Avallon ABR241SG Beverage Cooler Review: Pricey Yet Popular

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If you were to ask me to name a brand that is “pricey yet popular”, I think the first one that would come to mind is Apple. Their products, like the iPhone and Mac computers, are very popular, even though they tend to cost significantly more than other similar electronics.

The Avallon ABR241SG beverage cooler is obviously not in the same niche as Apple gadgets, but I think it’s fair to say that you can think about its price and popularity the same way.

In this review, I’ll tell you about the features and specifications of this Avallon cooler so you can get an idea of what makes it so popular. We’ll also look at what several current owners have to say about it to further educate you before your possible purchase.

If you’re in a hurry and just want to check the pricing and availability of this Avallon beverage refrigerator at Amazon, you can click the link below.

• Avallon ABR241SG Beverage Cooler

What Does Avallon Say about the ABR241SG?

The manufacturer is obviously only going to tell about the good points of its product. Still, there is at least one feature worth hearing about from Avallon.

Note: Avallon seems to have been bought out by Edgestar. Also, the Avallon brand (with 2 L’s) is not to be confused with the Avalon brand (with 1 L) which makes appliances for cooling and dispensing water.

Avallon makes a big deal about the ABR241SG fridge’s “state‐of‐the‐art argon filled double paned Low-E glass”. They claim that it “filters harmful UV rays away from your beverages, [and] acts as a thermal barrier, reflecting unwanted heat and making the unit more energy efficient”.

All of that may be true, but, other than the insulation factor, I’m not sure how much it matters. Most likely you’re going to setup your fridge indoors. There aren’t significant UV rays there to worry about. Then again, if you have plans to use a cooler outside, I suppose this could be a factor in your purchase decision.

Features of the Avallon ABR241SG Door

You may see the model number with an “RH” or “LH” appended to it, as in ABR241SGRH or ABR241SGLH. This designates right hand and left hand door openings respectively. It’s nice to know that you have these options. Sometimes it really makes a difference which way the door opens, depending on the one spot you have in which to install it.

This tells you that the glass door is not reversible. You have to purchase the correct model for the space in which you intend to keep it. So, look for the approproate “RH” or “LH” before you place your order.

And bear in mind then, that if you ever decide to move it to a different location, that new space will have to be appropriate for the direction the door swings.

The stainless steel door does lock with the key provided. Many, but not all, beverage coolers have a keyed lock to keep especially youngsters from opening the door. I think these coolers would be a special temptation for the young ones because the door is at their level, is fairly easy to open, and often contains a beverage like soda pop that they want.

If your cooler will only have soft drinks in it, maybe you can teach your children not to open the cooler whenever they want and not lock it all the time. If it has adult beverages, you might want to keep it locked, depending on the age of your children.

ABR241SG Capacity and Dimensions

The Avallon ABR241SG is a large capacity unit that holds a maximum of 152 cans in a temperature range from 34 to 50 degrees on three sanded glass shelves. Since the shelves are glass, as opposed to wire, you will want to stand the cans up rather than lay them down. The same would be true of bottles. You probably would not want to try to keep wine bottles in this Avallon model, since they normally are stored on their sides to keep the corks wet.

The outside of the stainless steel, free standing cabinet measures 34.5 inches high by 23.9 inches wide by 23.7 inches deep. Take that into consideration before making your purchase, especially if you intend to install the unit under a countertop. This unit works well either as a stand-alone or under-counter cooler. Again, it’s nice to have options like this.

The Avallon ABR241SG beverage refrigerator weighs 114 pounds, so you probably will want someone to help you move it around when unpacking it and setting it up.

Lighting, Cooling, and Warranty

Lighting is apparently optional, according to the Avallon website. If you have a choice whether or not to get it, that may affect your final cost. I think any extra cost would be worth having the lights. You probably should check with the seller to see if lighting is included or not.

You can have blue and white surround LED lights. Most modern coolers use LEDs to prevent the bulbs from affecting the temperature. There is an “auto” option that turns the light off when you close the door, much like a standard refrigerator.

The Avallon uses a compressor cooling system, just as most modern units do. This makes it more efficient and quieter than old style systems. Be aware that the fan turns itself on fairly often to cycle the air and help keep the temperature constant. It’s not extremely noisy though. You’ll probably get so used to hearing it that you won’t even notice it after a while – much like your full-size fridge.

You get a 1 year warranty on the cooler itself and a 5 year warranty on the compressor. Hopefully that’s long enough to give you some peace of mind.

What Do Owners Say about the ABR241SG?

Almost all reviews of the Avallon ABR241SG are positive. Here are a few quotations (corrected for spelling and grammar) that I have gathered from various sources.

“Excellent product! I searched for a beverage center that would fit in the space meant for my dishwasher and it had to be cooler than 37 degrees. This fit the requirements. Even though I made sure it had the required 2 inches clearance in the back it got warm initially, but only for the first 24 hours.”

“This was pricey for me, but there are so many more that cost even more.”

“My two main criteria were (1) built-in and (2) the temperature range available. Most wine coolers I looked at had a lowest temperature of 51. Some beverage coolers went down to 39. The Avallon has a digital temperature control that allows the refrigerated space to go down to 34 degrees. There are cheaper beverage coolers, but they can’t be built in. The Avallon vents to the front and is designed to be built in.”

Any negative reviews tend to be about shipping or second-hand units and not about brand new coolers from the manufacturer or a distributor.

Conclusions about the ABR241SG Cooler

As I said at the top and as one owner commented as well, this is a pricey beverage cooler, but its popularity tells you about its quality and usability.

The fact that you can place this cooler virtually anywhere you want, as a standalone or built-in, makes it extremely versatile. It’s really hard to find anything wrong with this machine, as long as you can afford it.

If this chiller doesn’t fit your budget, maybe one of the others in this overview will. Check ’em out.