If you own a commercial establishment, whether it be a restaurant or any food service business then the best investment you can make is to buy a commercial refrigerator unit from True refrigeration. These are commercial units that consistently get some of the best refrigerator reviews.

True refrigerators are designed with an eye for various commercial purposes. Thus, if you want to optimize cooling performance and convenience, specifically catering to the particular commercial needs of consumers, then you may want to try buying a regular commercial fridge – the True traditional reach-in.

You may think that traditional reach-in fridges from True are specific enough for a category but in this context, there are more options and choices to go around. The traditional reach-in category is divided into two major groups: the T series and the TS series.

The T series comprises of the following specific models of True refrigerators and freezers – solid door refrigerators, glass door refrigerators, half door refrigerators, dual temperature and heated cabinets. If you are very particular when it comes to temperature control and management, then in this category you can also find freezer models like solid door -10°F freezers, solid door 0°F freezers, glass door -10°F freezers, and solid half door -10°F freezers.

For the T series in the traditional reach-in category expect the following characteristics and qualities: colder product temperatures, lower utility costs, storage features that secure exceptional food safety and outstanding cooling performance.

On the other hand, the TS series is more specific, and leaning towards catering to various commercial purposes. Some of the specific models include the 300 series stainless steel refrigerators, 300 series stainless steel half refrigerators, 300 series stainless steel solid door freezers, 300 series stainless steel glass solid half door refrigerators.

For the TS series in the traditional reach-in category, the characteristics and qualities are not different from the T series fridges, only they are more factory balanced, with extra large evaporator coil, higher horsepower compressor, and large condenser that’s ideal for frozen food, ice cream and other fresh food products.

For a cost-effective, practical buy on freezers, you may want to consider the Kenmore brand.  Kenmore cooling technology is well suited to carry out efficient food preservation, and with Kenmore freezer baskets in their chest freezers and storage shelves in their uprights are enough to ensure proper food organization and storage.

Like any other popular appliance brand, Kenmore has a considerable range of freezer models which are categorized into two major groups: the chest / horizontal freezers and the upright freezers.

The chest freezers or the horizontal freezers are those units that are usually employed in commercial settings, although Kenmore has some selected models that are made for home settings too.  The most distinct features would probably be the Kenmore freezer baskets which define the brand’s effort to provide consumers convenience in storing meat and other food products, most likely in bulk.

But you can also expect Kenmore for the following features – security lock to protect your food (very helpful in commercial settings), interior light for an easy access and Energy Star to ensure that you save energy without compromising cooling performance.

The upright freezers as designed by Kenmore are probably the kind of freezer that you may want to buy if you want an extra storage compartment in your home kitchen.  This is a more preferable choice because it stands tall without taking too much area space – much like the conventional refrigerator design.

Some of the features of the Kenmore upright freezer include mechanical temperature control, high efficient compressor, low noise operation, outside condenser.  Most of the Kenmore upright freezers are CFC free and Energy Star rated.

The Kenmore brand may be prominent when it comes to its affordable refrigerator units but for those consumers who are planning on buying a freezer, whether for home or commercial application, you can never go wrong with a Kenmore unit.

French door refrigerators are becoming quite popular, mainly because they combine the advantages of two other styles of refrigerator. A French door design, which is also known as double door or bottom freezer design, has the freezer on the bottom with dual doors on the refrigerator section above.

This gives you the additional space that most freezer-on-the-bottom refrigerators offer, along with the advantages of side-by-side models, such as ice dispensers and water filters in the door.

Many of the major brands are now making French door models, such as Amana, Maytag, Electrolux, and Samsung. When these fridges were first introduced, the prices were generally all over $3,000 but they have been dropping as more models are being made. You can find models for around $1,500 these days, such as the Amana AFD2535DEW. Others, such as the GE GFSS6KKXSS are in the middle of the range, at roughly $2,400.

One of the reasons these models have become so popular is because many home & garden and cooking TV shows use them. This is often because they tend to be more eye-catching than a standard refrigerator (particularly with a stainless steel finish), but as a result more and more people have been looking for them.

The main refrigerator compartment on French door models actually tends to be a little bit smaller than a comparable freezer-on-top or freezer-on-bottom model, but the freezer compartment is generally larger.

This is partly due to the fact that the freezer pulls out like a drawer, rather than having a swing-open door, so there is less space needed for the door hardware.

And there are various sizes available, of course, so you can get larger ones if you have the space or you’re planning a kitchen remodel and can plan around whatever size fridge you decide on.

As far as reliability and performance, there’s really not much of a difference between a French door refrigerator and any other style. It’s going to depend on the brand and model you choose, as well as how well you maintain and take care of it.

If you choose a model that has extra features, such as an ice maker or water filter, there are obviously more components that could require service at some point in the future, but you won’t have any more or less trouble with a French door style fridge than you would with any other. The best way to ensure you get a reliable model is to check refrigerator reviews and consumer ratings on the brands and specific models that you’re considering, and see how other people’s experience has been.

If you’re going to be spending much time on the road in your new motorhome, one of the most relied-upon appliances in it is going to be your RV refrigerator.

