Most people who buy a mini fridge for their house put it in a basement or gameroom to hold soda and/or beer. Some even have real vending machines to dispense beverages. This mini fridge would have a colorful molded plastic front with a low-wattage backlight that looks like a soft drink vending machine, complete with buttons and coin slot. This version would not really accept coins or dispense cans, tho.

An advanced version could have angled dispenser racks and working selector buttons, so that pushing a button would actually dispense a soda thru the door. In this version, properly insulating the door (which has the dispensing hole in it) is the challenge, altho it is obviously done on real vending machines.

UPDATE: Maytag has just introduced such a machine. It's a bit expensive at $600US, but fills the bill. [link]
-- ConsultingDetective, Feb 02 2004

Retro Soda Machine https://web.archive...iards.com/soda.html
It should look something like this. [ConsultingDetective, Oct 04 2004]

Compact Refrigerator http://www.beverage...erhigh/dar482.shtml
It should be counter high, and all fridge; no freezer [ConsultingDetective, Oct 04 2004]

Maytag Skybox vending fridge https://www.designc...ome-vending-machine
Beaten to market by the Maytag guys. [ConsultingDetective, Oct 04 2004]

sp: damn it. Damn it.
-- ConsultingDetective, Feb 02 2004


so [consultingdetective], the idea here is to miniaturise a vending machine? If so, its not baked, but its also not much of an idea. sorry.
-- jonthegeologist, Feb 02 2004



random, halfbakery