Fridges: Taken For Granted

 

Well, last night my fridge died, late. I thought I had overpacked the freezer so I moved a couple of things into the fridge as stuff didn't seem to be chilling right.

This morning, it was all thawed. I had a big water mess to clean up and the fridge was dead. I took the fridge and freezer contents, loaded them into shopping bags, and chucked them on the balcony (already thawed out though).

Then I called the super. Well, shortly, a new fridge appeared. I'll shortly get into the rant, but let me give you the gist: Newer ain't necessarily better.

So, my old fridge, I had to look up to see what was on top. This one, that's at about eye level. That means it lost a couple of inches in height and this means less interior space.

The freezer is bigger (sort of good) but this is a newer fridge hence more insulated hence more energy efficient but at the cost of interior space (bad).

I think the newer fridge is slightly narrower, hence less internal space (bad).

And then we get inside. Formerly, I had 3 full width door shelves. They were full of condiments, dressings, and so on and a wine bottle on the door as well. There was a butter storage thing, but it housed a block of butter and some honey (separately). But that was a third or less of the top shelf!

Now, the new one has a third of the entire vertical space devoted to pop can storage shortening all 3 shelves. There wasn't room in the old fridge for pop cans AND what in heck do you do if you are a healthy eater? That space is *wasted*. I tried to put in condiment jars, but most are taller than the pop cans and bind on the shelves preventing the door from closing! So I lose a third of the door space right off.

Then we have the 2/3rd width middle shelf as one big (and mostly useless) dairy holder. Geez, Louise. I didn't even use the old one for its intended purpose!

Then we have the top shelf that won't accomodate any jar or bottle higher than about 2.5"! A tobasco bottle (small) will jam the door from closing! So that shelf is nearly useless for most condiments or jam containers or the like.

No middle shelf (dairy container), a third of the space missing for pop cans (on all shelves), a useless upper shelf (for anything of any height), and a smaller overall width: NOT ENOUGH SPACE!

So where do all of these condiments end up? Tightly packed into the first and second shelves of the fridge (and not leaving room for much else!). Good luck trying to find anything now. And digging for condiments will be really 'energy efficient' as heat leaks out the open door and must be replaced.

This is how all of the new fridges appear to be designed and it's crazy. It assumes everyone drinks pop or other canned stuff and wants to allocate the space for that. That alone was a bad design decision. Then having a useless upper shelf and a less than useful oversize dairy container in the second shelf compound that.

And the third shelf: On the old fridge, I'd store a staggered double-column of condiment containers. The new third shelf is only 2/3rd as wide but in theory is as deep (if you look at the placement of the front bar that holds things in), BUT the scultped part of the door that sticks out underneath IS NOT. So I can put in two or three really wide things, but not the staggered double column. MORE wasted space.

So, suddenly, I have a poorly organized smaller space.

I also have a a pile of food that has thawed and needs cooked more or less now. And then I have to figure out where to store this food. I'm not sure how I'll do that right now.

So, love your fridge if you have a good one. A full sized one. Full sized fridges have gotten better over the years (bottom freezers, in some cases top compressors, well laid out doors and shelves) and the small apartment fridge has, IMO, become a piece of poorly designed junk. (And the warranties on these are very short too)

I may have to get a separate mini fridge just for the condiments, jams, sauces, etc. to clear them out of this poorly arranged new fridge. THAT's energy efficient! I'm glad this fridge uses a couple of less kW per year, given it means I'll be runnign a SECOND one.

Now that's Green!

Anyway, back to cooking. And trying hard not to grind my teeth.

Because I always like to leave posts here on a good note:

Muskoka Hefe Wiessbier - made with hops, malt, water, and some Bavarian strain of yeast by the Muskoka craft brewery in Bracebridge, Ontario - get some! It's a great taste with fruity hints and a wonderful flavour. I poached some sausages in the half-glass I didn't drink and they were marvelous.

Cheer up, Tis The Season!