What Exactly Is A Garage-Ready Refrigerator?

If you visited the garage of every house in America, there's a good chance you'd find more than a few refrigerators. Whether it's an old fridge whose life is being extended or one bought specifically for the garage, the extra storage is extremely convenient. But big seasonal temperature changes can strain the appliance, causing it to cool less efficiently and break down sooner than it would have in a kitchen. A garage-ready refrigerator is designed to address that problem.   

Typical refrigerators are designed for indoor temperatures, which typically fluctuate between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but garages are often less insulated and lack air conditioning or heating, potentially exposing anything you put out there to the below-freezing temperatures or triple-digit heat that some regions get. To deal with these extremes, garage-ready fridges are made with a variety of additional components, like extra temperature sensors, specialized heating elements, thicker materials, and reinforced gaskets that allow them to keep working despite greater temperature fluctuations, hopefully meeting or exceeding most refrigerators' expected lifespans.

Like other appliances, not all garage-ready refrigerators are created equal. The additional components that allow them to withstand significant temperature fluctuations vary from model to model, so before you purchase one, you'll want to make sure that the one you're using is designed to work well in the environment you live in. For example, most are designed to hold up to fluctuations between 38 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit, but some can also withstand temperatures as low as 0 degrees without malfunctioning. Have a chat with your local appliance salesperson and do your research so you don't wind up with a fridge that can't take the heat — or the cold.  

Garage-ready fridges serve multiple purposes. They can free up space in the kitchen by holding extra drinks and snacks, and when the holidays roll around, having an extra refrigerator in the garage makes it much easier to prepare dishes and desserts for all those family members you can't wait to see (or would rather not see) ahead of time. They can also help store enough food for large families, people who buy in bulk, and hunters who need a place to store all that wild game meat. These appliances don't need all the fancy bells and whistles like ice and water dispensers, which could be shortening your refrigerator's lifespan, whether it is garage-ready or not, so there's no need to invest the extra money in a model that has them.  

Garages aren't the only part of a house where refrigerators might be subjected to similar conditions. If you have a basement or workshop, a garage-ready fridge (or in this case, basement-ready or workshop-ready) may also be worth the investment.    

There are a few hidden costs of keeping a fridge in the garage, like the extra energy it will probably use, but if you buy an energy-efficient garage-ready model, you can help offset that added expense. You can also take steps like insulating your garage and getting regular maintenance service to help keep it running well.