<p>When our house was built they put in a wet bar refrigerator. It is built in under the counter. It stopped working. The repairman just left and it is not worth repairing. The refrigerator is 11 yrs old.
The present refrigerator is a U Line with automatic ice maker. The repairman said they run about 1200 dollars. His suggestion is that if we don’t care about ice we should buy one of the dorm style refrigerators for around 100 dollars.
We rarely use it. I would probably vote for just leaving it broke but in the wall. But I think H wants to replace it.
Any experience out there with small refrigerators?</p>
<p>How about a wine cooler instead - about the same size and a heck of a lot more useful (I put one in a few years ago and never looked back!!!)</p>
<p>How is a wine cooler different? Aside from the shelves.
What is mainly in our little frig. Beer, 1 bottle of wine.
What wine cooler do you have?</p>
<p>Wine cooler is made to store and age wine for years - essentially creates a cave in your house. Temp is maintained wherever you set it - usually 57 degrees. </p>
<p>Shelves are made to hold wine bottles - I think mine holds 60 bottles on 5 shelves. </p>
<p>I wasn’t that into wine until about 10 years - but thought putting a few bottles down for the kids 21st birthday sounded like fun - now we are about ready to drink 
time sure flies… We have found it to be really useful when wine goes on sale or when we make that costco run…</p>
<p>Measure out the space and see what fits. I had a really ancient mini-fridge under a bar/counter - about 6 cubic feet, bigger than a dorm unit. It finally died, and I was able to replace it for about $300. I ordered from a big home improvement store (whose aprons match the color of my Tennessee Vols) online, they delivered/installed for free (rebated the $60, actually) and even hauled away the dead one so I didn’t have to pay to have the freon removed. (Disposing of an old refrigerator costs money these days.) The new one fit the space perfectly and is no doubt a lot more efficient. No icemaker, but I’ve got one in my regular fridge and buy bagged ice for entertaining anyway.</p>
<p>our refrigerator just died, but we didn’t have money to replace it with a full size one- so have a bar sized fridge only Sanyo from costco ( shipping was $8)
Its not bad- has metal door but the inside is Black!.
not helpful.
also has a thing on the door for cans which we don’t generally use- but it is a nice size- just have to get a seperate freezer.</p>
<p>Beware that ULine and other true under counter refrigerators vent to the front floor space as opposed to cheaper dorm style models which vent to the rear. Most building codes require the more expensive models to prevent fires.</p>
<p>We have a ULine (about $1200) and it is so noisy it drives me crazy! If I had it to do over, I’d get the sub zero one since I love my side by side so much and it is whisper quiet.</p>
<p>Agree with the comments about a wine cellar and there is also a variant called a “beverage center” that holds wine AND other types of beverages. They usually sell for about the same price. The main difference between an under counter fridge and wine cellar or beverage center is that the under counter fridge has a solid door and the others have a glass door. The fridge versions will allow beverages to get and stay cooler whereas the glass door versions won’t get as cold by design. If you like your soft drinks or adult beverages really cold, the under counter fridge option is best.</p>
<p>If you are thinking about just an under counter ice maker, we just built a new house and after much research learned that a commercial ice maker by Hoshizaki is now the machine of choice. Ice makers in general are no longer built like the older models (is anything?) and most sellers now will almost insist that you buy and extended warranty with them because of their terrible repair history.</p>
<p>The Hoshizaki cames with a longer standard warranty, sells for the same or less than other “retail” name brand models, makes better ice, and according to a friend who is in the business, is virtually bullet proof. The model for home use is one of the AM-50 series units like the AM-50BAE-AD. They are sold through restaurant supply companies and through the bigger appliance distributors. </p>
<p>[Hoshizaki</a> America, Inc.](<a href=“http://www.hoshizakiamerica.com/machine.asp?series=AM-50BAE-AD&itemClass=AM]Hoshizaki”>http://www.hoshizakiamerica.com/machine.asp?series=AM-50BAE-AD&itemClass=AM)</p>
<p>You can also buy them online at a number of places at VERY good prices if you can’t find one locally.</p>
<p>sewbusy- I didn’t think about the ventilation. The U line does vent to the front. The dorm style of course doesnt have the same dimensions as the U line. I think we are willing to go without the ice maker, since we have an automatic ice maker in our kitchen fridge.
I am passing all the info on to my spouse who feels the need to replace the u line.</p>
<p>we had a u-line that was about 18 years old - HATED having to pay the price for the new one- which dh did buy on his own - because of the front venting</p>
<p>just stayed at a hotel that solved the venting problem - they left room around the refrig on each side and then had a vent in the back of the counter top for the frig to breathe - not my choice - not very slick - BUT way cheaper - esp is you are outfitting many hotel rooms…</p>