I'm officially loving the fridgador

[mugwump]

Last week in the "Show pics of your humi" thread I posted a picture of my new EdgeStar 28 bottle wine cooler. Since then I've really come to appreciate this little bugger. I was always fighting with my humidors to keep them stabilized and I never cared for using a cooler as it had to sit out of sight in the closet. Set at the highest temp setting and stocked with half a pound of beads the fridgador maintains 63 degrees and the humidity stays at 65% with the occasional drop to 62% when it's running a lot.

In the summer the temperature in the house can easily swing from the upper 80s to the low 60s over the course of a day since we rarely ever run the AC (nights are almost always in the mid 50s here). This played havoc with my traditional humidors but the EdgeStar just keeps chugging along at 63/65.

Once the weather turns cooler I figure I can just shut it off completely since we keep the house at 65 during the fall and winter. Then it will just act as a glorified cooler with a window.

I was reluctant to take this further step down the slope but so far I couldn't be happier. Now I just have to await the arrival of a bunch of new sticks to stock it up.

[TripleF]

Cool (no pun intended )

Glad you're liing it!!

[Throb]

I love my vino: my temps were running from 70-80 depending on the time of day. Now I just look at my sticks and know they are happy

[liguhy]

Originally Posted by mugwump

Last week in the "Show pics of your humi" thread I posted a picture of my new EdgeStar 28 bottle wine cooler. Since then I've really come to appreciate this little bugger.

I'm comtemplating making a coolerador or frigador and noticed your orginal post about the EdgeStar. In regards to just the frigador, I'd like a Vino, but they're not on sale right now and are even out of stock. I've also seen posts regarding the Avanti and EdgeStar 28 wine coolers and looked up specs. I remember reading the EdgeStar doesn't display and adjust the temperature - you have to monitor it with something else and adjust a small dial. Don't remember about the Avanti. I ask you because you seem to love your Edgestar. If I'm gonna justify paying the money for a wine cooler just for cigars I want the best features and the temp thing bothers me. Thoughts?

[mugwump]

The Vinotemp is probably a better choice but since it wasn't readily available I went with the EdgeStar and actually prefer the way it looks. There are no LED lights and it comes with the handle not installed so you can leave it off for a nice clean look. Temperature is controlled by a typical fridge-style dial. I just leave it at the warmest setting and it stays at 63 which is close enough for me. Hope that helps.

[cherrybomb]

I've had an avanti for my wine for seven years and has never given me a problem I gave 325 for a 52bottle cellar

[imthegoal]

Have you sealed the drainage ports? If so are you getting condensation?

[mugwump]

Originally Posted by imthegoal

Have you sealed the drainage ports? If so are you getting condensation?

At first I covered the hole with electrical tape and rerouted the condensation to a tray of beads. It worked fine but started bringing the rH up too high so I removed it all and now just let it do its thing. Now that the cool weather is here it doesn't run much and there's been no condensation. Back when I was running it to the beads it probably amounted to about a teaspoon every four or five days. The drainage hole on the EdgeStar is about two thirds of the way up and is very small.

[Smokin Gator]

I just picked up a Vinotemp yesterday from Target for $149. If you are in the market I would pull the trigger now.