Part of the lure of an RV is being able to live in it, no matter where you might be. Having a reliable refrigerator to keep your food cold and well preserved is essential.

First off, you have two basic choices when it comes to RV refrigerators:

- Propane
- Low voltage (12V)

Propane is the more common of the two, which factors into making your decision.

Because propane refrigerators are more widely used, there are more parts and repair companies out there than there are for the 12V models. This means that you’re going to be more likely to be able to get service for a propane fridge if you have problems while you’re on the road, saving you both time and money.

12V refrigerators can be less expensive, however, so if you’re looking to keep costs down you might want to lean this way. Just keep in mind that while you can save money up front, if you wind up having to replace it because you can’t get service or parts quickly while you’re traveling you could wind up spending more in the long term.

RV refrigerators are entirely different beasts from the fridge that you’ve got in your kitchen at home. As such, maintenance and day-to-day care is a bit different.

For one thing, you’re dealing with propane which can be extremely dangerous if it develops a leak. You should have a qualified service technician inspect and clean your refrigerator on an annual basis, generally at the beginning of travel season. And this is critical if you’re looking at a used model, since you may not know the history of it.

This annual inspection and maintenance is also required by some manufacturers’ warranties, so always check the warranty information to be sure you’re doing everything necessary to keep it valid.

Because refrigerators made for RVs are smaller and their cooling systems are not as strong as the full-size models you would have at home, there are several things you should keep in mind when storing food in them:

- Pre-cool your RV refrigerator before using it to store food
- Pre-cool your food in your home refrigerator if possible, to put less strain on the RV refrigerator’s cooling system
- Avoid putting warm food in an RV refrigerator as it will often double the time required to cool it down

There are several common brands of RV refrigerators, but they are not the same ones you’ll see at home so don’t worry if you don’t recognize the names right away.

The two most common brands you’ll find are Norcold and Dometic. They both offer several models and are both widely supported and serviced so you can’t really go wrong with either one.

Portable travel coolers have come a long way over the years. The good old blue or red plastic ice chest coolers are still pretty common, but these days you can really keep stuff cold with 12v refrigerators – portable coolers on steroids.

These portable refrigerators look a lot like any other cooler. The big difference is that they have a refrigerator compressor in them, and they plug into a 12V power source such as the lighter or power connectors in your car.

Some of them are even dual power so you can plug them into a standard 120V outlet as well. If you travel to places where you’ll have access to a standard power outlet, this can be a big help. Leaving them plugged into your car when it isn’t running will drain the battery if you let them run long enough.

These mini refrigerators don’t come from the typical brands that you see when shopping for a full-size fridge. You’ll see names like Koolatron, Edgestar, Wagan and Engel when shopping for 12v coolers.

They’re available in various shapes and sizes as well. Most of them look pretty similar to any other cooler – a chest design with a lid that lifts up from the top – but you can find some brands that are designed more like a typical upright refrigerator.

Some companies, such as Engel, even make portable 12v freezers. If you fish, these can be a great way to store your catch, especially if you’re on the water for any length of time.  By and large Engel refrigerator reviews are very positive.

The only other real alternative is a propane refrigerator. They have the advantage of not needing to be plugged in, which means they’re even more portable, but you’ll have to deal with propane canisters which can be potentially hazardous and need to be refilled regularly.

Whether you’re looking for something to keep drinks and snacks cold for your next family vacation or you want something portable for the boat or RV, 12v refrigerators can be a great solution.

A portable refrigerator can come in several shapes and sizes. Some look just like mini versions of the refrigerators you would see in any kitchen, while others look more like coolers with a refrigeration unit attached to the side.

There are many uses for these portable models:

- Dorm rooms
- Apartments
- Camping
- RVs
- Offices

Because they tend to be small, they’re perfect for anywhere with a limited amount of space. They also use a lot less power than a full-size refrigerator, so they’re a lot more energy efficient.

There are generally two types of power used with portable refrigerators – 12V or standard 120/240V power. In some cases they come with a dual AC/DC power option so they can be used with both.

The 12V models are perfect for use in a car, truck, boat or RV – basically anything with a standard 12 volt power connector. The 120/240V models are better suited for dorm rooms, offices and anywhere else that has a standard power plug. And of course if you expect to use them in both types of locations, having one that works with both is the best choice.

The prices for these portable models can range from under $400, to well over $1,000. As you step up in price, you generally get better (faster) cooling, larger storage space and possibly other extra features such as handles or wheels for portability.

There are several different brands of portable refrigerators, but they aren’t the same ones you would find in most kitchens so don’t be put off by the fact that you may not have heard of them before.

Some of the more common brands include Norcold, Avanti, Engel and Koolatron. Some companies specialize in smaller more portable models, such as Koolatron with their Personal Fridge, while others tend to have larger units, such as Engel’s TwoZone refrigerator.

You can even get solar-power models from a company called Sundanzer, which get their power through solar panels on the outside of the refrigerator. They offer several sizes – the 1.8 cu. ft. DCR-50, the 5.8 cu. ft. DCR-165 and the 8.1 cu. ft. DCR-225.

