This Compact Gadget Keeps Your Refrigerator Running Even In A Power Outage

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As we become more reliant on tech in our everyday lives, we're correspondingly more vulnerable to services going down amid things like power outages. Should something like this occur, you'll want to make sure you have access to a generator, portable batteries, and other tools and gadgets that can be lifesavers. This may include backup power for your refrigerator to prevent food spoilage.

Jackery has a product that can help in this scenario called the FridgeGuard, which the brand declares to be the "World's Slimmest Smart Fridge Backup." Wrapped in a small 2.6-inch package, it runs on an 800W, 1024Wh LiFePO₄ battery designed to kick in extremely quickly when needed. Specifically, its power supply requires 10 milliseconds to take over once it detects the loss of the primary power supply.

Just as you'd back up important files on a PC, you might want to back up your refrigerator and its contents. To see whether a gadget like this might be a fit for your own smart setup, let's take a closer look at how it works and some devices it can be used to back up besides your refrigerator.

The FridgeGuard device is connected to an outlet and then to your refrigerator via a port. It can then be placed wherever you think it fits best in the layout of your home. This can be laid on top of the appliance and out of reach of children, or mounted on the wall. As it reacts automatically to a loss in power, it's quite a low-maintenance little gadget itself. However, there are some additional uses you can activate if you really want to get the most out of it.

At the press of a button on its side, the FridgeGuard's screen will display its charge level, connection quality, and other at-a-glance details, while the system's app allows you to tweak settings like Delay Start to better protect itself. The surge-protected system, Jackery claims, provides additional peace of mind against those threats that are known to sometimes play havoc on the grid, such as thunderstorms. While everything's up and running conventionally, it can also use Bypass Mode to run from the grid instead of its battery.

At the time of writing, the FridgeGuard system is out of stock from Jackery, but when you can grab one, it retails at $799. If you're in need of an output increase, additional FridgeGuard battery packs are priced at $669. There's also a set of the system itself, a bracket for mounting, and another battery pack sold in a bundle for $1,299. 

Some gadgets are tailored to one specific purpose. With a name like FridgeGuard, you might expect this device to be one of them. While it's primarily designed as a safeguard for refrigerators, it's also suited to some other appliances that are reliant on constant power. According to Jackery, "it also powers workstations, aquariums, and essential medical devices."

This is a broad range of different devices, each with their own power demands. Jackery estimates that the FridgeGuard can power a Wi-Fi Router for around 62 hours, a laptop for 12 charge cycles, a TV for 12 hours, a fish tank for 30 hours, or a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine for 30 hours. 

Other brands, like Bluetti FridgePower, also offer similar products, so if you're looking for something to back up your refrigerator, it's worth taking the time to consider your budget and different capabilities and capacities to see which might best suit your needs.