Supermarkets spend considerable time and energy training their staff in product rotation. It is this first-in, first out system which ensures that the supermarket doesn't get any wastage and that you are not sold out-of-date stock.
The trouble is, when you get home, these items get put in your fridge, often without the same due care to stock rotation.
The first-in, first-out (FIFO) Fridge takes care of this for you. When you open the fridge, you'll note a central circular vertical pole, neatly divding the fridge into the IN and OUT sections/sides.
About this central pole, swing a number of semi-circular, horizontal trays. When the door is closed, the flat edges lines up with the edge of the fridge shelf - but when the door is open, you rotate the semi-discs about its axis to get access to your foodstuffs. When filling the fridge, put food onto the left handside of the tray, when taking out, take from the right.
Beer also tastes much better for a little stock rotation too : first in last out discipline means that you'll not have to hunt for the cold one.
Other advantages is that as all food is on the semi-disc shelves, it is easily accessible for even the shortest of fridge users. Nothing ever gets lost at the back of the fridge.-- jonthegeologist, Jul 22 2004 Like this... (if you're struggling to visualise) http://www.kitchend...k/creatingspace.php [jonthegeologist, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] (?) For beer http://store.yahoo....-can-dispenser.htmlViola! [daseva, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] rayfo's round fridge. http://www.halfbake...20round_20fridge_2e [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] Only vaguely related... Produce_20Exchange [normzone, Oct 25 2015] https://xkcd.com/1109/ [pertinax, Oct 26 2015] Nice One [jtg]. Can I have a rack to myself that rotates on a ratchet and only accepts cans of Beer?. No more uncomfortable shuffling of cold tinnies!>-- gnomethang, Jul 22 2004 I like it from a design perspective; allowing a refrigerator to occupy a corner space such as the linked space saver device. Also, some of those corner storage units allow the shelf to slide out once opened, thus giving better visual and physical access to the contents of the shelf.
From a FIFO perspective though, I'm not seeing the benefit. Unlike the grocery store, I don't keep multiples of the same item in cold storage. I just don't have 8 differently aged gallons of milk or 24 jars of grape jelly in my refrigerator to cause me the issue that this idea attempts to resolve.
+/--- half, Jul 22 2004 [half] as [gnomethang] points out, the FIFO could work very well with beers. Sure, they won't go out of date, but the long they are in the fridge, the cooler they are, thus FIFO selection is a real plus.-- jonthegeologist, Jul 22 2004 Heh, save the sales pitch. I guess it's just me. I don't have any beer in my refrigerator. If I did, I'd probably use one of those little FIFO rack dispenser thingies.
Hey, I'm not saying I wouldn't consider such a product if I were designing a kitchen. I just wouldn't buy it explicitly for FIFO, LIFO, FILO, LILO, FIFI, FIDO or any other acronym.
(I also don't get the point of the ratcheting semi-circular shelf suggested, but I seem to be sounding negative today so I won't mention that)-- half, Jul 22 2004 [Half] The ratcheting thang might be my fault. I was suggesting a carousel through 360 degrees with a clockwork ratchet stylee thang such that you could parade your beers around in an increasing degree of coldness. To be fair to [jtg] this was not his idea bit but we both think that this has certain (cold beer) advantages.-- gnomethang, Jul 22 2004 (My point was that if it ratcheted in only one direction, being semi-circular, you'd never be able to close the door)-- half, Jul 22 2004 who is he kidding? hazel sorts the fridge while he plays here!-- po, Jul 22 2004 *if* i used the fridge, I'd like this functionality.
(shouts) HAZEL, WHERE DO WE KEEP THE FRIDGE?-- jonthegeologist, Jul 22 2004 I was hoping for a little fully circular carousel (with diameter < depth of fridge) at the top (coldest part) of the fridge with a big sticker saying 'Beer Only'. I think that we should consider modular fridge design even though it may be more costly in production of small moulded plastic items.-- gnomethang, Jul 22 2004 (shouts) FRIDGE DARLING? WHAT'S THAT?-- hazel, Jul 23 2004 How about a fridge with two doors? One side for loading the beer, and the opposite for unloading the beer. I guess it would only work with an island layout.-- Ling, Jul 23 2004 I could have sworn that there was a lazy susan fridge idea here but durned if'n I can find it.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jul 24 2004 A fridge with a loading door, and a unloading door. And where you could only reach the first three items in the que would work best for me.
I am always throwing out rotted fruit or bagged salad.
There is cheese in there now so old it has grandkids.
Some restaurants need something like this to avoid poisoning their customers.
"Don't play with your food, honey." Mom says.
Child whines "But Mom the food is playing with me... and it is trying to bite me."-- popbottle, Oct 25 2015 Much easier to have a second door at the back of the fridge for stocking it, pushing older product forward as new product is added from the back.
The problem is space, and special "doors front and back" fridges.
This problem is relevant for fridges, shelves, produce racks, etc.-- Custardguts, Oct 26 2015 push a button, fridge rolls forward, spins 180, and the back door opens ready to be loaded.
After you stick in the new stuff, push button, backspin and retreat.
If fridge is in garage, you could load direct from trunk to fridge.
If the ass end of fridge is in garage, and the front end in the kitchen, the whole move and spin nonsense is avoided. (Honey, there is a small burglar in our refrigerator. Dear, Tell him to come back during normal business hours.)-- popbottle, Oct 26 2015 or a round fridge.-- FlyingToaster, Oct 26 2015 random, halfbakery