(Part 3) Best appliances according to redditors

If I were to start over and buy new equipment, one of those all-in-one systems would be very attractive. My only concern with them is I don't have a high voltage outlet and I wouldn't want to deal with an under powered system.

For a traditional system I'd do something like this:

• $ 55 Hot Liquor Tank
  
• $105 Mash Tun
  
• $240 Kettle
  
• $100 Burner
  
• $200 Fermenter
  
• $250 Ferm Chamber
  
• $ 35 Temp Controller
  
  Total $985
  
  Bonus Upgrades:
  
  
• $ 25 Dolly
  
• $120 Water Filter
  
• $110 Grain Mill
  
• $ 15 Flask
  
• $ 30 Stir Plate
  
• $ 20 Yeast Ranch
  
• $490 Kegerator
  
• $ 95 Keg
  
  Total $905
  
  And you'll want various fittings and hoses and more kegs and a stir paddle.

It's actually super easy. Bought everything off amazon.

• ice line kit, attach to your water line under sink
  
  
• Solenoid Valve 1/4", splice 12v plug and into a timer or wifi timer.
  
  
• Attach water line inlet to tank
  
  
• Drill hole in tank or use overflow box for water outlet. I made my own
  
  
• Optional, get water filter if your water is chlorinated, check valve for safety, 1 gph drip emitter for better flow control.
  
  I'll make a full guide later

The wheel that serves as the pulley to drive the tumbling in my dryer is plastic.

https://www.amazon.com/DC93-00634A-Dryer-Pulley-Assembly-Samsung/dp/B07DQFHTVS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537369056&sr=8-3&keywords=samsung+dryer+pulley+wheel

There it is in all it's glory. Fails once every 6 months or so and I get to replace it. Luckily they're only $16, but it's still a pain in my ass. The old wheel comes out and it has maybe 50% of its original plastic still intact. 100% built to fail.

Tramontina 126-Can Beverage Center $250

7 gal | Brew Bucket Brewmaster Edition $229

Inkbird $35

What do you want to know?

I will give you 3 pointers if you buy this particular unit, though. I only bought this because it's the cheapest 4 stage you can get, and I know I don't need all the bells and whistles (in-line TDS, etc -except one that I will mention in part 2 below) that come with the ones that cost way more.

1. If you want to make serious quantities of water, and you don't have the patience of a saint, get THIS MEMBRANE and just keep the included 50gpd membrane as a spare. The dow filmtec membranes are the best you can get. They're the only ones that really produce anywhere close to their stated GPD rating. The 75GPD membrane is great too. Honestly it's just a more convenient, and longer lasting membrane either way. I've gone through a shitload of RO membranes. Whenever I need a replacement, the filmtec 75 is what I buy.
   
   
2. If you're installing it on a bathroom sink that has easily accessible male threading (after you remove the aerator), then get one of THESE. It's much easier to just divert the faucet water to your 1/4" tubing than having to detach and reattach the included plastic faucet adapter every time you want to make water. If you want to cut the faucet out of the picture altogether (my preferred method) then install a SADDLE VALVE straight to your 1/2" copper pipe (cold water pipe ONLY - never connect an RO/DI to hot water) and a SHUTOFF VALVE in-line between the pipe and your RO/DI's supply port. That's what I did today. Tapped into the copper pipe behind my bathroom sink; drilled a hole in the wall just above the sink and ran the tubing into the bathroom; installed shutoff valve there; drilled holes in undersink cabinet to accommodate supply, waste, and clean tubes; mounted the filter unit inside the undersink cabinet. Now I have a convenient on/off switch just above my bathroom sink. The tubing for waste and clean are coiled up between the cabinet and my tub. When I want to make water I just snake the waste line down my bathtub drain, pop my water sprayer in the tub and fill her up. No worries of spills/overflow. No hassle of connecting/disconnecting plastic fittings that are prone to thread strip.
   
   
3. Doesn't hurt to install a BACKFLUSH. This is the one 'bell and whistle' that I think is actually really useful. Especially if you have really hard water, It's good to flush heavy solids out of your membrane occasionally.

As far as I know, dryers still need to be vented.

I know there is a thing you can buy for indoor use, but it is generally not recommended.
http://www.amazon.com/Dundas-Jafine-TDIDVKZW-ProFlex-Indoor/dp/B000DZFTC6

Don't use this if you have a gas dryer.

