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. 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. If you want a mini fridge for your home or traditional office, choose a slightly smaller model to fit under or next to your desk but still has lots of space for water bottles and your lunchbox.
They’re ideal for kitchens, garages, dorm rooms, bedrooms, and offices. With a contoured shape and chrome latch handles, this model resembles a 1950’s fridge. However, it has the kind of temperature management you expect from a twenty-first century unit. On top, there’s a separate freezer compartment with a shelf on the door. In the refrigerator, two glass shelves and a large bin for produce will help you keep foods organized.
Unless all you need a frozen section for is to hold an ice tray, you may be better off choosing a two-door compact fridge. They maintain more even temperatures and give you more storage for frozen goods — at the cost of refrigerated space. Whether you’re looking to buy a mini fridge for your dorm or office or need extra space at home for groceries, the Hisense LCR44D6NSE freestanding mini fridge is an almost perfect option. It has 4.4 cubic feet of space, and it forgoes a freezer section to provide more room for things like 2 liter bottles and gallon water or milk jugs. The door hinge is reversible, allowing you to choose whether it opens to the left or right to better fit into your space.
It will keep things that need refrigeration like yogurt, cut-up melon and a lunch salad safe as well as merely chilled. It has one wire shelf in the main compartment and shelves on the door. There’s a small freezer compartment to use for a bag of ice or to keep ice cream at a scoopable consistency, but we don’t suggest keeping meat or poultry there for more than a day.
The freezer doesn’t have its own door, but it’s wider than the ones found in most minis. It will come in handy if you need a lot of ice or frozen treats for a party, but it’s not a good idea to keep meat or other highly perishable items for more than a day. To select our best mini fridges, we relied on our years of experience testing refrigerators and in-depth knowledge of the category. We also checked to see what other reviewers recommend as well as what home users have to say. Our most important criteria was the ability to maintain safe temperatures for food storage, but we also took into consideration size and features. On this list you’ll find a variety of models for different needs and situations.
They’re all built around similar parts, just in different capacities with different shelves. If you’re looking for a spot to store extra drinks, the Frigidaire 6-Can Mini Retro Beverage Fridge’s 14-cubic foot construction is the perfect choice. It’s small enough to fit on top of a desk, nightstand, or countertop and its portable design makes it double as a cooler.
In addition, we evaluate each refrigerator’s ease of use, including the helpfulness of the manual, the type and ease of use of the controls and the comfort of grasping or using the door handles. It has two adjustable shelves in the fridge and one in the freezer, and its crisper drawer whirlpool mini refrigerator keeps produce fresh. Mini Fridge with Top Freezer has an interior light for spotting exactly what you need inside. Why go all the way to the campus cafeteria or dorm lobby for a cold drink when you can easily just get it out of this mini fridge in the corner of your room?
The glass shelves are adjustable to make room for tall items and removable for easy cleaning. A reliable mini fridge is great for dorm rooms when heading back-to-school, bedrooms or your office. It’s even perfect for storing beauty products or medications in the bathroom.
We were able to fit ounce cans into the Danby DCR044A2 comfortably (meaning, they didn’t fall out when we opened the door). One of our favorite features is the set of eight individual can holders, a departure from the one-at-a-time dispensers in most other mini fridges. We also put half a head of iceberg lettuce on the top shelf of the fridge to see how well the fridge could preserve perishable produce, as well as to see if it accidentally froze items sitting near the freezer. The US federal government issues the certification to the most energy-efficient appliances available. The goal is to save you money on your utility bills when you choose the most efficient ENERGY STAR model. A mini fridge can absolutely be worth the cost, especially if you’re going off to college.