The best mini fridges are a great addition to your bedroom, office, dorm room, or garage. They are perfect for storing cold drinks or snacks and can easily be moved around. With one of these compact appliances, you can enjoy a cold soda on a hot day, and their portability makes them ideal for small spaces.
All spaces have different requirements when it comes to keeping things cool. If you are looking for a small fridge that doesn't cost much to run, energy-efficient models are available at affordable prices. Portable mini fridges are also a great option for campers or people traveling in an RV. If you plan on using it at home, the compact design makes it easy to unplug and move around as needed.
Though much cheaper than the best refrigerators, mini fridges are still an investment. If you want something to keep your drinks, snacks, or cosmetics cool and fresh or plan to host next summer, keep reading to see our pick of the best mini fridges currently available.
The best mini fridges we recommend in 2023
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While we haven't been able to test any of the units in this guide in person, we've instead honed in on top-rated brands and used our knowledge of the best mini fridge features to help you make the right decision for your home, all for the best price.
The best mini fridge overall
The Midea WHS-65LB1 is 1.6 cu. ft. in size and is a solid addition to your home or RV. The size also makes it a good option in dorms, apartments or as a secondary fridge for drinks or snacks when entertaining guests.
The single door is reversible so that it can be opened from the left or right so that you don't accidentally drag the whole thing off your countertop when you open it from the wrong side (we've all been there, right?) It also features an adjustable shelf, which can be removed entirely if you need to cool something big, such as a large bottle or a pot of food.
This mini fridge uses an efficient and quiet thermoelectric cooling system while adequately cooling drinks or food without a compressor. Its compact design allows you to place it anywhere with minimal disturbances. Some parts of this fridge are made of Iron, which can be prone to tarnishing—we recommend keeping the fridge dry and clean to avoid this.
The best mini beverage fridge
The Koolatron KWCA4 is both stylish and compact, holding up to six soft drink cans. Featuring the iconic Coca-Cola logo and an adorable bear holding a bottle of Coke on the front door, it adds a fun retro touch to any space.
What sets this mini fridge apart is its versatility. You can power it by plugging it into a standard 110-volt AC outlet at home or a 12-volt DC outlet in your car, making it perfect for use on the go. Unlike traditional mini fridges that rely on compressors for cooling, the Koolatron KWCA4 uses a thermoelectric system, accompanied by a fan to draw heat out of the device, and a set of grilles on the back to maintain the interior cool.
With the Koolatron KWCA4, you can chill your canned beverages to as low as 32 degrees Fahrenheit below the ambient temperature. Despite its powerful cooling capabilities, this mini fridge operates quietly, making it a perfect addition to any space.
The best mini fridge for dorms
Looking for the best mini fridge for your dorm? The Magic Chef MCBR440S2 is a top contender. With a 4.4 cubic-foot interior, it offers plenty of space for food and drinks. It also features a transparent crisper drawer, convenient internal lighting, and adjustable glass shelves.
The freezer is spacious, and the door has compartments for a gallon of milk, a 2-liter bottle, and more. Despite its roomy interior, it's compact and measures 9.5 x 33.1 x 22 inches, making it easy to fit into small spaces. Plus, its reversible door offers flexibility in placement. While it may be a bit pricey compared to other models, the ample storage space makes it worth the investment for dorm living.
The best mini fridge for skincare
The Frigidaire EFMIS149_AMZ is a four-liter capacity micro refrigerator designed to keep canned beverages chilled. It fits up to six 12 oz soda cans but can also chill a lunch box or baby bottles.
This mini fridge is not Energy Star certified, but it does use CFC and refrigerant-free semiconductors, which are much better for the environment than a conventional mini fridge. This fridge is made of plastic and steel, which doesn't make it the most durable fridge on our list, but it is strong enough to be taken camping or in an RV for when you want a cold soda or a frosty beer on a hot day.
This fridge will cost around $60, which is reasonably expensive considering its small capacity - but if you want a beautiful-looking drink cooler that will impress your friends, it is worth every penny.
The best mini fridge with glass door
The NewAir AB-1200 mini fridge is designed to impress with its black exterior, stainless steel trim, and transparent glass door. It boasts a spacious interior that can hold up to 126 canned drinks, keeping them perfectly chilled at temperatures as low as 34 degrees Fahrenheit.
The versatile design allows you to store beverage cans either on their side or upright, and the five adjustable chrome racks offer flexibility for organizing your items. The mini fridge can also accommodate wine bottles, allowing you to store them horizontally to keep the corks moist and maintain the ideal temperature for your favorite wines. It's also perfect for storing bottled beer.
With a generous 3.4 cubic feet of interior space, this mini fridge operates quietly at just 35 decibels, making it an excellent option for any space where noise levels are a concern.
How to choose the best mini fridge
When purchasing a new mini fridge, several important factors must be considered.
Firstly, the size and capacity of the mini-fridge are important. Choose the size based on the space that you have available and the number of items that you want to store - this is similar to capacity. Think about the mini fridge's interior space and ensure it will fit everything you need to store. If you plan on having your mini-fridge in or near a bedroom, we would highly advise looking into the noise level of the fridges.
It is also important to consider the type of cooling you want. Depending on what you wish to cool, choose between compressor-based or thermoelectric cooling. Compressor-based mini-fridges are much more powerful and will get your sodas extra cold on a hot day. If this is important to you, we recommend looking into models with temperature control settings to ensure all your items stay at the correct temperature.
If running cost or environmental impact is a big concern for you, you should look into the energy efficiency of the models you are interested in. Some models will be more efficient and cost significantly less to run. Some mini-fridges have more features, such as shelves, racks, and even locks.
Last but not least, price is important. As with most things, the more you spend, the more feature-packed, efficient, and quiet your fridge will be. If you use your mini fridge a lot, then the extra cash might be worth it in the long run, but if you only plan on using it for the occasional camping trip, a cheaper option will probably be sufficient.
