Modern refrigerators are designed for browsing. A chest fridge could save a person a lot of calories over time
By that logic, best fridge is no fridge at all ;)
Chest Fridge (2009)
31–40 of 108 posts
Re: Chest Fridge (2009)
#32Its possible to design internal structures such that its easier to use as a Fridge and freezer with some loss of space to avoid having to reach down into it. It would waste space and some efficiency however, the more complicated it becomes with assisted lifting and such the worse the gap would become. But the problem is often space, a lot of kitchens do not have 2x the floor area to be putting in chests making them g…
Perhaps the solution is to rethink the role of the fridge in the kitchen. It could be designed to be a part of a kitchen island, or have cabinets placed above it. In conventional kitchens, a chest does not make sense. But it could be well integrated if we start with the assumptions the fridge will be a chest.
Re: Chest Fridge (2009)
#33It's a cool idea, and might be great for a secondary fridge. For a primary fridge though, it's so much more convenient to have direct access to everything through a vertical door. I like energy efficiency, but I'm willing to pay 300kWh a year (around $40 here) for that convenience, let alone the space efficiency.
Cool idea indeed.
Re: Chest Fridge (2009)
#34Its possible to design internal structures such that its easier to use as a Fridge and freezer with some loss of space to avoid having to reach down into it. It would waste space and some efficiency however, the more complicated it becomes with assisted lifting and such the worse the gap would become. But the problem is often space, a lot of kitchens do not have 2x the floor area to be putting in chests making them g…
Perhaps the solution is to rethink the role of the fridge in the kitchen. It could be designed to be a part of a kitchen island, or have cabinets placed above it. In conventional kitchens, a chest does not make sense. But it could be well integrated if we start with the assumptions the fridge will be a chest.
Refrigerated drawers in islands are definitely a thing in high end kitchens. But you typically have a large conventional fridge as well.
Re: Chest Fridge (2009)
#35This reminds me of the Technology Connections fridge rant video. Similar arguments all around, the dumping effect of cold out of a vertical fridge is pretty crazy to watch with a thermal camera. https://youtube.com/watch?v=CGAhWgkKlHI
Couldn't find that in the 26 minute video. But for a total energy cost of $70 per year, why is this of interest to anyone?
Re: Chest Fridge (2009)
#36Ohhh the links at the bottom of this guys site are wild and good reading.
Please note I am disputing his science on the efficacy of a vertical fridge.
Re: Chest Fridge (2009)
#37Reminds me of Fly Away Home with the round fridge that would lift out of the counter. True story:
"The refrigerator is round, rising from under the granite countertop with the touch of the button.
“The pneumatic fridge works with air compression,” she says. “You step on the button and it pops up and the racks spin like a lazy Susan. Cold air is heavy so it stays cold.”" https://www.thestar.com/life/home-and-garden/paula-lishman-a...
Re: Chest Fridge (2009)
#38Ohhh the links at the bottom of this guys site are wild and good reading. https://thiaoouba.com/ Please note I am disputing his science on the efficacy of a vertical fridge.
I dispute the convenience, but I think the science has been tested. When you open a regular fridge, because cold air is denser than warm air, much of the cold air immediately falls out, so the fridge needs to work to re-chill the air once you close it. Even when it isn't opened, some amount of cold air leaks out the seals toward the bottom of the fridge (and warmer air leaks in through the top). Chest fridge (or freezer) solves these problems.
That said, most of the thermal mass in the fridge is the food, and after that probably the shelving, so as long as the seals aren't blown, the turnover of air on opening isn't a huge deal.
Re: Chest Fridge (2009)
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
Indeed. I could imagine a very neat one built into the cabinetry where the counter top could be lifted up or something.
It would be inconvenient to have to clear the counter each time you want to access the fridge.
I keep my counters largely clear so I can cook, anyway.
Re: Chest Fridge (2009)
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most people in dense urban areas would actually pay less. By going vertical you’re freezing a whole m2 that was otherwise necessarily occupied by the fridge. In most places, 300 kWh is much cheaper than an extra irrevocable m2 for your fridge. Plus, a horizontal fridge is just… convenient. You can’t even put things on top of a vertical fridge.
I literally don't understand this comment at all. What point are you trying to make?
They seem to have mixed up horizontal and vertical, and if they did, then my reading is that they're saying the cost of the extra floor space (and the loss of the "shelf" space on top of the fridge) when using a chest fridge makes the economics unfavourable for people in dense urban areas, even with the energy savings.
At least, I'm hoping that's what they meant. If they really meant horizontal and vertical in the way they used it then I've got no idea either.