There are so many reasons why you might want to invest in a mini fridge, you could be setting up an outdoor kitchen area, or you might be moving into a smaller space like a college dorm which does not give you your own fridge.

These machines are perfect for keeping a few of your drinks or some refreshing snacks cool.

Mini fridges have been around for decades, but they are now more accessible than ever, and with this, there is more variety than ever.

This means that most people looking for a mini fridge will not know which mini fridge is best, or which has just gotten sponsored to show up at the top of the searches.

Mini fridges are also not cheap, so you want to ensure that you are getting something which will last you.

This is why we have put together this list to gather the best mini fridges in different categories, so you can know which is worth going for!

We have made sure to choose mini fridges which are practical, but also not an eyesore, so you are sure to find something which will do the job you need it to, without clashing with the surrounding space.

So, if you want a mini fridge, but you are overwhelmed with all the choices available, keep reading!

Our Favorite Mini Fridges

GE GDE03GGKBB 3.1 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Double-Door Mini Fridge

Why We Chose The GE GDE03GGKBB 3.1 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Double-Door Mini Fridge?

We chose this mini fridge because it is our favorite overall design balancing all things a mini fridge needs to be useful, while also having some great extra features for a fair price.

What We Love About The GE GDE03GGKBB 3.1 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Double-Door Mini Fridge?

• Has a separate freezer features
• Has a crisper drawer
• Uses a reversible door to make the model more accessible

What We Do Not Love About The GE GDE03GGKBB 3.1 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Double-Door Mini Fridge?

• Manual defrost can be annoying
• Is not well designed to deal with tall bottles

GE GDE03GGKBB 3.1 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Double-Door Mini Fridge Product Description

If you are looking for a good overall mini fridge which will be able to deal with a variety of different situations, then this offering will be perfect for you.

Overall, our favorite thing about it is the separate freezer compartment which just means it has a whole extra set of functionality. However, it works great as a refrigerator as well with plenty of space.

This refrigerator section has 2 separate glass shelves as well as a crisper drawer.

You also have the option to store cans in the dispenser which is in the door. You can also use the pockets to store more loose items as well.

For a freestanding unit this is an incredibly versatile piece of equipment, however, it is worth noting that this unit is not designed to be used in a garage or outside, so if this is something which you are looking for, this is not the piece for you.

Our other main drawback with this is that the freezer is not designed to manually defrost.

This means you have the job of taking off ice buildup once it has gotten over a quarter of an inch thick. Other than this though, this is a popular choice for a reason!

GE GDE03GGKBB 3.1 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Double-Door Mini Fridge Product Specifications

This fridge has a capacity of 3.1 cubic feet and overall it is 33.38 x 18.75 x 20.12 inches. It has a top drawer style freezer, and it is a freestanding model. It has a manual defrost, and it is not garage friendly.

BLACK+DECKER BCRK43B 4.3 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Mini Fridge With Freezer

Why We Chose The BLACK+DECKER BCRK43B 4.3 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Mini Fridge With Freezer?

When it comes to a more budget friendly option, this was our favorite as it generally sells for about half the price of our previous offering.

What We Love About The BLACK+DECKER BCRK43B 4.3 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Mini Fridge With Freezer?

• The door storage is very well laid out and practical
• Uses a reversible door design
• Perfect for use in garages

What We Do Not Love About The BLACK+DECKER BCRK43B 4.3 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Mini Fridge With Freezer?

• You can not adjust the shelves making it less versatile
• The freezer has a manual defrost setting

BLACK+DECKER BCRK43B 4.3 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Mini Fridge With Freezer Product Description

If you are looking for something which is a bit cheaper, then you should look no further than this fridge which has plenty of great amenities like the crisper drawer and reversible drawer.

It also has an impressive 4.3 cubic feet storage. So, if you are buying groceries for one person, this will have more than enough space. It also features a freezer which makes it great if you need this added on as well.

We like the thoughtful inclusion of the 3 glass shelves and the door pockets as well, however, we do wish that these shelves were adjustable and not static.

