Fridge at home totally, no idea about blood banks, but freezers in supermarkets probably not so much? I would imagine being able to start a warming cycle, then going around with dry towels to wipe out the water, especially if you have to do it while the store is open, is a lot more feasible.

But how about this, maybe something that keeps an eye on the state and rate of ice buildup, and helps schedule doing it when it's actually necessary, and maybe helps spot issues that cause quicker buildup.

Yeah, even at home towels are used.

That could be useful. An easy implementation might to to track temperature trends with power draw relative to the other units. You might have to account for door openings, but seems like a good way to mark units for mechanical inspection.