket and a few bottles. A height of 36 inches or less would be ideal, I could make space for a slightly taller unit.

• Top-opening freezer will not fit.
• Normal refrigerator too big.

Currently I use a modified dorm refrigerator. It has a compressor shelf on the bottom and the cooling coils form a freezer, taking up more space on the top. I made space for a 7 gallon pail by extending the case 2 1/2 inches outwards with pine wood. No matter how I adjust the shelves, it cannot hold 2 levels of bottles

 

[andrewmaixner]

Can you suggest a front-opening cooler unit with more interior space? Intent is to fit a 6 1/2 gallon bucket and a few bottles. A height of 36 inches or less would be ideal, I could make space for a slightly taller unit.

• Top-opening freezer will not fit.
• Normal refrigerator too big.

Currently I use a modified dorm refrigerator. It has a compressor shelf on the bottom and the cooling coils form a freezer, taking up more space on the top. I made space for a 7 gallon pail by extending the case 2 1/2 inches outwards with pine wood. No matter how I adjust the shelves, it cannot hold 2 levels of bottles

I saw a youtube video recently where someone gently bent the top "freezer" unit (which contains the cooling lines) down and toward the back of fridge, effectively having it take up no space because it was along the back and sides of the fridge: [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnKJ8cHcuKg[/ame]

 

[Epimetheus]

Thank you, it is an excellent video explaining the process.

I have that fridge, different brand. Not quite what I expected, now I can see the glass shelves would not fit if the freezer unit was bent down. Hmm. Still looking for solutions.

 

[MattyIce]

What if you built a collar between the door and unit? Similar in concept as the collars that are built for keezers.

 

[campbellmike]

Thank you, it is an excellent video explaining the process.

I have that fridge, different brand. Not quite what I expected, now I can see the glass shelves would not fit if the freezer unit was bent down. Hmm. Still looking for solutions.

The first thing you have to do is remove all shelves. It simply will not work with shelves in the unit, there is not enough room.

 

[Epimetheus]

After more cogitation, inspiration struck. The provided shelf brackets are in the wrong place. I will add brackets at the desired height. Et voila!

What if you built a collar between the door and unit? Similar in concept as the collars that are built for keezers.

You anticipated me. That is just what I did: " I made space for a 7 gallon pail by extending the case 2 1/2 inches outwards with pine wood. "

I stapled a flexible magnet strip onto the wood to accommodate the magnetic door seal. It worked well for 6 months, then the wood swelled slightly and the door could not sit perfectly along the weak magnetic seal, allowing air in and causing much condensation inside. I will think of something, perhaps a mechanical latch on the door.