I moved into a new house last July (renting) and the fridge, just like every fridge I've ever had, is on the small side. As the holidays approached, I took up a friend on an offer to take her old, second refrigerator as she was moving and not taking it with her. I had had one in my old house, in the basement, and it came in handy for holidays, summer parties, and when making the occasional very large cake (which happens once every couple of years). Getting anything into and out of the basement of my current place is a giant pain in the neck so when I got the fridge, I put it on my enclosed front porch, which is the main entrance to my house. It's convenient there, but it's an eyesore and I could really use that space better for storing coats, etc. The porch is actually huge but there is only a small space that doesn't have windows and I'd rather use that wall for coats, etc.
So I'm debating on whether or not to keep the second fridge at all. If I get rid of it, I'll definitely need a chest freezer (which I could easily fit in my basement) because I make a lot of soups and freezer meals and don't have room in my teeny freezer for that. If I keep it, I'll probably have to hire some help to carry it around to the back of the house and down the basement stairs so that it's not in my front entryway.
If you had a second fridge and got rid of it, did you regret it? If you don't have one and host holidays and parties, how do you manage to keep food cold? On Christmas, I had 16 for dinner and then 30 for a second round of entertaining that night, so the second fridge held deli platters, pasta dishes, roasts, side dishes made in advance, drinks, produce etc. I also hosted Hanukkah for 13, am doing Passover for 16 and will likely host a party or two this sumnmer. Wondering if some really large coolers would suffice for those occasions?
Try keeping it in the basement, see how much you use it over the next few months with it being in the basement. You can always get rid of it later.
You are in Boston, so my solution may work for you - for the big winter holidays, I put a cooler on the back porch with food that won't fit in the fridge. I can pust just a little ice in the cooler to cool it down to start with, and then since it's cold outside, everything stays cold for as long as I need it to, and I bring it back in to set out when it's time to eat. All drinks stay outside on the porch in the cooler for the entire event. Guests can pop out onto the porch to grab a drink.
I have a small chest freezer that I could not live without.
I hear you with the occasional big meals/holidays. I'm having 12-16 for Passover too, and wondering how to handle it!
I found that the 2nd fridge, because it was old, was draining electricity most of the time. The older models aren't that efficient and I found that the rebate from the electric company was more attractive. (Plus they haul it away for free.) I didn't think I'd like getting rid of it and figured I'd replace it with a newer model, but we haven't done that in 2 years and it's been okay.
If a chest freezer would work better for you year-round, then it makes sense.
For Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, I found I could put stuff in the garage - a tray of baked stuffed potatoes, for example, sat happily in my trunk and was closer to the kitchen than going down a full flight to the basement. Coolers work well for drinks and for most things, other than big platters which don't fit. Those are things you can often borrow from neighbors so you don't even have to invest in them. I also use the coolers, not for the meal essentials, but for the stuff I am NOT using that takes up a ton of room - mustard, salad dressing, and so forth. I take the fruit/veggie crisper drawers out because that stuff can usually sit out for a few hours just fine, and I use the "holes" to put meal essentials.
I also know people who (no kidding) put a few bags of ice in the bathtub and set platters down on top of that. Closing the door and opening the window in cold temps helps. You might lose some heat out the window, but it's less than running that second fridge all year long. And draining the melted ice is a no brainer!
Passover is tougher this year because it's in April (and hopefully spring will come to us here in Boston), but it still should be cool enough for you to manage with most things - at least, I hope so! The problem will be if you put coolers outside and it gets warm during the day. Do you know enough of your new neighbors to appeal for help? Maybe some of them have a 2nd fridge?
Good luck and let us know how you make out!
Sometimes I think a chest freezer in the garage might come in handy.
But it's way hot in there in the summer - it would cost a fortune in electricity to keep it going.
If you just have it to use for a few holidays, I'd have a hard time having it take up the space for 365 days a year.
Even if you just plugged it in for the few weeks you need it - you have to be careful with fridges in case some kid thinks it's a good thing to hide inside.
That's why they recommend taking the door off when it's not being used.
If you've got room in the basement, you could try it out for awhile - but carrying a lot of food/platters up and down stairs might change your mind about how useful it is.
Maybe you could somehow enclose the corner of your pouch where the fridge is so it's not in view and your wall of the alcove could hold a coat rack?
I've wanted a second fridge for 20 years. We just didn't get one! DARN IT!!
I'd hire someone to get it in the basement. Keep it. You use it.
Sounds like there are times when you have a need for a refrigerator. Best option might be to store it in your garage (take the door off, or secure it to the fridge w/a lock for safety), & then bring it to the porch a day or 2 before you need to start filling it.
I don't know the ins & outs of refrigerator maintenance, so check with someone to make sure that allowing it to sit dormant won't be an issue in it's ability to function. The bonus with keeping & using it, as opposed to coolers, is that you have more consistent temperature control, & no need for ice packs (or ice, which melts eventually). Plus you can prepare things a few days ahead of time & keep them cool - difficult with coolers.
T. :)
We have a second fridge, it's in our master bathroom, seriously, it is. It's a small one from Lowes. We keep the pop and snack foods in it so the kids can't access it without us knowing.
If I had a second full size fridge and I had used a second one before and know it's a useful thing to have then I would likely keep both.
I know you don't like it on the porch but why not put the larger one in your kitchen and move the smaller one to a different area? It only needs a plug in if you don't have an ice maker or anything hooked up. You could take the door off and leave it unplugged until you need it if you can't put it near a plug in right now.
I can't say that I'd like coats and stuff hanging on a front porch sort of area either though.
I think you can figure out what you want to do. Me? I'd keep the larger fridge that has the freezer space you need but you might only want the smaller fridge.
We get way more use out of a small chest freezer than we would a second fridge. I host very large holiday meals and usually they are in the winter so I am able to use the outdoors as my helper for some of the overflow items. In the summer, I resort to coolers. I also don't "plate" food until close to the time I need it, saving me fridge space (this isn't always convenient, but often I am able to do this with a few items.
As an aside, my folks always kept their 2nd fridge in the garage - is that an option?
Good luck!
I use both of my fridges and I don't think I could do without two. In the winter, however, I also take advantage of the weather and use the yard for short term food storage. Of course things freeze pretty quickly here,
I used to have one and decided I didn't need it enough to warrant the electric bill (I'm pretty practical) Now I'm more of a minimalist and there is no way I'd have one. Sounds like you do a ton of entertaining. In that case, I'd keep it.
sounds like keeping it is your best option with the entertaining you do, my inlaws actuallly have 3 fridges. one large main one in the kitchen, one in the walkin closet thats for coate by the front door, and one in the garage. and all 3 get used, beers in the garage, wind and food overflow in the closet and everything else in the kitchen.. she hosts a few parties but not as many as you do.
i do need a chest freezer though but for long term food storage not quick refrigeration for a party
I have a big freezer plus a second refrigerator. The frig comes in handy but if my son didn't give it to me when he got a new one I would not have bought one. Now my big freezer, would not be able to live without it.
I have a huge 5 day cooler and access to 2 additional ones if I need along with a few smaller coolers. I use them for parties. I host everything and routinely cook for 15 to 25 people. I always tell my hubby that it would be nice to have a second oven and fridge but I've figured out how to make it work without them.
Honestly I got tire of not having enough space and having to run downstairs to the garage fridge so I bought I larger fridge for the kitchen and I love it.