My GE fridge does this https://www.amazon.com/IceSurrender-Frozen-Water-Line-Tool/dp/B01DJFFT62 I bought this to unfreeze the line. Fill the syringe with warm water then shove the line up the water dispenser intill you hit the blockage then slowly press on the plunger to release the warm water. Keep pushing the line up as it thaws in till you can push through.

> I'm not saying your wrong (you probably are not if it's reasonable), but there would be some point where you bought too much, even at a discount. The money tied up in food is now idle. It could be working for you, earning interest or buying something you need more immediately. There's an optimal frequency and inventory level for every consumable item we buy and it's based on more than the bulk discount.

To function as you'd suggest, it would cost me more in time spent in stores than it would in the cash value of the food at the level of waste I have IRL. Just fyi.

I value my free time at $20/hr. Two trips a week instead of two trips a month is ~$80 in added time costs a month or ~$960/year.

I don't waste $960/year in food due to bulk buying. Most of my food waste comes from either:

A) Experimenting with food recipes and not liking the results. (aka learning)

B) The unexpected.

Similarly, $1000 for a freezer is o.O. A chest freezer with 7 cubic feet of capacity is like $250, new on Amazon, or like $50 on Craigslist (used).

https://www.amazon.com/Cubic-Foot-Chest-Freezer-Black/dp/B019ZGH26O/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1484073215&sr=1-1&keywords=chest+freezer&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A7253983011

That thing can hold ~100 lbs of frozen meat / vegetables easily. A few bags of rice that last months. And that is all the bulk buying you really do that isn't like soda or beer or whatever.

I'm honestly not sure where you get your numbers from but the "discount" for bulk frozen purchases is frequently as high as 33-50% the smaller units and the electricity costs are negligible. (~$130 a year, including purchase/replacement cost every 5 years)

Not bulk buying would cost me ~$1-2k a year. Even if my food waste is 25%, $1k on a $4k food budget is $1k vs. ~$1-2k. That doesn't even factor in the fact the cost in my time is higher than the cost of food waste cost so I'd simply break even and save time.

The chest freezer takes up a corner of the garage that wouldn't be used except to store more crap anyway and has a negligible footprint.

The same one is on Amazon for $5.85 prime eligible.

I've seen other possibilities for small kitchens but not necessarily under the sink. There are countertop sized dishwashers you might be able to figure out a way to install under your sink, or in another spot, and at least one company (Bosh) makes a dishwasher that is 45CM (18") high. Google small dishwashers. Here are some ideas to get you started:

https://tinyhousetalk.com/dishwashers-and-tiny-houses/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074PYH768

I should have taken a pic, you're right it isn't online. I don't know if this is the exact model. But it is a Hisense and it is 7.2 cu", that much I know for sure. Looking at the amazon questions, it might be the same.

I would think about a non-powered clothes washing option. Just because your generator can handle the load does not mean you have enough gas to get through the outage of an unknown length?

​

These are great: https://www.amazon.com/EasyGoProducts-EGP-LAU-012-Clothes-Washer-Mobile-Powered-Portable/dp/B074TX7MF2

Is there a keezer build guide that stands above the rest? On average how many corny kegs will fit in a 7.1 cubic ft freezer such as this one?

Sadly I'm still slumming it with the tiny base model top/bottom freezer/fridge. But one of my life goals is to have one of these monstrosities: https://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-Built-Refrigerator-Freezer-Stainless/dp/B013XG06QA

Actually that's pretty attainable albeit extravagant. If I were rich I would go for a full sized walk-in.

Well, there are some options.

1. You could invest in a good heated clothes drying rack (example, but there are more). They'd be less expensive than an electric dryer, almost certainly, though it'd still take a while to dry clothes. You could at least dry most of your "hanging out"/"casual" clothes on it, then save money by drying fewer clothes at the laundromat.
   
   
2. You could get a tiny washing machine that's manual (hand-cranked), and do much of your laundry there. Here's an example, but research "off-grid clothes washing" and you'll probably get a lot of recommendations.
   
   
3. Electric dryers use a TON of electricity, just FYI, but if you decide to go that route, just know that buying used is probably your cheapest bet. Especially if you live near a college town, watch for used dryer to be sold near the end of the semester. Chances are high that some senior is graduating and moving across the country, and doesn't want to take their dryer with them and needs to move out quickly, so you can probably find a bargain. (Like, under $150.)

