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The term “mini fridge” may invoke happy memories from your college dorm room days. Indeed, this pint-sized refrigerator serves a noble purpose in a cramped dorm room where every inch of precious space counts.
But even after your college days are over, a mini fridge may have a place in your life. Perhaps you’d like to keep your favorite snacks stashed near the basement rec room. Or perhaps your primary refrigerator doesn’t have enough space for your favorite sports drinks or alcoholic beverages. A mini fridge could store these items, leaving room for other food in your kitchen refrigerator.
If you’re going to invest in a mini fridge, it’s important to understand how these units differ from full-sized units.
Not all mini fridges are made equally. Some are designed to store all types of food; others are made specifically for the refrigeration of alcoholic drinks. These are the most common types:
A “cube” is the most common type of mini fridge that you’ll find. Its square shape fits easily beneath low counters and in tight spaces. Because it’s not tall, a cube-style mini fridge may not work well with taller items like gallon jugs.
A simple beverage mini fridge is typically quite small. It’s designed to hold anywhere from 12 to 30 cans of soda or beer.
Its temperature control is not consistent enough to store food.
A travel mini fridge is designed for use in a vehicle. It can run from the vehicle’s AC adaptor, which means it draws power from the car battery.
However, some of these units draw a lot of power, so you shouldn’t run them when the car is turned off.
This style of mini fridge, sometimes called a mid-sized mini fridge, fits under a countertop. It serves well as a bar fridge or a second refrigerator in the kitchen.
Compared to other designs, its energy efficiency is usually better. However, this is also the most expensive type of mini fridge.
The typical wine mini fridge showcases a pleasant design, as it’s meant to be seen. Glass doors may showcase the bottles inside.
To protect the wine’s temperature, a double pane of glass in the door is a good idea.
You may want to consider a fridge with a tinted glass door in order to keep UV light from striking the wine.
It’s important to select a mini fridge that fits your space. But it must also have the capacity to hold the items you want to chill. The market offers mini fridges of several different capacities.
Don’t limit your consideration of mini fridges to design and capacity. Here are a few other features to consider when shopping for a mini fridge:
Having a door that can hold half-gallon jugs could serve you well. But some mini fridge doors are shallow and can only hold 12-ounce cans. Take into consideration the depth of the door when choosing a unit.
Limitations
Depending on where you’re planning to situate your mini fridge, there may be limitations on what model you can use. For example, some college dormitories limit the capacity of the unit. The school might also require dorm appliances to be Energy Star compliant.
Multiple capacities
Some manufacturers create mini fridge models in multiple capacities. This means that if you like a particular model, you may be able to find it in the perfect size for your needs. Top-selling manufacturers such as Danby and Midea make some of their models in multiple sizes.
Reversible doors
A reversible door comes in handy if you must squeeze your mini fridge into a particular space. You can then adjust the door to open in the direction that makes the most sense for your room layout.
Weight
Mini fridges weigh anywhere from 30 to 100 pounds. If you plan to move your mini fridge often, this information proves helpful. For example, if you’re planning to take a mini fridge to the dorm, you might prefer something on the lighter side so you don’t have to struggle moving it in and out.
Mini fridges cost anywhere from $50 to $300. Units with a larger interior tend to cost more. Specialty fridges (wine fridges, appliances with larger freezers) may also cost more.
You might be surprised at the cost of operating a mini fridge. These units are not as energy efficient as full-sized refrigerators. Expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $60 on yearly electricity costs associated with your mini fridge. (This amount is only slightly less than a full-sized fridge.)
Q. Why would I want a mini fridge? I’m not a college student anymore.
A. A mini fridge certainly fits in well with the college and apartment-dwelling crowd, but these handy appliances suit a lot of other populations, too. You may wish to store cold drinks in an office or in your family rec room. Or perhaps you need an overflow area for food storage when your regular refrigerator is full.
Q. I want a small refrigerator with precise temperature control. What are my options?
A. If you want a mini fridge with accurate temperature control, don’t select the smallest unit you can find. In most cases, the smallest mini fridges (in terms of capacity) can’t precisely control temperatures. Instead, consider a larger mini fridge (often called a “mid-size” mini fridge), most of which have a capacity of three cubic feet or more. These units frequently have a temperature control dial similar to what you’d find on a full-sized model.
Q. When selecting a mini fridge for wine storage, what should I consider?
A. Because different types of wine taste best at different temperatures, precision is required for a wine mini fridge. Red wines should be served at temperatures between 55°F and 65°F. White wines taste best at temperatures between 45°F and 55°F. So if you have both types of wine on hand, consider a unit with two sections that have separate temperature controls. And make sure the fridge can hold the number of bottles you’d like to have on hand. Some units hold as few as three or four bottles of wine; others can hold a dozen or more.
Q. What are some of the drawbacks of mini fridges?
A. The most obvious drawback to a mini fridge is its small size. You won’t be able to store as much food or drink in a mini fridge as you could in a full-sized refrigerator. And many mini fridges have a limited freezer space — or no freezer space at all.
Mini fridges eat a lot of power, too; they simply aren’t as energy efficient as a larger refrigerator. And although they consume a lot of electricity, some mini fridges with freezers cannot reach a low enough temperature to safely store meat.