"MINI FRIDGE"
SLEMCKA, "Diplomat" Mini Fridge
Field Test Report by P. Mateus

2004.03.01

The goal for this report is to present the install and use of a mini fridge on my home office. The selected unit was purchased online from a UK store,  http://www.drinkstuff.com , and costed approx. 170.00 EUR inclunding FEDEX 3 working days delivery from the UK to Portugal. There several are alternative models and brands, that are cheaper / smaller (namely from http://www.thinkgeek.com). The "more than one six pack" and "transparent clear door" were the key factors to decide for this particular model.

This model can work both as a fridge and as warmer (keeping cold or hot beverages / food). The warmer mode was not tested since it was not part of the requisite for purchase. Cold capacity goes to a delta of minus 18-20 C degrees from the room temperature. Hot capacity goes up to 65 C degrees.

The package contains:

   + the main mini fridge unit
         + 20 liters
         + 220mm x 453 mm x 260 mm
   + two internal shelves
   + AC extension cord
   + DC extension cord (for 12V, car lighter plug use)
   + instruction manual (4 pages, single A4 sheet, folded),
         >> 376KB, PDF manual

The equipment is sold and supported by a UK base company, SLEMCKA, but "Made in China". All materials are average-high quality and with a overall "robust" and "nice" fell. The AC extension cord was a UK standard plug, easly replaced by a AC extension cord with the Portuguese standard plug (same voltage applies so no additional conversion was required).

The full original
package contents



Box highlights on features and specs



Transparent door and details on chiller and fans (in/out).



Particular details and nice features: the small back door compartment to store the 12V DC car lighter cable and plug, the nicely put selectors and indicators for power (ac/dc) and working mode (hot/cold).

The fridge was connected for the first time on my home office with a room temperature of approx. 19 C degrees, the immediate fridge reading was of 12 C degrees and, empty, it chilled down to 7 C degress in less then 10 minutes. A mixed "package" of coke, beer, juice and milk shake cans and bootles was stored in, covering approx. 2/3 of the available room. It took about half an hour to forty five minutes for the the fridge to lower the temperate to 3-4 C degrees where it remains stable. The engine/fans turns automatically on/off when the temperature sensor goes up/bellow this value. Accordingly to manual the fridge is able to go 18-20 C bellow actual room temperature, and that seems correct. The fridge has been running now for approx. 1 month and half with no problems.

Some might find the engine/fans a little noisy, but I find it low to average-low. Please note that my home office has 2 to 4 PCs running, being 2 of them high power mini-servers and more then 4 "power" fans on them. I'm not that sensible to fan noise (or not has much has I might once have been. Even just with some soft background music you'll never know the fridge is there.

A small wood enclosure was built to
receive the fridge. Ventilation is a must!


First mixed package to fill up the "Diplomat".
Orange juice, beer, coke, water and milk shake.




Fun. Geek stuff. Since there is no light on the fridge a "Krill" mini light stick was used to "play around neon geeky style". This alternative sticks from Kriana, http://www.kriana.com/ , are waterproof and resistant to low temperatures. Operated by dual AA batteries they have no light bulb but a thin wrap cilinder that generates light by electro-chemical action. They cost approx. 30.00 EUR incl. shipment.


Up and running.
4 C degrees.


Weekly refill.

2004. Copyrighted by P. Mateus, All rights reserved. No image or text, in full or in part, may be reproduced without formal request and authorization. There is no sponsor or partnership of any kind between the author and any of the brands or companies referred. This is a private and independent report.