Product review (4 stars): Looks great, works well - drinks nice and cold -- but not "ice cold"
Have had the unit over 3 weeks now. I wanted to test it before writing any review. Overall, it works well. Shipping time was VERY fast. Item arrived in great condition (no damage at all). Item was double boxed (box inside box) with foam padding in each box. You remove the item from the outer box and place the inner box on the floor and cut the 2 plastic packing straps. The inner-box can then be lifted up - leaving just the cooler and the bottom of the inner-box (unpacking instructions were not provided- but if you know this info - it will make unpacking much easier). The cooler itself looks great with glass front and chrome. I thought the lack of inside light would be a drawback - but it really doesn't make a difference in functionality. I also thought having the temperature control on the back (rather than inside the unit) would be a problem - but it actually works fine - and allows adjustments to temperature w/o having to open the door. Now the the big question: is it cold enough? Well, for my unit- it is. I'm using my unit inside my house (and away from any direct sunlight/heat). There definitely is a significant temperature difference from the coolest part of the cooler (top shelf, towards back near the cooling unit) and the warmest part of cooler (bottom shelf near the door). On lowest (coolest) setting - temperature is 33-34F by the cooling unit and about 39-40F by front door. Drinks come out cool/refreshing - though not "ice cold". Important to remember that this is a "cooler" and not a "refrigerator" The lack of any fan circulation in the unit does have its drawbacks. There is a very slight frost on the cooling coils (inside the unit) that you can feel to-the-touch. But, otherwise, icing does not seem like it will be an issue. As for noise- it's fairly loud when the compressor is running (not "extremely" loud - but loud enough that you'd notice it in a quiet room - This is not something i'd use in a guestroom/bedroom) and even when compressor isn't running - there is a slight "water running" sound often noticeable. If you need "ice-cold" drinks, are using in a outside/hot area or quiet operation is paramount - you might want to stay away from this model. But, for a rec-room/game room, or similar area when convenience and/or styling is a concern and a little noise from the compressor isn't a big deal - this unit should fit the bill.