You can get them pretty much anywhere.

Basically, you want this: https://smile.amazon.com/Premium-Stainless-Washing-Machine-Connection/dp/B077XXYWPQ/

Instead of this: https://smile.amazon.com/Kelaro-Rubber-Washing-Machine-Hoses/dp/B077XWBJGM/

https://www.amazon.com/AC-WORKS-AD1430L630-Adapter-Connector/dp/B077V2JSVV

This maxxfan is under $185.
https://www.amazon.com/Maxxair-0005301K-MAXXFAN-5301K-WHITE/dp/B016MWZH0M/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1511334692&sr=8-6&keywords=maxxfan

I'd question how well a simple little $30 fan will work. The Maxxfan is a known quantity. If you decide to go with what /u/biased_user_agent suggested I would actually go out the side instead of the roof. I think that may be easier to find an appropriate rain cover to prevent water ingress.

I don't really need it, but I really like the idea of having eggs when I go camping, I think eggs in the morning would help me, I don't know, fly casual I suppose

I've been looking into this for my off grid build, and I have come up with a solution to the high electricity cost of refrigerators. I plan to run a ice maker and use a old style ice chest, perhaps even a antique one they are reasonably priced. IIRC a ice maker capable of making 25 lbs of ice in 24 hours uses only 150 120 watts AC. The ice should last 3 days at least so the ice maker wouldn't have to run full time. This is the best solution I've come up with.

https://www.amazon.com/Vremi-Countertop-Ice-Maker-Stainless/dp/B07H7SGQ52/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=ice+maker&qid=1554763643&s=gateway&sr=8-4

The NR-210A has no flow requirement according to Navien. The NR-210 model has a 0.5 gpm min flow rate. Which is the same as my Takagi.

Here's the pump I use for flushing my tankless once a year.
Some simple washing machine hoses will allow you to hook up to the clean out valves. Just dunk the pump in a 5 gallon bucket of white vinegar and run it through for about an hour with the tankless in off mode.

https://www.amazon.com/MagVent-MV-90-Magnetic-Dryer-Coupling/dp/B013TI7A4S

You also need to be aware of the chlorine/chloramine in municipal water. Get a prefilter like this one for $9ish a piece.

For the price of running lines and buying regulators and taps you can get - https://www.amazon.com/EdgeStar-KC2000TWIN-Kegerator-Draft-Dispenser/dp/B0170O0D82

Small (2 feet by 2 feet) and portable (Wheels) you can roll it in and out as needed.

Now, you said there is not room for more taps, but then you said you have a basement.... Have you measured and priced out building a walk in cooler in the basement right under the bar, then you could run the beer lines up the wall and the only bar space taken up would be some wall space and you could have MANY taps. Like this -

This thing and a cooler with an icepack.

Which conversion cables are you referring to?

Here's my planned setup. From the wall socket which is a NEMA 14-30R I plan on plugging the following PDU into it https://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-Outlets-Rack-Mount-PDU1230/dp/B0007YG85A

with the following adapter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077V2JSVV/

Now the question is do i need to use any special PSU cables? Should I use the C19 ports on the PDU or are the standard C13 cables fine?

I plan on running 5 rigs, each rig is pulling about 750 from the wall when plugged into a standard 110 wall outlet.

If the 5100 is too pricey, I would still recommend the 5301 before you go down to the 4000k or fantastic fan. Fantastic fans are prone to breaking and having this rain guard is a life saver. You don’t want water dripping through in the middle of the night whilst your asleep.

Plus, if there’s anything to not be stingy about, it’s your ventilation.

On Amazon i saw the 5100 was $210 and the 4000k was $130. You just gotta drop the extra $80 and know that it’ll be worth it completely.

Here’s that other one
MAXXFAN DLX 5301K WHITE https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016MWZH0M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ikr1AbPA3KDDC

The "idler pulley" for my Samsung dryer has worn out about once per year since I've had it, I recently found out that you can buy an aftermarket upgraded version with steel ball bearings that's supposed to be much more durable, it's around $15 compared to $10 for the original part with a plastic sleeve bearing. I swapped this in the last time the pulley wore out and so far it's working well.

