If you live in a small home, need extra fridge space or want to keep things cold somewhere other than your kitchen, a mini fridge, also known as a compact refrigerator, is a great option. They tend to cost less than a regular fridge and have a small footprint. They also tend to require much less energy, too. You can even use them to store skin care products so they feel cooling and soothing when you apply them.
If you are on the hunt for a mini fridge, there are a few things to keep in mind as you shop. To help, I asked an appliance expert with three decades of experience in the industry for the most important considerations. I also compiled a list of highly-rated mini fridges with a range of prices and styles.
Top-rated mini fridges to consider
To come up with this list of mini fridges, I used expert guidance (more on that later) to source options that meet different size and style needs. All of the models below are highly rated, with at least a four-star average rating from hundreds of reviews.
Best overall
This compact Euhomy mini fridge gives you the convenience of both a refrigerator and a separate freezer without taking up much space. It has adjustable shelves, a crisper drawer and a reversible door for flexible placement, plus it has a quiet, energy-efficient compressor that won’t be distracting while you work or sleep.
On the larger side, this mini refrigerator comes with an adjustable thermostat, built-in freezer and has a reversible door. It also comes in eight colors, including green, purple and blue. It also has an area that can hold cans in the door.
Most stylish
If you like a retro vibe, consider this option from Frigidaire. It has a built-in bottle opener on the outside and a can dispenser on the inside of the door. There are two adjustable slide-out shelves and the back of the fridge is flat so it can sit flush against a wall.
Best for drinks
This beverage fridge has a glass front and can hold up to 120 cans. It has five wire slide-out racks, LED lighting and a reversible door. The internal fan-forced circulation results in even temperature distribution throughout the interior, according to the brand.
- Consider the Icyglee Beverage Refrigerator Cooler for $289.99
Best option with a freezer
If you need freezer space, too, this mini fridge has a small one on top with a separate door. The fridge portion gives just over two cubic feet of space and has glass shelves and a produce drawer. The doors can be switched to open on either side and there is an interior LED light that allows you to see what you are looking for in a dark room.
Best portable option
This portable mini fridge is a versatile option for your on-the-go cooling needs. Whether you’re heading out on a road trip, camping weekend or tailgate, this BougeRV portable mini fridge will keep drinks and perishables cold without the hassle of ice. It cools down in as little as 15 minutes, runs quietly and has built-in battery protection to help prevent draining your vehicle’s battery. Plus, its lightweight design makes it easy to move between your car, RV, boat or campsite.
Best small option
When my son was born last year, I bought this small fridge to get us through late-night feedings. We live in a multi-level house and the thought of going up and down the stairs to get formula or stored breast milk from our kitchen fridge in the middle of the night sounded exhausting. Instead, I put this in his nursery and stored bottles in there each night. It is a pretty basic fridge, with a small freezer space and one shelf. The door also has two different compartments — one that you can store taller bottles in and another for smaller objects.
Editor’s Pick
With its sleek, minimalist design, this Galanz mini fridge is a stylish pick that looks just as at home in a first apartment or home office as it does in a college dorm. Despite its compact size, it offers adjustable glass shelves, dedicated can and bottle storage, plus a separate chiller compartment for drinks and snacks you want extra cold. Its clean, modern look blends seamlessly into almost any space, making it a practical purchase you’ll likely keep using long after graduation.
Best for skin care
Looking for an option to use as a skin care fridge? Consider stashing this mini pick on your bathroom counter or vanity. Even if you are not interested in chilling your moisturizer, you can use this compact unit to keep a few sodas or mini bottles of champagne cold and ready to drink. You can cool the temperature of this fridge down to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but you can also use it as a warmer by turning it up to 149 degrees Fahrenheit. The fridge has a removable shelf and a slim pocket in the door.
How to shop for a mini fridge
Choosing the right mini fridge depends on the space you have and your needs. To help you hone in on exactly what you need, experts suggest asking yourself the following questions before you shop:
- Where will you put it? Where your mini fridge will go will help you determine how big you can go. Electrical Safety Experts, a platform that offers guidance on electrical safety, suggests looking for a firm, hard surface away from a window and not near any heating elements. The heat emitted by things like direct sunlight, stoves and radiators will make the fridge work harder to maintain the required internal temperature. You also want to allow for a little room behind the mini fridge for air to circulate freely. “If you plan to place your fridge next to a wall, you also need 2.5 inches between the wall and the hinge side of the door so it can swing open,” says Scott Mooers, a sales consultant for Doyon’s Appliance in Bedford, Massachusetts.
- Do you need a freezer? Freezers in mini fridges come in two forms—either inside the fridge or separate, usually on top. The separate unit can hold a few food items, whereas the internal unit is usually only large enough for an ice tray or two. Either way, the freezer is not meant for long-term storage, especially for meat. “Internal freezers, in particular, tend not to work as well because of temperature fluctuation,” says Mooers.
- What do you plan to store in it? Some mini fridges are specifically made for drinks — like bottles of wine or cans of seltzer or soda. Other mini refrigerators are designed more generally for food and drinks — there are even options with produce drawers. Super small versions are best suited for skin care or a few drinks. Determining what you’ll be putting in your fridge will help you look for the features that will be most beneficial to you.
Frequently asked questions
When it comes to different types of mini fridges, most are classified by size — they can range from 1.6 to 5.5 cubic feet. This range includes compact mini fridges for makeup and small items, medium-size mini fridges for soda cans, juice, and wine bottles, and large varieties that can hold many of the same food items as a regular-size fridge.
A compact fridge is another name for a mini fridge. Often, a brand will label a mini fridge as compact when it is on the smaller side and is smaller than 3 cubic feet. Fridges this size are good for things like makeup, small drinks or snacks (think applesauce pouches and yogurt cups).
According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, a sector of the United States Department of Agriculture, refrigerators should be set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit at most. Many of the fridges on this list can maintain a temperature as low as 32 degrees. This can be nice if you like your drinks extra cold. If your mini fridge has a freezer with an adjustable temperature, it should be set to zero degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
According to Mooers, if you want to clean your mini fridge, empty it and wipe the entire inside down with hot water mixed with a little dish soap. Then, wipe it down with clean water to remove any soap residue and dry it with a clean towel. Another food-safe alternative is mixing vinegar and hot water in a bottle and spraying the fridge with it to break down grease and grime.
Meet our appliance expert
At NBC Selected, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Scott Mooers is a sales consultant for Doyon’s Appliance in Bedford, Massachusetts, and has been in appliance sales for 30 years.
Why trust NBC Selected?
I am a commerce editor at NBC Selected who regularly covers topics like home, beauty and lifestyle. I have written about the best vacuum storage bags, where to get effective mouse traps and how dermarolling for hair works. For this story, I interviewed an appliance expert on what to look for when shopping for a mini fridge.
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