Get the best deals and the best advice dropped right in your inbox. Mark Brezinski is a senior writer with over ten years of experience reviewing consumer tech and home appliances. To ensure consistent performance, we keep the laboratory air conditioned to 72°F +/- 5°F , and keep relative humidity to 50% RH +/- 15% RH. This ensures that each fridge has a chance to perform its best, and is working under the same conditions.
Sleek and discreet, the Whirlpool 2.7 Cubic Feet Mini Refrigerator measures 24.69 inches high, 19.13 inches wide, and 19.69 inches deep and can easily fit in your space. Offering flexibility with its reversible door, the two-shelf mini fridge has a small freezer compartment, an adjustable whirlpool mini refrigerator thermostat, and a four-can dispenser to conveniently hold your snacks and beverages. At under $175, the Frigidaire Single Door Mini Fridge is our best value mini fridge. This pick is ideal for smaller spaces, yet it still offers enough room to store cans of soda and plenty of snacks.
Compact refrigerators come in different colors and finishes, including black, white, faux stainless steel, and wood grain. Black is most popular, perhaps because it blends into many décors, and a stainless-look metallic finish is a close second. Take a look at your school’s housing policy to find out what dimensions are acceptable (many schools require ones that are 5 cubic feet or smaller, though some max out at 3.5 feet). You’ll also want to factor in where you might place it, once you consider the major furniture that’s provided—and that you’ll be bringing with you.
It’s specifically made for tight spaces, with a top freezer that’s perfect for storing meat and your favorite pints of Serendipity. This 3.1-cubic-foot model is our top choice because it has two doors, one for the fridge and one for the freezer. Because the freezer is a separate compartment it’ll be able to keep foods frozen solid, so you can safely use it to store meats and poultry or a supply of frozen dinners.
But keep in mind that use cases and environmental factors will have an impact on energy use. A mini fridge can absolutely be worth the cost, especially if you’re going off to college. Having a small refrigerator in your dorm room makes it easy to keep fresh food and cool drinks on hand between classes or when you just can’t bring yourself to eat another meal in the dining hall. Mini fridges are also great for use at home when you might need a bit of extra cold storage for groceries like meat, drinks, and vegetables. The Smeg Mini Refrigerator is an Italian-made, 1950s-inspired mini fridge that comes in a variety of colors . We love the sturdy handle, which makes the unit easy to open, and the adjustable door bins, which are perfect for fitting taller bottles.
When it comes to mini fridges, we look for models that are easy to set up and operate and that keep items cold — or even frozen. We also look for handy features like removable shelves, interior lighting and crisper drawers. These are the best mini fridges of 2022 according to our lab testing, expert insights and extensive research. The Sunbeam 3.1 Cubic Feet Mini Refrigerator is a 32.8-inch by 19.13-inch by 21.1-inch model with a spacious design that can fit extra beverages, snacks, and perishables. Once you’ve nailed down a budget for your new mini fridge, you’ll next have to decide what you want to use it for. If you need a bit of extra storage for groceries or beverages, opt for a model with at least 4 cubic feet of interior space and temperature controls for optimal cooling.