There is also a dispenser, but this does not take up the whole fridge space which is nice. It is also a more energy efficient model which is perfect if you are worried about the impact on your bills.

However, the lack of an automatic defrost function does hold this back which makes it annoying to use the freezer sometimes. However, the fact that this can be used in a freezer is incredibly useful.

BLACK+DECKER BCRK43B 4.3 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Mini Fridge With Freezer Product Specifications

This model has a capacity of 4.3 cubic feet and overall is 32.72 x 20.63 x 20.94 inches. This has a freezer built in, and is a freestanding model. It does have a manual defrost type, but it is garage friendly.

COOLULI I10L2W Infinity 0.35 Cu. Ft. Retro Mini Fridge

Why We Chose The COOLULI I10L2W Infinity 0.35 Cu. Ft. Retro Mini Fridge?

If you want our favorite counter top model which can fit anywhere you want it to, then look no further than this adorable retro fridge design.

What We Love About The COOLULI I10L2W Infinity 0.35 Cu. Ft. Retro Mini Fridge?

• Also features a warming mode
• Has lots of different settings and options available
• The shelving is adjustable

What We Do Not Love About The COOLULI I10L2W Infinity 0.35 Cu. Ft. Retro Mini Fridge?

• Can occasionally leak
• Will need at least 2 hours to cool your drinks down from room temperature

COOLULI I10L2W Infinity 0.35 Cu. Ft. Retro Mini Fridge Product Description

This adorable countertop fridge has a compact design, but is still incredibly functional as well as useful.

It can fit in a variety of different spaces, so if you do not have much room to work with, but want some things to be kept cool for you, then this will be one of the best options.

It is also incredibly affordable compared to some other choices as well.

It is worth noting that this option does not have a freezer, so this is not something which can be done in this fridge, and that it will take a while for some drinks to be chilled fully, so you might want to pre-chill them before using this.

However, it gets the job done for an affordable price, and it fits in any space you need it to.

COOLULI I10L2W Infinity 0.35 Cu. Ft. Retro Mini Fridge Product Specifications

The capacity is 0.35 cubic feet and overall it is 13.4 x 9.4 x 11.4 inches. It does not feature a freezer, and it is a freestanding model. It is frost free, and surprisingly, is also garage friendly.

Frigidaire EFR376-MOONBM Retro Bar Refrigerator With Side Bottle Opener

Why We Chose The Frigidaire EFR376-MOONBM Retro Bar Refrigerator With Side Bottle Opener?

This was our favorite retro option with its classic design!

What We Love About The Frigidaire EFR376-MOONBM Retro Bar Refrigerator With Side Bottle Opener?

• Shelving is adjustable
• Has a bottle opener attached
• Energy efficient design

What We Do Not Love About The Frigidaire EFR376-MOONBM Retro Bar Refrigerator With Side Bottle Opener?

• Handle is not very functional
• Manual defrost

Frigidaire EFR376-MOONBM Retro Bar Refrigerator With Side Bottle Opener Product Specifications

Capacity is 3.2 cubic feet, and overall it is 33 x 21.5 x 19 inches. It has a freezer built in, and it is freestanding. It has a manual defrost, and is not officially able to work in garages.

Buyer’s Guide

When it comes to buying something like a mini fridge, if you have never owned one before, you might not know what is important to look at when you are buying one.

Because of this, we have put together this buyer’s guide so you can look at all the different categories and aspects which should be considered before you buy a mini fridge, and you can assess which are most important to you!

Installation Type

When you are buying a mini fridge, something you will always need to consider is the installation type.

This is because certain mini fridges will only work in certain spaces, so if you buy a mini fridge which will not work in your space, it will be a waste of money.

You can get freestanding mini fridges which just need to be plugged in to work. However, there is the more traditional built in mini fridge which needs to be installed in a specific spot (see also ‘Best Built In Wine Fridge‘).

Each type of mini fridge has its own pros and cons which you should consider.

