Reddit reviews 1.7-cu.-ft. Superconductor Auto Defrost Refrigerator - White
We found 1 Reddit comments about 1.7-cu.-ft. Superconductor Auto Defrost Refrigerator - White. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
1.4-cu.-ft. capacity with full-range temperature controlThermoelectric technology functions on 110-volt 60Hz AC powerWhite cabinet with reversible, left- or right-swing doorIncludes slide-out shelf, tall bottle rack, and interior lightDimensions: 17W x 19D x 20.25H in.
Just to add to the fridge idea, I got one from Avanti that uses a technology they call "superconductor". It is a stupid name, since obviously no superconductors are involved, but I like it.
Instead of the traditional (and loud) compressor, it uses a peltier element, however it combines that with refrigerant lines to make it much more efficient than traditional thermoelectric fridges. The hot side of the peltier boils the refrigerant, it rises, and then cools and falls down the other side of the tubes where it zig-zags back and forth while it cools down. In this way, the refrigerant flows through the tubes, but there is no compressor or pump actually pushing it.
The main advantage of this setup is that it is quiet. The refrigerant is flowing only through heating up and cooling down, so there is no compressor to roar. I was really worried about having a compressor cycling on/off right at my desk, and this solves that nicely. The only real moving part to make any noise is a small fan on the inside of the fridge. It ends up just sounding similar to a fan in a computer, so it blends right in. There is no start/stop at all, as it just runs continuously and throttles up/down as necessary.
There are a number of models using this technology, but here is one example at a nice price point:
http://www.pcrichard.com/Avanti/Avanti-1-7-Cu-Ft-Compact-Refrigerator-Stainless-Steel-w-Black-Sides/SHP1702SS.pcrp
Star rating looks low on that page, but reading the reviews the main complaint seems to be that it was smashed in shipping, so not actually a fault of the fridge itself. Here's a fridge that appears to only be different in color, and has a nice high rating, but Amazon's price is quite a bit higher than pcrichard:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045ALLYA
I paid $80 and I've had mine 3 years now and I'm happy with it. Current temp is 3 C (temp knob is roughly at 50%) and current power draw is 65 watts (continuous, no cycling). If/when it does break, I figure the fan is the most likely part to go and I can probably figure out how to replace that on my own. I haven't taken it apart, but just peering through the grill it appears to be a standard form factor 40mm fan like you'd find inside a computer.
Running a fridge like this will generally cost you around $5-6 a month in electricity.