Schmick HUS-EX108 Alfresco Party Fridge: Who It's For
If you have been looking at the Schmick HUS-EX108, you have probably already worked out that it is not the cheapest 108L fridge on the page. This is what the extra buys you, what it costs to run, and who should buy something else.
The one thing that makes this fridge different
Put an ordinary glass door bar fridge on a covered deck in Brisbane and by mid-afternoon you cannot see through it. Warm humid air hits cold glass and the door fogs. You have bought a display fridge that displays nothing.
The HUS-EX108 has a heating element built into the glass itself. It keeps the door panel just warm enough that condensation never forms. That is the reason this model exists, and it is why it is rated for outdoor as well as indoor use. For comparison, the unheated Schmick 70L HUS-SC70-B is rated indoor only.
What it costs to run
Heated glass is not free, and it is worth seeing the real numbers rather than the flattering ones.
| Model | Capacity | Heated | Running cost | Noise | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HUS-EX108 | 108L | Yes | $221.80/yr | 45 dB | 1 year | $1,023.15 |
| HUS-SC70-B | 70L | No (indoor only) | $64.57/yr | 43 dB | 1 year | $577.00 |
| SK86R-B-HD | 89L | Yes | $114.17/yr | 43 dB | 2 years | $994.65 |
| SK116R-HD | 121L | Yes | $112.30/yr | 43 dB | 2 years | $1,156.15 |
Two things stand out. The heated door does cost more to run than an unheated fridge, as you would expect. But not all of that gap is the heating element: the SK86R-B-HD and SK116R-HD are also heated and run at roughly half the EX108, and the SK116R-HD is larger. The EX108 is simply a thirstier unit than its heated stablemates.
So if the fridge is going in a climate-controlled room, skip the heated door entirely and keep the money. If it is going outdoors, on a patio, or in a garage somewhere humid, you want heated glass - but compare running costs across the heated models before you settle on this one.
The numbers that decide whether it fits
- 108L, one door, black, lockable
- 845 mm high, 560 wide, 500 deep, with 700 x 445 x 360 mm of usable space inside
- Freestanding. Building it into cabinetry needs a cavity of 880 x 620 x 600 mm, plus 100 mm clear at the rear and 30 mm at the sides and top
- Right-hand hinge, and it does not reverse. Check your door swing before ordering, because this one cannot be flipped later
- 45 dB, 8.0 star energy rating
- 1 year warranty
Who should buy it
Someone with a covered outdoor bar, an alfresco kitchen, or a garage in a humid part of the country, who wants to see the drinks without opening the door, and who needs it lockable because the fridge lives somewhere the party can reach it.
Who should not
If it is going indoors in a dry climate, buy an unheated glass door model and keep the running cost down. If you need a left-hand hinge, this is not your fridge, because the door does not reverse. And if warranty term matters to you, note this one is 1 year where most of our glass door range is 2.
Alternatives worth a look
Same heated glass, cheaper to run and longer warranty: the SK86R-B-HD at 89L for $994.65, or the SK116R-HD at 121L for $1,156.15. Both are quieter at 43 dB and both carry two years. There are 70 heated models in the heated glass door bar fridge range if none of these three fit your gap, and the full glass door bar fridge range if you decide you do not need heating at all.
For an outdoor install, the outdoor bar fridge range is the place to start. Building into cabinetry? See the under bench fridge range.
See full specs and buy the Schmick HUS-EX108
Prices and specifications current at the time of writing. Every figure above comes from the product's own spec data - check the product page for the latest.
Schmick HUS-EX108 Alfresco Party Fridge: Who It's For
3 min readIf you have been looking at the Schmick HUS-EX108, you have probably already worked out that it is not the cheapest 108L fridge on the page. This is what the extra buys you, what it costs to run, and who should buy something else.
The one thing that makes this fridge different
Put an ordinary glass door bar fridge on a covered deck in Brisbane and by mid-afternoon you cannot see through it. Warm humid air hits cold glass and the door fogs. You have bought a display fridge that displays nothing.
The HUS-EX108 has a heating element built into the glass itself. It keeps the door panel just warm enough that condensation never forms. That is the reason this model exists, and it is why it is rated for outdoor as well as indoor use. For comparison, the unheated Schmick 70L HUS-SC70-B is rated indoor only.
What it costs to run
Heated glass is not free, and it is worth seeing the real numbers rather than the flattering ones.
| Model | Capacity | Heated | Running cost | Noise | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HUS-EX108 | 108L | Yes | $221.80/yr | 45 dB | 1 year | $1,023.15 |
| HUS-SC70-B | 70L | No (indoor only) | $64.57/yr | 43 dB | 1 year | $577.00 |
| SK86R-B-HD | 89L | Yes | $114.17/yr | 43 dB | 2 years | $994.65 |
| SK116R-HD | 121L | Yes | $112.30/yr | 43 dB | 2 years | $1,156.15 |
Two things stand out. The heated door does cost more to run than an unheated fridge, as you would expect. But not all of that gap is the heating element: the SK86R-B-HD and SK116R-HD are also heated and run at roughly half the EX108, and the SK116R-HD is larger. The EX108 is simply a thirstier unit than its heated stablemates.
So if the fridge is going in a climate-controlled room, skip the heated door entirely and keep the money. If it is going outdoors, on a patio, or in a garage somewhere humid, you want heated glass - but compare running costs across the heated models before you settle on this one.
The numbers that decide whether it fits
- 108L, one door, black, lockable
- 845 mm high, 560 wide, 500 deep, with 700 x 445 x 360 mm of usable space inside
- Freestanding. Building it into cabinetry needs a cavity of 880 x 620 x 600 mm, plus 100 mm clear at the rear and 30 mm at the sides and top
- Right-hand hinge, and it does not reverse. Check your door swing before ordering, because this one cannot be flipped later
- 45 dB, 8.0 star energy rating
- 1 year warranty
Who should buy it
Someone with a covered outdoor bar, an alfresco kitchen, or a garage in a humid part of the country, who wants to see the drinks without opening the door, and who needs it lockable because the fridge lives somewhere the party can reach it.
Who should not
If it is going indoors in a dry climate, buy an unheated glass door model and keep the running cost down. If you need a left-hand hinge, this is not your fridge, because the door does not reverse. And if warranty term matters to you, note this one is 1 year where most of our glass door range is 2.
Alternatives worth a look
Same heated glass, cheaper to run and longer warranty: the SK86R-B-HD at 89L for $994.65, or the SK116R-HD at 121L for $1,156.15. Both are quieter at 43 dB and both carry two years. There are 70 heated models in the heated glass door bar fridge range if none of these three fit your gap, and the full glass door bar fridge range if you decide you do not need heating at all.
For an outdoor install, the outdoor bar fridge range is the place to start. Building into cabinetry? See the under bench fridge range.
See full specs and buy the Schmick HUS-EX108
Prices and specifications current at the time of writing. Every figure above comes from the product's own spec data - check the product page for the latest.