Why “refrigerators” is being discussed
The most recent Hacker News stories and comments contributing to this topic's mentions.
Most refrigerators in the US have automatic ice cube making and water dispensing. At least ones in homes, rental properties tend to skimp on this unless they are labelled "luxur…
by mattbrewsbytes · Sep 1, 2026
This is the first I've heard of any refrigerators even having water filters. Are they plumbed into the water mains, or a small tank?
by ben_w · Sep 1, 2026
I'm also reminded of the HPE SSD time-bomb bug which would cause catastrophic failure after exactly 32,768 hours of use[1]. Could there be a common denominator in when these ref…
by pcthrowaway · Sep 1, 2026
They are charging down that path because vulnerabilities that effect the refrigerators were disclosed the same day as 14 refrigerators failed in an absurd way. They all turned o…
by gwbas1c · Aug 31, 2026
The author doesn't really claim it was a hack, just that it is a possibility. But they are charging down the path of the potential hack before asking the more obvious question:…
by codingdave · Aug 31, 2026
in the US you can still buy hydrogen/ammonia/water gas absorption refrigerators such as "EZ Freeze". Propane/Natural Gas refrigerators use this cycle. I'm sure yo…
by tingletech · Aug 30, 2026
Interest
Proportion of Hacker News items mentioning "refrigerators" over time.
Mentions
Total number of Hacker News items mentioning "refrigerators" over time.
A refrigerator, commonly shortened to fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from its inside to its external environment so that its inside is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room. Refrigeration is an essential food storage technique around the world. The low temperature reduces the reproduction rate of bacteria, so the refrigerator lowers the rate of spoilage. A refrigerator maintains a temperature a few degrees above the freezing point of water. The optimal temperature range for perishable food storage is 3 to 5 °C. A freezer is a specialized refrigerator, or portion of a refrigerator, that maintains its contents' temperature below the freezing point of water. The refrigerator replaced the icebox, which had been a common household appliance for almost a century and a half. The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends that the refrigerator be kept at or below 4 °C (40 °F) and that the freezer be regulated at −18 °C (0 °F). Read more on Wikipedia