
Best 10 Mini Fridges
As Of March 2021
Need your favourite cool drink right next to you at any time? Are you willing to gulp your beverage to avoid heating up when resting or make countless trips to the kitchen?
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Every Big Thing About a Mini Fridge!
Have you ever found yourself struggling to find some more space to store those Coca Cola cans, or the extra groceries you just bought? Or maybe, have you ever found yourself on a beach one of those extra hot summer days wishing you could enjoy a cold beer? But no beach bars any close, right? Who can tell more than a student trying to fit a fridge in those small dorms rooms? No one can understand the value of a fridge better than those who live in college hostels and dormitories.
Now, if you answered at least one “yes” in the above questions, it is time for you to get a mini fridge. No matter if you live in a dorm room or at your home, a small fridge will always come in use. You can place these fridges anywhere as they are handy and portable. From your bedroom to your office or countertop. Store your favourite drinks on it & enjoy the advantages of your great investment. Let’s learn all about mini fridges!!
What is a mini fridge?
Well, the name describes it all very clearly! A mini fridge is an electrical device that is smaller than a regular fridge used for refrigeration purposes. Unlike standard refrigerators, it can be easily fitted in a small place. Most of the mini fridges come in the volume range of 4 - 50 litre capacity.
What are the differences between mini fridges and regular refrigerators?
Apart from the volume, there are many features that distinguish them from regular refrigerators, such as:
1. Reversible Door
A reversible door can be hinged at either end of the fridge. It allows the users to keep it anywhere without worrying about the direction of opening.
2. DC Power
Mini fridges not only run on just AC power. Some of the mini fridges are also designed to run on DC power. For instance, a mini fridge aka travel fridge is also meant to run on DC power. It can be linked to the cigarette socket of the car, which gives out DC power. This feature also makes a mini fridge portable. There are even options available that can power your mini fridge through USB. Now, this is flexibility.
3. Low Power Consumption
The best feature of having a mini fridge is that it is more energy-efficient as compared to full-sized refrigerators. The power consumption of most of these fridges is less than 0.5 kWh making them the perfect environmentally friendly option.
What are the benefits of having a Mini Fridge?
Now, some of you must be thinking that buying a mini fridge will not do any good. But, we would like you to go through this comprehensive section. We are sure that the coming segment will change your perspective once and for all.
Here are some of the marvellous benefits of a mini fridge:
1. Space Saver
The key advantage of a mini fridge is that it saves a lot of space. Unlike regular full-size refrigerators, a mini fridge fits well in less space and can be easily accessed. You can place it on the countertop, tabletop, and also on the side of your bed. This way, it provides instant access to all your eatables while reducing your hassle of getting up.
2. Portability
If you have a mini fridge at your home, you can easily transfer it anywhere in the house as per your preference. Almost all the small wine coolers or beer fridges are lightweight enough to be carried across locations. Some of them even have integrated handles that ease the process of carrying them.
3. Energy Efficient
If you are living on rent in a house or a small room and need to get a fridge, opt for the beer fridge or a mini fridge. The power consumption of a compact refrigerator is way less than that of a full-sized fridge. It is in the range of 0.2 to 0.5 kWh per day, whereas the full-size fridge can spend around 1- 2 kWh per day. So, the power consumption of a mini fridge is almost ¼th of that of a full-sized fridge.
4. A Good Backup
God forbids! If someday, your main fridge says I am off duty! What will you do? If you invest in a mini fridge with more storage space now, you won’t have to worry about any situation like this in the future. Moreover, it will act as an additional space for storing some extra perishables.
Features of mini fridges – What to Consider before buying!
Now, choosing a mini fridge can be tough if you are not having the proper knowledge about the features that you need to look for. Thus, to help you with it, we have compiled the following sections:
1. Noise
As a mini fridge has a handy design and it can also be kept in your bedroom. It becomes essential to check if it is noisy or not. Luckily, all the fridges described in our list are less noisy. Most of them are in the noise range of 20 - 50 dB. Thus, you can choose any one of them, rest assured that if you place it any close to where you sleep, you‘ll continue enjoying a good night’s sleep.
2. The Door (reversible)
As you have scanned the list, you must have read this “reversible door”. This feature is in most of the fridges as it allows the users to place the fridge anywhere in the house. You can unscrew the door and hinge it on the other end for seamless usage.
