i love chest freezers for kegging as they are efficient and with a top opening all the cold air doesn’t escape. Also the area above the compressor compartment whilst being to shallow for kegs is useful for placing some bottles/soda water/wine in. I have one as my primary drinks fridge and have another sitting on the trailer atm for a bloke i work with just waiting to whack a stc1000 on it. but i find them awkward for FVs (lifting in and out and near imposable to take samples, ) and the efficiency gains are far less as fermenting temps are nowhere near what you would run them at as a fridge.
Can i ask why you don’t consider an upright for your Fermenter? i use an upside down fridge freezer as a fermenter and the fridge shelf height is perfect for attending the FV.
I have recently moved from a cabinet across to a fridge for fermenting and should have done it from the beginning, the cabinet was fine for winter months but just don’t cut the mustard in summer. i even tried to vent cool air from a bar fridge and insulate it but it wasnt terribly effective. i use the cabinet now for storing kegs.
EDIT: just had a look at the Johnson A419 regulator and it dosnt look real suitable
to me, looks to only have a cooling output so wont control a heating element as well which is required in a fermenting chamber, the inkbird as MHB mentioned and also the stc -1000 both have this ability.
