Did you see the other USB fridge clones that Amazon has listed? I can't remember why I chose this one, but since I did, I will tell you what I think about it. This review may or may not apply to the others. But for this version, it should be accurate.
First, like it has been said, it's not exactly a fridge. It's a hot plate with a bonus cooling fan that you can set a can-sized container on, with the surrounding box keeping some of the warmth/cool inside. I say some because the box is only about a 3/32-inch thick in most places, with no insulation of any kind. Containers with flat bottoms are recommended to reach and keep a desirable temperature. There is a magnetic seal on the door, but a latch would've been better. It does not support the weight of a unopened can, much less one that would be half full, so be careful of any unwanted drink port-a-potty tipping.
Yes, it actually warms up things, too. This listing is like the versions without the rocker switch on the cord. Dig a little and you will find this exact model design listed as a cooler/warmer. This was likely a slip-up, but I wish to imagine it as a designer's revenge for the last minute inclusion of an executive's need for it to "reverse cool, or make it so cold that it's hot, like frostbite" and the exclusion of a proper latch.
Here's the rocker switch layout (unexplained in the instructions):
| = Hot = red LED inside - It might not be broken. It might just be flipped to the wrong side.
O = Off = off LED inside
|| = Cool = green LED inside - This is likely the side of the switch that you want.
About the design: it's simple. Supposedly fragile (don't wish to stress test), but has some limited feel of integrity to it. Fan and plate rests in the bottom of the unit, inside the door, measuring just under 2 inches. Makes a slight whirring noise when cooling, but nothing while heating. The rest of the unit is roughly 5 and a half inches of soda space. Outside, there's some dated fridge design, complete with spite latch. Be careful: it might make your other devices, and even your choice of soda, seem needlessly extravagant.
Weight: small amount of heft at the bottom when empty. With a can inside, it feels like it has a can inside. Hey, who put this can inside my USB fridge?
System specs needed: A PC/Mac + 100 megabytes of storage space + 32 megabytes of RAM for this plug and play device... but all you really need is a USB port that utilizes some power source. For the sake of fun, I hooked it up for a solar-powered battery backup meant for charging portable devices, and it still worked.
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If you have the extra money to spend on USB fridges, you could get this if you want one. Contrary to the negative portions of the above block of text I made, it's actually a decent device. I wanted something to cool down a drink, out of sheer impulsiveness. And I feel satisfied. You would be, too.
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A silly thought: Honestly, I thought they couldn't afford to put a latch in. I was amazed when I found out that it had a magnet. This might sound dumb, but it's like they outdid themselves. It's somehow an awesome feature. I was expecting no seal whatsoever, and then magically, it's sealing. How? A magnet. WOW. Are you still taking me seriously after this? Gosh, I hope so. I don't know if I can.
| Brand Name | SonicBay |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 1.05 pounds |
| Package Dimensions | 8.4 x 5.7 x 4.1 inches |
| Part Number | 88015430@@1206 |
| Form Factor | Compact |
| Color | Black |
