[denny]

^^^^
The set-it-and-forget-it approach would have been nice.  When this fridge eventually dies, I'll sure have a better idea of what to replace it with.

I lucked out...mine was on sale, and it was the only place that would deliver to the middle of nowhere where I live!

[Robert]

The fridge is my original, very first piece of temp control equipment, picked up from the scratch and dent clearance at an appliance store, too cheap to pass up.  By the time I added my lagering "cellar" and later a keezer I'd learned how cheap, light weight and efficient chest freezers are.  The only drawback is having to lift  in and out.  The one option I have no experience with is the mini fridge.  By the time my seemingly immortal fridge gives out, the forum will no doubt have made me an educated consumer.

(I suspect the difference between controlling ambient or liquid temp becomes less significant as the volume of airspace around the fermenter is reduced.)

[James K]

Well, this just won't work for me.  Way too much strain on the fridge without the desired control of the ferment temperature.   Had to switch back to my regular system of probe controlling ambient while watching ferment temperature in the thermowell.   Tried and true.  Don't know why we get different results, maybe my using a full size fridge (really full size, no freezer compartment) is a big part of it.  Gave it a try.  Just as well this way, not sure if you can shoot and eat crows in Ohio.   

My kegerator fridge now is a full size, no freezer. That’s why I am building a keezer. I find that the large fridge is not very consistent, too much temp sway. It has been doing fine with the probe out of water in the ambient but it kicks on and makes way more noise than the chest freezer. That thing is like asleep. Especially now since I’m fermenting a beer while I build out the keezer. Temp set to 71, the house is 75. Currently raising the temp 1 degree a day to finish out this IPA.