I've been told that new refrigerators will die an unseemly death in an unheated shed. They are made differently than older refrigerators. Does anyone know of some way to prevent the refrigerator from dying in the unheated shed? We want to put one in the cabin we just purchased, but can't afford to buy one and have it die within a year or so. Thought someone might have some ideas. I would sure appreciate the help. Thanks, Nancy

The Gladiator Chillerator Garage Refrigerator. A perfect second refrigerator built for the garage providing the latest and greatest in innovation, space savings, and an upscale look that really stands out in the garage. It appeals to busy families who want more refrigerator space than freezer space, who need space for chilling surplus beverages like that extra gallon of milk that will eventually end up in the main refrigerator, who need extra refrigerator or freezer space around the holidays, and who want chilled beverages to be consumed outside without having to enter the house. Unlike your neighbor's garage refrigerator that they retired from their kitchen, the Energy Star qualified Chillerator Garage Refrigerator is not only designed to handle the extreme temperature and humidity of the garage environment, it also saves you money by reducing energy consumption.

Traditional Combination of Refrigerator and Freezer Space
The Chillerator Garage Refrigerator provides a traditional combination for food and beverage storage, with 19 cu. ft. capacity. The large 14 cu. ft. refrigerator bottom compartment and convenient 5 cu. ft. freezer top compartment offer ample storage for a variety of items, the Chillerator is also great for fresh food storage.
ENERGY STAR Qualified
20% more efficient than minimum current federal energy standards. It saves 453 kWh/Year (or 53% more efficient) over a same size top freezer purchased between 1993~2000 (approximately $49 annually at the average national electricity cost). It saves 167 kWh/Year (or 30% more efficient) over a same size top freezer purchased between 2001~2007 (approximately $18 annually at the average national electricity cost).
Refrigerator with Built-in Heater
Built-in heater keeps refrigerated items chilled inside, not frozen, even in very cold environments, with an operating range from 0-110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Reversible Door Swing
Door swing can be changed to accommodate preference.
SpillGuard� Glass Shelves
These glass shelves feature raised edges which can contain up to 12 ounces of liquid, preventing leaks from spilling onto shelves below

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I think these are the perfect garage refrigerators but they seem not have been a big hit as most people just movel old fridge to garage/shed and buy new one for kitchen.

They are being discontinued and can be had for a good price.

Another problem that killed a refrigerator that was off for a long period in my heated basement was pinholes in the condenser coil. I don't know if moisture attacked it from the inside out or vice versa, but the tech's moral story was to not leave them off.

So this gets us to thermoelectric cooled refrigeration. It probably would be immune to these issues, but suffers from a poor coefficient of performance. If one has electricity and intends to use the refrigerator only occasionally, the power usage cost differential might be less than the risk value of leaving a conventional vapor cycle refrigerator off in a cabin.

The Gladiator blurb above doesn't address unpowered storage.

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