One of the most important parts of the bar is the refrigerator, which keeps all of the beverages nice and frosty.  Most people spend a lot of time designing their bar, so it is important that nothing stands out like a sore thumb.  Bar fridges are great appliances, but since they are usually not as big as full sized kitchen refrigerators, people often wonder where they should put them. You have a few choices when it comes to installing your bar fridge, and here is a little guide to help you.

The easiest way to install mini bar fridges is to simply put them on the counter or bar.  Although this is an easy option, it only works well in certain situation.  If you spend a decent amount of money and buy a refrigerator that

looks really good, you will feel proud to show it off, front and center.  The kind of appliance that I am talking about usually has a bar fridge glass door so that you can see everything inside.  Having a refrigerator like this is nice because it lets people take a look for themselves and decide what they want.

The drawback to getting a really nice bar fridge is that they tend to cost a lot.  If you don’t want to spend a whole wad of cash on your refrigerator, you can get a simple, small one and keep it conveniently hidden out of sight. Where, you might ask?  One of the best places to put a small bar fridge is inside a cabinet.  If you are still designing your bar layout, it is easy to allow a large space for a refrigerator to go.  If your cabinets are already there, you will have to choose a fridge that fits into one of them.  To do this, use a tape measure and get the dimensions of the inside of the cabinet.  Subtract an inch or so on all sides (and depth), and this will give you the maximum size bar fridge dimensions.   Make sure the cabinet is deep enough to fit the refrigerator in even with the handle on it.  Once you know your mini bar fridge fits, you will need to electricity to it.  This will usually involve drilling a small hole in the back of the cabinet so you can put the cord through it and reach an outlet.  If there isn’t a power outlet nearby, you can use an extension cord to make it reach.

There is another way to hide your bar fridge, and this way is to fully integrate your refrigerator.  The best way to get a refrigerator to blend in with the cabinets is by making it look like one from the front.  Some of the high end bar fridges are customizable, which means that you can place a wooden panel on the front of them that is made out of the same material as the surrounding cabinets.  It doesn’t matter if your cabinets are made of wood or stainless steel:  You can put either kind on it.  This method works great for people who want a large bar fridge that would be too large to fit into a cabinet.

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Many people want a small refrigerator to keep their beverages cool and frosty.  When you just don’t have the need or the need for a full size refrigerator, a mini bar fridge is just what you are looking for.  They come in different sizes, from the ultra tiny to fridges that are about half the size of regular ones.  Here is a guide to the different kinds of mini bar fridges that are available.

The Beverage Center Mini Bar Fridge

A great style of mini bar fridge is the beverage center.  These are great little refrigerators, and they have a glass front, so you can see in it without having to open it all the time.  The beverage center fridge is very common in both in-home bars as well as  restaurants, snack bars, boats, and other business locations that simply need a small fridge that can hold lots of cans or bottles.  Most of these models are designed to hold lots of cans, but there are some that can hold bottles as well.  The Haier HBCN05EBB beverage center is designed to hold 96 cans and 46 bottles of wine.  The shelves are coated with vinyl to keep the bottles from slipping off.

If you are just looking for something cheap that will keep your drinks chilled, you can get a normal bar mini fridge that is compact and inexpensive.  These usually don’t have glass fronts, but they work great.  The Igloo FR180 is very small, with a capacity of just 1.7 cubic feet.  That is enough to hold a couple six packs of cans or bottles, as well as a few snacks.  These units are available at argos if you are in the UK.

If you have a business and are looking for a fridge that will attract attention, you can try getting something like the Monster Energy Drink mini bar fridge.  It has the complete logo and design on it.  You can also get fridges designed with many other beverage brand designs.  Some people get one with their favorite sports team logo on it.  As an added bonus, many of these refrigerators come with adjustable hinges on them, so you can choose which way you want it to open.

Tags: Appliances, Refrigerators by Jeffrey
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There are a few kinds of bar fridges.  Some are meant to hold only beverages like cans or bottles.  Others are made specifically for wine.  Still others are designed for a combination of food and drinks, like a mini bar.  Although sizes vary, usually bar fridge dimensions range from very small with a capacity of under 2 cubic feet to quite large, although a bar fridge for sale usually doesn’t get much bigger than 5 cubic feet or 3 feet tall.  Any bigger than that, and you can just get a normal upright fridge.  Here are the types of bar fridges available and the best models.

Normal Bar Fridges

For everyday normal use, there are lots of bar fridges to choose from.  You should think about what you might want to put in the fridge before you choose one.  If you are primarily going to use it for cans and bottles, you might want to get one without drawers, so you can fit more beverages inside.  Here are some of the most popular models available:
The Sanyo SR-3770S is a great little refrigerator.  It is quite large, standing at counter height, which is almost 3 feet.  This Sanyo is a stainless steel bar fridge, which means it will look great anywhere you put it.  It features a built-in vertical can dispenser and plenty of space both inside and on the door.  Another great feature that this fridge has is a full-width freezer, which comes in very handy when you need some ice.  A small bar fridge usually won’t have a good freezer like this.

The Glass Front Bar Fridge

There are great bar fridges available that are specifically designed to hold lots of cans.  These fridges are called “beverage centers”, and are a great solution

if you need to chill lots of cans.  They are used in all kinds of places, from snack bars to boats to workplaces and schools.    This type of refrigerator is rated according to how many cans it can hold.  Sizes vary from 60 cans up to 150 or more.  The Haier 150 can beverage center is a great little fridge.  Its bar fridge glass door lets you see what is inside without having to open it.  If you are looking for a light-use commercial bar fridge, this type would work well.  It is reasonably priced as well, at just $200, although you can get cheaper beverage centers that hold a smaller quantity of cans.

Mini Bar Fridges

The mini bar fridge is the most common type of bar fridge.  These are the ones that you see in practically every decent hotel room in the world.  Although they are technically just a mini fridge, they do have some distinctions that differentiate them from their little cousins.  The biggest feature that sets them apart is that the good ones use a different method to produce cold air. While other refrigerators use compressors to chill the air, a good mini bar will use what is called the absorption technique.  The result is a completely silent mini bar fridge.  Hotels don’t want noisy refrigerators waking up their guests, and they are willing to pay a lot of money for these silent fridges.  One of the leading manufacturers of mini bar fridges is Summit.  The Summit mini bar fridges features the silent technology and a door lock.

Other Types of Bar Fridges

There are a few other types of bar fridges that are designed for specific uses.  One of them is the wine bar fridge.  Unlike the beverage centers, these fridges are specifically designed to hold bottles of wine.  They come in various sizes, ranging from 6 bottle to 28 bottles or more capacities.  They also have glass doors and thermostats that are far superior to normal fridges.

Another type of fridge is specifically designed for use at a bar.  There are models that are built more sturdy and can hold up to heavy everyday use, such as a back bar fridge.  You can also get an under bar fridge that fits right under your bar, making it conveniently out of sight from customers.

Tags: Appliances, Refrigerators by Jeffrey
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