I already retard (intermittently) starters & doughs, when I desire. I am considering getting a small used fridge, that would live in my garage & be dedicated to my bread stuff. I find myself wondering if it would actually be more beneficial to repurpose a wine cooler/fridge for this? Its temperature range is a bit warmer than a standard refrigerator.
Thoughts?
i bought a used wine cooler, which is nice because you can set the actual temp, which is often not possible with a smaller refrig since they usually have just a knob that goes warmer or cooler, but no temps. If you get one of the wine coolers without a compressor, they usually can only cool 20 to 25 degrees cooler than the room in which they are located. Most of the year that is fine with me, but in the high heat of the summer, than can be an issue for me because I keep mine in a garage which can get pretty hot. Usually, the smaller ones do not have a compressor. They also take up less space than a fridge, are lighter, and can usually be found used very cheaply. I also use mine occasionally as a proofer by putting in a heating pad controlled by a thermostat .
Excellent information! I think I will start with a small used one & if I find that I am using it enough, start looking into a taller one, with a compressor. Thank you!
It depends on what you want. Wine coolers are a great way to go if you want a plug and play. But it is not the ultimate because the ability to accurately regulate cool/cold temps are limited.
You may be able to setup an accurate temperature adjustable retarder for the same money if you can get a used freezer or refrigerator. If you are interested go to ThePerfectLoaf.com and search for retarder.
I built one similar to Maurizio’s except I choose a small compact freezer instead. Space was limited.
This is what I went with, but you could also use any refrigerator.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MVVITWC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074DBMG7D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It is dead on accurate. The retarder was set for 50F. The “tiger tooth” line is the freezer cycling on and off.
Danny
Thank you, that’s a pretty cool idea. Looks like I have some decisions to make!