Fixing a refrigerator that’s on the fritz is one of the most common appliance jobs for a do-it-yourselfer. Finding the right refrigerator parts can be a little tricky sometimes, however, especially if your fridge is a few years old (or more).

Most of the major brands of refrigerators such as GE, Kenmore, Whirlpool and Maytag aren’t crazy about selling you parts. They would much prefer to send one of their own repairmen out to do the work for you.

Of course this adds a lot to the cost of the repair, and if you’re comfortable with replacing the parts yourself why wouldn’t you save the labor costs?

The fact is, replacing parts in most refrigerators is a lot easier than replacing parts in your car. Why wouldn’t you do it yourself?

There are several websites that sell parts for almost all brands of refrigerators. One of the biggest is Easy Appliance Parts. They carry parts for all the major brands – Admiral, Amana, Caloric, Electrolux, Frigidaire, GE, Hotpoint, Jenn-Air, etc.

Another good site is Part Select, who also carries parts for all the major brands. They actually carry parts for many different appliances as well – not just refrigerators.

The way these websites work is you enter the model number of your fridge, and they will give you a list of all the parts to choose from.

For example, if you’re looking for a part for a Kitchenaid KSCS23FVMK refrigerator, you would enter that part number on the website and it would give you a list of all the parts they carry for it.

You can get everything from drawers or shelves to ice dispensers or even the circuit board that controls all the functions in the fridge.

As long as you are able to diagnose the problem, you can get the part to fix it. Some things are obviously a lot more difficult to diagnose however. A broken crisper drawer is pretty obvious, where a faulty circuit board is going to take more troubleshooting skills.

But if you have the ability to diagnose the problem and install the part, these sources can get you the parts you need.

A portable freezer is very useful for fishing, camping, RV-ing, or pretty much any other activity where you might want to keep food frozen but still be portable. There are several options to choose from when deciding on one of these freezers, and which one is the right choice will depend on exactly how you’re going to use it.

One of the first options you should decide on is the type of power the freezer uses. There are basically three alternatives:

- Propane
- 12V
- 12V & 120V dual AC/DC power

A propane freezer is the most portable, since it doesn’t need to be plugged in at all. These models tend to be a little more expensive, however, and you will have to be a little more thorough in the maintenance and upkeep of the freezer, since propane can be dangerous.

A 12 volt freezer plugs into a standard power source in most cars, trucks, boats, RVs, etc. These models are still quite portable, but they won’t work unless you have access to a 12V power source.

A dual power freezer can work from either a 12V power source or a standard 120V wall jack, so you can use it almost anywhere that you have access to power.

Prices for portable freezers can range anywhere from about $100 to well over $1000. While a higher price doesn’t always mean better quality, it is a pretty good indicator – particularly when you’re looking at the lower end of the scale.

The cheapest models use a cooling technology called Peltier thermoelectric, which can’t make as cold a temperature. The more expensive better reviewed portable refrigerator models use a sealed Danfoss compressor, which is able to bring the temperature down considerably lower.

There are several brands that use the better cooling system, including Edgestar, Norcold and Engel. Most of the brands you’ll see when shopping for a portable freezer aren’t going to be the same ones you would see in a standard refrigerator or freezer for your home. In fact, Danby is one of the only ones that makes both styles.

These small freezers are great for camping, boating, fishing, and other such activities, but they’re also quite useful in places that you are limited for space, such as small apartments, dorm rooms and even offices.

A mini freezer is a pretty simple appliance when it comes right down to it. It’s supposed to keep things frozen and to do it in as little space as possible. There aren’t a whole lot of bells & whistles to worry about, but there are still some factors to consider when buying a compact freezer.

Mini freezers are ideal in situations where you have limited space, such as a dorm room or office, or as a secondary freezer to give you a bit of extra space over the one in your refrigerator. They’re also very useful in RVs or campers, or even in the car or truck on long trips.

The first thing you’ll need to determine is what sort of capacity you need in the freezer. Mini freezers generally hold 5 to 10 cubic feet. Chest freezers, where the door opens upwards from the top, are wide open and generally all the space is usable. Upright models, on the other hand, lose a bit of space to the door and its attached hardware, so this is something to consider when choosing the style.

You can get both manual and self-defrost mini freezers, each with advantages and disadvantages. A self-defrost freezer can save you time, since you don’t have to defrost by hand (which can often take up to 8 hours). A manual defrost freezer generally uses less power, however, and also tends to be less noisy than the self-defrosting models.

Check the location of the interior light as well. These lights make it easier to find things in the dark or anywhere with poor lighting, but they can sometimes get in the way of food storage if they have poor placement. You’ll also want to check and see how easy it is to replace the bulb since they will eventually burn out.

As far as price goes, you’ll see quite a range, even among different freezers with the same storage capacity. A higher price doesn’t always mean better quality, but it is often an indication. And the cheapest models often use inferior parts and are not as reliable, so don’t buy one purely because it’s cheap.

There are many brands of mini freezer available, most of which are names you won’t see in typical kitchen fridges and freezers. Don’t worry if you haven’t seen the name before – it’s not an indication of poor quality.

Some of the more common well reviewed mini refrigerator brands include Avanti, Haier, Waeco and Engel.