Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches home products. You can even store frozen items in the compact 1/2 width freezer compartment. The chiller goes down to 27 degrees and the refrigerator can go as low as 32 degrees. Whether you need a fridge for the garage, dorm room, or office, the Whirlpool 4.3 cu. This Energy Star rated compact refrigerator has an adjustable thermostat, allowing you to have control over how cold your items stay. The fridge has a seven-can dispenser built in, and is tall enough inside to hold two-liter bottles.
If you are set on a mini fridge, consider that it might be wise not to spend too much because of the shorter lifespan. Our recommendations above run the gamut of what we found to be a reasonable price range. The basic wire rack shelf is removable for easy cleaning, and the compact fridge has a chiller Frigidaire fridge for freezing a tray of ice cubes or keeping a small item or two frozen. The bare-bones design means there are fewer components to potentially break down. Frigidaire is a solid name in the refrigerator industry, and the 1.6-Cubic-Foot Compact Fridge is a great affordable, no-frills solution.
The door has an alarm system that signals when it’s left open for too long. The mini fridge even has an over-temp alarm, which alerts you to when the unit is holding at temperatures over 45 degrees Fahrenheit for more than four hours so you can troubleshoot issues and save your food from spoiling. You can easily adjust the internal temperature with the backlit touch control panel and even enable Sabbath Mode, which disables automatic lights and alarms for religious holidays and the Sabbath when electronics are prohibited.
Refrigerators over 15 years old could be costing you more than $80 per year to run. If you need a second refrigerator year-round, replace the old one with a new ENERGY STAR certified. Make sure you keep your fridge in an ambient temperature of 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. On average, an old Arctic King refrigerator uses about 35% more energy than a model that has earned the ENERGY STAR. To maximize your savings, minimize the number of doors and pay attention to cool air you can feel when you shut the doors. Get honest reviews on top products & services — delivered weekly to your inbox.
Top-freezer models are a lot more affordable and can fit really small spaces. Bottom-freezer fridges usually lack the high-end look of French-door models but have a lot of the same practical advantages. Four-door models (equal-size half-width, half-height, swing-open doors) and column designs (all-fridge no-freezer, and vice versa) have their place, too. 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.
I chose a variety of price points, designs, and sizes of mini fridges to suit almost every budget and purpose. I even chose a mini fridge model with a Sabbath Mode for Jewish customers who observe strict rules about using electronics on the Sabbath and religious holidays. Look for exterior features that help you easily navigate a small kitchen, like reversible doors and counter-depth models. On the inside, shelves that slide back to make room for tall items help you use the same space for different purposes.