I’m looking at something like
https://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-Built-Refrigerator-Freezer-Stainless/dp/B013XG06QA
Or
https://www.amazon.com/SABA-Heavy-Commercial-Reach-Refrigerator/dp/B01FRKS0AY/ref=sr_1_19?crid=QPOV5V9GU39P&keywords=commercial+refrigerators&qid=1570401807&s=appliances&sprefix=Commercial+re%2Cappliances%2C196&sr=1-19

Thanks.

The perfect ice:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H7SGQ52/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0my0DbGNHA36J

Or you can add a vent trap kit to a regular dryer. It's basically a bucket of water that the air is ducted into. Obviously it requires some maintenance, but it's an option. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000DZFTC6

Nice job. Do yourself a favor, and grab a tower cooler, and wire that puppy in.

Foamy pours are real evil, and should be dealt with accordingly.

I have seen these kegerators before and they are pretty good for the price. All of these low priced kegerators are a bit on the cheap side quality-wise, but I understand that it doesn't make sense for everyone to drop $1500 on a commercial one. Also, I am totally biased, but you will have a way better pour if the tower is cooled properly. If you do buy one, I make these, and they are the best one on the market /shamelessplug. Feel free to ask me any questions, I install draft beer systems professionally.

I had to get one of these last year.

Previous homeowners decided they hated the roof top vent that required a 6 inch straight piece to connect to the existing vent and instead they wanted one that was 90 degrees to that (new hole in the wall included). Well that worked for a smaller dryer because you could pull the dryer out and still have space in the laundry room. Anything bigger and you were crimping the vent hose and losing a LOT of drying ability while water pooled in the hose.

The one on amazon had a low profile 90^o exention on it that allowed me to easily reroute the line in about 20 minutes and significantly increased the drying ability.

I love DIYing but this is one of those things where I'd rather build a new cabinet or workbench than futz around with a dryer vent in my cramped ass laundry room for half a day.

"Chrome plated brass faucet"

https://www.amazon.com/EdgeStar-Full-Kegerator-Draft-Dispenser/dp/B0170O0D82/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1492790105&sr=8-6&keywords=edgestar+kegerator

Measures 17.2 x 19.6 x 21.6 inches

https://www.amazon.com/hOmeLabs-Compact-Countertop-Dishwasher-Dishwashers/dp/B074PYH768

I will be freshman at Texas A&M this fall studying Aerospace Engineering. I'm going to need an Ethernet cable to connect my computer to the university internet :D
There's really no hope for me if I can't have internet :P
For you, every awesome dorm HAS to at least have a mini fridge! :)

https://www.amazon.com/IceSurrender-Frozen-Water-Line-Tool/dp/B01DJFFT62

Lots of good suggestions here. The meal plans are a huge ripoff compared to cooking for yourself. In addition to the dorm fridge and microwave that everyone seems to have I would recommend getting a small freezer, an electric kettle and a slow cooker/crock pot.The kettle is great for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and ramen in a hurry. A ten lb bag of chicken leg quarters can often be found for under ten bucks. Throw half a bag in to the crockpot (and the other half in the freezer) and you have a meal for yourself and a few friends.

Ha! Came here to post this as well. $30 cheaper now than when I bought it. I think it's this one.

Not actually "pure" nicotine, but probably 100 mg/mL nicotine. Much more potent than what you'll find in your normal bottles of e liquid. If I were a parent with small child I would keep my concentrated nicotine in a fridge with a lock and key or combination lock (example) for safety or just not DIY at home. It would probably also be worth showing them the safety equipment that I use because and explaining that they shouldn't ever go near my lab supplies. Actually talking to your kid is a big help.

AmazonBasics Inline Water Filter

A dishwasher supply line is 3/4" hose bibb to 3/8" compression. They are usually a few feet long. Make sure the Y splitter has deep enough threads to compress the neck of the hose bibb into the collar.

Reduce 3/8" comp to 1/4" comp, then run 1/4" flexible tubing to your fridge. A kit at the big box near me is about $15 for the 25' poly tubing kit with 1/4 and 3/8 adapters. A 1/4 coupling can be used to connect two lengths of tubing if you are forced to do so.

HB to comp
3/8 to 1/4
ice maker kit

The kit comes with a saddle valve, but you don't need it.

Different municipalities will have different standards.

I'd also add that an electric dryer doesn't vent any potentially harmful chemicals - just lint. There are solutions for this - like this - that solve the issue of interior venting.

I honestly would not sweat this.