Tips for Buying an Outdoor-Rated Refrigerator + Why We Love the Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00)

Tips for Buying an Outdoor Rated Refrigerator 

If you are in the market for an outdoor-rated refrigerator for your backyard oasis, there are many factors to consider for your big purchase. In today's post, we'll (a) share tips that we found in our research for choosing an outdoor refrigerator for our patio in north Texas and (b) weave our personal experience into the post as we decided on the Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00).

1. Consider the size of your space.

Personally, we think that it's important to be able to easily slide the outdoor refrigerator in and out of the space as needed for cleaning and maintenance.  You'll want to measure your space twice and narrow your search by the outer dimensions of the outdoor refrigerator. The second step is to assess how much usable space is in the outdoor fridge.  For instance, while two outdoor refrigerators may have the same outer dimensions, the amount of usable space may differ based on the design, compressor technology, and other parts that take space.  We love that the Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00) provides 5.3 cubic feet of generous space! 

2. Find space that does not have direct sunlight.

Outdoor refrigerators typically work harder than indoor refrigerators, especially during Texas summers!  Make sure that you have space that shades the outdoor refrigerator to avoid direct sunlight.  If you are renovating an outdoor patio or other area, this is an important consideration that you shouldn't overlook when you work with your design team!

3. Make sure that the outdoor refrigerator is rated for indoor and outdoor food storage.

During my research, I learned that large swings in outdoor temperatures cause engineering challenges. It makes sense when you think about it, but I guess that I never gave it enough thought until I started to research tips for buying an outdoor refrigerator! You'll want to make sure that the outdoor refrigerator is rated for outdoor food storage. Our Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00) is rated for both indoor and outdoor use. 

4. Look for an Energy Star rating.

The Energy Star rating gives you insight into the efficiency of the unit. This also helps you to estimate the cost to run your outdoor refrigerator throughout the year. Remember that this will vary based on factors such as how much you store in it, how often the door opens, and the ambient temperatures throughout the year.  Since we live in north Texas where summers are usually hot and humid, the Energy Star rating was important to us and is part of why we love the Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00).

5. Choose a finish that is durable and weather resistant.

The outdoor elements are tough on everything in Texas! An outdoor refrigerator is no exception. The heat and humidity is a big challenge for us. That's why we looked for a 430 stainless steel body for durability and relative weather resistance. We also have kids, so as a bonus, we love that our  Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00) has a fingerprint-resistant door to resist smudges and smears!

6. Look for a nice organizational layout and flexibility for the inside of the fridge. 

We generally store drinks and may occasionally store food platters. We love that the Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00) has a highly customizable interior with 3 adjustable shelves and 24 possible levels.  The ultimate flexibility allows day-to-day usage and is easy to adjust to store different items for parties!

7. Consider the warranty.

An outdoor refrigerator is an expensive purchase.  One consideration that we had was that we wanted a brand that we recognized. Newair was the perfect choice.  We've loved the quality of other products by this brand. For the Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00), they offer a 30-day no-hassle return policy which is nice so that you are able to make sure that it's perfect for your space.  They also offer a one year warranty. You'll want to look at the specific details for the item that you order, but here is a link to their general warranty information that I found helpful.

8. Look for an outdoor refrigerator that locks.

We have young children, so we lock our outdoor refrigerator when we are not using it for safety reasons. As parents,  we always think about our children's safety, so this was a feature that we wanted. The Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00) has a lock on the bottom and comes with two keys.

We hope that these tips help as you work on your plans that involve an outdoor refrigerator! I spent many hours learning about outdoor refrigerators. I have no training in this area, so you'll want to contact a licensed contractor and electrician for your own project, but I hope that some of my tips help you to better communicate with your team now that you know some things to look for in an outdoor refrigerator! The Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00) turned out to be our dream outdoor refrigerator!  

Save with this Newair coupon!

If it happens to be your dream refrigerator too, we contacted Newair to ask if we could offer a discount for the Newair 24” 5.3 Cu. Ft. Commercial Stainless Steel Built-in Beverage Refrigerator (Model NCR053SS00). They offered us a coupon to share -- use the code TRENDY10 for 10% off!