Got a little basement project in progress. Need a recommendation for a beverage fridge installed under a counter. And why are all of these things just as expensive as a full size refrigerator/freezer?

 

I got a GE for my last house's kitchen bar for under $250. It could store either wine or beer quite well

 

I hear that if I'm putting this under a countertop/between cabinets though I need one that vents to the front. Apparently that means it has to cost a grand.

 

Seems like you could build the space to accommodate just about any mini fridge. I have used quite a few in my lifetime, and small, low ventilation spaces are always where they end up. It's almost as if they were built for that.

A refrigerator needs the condenser coils in the back to cool. The heat it can let off will equate to the cool air it can produce, minus some efficiency loss. Build the back wall to be heat tolerant, and give it some way to breath. A vent in the backsplash, on each side of the fridge, or underneath would be plenty. The less air-tight, the better.

 

Are they making small ones that are Energy Star rated yet?

 

You will need one that vents to the front, but you can get one for under a grand

 

What if the area behind the fridge was vented? The wall I want to put the counter/cabinets on divides the finished basement from the unfinished so I'm thinking I cut a decent sized hole, put a grille vent on it like for an HVAC return, and presto, the fridge vents to the rear into the unfinished area and I save $$$$

 

Thats what we did.

 

Sounds like a winner