What’s your favorite, not fancy, large refrigerator for produce? I’ve needed a second fridge badly and been through all the consumer reports. But, I’m guessing most people here have a better answer since you all are storing so much fruit. (I already have a massive freezer chest)
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I use a chest freezer with a inkbird thermostat for temporary storage.
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I have a ge cafe inherited from the old owners and I hate it, so not that!
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I use an older side by side fridge freezer that I kept in my basement after I got a new fridge for my kitchen. I’ve gone down this rabbit hole before though…
I think you are on the right track with consumer reports.
I wouldn’t be looking at a large refrigerator though.
go to Consumer Reports reviews of upright freezers and focus on fridge/freezer convertible models that are “garage ready”. even if you plan to put it in conditioned space, the “garage ready” nomenclature indicates the fridge is insulated well enough to maintain a set temp when it is warmer out and/or the compressor will cycle enough when it is warm out. look for models that use R600a refrigerant as it is generally newer and more efficient.
this will take you to models like:
Hisense CFU21N6AWE
Hisense HUF210N6AWD
Insignia NS-UZ21WH0
Just my 2 cents.
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Interesting! Thank you.
Is there any special adaptations or adjustments that should be done to a 'fridge to optimize it for fruit storage?
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I know crisper drawers for some fruit is recommended which adjusts the humidity in some manner. It probably depends a lot on exaxtly what produce you store.
You ideally want 34° and high humidity.
The less oxygen the better, this is an additional bonus for a chest freezer as you won’t be completely cycling the air out of it every time you open it
If you’re careful, you can even use dry ice to displace the oxygen in the freezer
Stonefruits have an added procedure when picked off the tree:
Any still hard peaches/plums should be counter ripened for 48 hours
Then after 10-14 days in refrigeration peaches/plums should be stored at room temperature for one day before being put back into refrigeration (important)
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How would you ensure high humidity?
Also why the specific protocol for stonefruit?
That’s just how to store stonefruit for the longest with the highest quality, I didn’t figure it out, commercial growers did
Refrigerators have high humidity. When you cool air down you increase the relative humidity because cold air holds less water
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Why? I just put plums and peaches in the fridge. I harvested the last of them over a month ago and am still using them… they are fine although the peaches will be eaten or rotting in about a week. I pick peaches just as they show a bit of softness at the stem-end or base. That’s perfect for canning or other culinary use, but they can be taken out any time to soften further before eating.
Not that I’m truly an expert at this… I just do what I’ve always done because it seems to work very well. I’m genuinely curious about what your method is based on.
I will be eating frozen nectarines, plums, and blueberries all winter into when I have fruit to pick from trees again. I’m down to my last box of plums and peaches, everything else in my huge fruit fridge (no freezer in it) is apples and pears for the winter into spring.
Someone on here posted a published study on how fruits are commercially stored. Not sure where the post is, I just wrote the procedure from it on my notes
Yes doing it the simple way you get about a month, with this method you get 6-8 weeks and quality is maintained for longer
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I just got the rundown from CHAT. The method is used for fruit that is not tree ripened- essentially the research was done for commercial fruit production where fruit is usually picked at least a week before beginning to soften.
Fruit that is starting to soften has reached peak flavor that isn’t damaged by refrigeration according to my own experience and to CHAT…
I’ve been pulling out nectarines from my fridge that have been in storage for well over 2 months and are shriveled things from the defrost, but the flavor is all there. Same deal with my plums and pluots… but I don’t pay that close attention to my peaches. Out of the fridge I only use them for cooking.
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Has the texture changed in two months?
That is exactly the suggestion that I was going to offer. I helped my parents get a new upright freezer during a Black Friday sale last year and the Insignia brand one that was selected has the versatility of being used as a refrigerator instead (if desired) by the temperature being adjusted to a different range.
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Still juicy, but more concentrated due to evaporation. The only thing really lost is appearance and wetness. I don’t want to say juiciness because it’s not like they taste dry.
Next season I will store some in my sons former college fridge, which is tiny, cheap and defoid of defrost.
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I think you may be referring to my post from 2024 (“Cold storage of peaches- mistakes and solutions”) based on my reading of
https://www.growingproduce.com/fruits/stone-fruit/how-to-prevent-chilling-injuries-in-peaches/
I’ve been very pleased with the results. The method is as you described: 48 hr.room temp ripen, cold storage 32-34F, remove for a day after 2 weeks of refrigeration, and return to 32-34F. Peaches and nectarines consistently last 2 months and give you that initial blast of juice. By the 3rd month, however, both peaches and nectarines are mealy and have lost their magic.
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If I don’t need freezer space, what is the advantage to a freezer that converts to a fridge versus just fridge? Is it the layout of the freezer? Most refrigerators have freezers and internal layouts that seem to waste a lot of space.
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My reckoning is that it is likely that it will be easier to find an economical, plain-jane no-frills convertible that lets you pick exactly what temperature you want it to hold, whether it is in the freezing range or above.
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My go-to source of information on appliances and especially refrigerators is
Appliances Made to BREAK! What Should You Buy Built to LAST? - YouTube
Ben’s Appliances and Junk
OK, the man has his opinions, but he repairs appliances and has experience. This video starts with washing machines but later discusses refrigerators.
The main take-home point is to get the simplest fridge with the fewer features–less to break. The second take-home is that brand names don’t mean what they used to on account of “out sourcing.”
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