About the Consul Refrigerator

At Warehouse Appliance, one of our favorite gas refrigerators is the Consul refrigerator. Unfortunately, the Consul Refrigerator is no longer in production. The factory ceased production in 2012 with no plans to restart. It was the smallest of the gas fridges that we sold, with a 7.8 cubic foot capacity. According to our refrigerator sizes chart, which measures in cubic feet, the smallest unit we currently sell is the EZ Freeze EZ-11 at 11 cubic feet overall capacity. 

The Consul unit was built in Brazil by the Whirlpool Corporation. Production was briefly moved to Argentina for economic reasons, but after only a few years, production returned to Brazil. The unit’s production run spanned over 30 years with very little changes made in design. The main cooling unit remained identical throughout its production. Many cabinet cosmetic changes were made in this time frame, and only a handful of mechanical control updates occurred.

Consul gas refrigerators are very simple in design – with no moving parts. Most problems are related to servicing of the burner caused by owner neglect. The unit does have one factory design flaw that we have identified and developed a cure for. This flaw is present in every machine but usually only rears its head in operating climates over 2500 feet in elevation. It poses little to no danger to the user other than the fact that the food will not be cold and can cause spoilage.

For the most part, they are very reliable propane refrigerators with only a few quirks. Maintenance is higher than the EZ Freeze Brand and most other modern-built gas refrigerators. Some folks experience some frustration with the maintenance due to inexperience. Thankfully, at Warehouse Appliance, we have serviced thousands of Consuls at our repair facility over the years, and it is rare that we cannot bring one back to life. Usually, the repairs are under $200.00, which includes a full service cleaning and thorough testing.

We realize there are thousands of units in vacation homes or hunting camps within North America, and we cannot possibly service all of them; however, we offer technical telephone help to customers who purchased the original unit from us. The repairs are not too time consuming to do a walk thru over the telephone. Our staff has also put together a gas refrigerator repair DVD for those interested in learning how we keep these units in tip-top running order.

Consul Propane Refrigerator Parts Information

Since they are no longer being made, having a Consul propane refrigerator in your possession is very valuable – in terms of having a hard working appliance with minimal maintenance needs. And if you do need repair and replacement parts, some of the controls and critical parts are still available for gas fridge maintenance. Most Consuls that are in need of repair or service can be fixed. Parts like thermostats and cooling units are not available, but most of the burner parts are. We have supplied a list of parts below that we carry in stock:

Gas refrigerator/fridge parts and names available include:

Consul Refrigerator – Service Issues & Propane Fridge Troubleshooting

In the mid 1980s, there were very few gas refrigerators in production on the retail market. In fact, there were only two brands that were considered reliable; one brand name was the Consul, which made gas refrigerators in Brazil and imported them into North America. Based on the average electric fridge, the Consul was small. It was commonplace for a homeowner to purchase two and use them side by side to accommodate an entire family. Although the 1940 model Servel propane gas refrigerators looked much larger, the capacities of both brands were very similar at about 8 cubic feet.

Compared to the 1940 Servel units, the Consul gas fridge freezer was much more efficient and reliable. Compared to a 2014 model EZ Freeze, the Consul is slightly less efficient and much less reliable. Considering the age of design of the three mentioned fridges, the reliability is par for the course based on age of design. With the 2014 model EZ Freeze being the ideal appliance for those looking for an efficient and reliable gas fridge freezer.

What Design Issues Does the Consul Propane Refrigerator Have? 

Most of the design flaws with a Consul fridge center around the burner area. The most common issue that we see is the burner burning foul due to ingested debris. This can not only cause the LP refrigerator to not cool properly but also be dangerous to the homeowner if left unattended. Very high levels of carbon monoxide can result in health issues, which is why our team always recommends having a carbon monoxide detector in your home or cabin. The old 1940 Servel units showed these same traits but on a much worse scale.

When the burner gets fouled by debris, the flame puts off soot through the exhaust. This soot will coat the boiler and lower the boiler temperature, and, as a result, the refrigerator interior temperature will rise above safe food-keeping temperatures.

Pictures on this page show a severely neglected Consul burner and the resulting soot ball that was cleaned out by our service technician. This is one of the worst cases we have seen. This Consul unit required a full burner rebuild. When it left the shop, it was in good working order with interior temperatures at 29 degrees Fahrenheit in the refrigerator compartment.

For More Information on Consul Refrigerators, Contact Us!

At Warehouse Appliance, we strive to deliver high-performing products, parts, and information to our clients, including with Consul refrigerators. While this fridge is no longer in production, we can provide parts, service, and support to help ensure they continue to operate for their owners. However, if you are looking for a new propane refrigerator, we offer a wide variety of options from EZ Freeze. 

For details on all of the services we provide for propane and natural gas refrigerators, contact our team today.