3. Ambient temperatures
Ambient temperature is an essential feature that a mini fridge should have. As the temperature of the surroundings can change, the fridge should also adjust the load on the compressor to keep the food fresh. So, look for this feature while choosing one.
4. Adjustable feet
It is possible that the surface where you want to keep the fridge is uneven. Hence, you need to balance the fridge somehow. This is where the adjustable legs come into the picture. They can be individually adjusted to maintain balance. It can be common in case you are taking your fridge in your car.
5. Shelving
Though multiple shelves are not offered by all the fridges, you need to keep this feature in mind while buying one. Opt for a refrigerator that has one or two shelves if you want to keep different types of items in the fridge. Even better: opt for one that has detachable shelves.
6. Door Bin Storage
If you want to keep more drinks in your fridge, specifically, a big pet bottle of Coca Cola or any wine. Look for the one that has a vertical door bin space. This space can be used to store multiple cans one over the another (flip-out can holders) for easy access.
7. Freezer Compartment or Icebox
Do you like beer or chilled beer? Chilled, right!! Well, for that you need to check if the mini fridge you are choosing has a chiller, icebox or not. With a fridge that has an icebox or freezer compartment, you can store many other items like ice cream, ice cubes, meat, etc.
8. Warranty and Price
Make sure that you check the warranty factor while you make your final pick. Moreover, also check if the features provided are priced correctly or not. Check features! If they are good, you can neglect the price factor if your budget allows it.
Which type of mini fridge should I choose?
When it comes to types, there are basically three types of mini fridges namely, and they vary in size, starting most times from 1.7 cubic feet up to 4.5 cubic feet. Let’s find out.
1. Smaller mini fridges (Cube-sized)
The first category is the cube-sized mini fridges. These fridges are 17-19 inches per side in dimensions and can easily sit on top of your desk or bedside table. These cooling devices make sure that you can easily carry them along on your trip as they can be used with DC power. Moreover, cube-sized mini fridges can also store 6 - 12 cans of soda or soft drinks. They may or may not have a removable shelf in them.
2. Under the Counter Fridges
These are the fridges that are the biggest in the mini fridge category. They are around 33 inches high and do have multiple shelves, door bottle rack, and an icebox. They can typically fit under the counter or on the side of your bed. Unlike cube-sized fridges, you can store more drinks and eatables for yourself, or even use them as a minibar.
Storing pet bottles of drinks and water jugs are extremely easy in these fridges. You can try, but they are a bit tough to carry along on a trip.
3. Mid-sized mini fridges
These fridges lie somewhere between the above-mentioned categories. The typical height of these fridges is between 24 - 28 inches. You can keep them under the dining table or under the kitchen counter. Just like the other fridges, you can use them to store drinks and food items.
How much does a mini fridge cost?
If we take an overall perspective, the cost of a mini fridge can vary between £40.00 to £200.00. Although this is not a fixed range, there may be many options out there, that might be less or more than the described limits.
Affordable
The price of a mini fridge can vary based on a number of features. For instance, a cube-sized fridge will be of less price as it does not have many features such as multiple shelves, reversible doors, icebox, etc. The iceQ 4 Litre mini fridge on the list is of £44.99 as it has less capacity and limited features.
Pricey
On the other hand, the Husky Coca Cola Drinks Cooler is a bit pricey (£159.99). However, who can blame it? It has multiple extraordinary features. Plus it’s an official blended model. The capacity is more, and so are the features. Features like glass door, LED light, energy class etc. can make a fridge pricey. But, you can choose as per your requirement and budget.
How To Defrost a mini fridge?
Well, for mini fridges it is necessary to defrost at least once in every three months. Wondering how to do that? Worry no more, as the steps to defrost your fridge are pretty simple.
- Turn off the thermostat and plug off the fridge.
- Remove all the items from the fridge, including those from the ice box.
- Tilt the fridge back to prevent water spilling in the floor.
- When the ice has melted, clean up the fridge with soap properly and let it dry.
- Restart your refrigerator while adjusting the thermostat.
Wrapping Up...
In a nutshell, we can conclude that a mini fridge is an excellent investment to make as it has a plethora of benefits. If you are planning to buy one, there are countless best mini fridges options out there to choose from. Some of which are also listed in our detailed guide.
Use our guide to find all the related information about the mini fridges and their maintenance. We hope this helps you in the best way possible, and you end up buying the best mini fridge for your home.