# Tiny appliances I can hide in my office? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493 "2005-07-21T16:51:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/1 "2005-07-21T16:51:28Z")
I’m wondering if anyone knows of any commercially available refrigerators, freezers, and microwaves of very small sizes (say, a half a cubic foot or so in capacity). I’m looking for a way to avoid using the common pantry at office – I need things that are easily hidden from view. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/2 "2005-07-21T17:01:41Z")
[Think Geek!](http://www.thinkgeek.com/cubegoodies/toys/6ad2/) Unit dimensions: 12.5” x 13.5” x 17.5” Unit weight: 15 lbs. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/3 "2005-07-21T17:29:53Z")
Check out [Compact Appliances](http://www.compactappliance.com/index.jsp). They have lots of small, portable appliances. But I do think it’ll be hard to find anything tiny enough to be hidden. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/4 "2005-07-21T18:56:20Z")
If you can’t hide something, disguise it as something else. Like get an old, massive copier, rip out its guts, and slip a dorm type fridge inside. Add a ‘out of order’ sign, and bingo! ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/5 "2005-07-21T19:31:21Z")
Just make sure you don’t plug them into your computer’s surge protector, or any power strip that is not designed for major appliances. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/6 "2005-07-21T19:38:57Z")
And if you decide to go all-out and build a little sleeping area under your desk, don’t use an alarm clock with an audible “tick-tock”. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/7 "2005-07-21T19:46:37Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > And if you decide to go all-out and build a little sleeping area under your desk, don’t use an alarm clock with an audible “tick-tock”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/8 "2005-07-21T19:52:29Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > Just make sure you don’t plug them into your computer’s surge protector, or any power strip that is not designed for major appliances. Even a little one? ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/9 "2005-07-21T21:15:10Z")
Personally, I think my suggestion fits your needs perfectly. You could easily put it under your desk and/or put a tablecloth over it. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/10 "2005-07-22T06:13:30Z")
Am I the only one who thought this thread said: Tiny Appliances I can hide in my _ORIFICE_ ---
**Author:** ![Spongemom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Spongemom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spongemom)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/11 "2005-07-22T06:32:09Z")
> [@Enola Straight](#): > > Am I the only one who thought this thread said: > > Tiny Appliances I can hide in my _ORIFICE_ They have cameras for that. 😉 **acsenray** , raid your local dump for an old filing cabinet, glue the drawers in place, and cut the whole front off. Glue that front to the door of a dorm fridge, and drape the whole thing with a pretty tablecloth or something that hangs to the floor on each side, and put it with it’s back to the wall. Adorn the top with paper weights and knickknacks. Presto, insta-filingfridge. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/12 "2005-07-22T06:46:43Z")
Why do you need to do this? I sense there’s a back-story here that we’re missing. Is your own food being stolen? Is there a conspiring cabal of co-workers lurking for you in the break room? Do tell! There may be some sanitation issues involved. Having food in your office may attract vermin of some sort. Someone else already mentioned the possible power problems, but what about air circulation to remove odor? What if you have a fire in your little homemade kitchen? I think you should share your issues, maybe we can come up with another solution. BTW, I’ve heard of disguising the microwave as a television by adding a (non-functional) set of rabbit ears to the top. Probably not an option for you, but camouflage seems to be a theme of some other posts. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/13 "2005-07-22T14:13:44Z")
Hmmm… a bread machine under my desk would be very nice! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/14 "2005-07-22T17:24:22Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Even a little one? I wouldn’t. Power strips and surge protectors are not designed to be used that way, and it’s possible to cause a fire by using them with heating appliances or refrigerators. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/15 "2005-07-22T17:57:04Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I’m wondering if anyone knows of any commercially available refrigerators, freezers, and microwaves of very small sizes (say, a half a cubic foot or so in capacity). I’m looking for a way to avoid using the common pantry at office – I need things that are easily hidden from view. You should just do what I do - get a soft sided lunch bag with an ice pack and carry your lunch and drinks in it every day. They’ll stay cold for as long as you need them to. [If you really need a little bitty fridge and food warmer, though, this might be just the thing for you.](http://store.yahoo.com/buzzappliances/100854.html) ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/16 "2005-07-22T18:12:43Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > I wouldn’t. Power strips and surge protectors are not designed to be used that way, and it’s possible to cause a fire by using them with heating appliances or refrigerators. They don’t protect against surges and can’t strip multiple outlets? _scratches head_ As long as your amperage load is within the tolerance of the power strip (which it likey is for tiny Sharper Image type office appliances), then I don’t see the difference between a fridge turning on, and a computer monitor turning on. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/17 "2005-07-22T22:48:42Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > Just make sure you don’t plug them into your computer’s surge protector, or any power strip that is not designed for major appliances. Actually, it’s best if they’re not even on the same power circuit. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/18 "2005-07-22T22:59:14Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > You should just do what I do - get a soft sided lunch bag with an ice pack and carry your lunch and drinks in it every day. They’ll stay cold for as long as you need them to. > > [If you really need a little bitty fridge and food warmer, though, this might be just the thing for you.](http://store.yahoo.com/buzzappliances/100854.html) Reading the specs on that thing, apparently it’s 9-1/2’ W x 7’ L x 10-1/2’ H. I think people might notice a walk-in fridge in the office, even with a cloth draped over it. ---
**Author:** ![Armilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@Armilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Armilla)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/19 "2005-07-22T23:56:24Z")
I have one of those little fridges linked to by **Mr Moto** on my desk at work. It’ll keep 4 large cans of beer (inserted purely in the interests of scientifically proving its cooling power) nice and cold with just enough room to slip a sandwich in on top of them. It doesn’t make much noise, but it does make a persistent whooshing sound that may give it away in a quiet office. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493/20 "2005-07-23T00:18:20Z")
> [@Enola Straight](#): > > Am I the only one who thought this thread said: > > Tiny Appliances I can hide in my _ORIFICE_ No. No, you weren’t. Robin [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiny-appliances-i-can-hide-in-my-office/313493.md?page=2)