For example, a freestanding mini fridge is perfect for being in a more temporary space, the popular example being in a college dorm, so then you can move it once you are moving yourself.

People also use these for skincare as well. But then, there is also the benefit of having a built-in mini fridge which will often have a much higher capacity, and these suit spaces where they are likely to stay, like an office kitchen.

Capacity

This is slightly related to the previous point, but you want to know how much space you are going to be working with, and if this will be enough for you.

This is usually measured in cubic feet, so make sure you have an awareness of how big this is before purchasing.

This should not be too difficult to decide on, but you want to take into account how much space you are working with, since if you get a massive mini fridge because of its capacity, but you do not have anywhere to put it, then you will have wasted your investment.

The best thing to do is keep in mind what you will be storing in the fridge and how much space this will need!

Freezer Features

This is also important, as you will want to take into account if you want your mini fridge to have a freezer feature as well, for example a smaller top drawer freezer, or something similar to this.

However, some people do not want their mini fridge to have a freezer feature since these can often cause more trouble than they are worth.

For example, some of them will have a manual defrost setting which means you will need to keep track of ice buildup to ensure that the machine is working properly.

Most freestanding mini fridges will not have a freezer feature, and they are a lot more common with built-in mini fridges.

Door Type

A lot of mini fridges are now coming with different door types with a common one being a reversible door.

This may seem like a useless add-on, but if you are using this mini fridge in a tight space, this can make it a lot more accessible and convenient to access.

This is not something you should pay a premium for if you do not need it, but if you do, it is something you should definitely look out for.

Light

A lot of people want their mini fridge to have an interior light so they can see what is in it better, especially in the dark, and luckily most mini fridges will come with some form of lighting included.

You will want to check what kind of lighting your mini fridge has to make sure it is effective, especially if you know you will be accessing it in the dark often.

Garage Ready

Finally, this only matters if you are planning to put your mini fridge in a garage, but a lot of mini fridges are designed for this, while there are just as many which are not.

The main way to find out if a mini fridge is garage ready is if it has a cooling device which is able to fluctuate with the outside temperature to take it into consideration.

If this is not the case, then this may not be the best option for using in a garage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Will A Mini Fridge Last?

Similarly to a standard fridge, if you properly maintain and install your mini fridge, it should be able to last around 10 years.

However, if you do not maintain it, or have installed it incorrectly, then these mini fridges will have a much shorter lifespan.

You will want to make sure you are following the instructions closely when setting up your mini fridge to ensure that you are doing it properly, because then it will still be in warranty.

You should also check how reputable the brand is and see how good their customer service is.

How Long Will It Take For Your Mini Fridge To Get Cold?

This depends on the size and the quality of the mini fridge, but depending on brand and quality, this will usually take between 3 and 24 hours.

There will be specific answers to this question on a user manual, but if you are unsure, wait at least a day for it to be fully cooled down.

How Much Will A Mini Fridge Impact An Electricity Bill?

You will want to check how energy efficient a mini fridge is before setting one up as this is what will impact how much it will impact your energy bill.

But generally speaking, a mini fridge will add an annual cost between $20 to $50. The best thing to look out for is if they are energy star certified.

How Much Do Mini Fridges Cost?

As you will see in this list, there is a massive difference in price between different mini fridges, for example, some can be less than $100, while others can get above $500.

This all depends on the quality, brand, and what features you are looking for. You can even find some of the outdoors models getting close to $1000.

Can You Plug Mini Fridges Into A Standard Outlet?

Most mini fridges will work with a normal 110 to 120 volt outlet, and if this is not the case for your mini fridge, then it will be clearly labelled somewhere.

Summary

Hopefully this article has given you the information to make an informed decision on what mini fridge will work best for you!

If you have gone through the product list, and you are still unsure on what mini fridge will be best for you, then go back through the list after you have referred to our buyer’s guide.

This will give you the information necessary to make a more informed decision on what mini fridge will be best for you and your needs!