If you need a fridge on short notice and a Samsung model looks like a top bet, it probably won’t be a disaster. But most people seem to think that a built-in ice maker is worth having. Some upscale fridges even have specialty ice features, like LG’s Craft Ice clear spheres (38% of the owners of one model whose reviews we analyzed cited Craft Ice as one of their favorite features). Normally priced at $139.99, the mini fridge can hold just about anything with its two shelves, such as cans of soda, two-liter bottles, and even frozen pizza and ice cream.
Clark Howard says that with kitchen appliances, it is better to replace rather than fix, after the 3-5 year mark, which I found surprising. I just bought a slightly smaller Whirlpool for $160 at HD, though it has a separate freezer door. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may Frigidaire fridge earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
Maybe the fridge will be in a galley kitchen or pantry, or maybe an island stands tight to the fridge cutout, and it’s going to be a pain to deal with a fridge that takes up too much room. Some “counter-depth” fridges really stretch the definition, sitting at more than 30 inches deep—they’re shallower than similar standard-depth models from the same brand, but not by much. So you should double-check any whirlpool mini refrigerator counter-depth fridge’s actual dimensions. We don’t have perfect information about the best brands or models, but we do have a few leads. Top-freezer fridge owners are more likely to complain that their fridges are loud, though it’s still a relatively low percentage, even among the noisiest models. IKEA’s house-brand refrigerators are manufactured by Whirlpool and have mostly similar characteristics.
This UL- and ENERGY STAR-certified refrigerator is quality built and made to last. The US federal government issues the certification to the most energy-efficient appliances available. The goal is to save you money on your utility bills when you choose the most efficient ENERGY STAR model. You’ll find a light blue and white ENERGY STAR logo on certified refrigerators or a yellow card that displays its efficiency with an estimate of how much it will cost you to run the mini fridge per year.
This is basically destined to be a problem with most similar models, so it’s important to understand that you’re working with a very small, very inexpensively built appliance. If you don’t store 12-ounce cans, you might find that the can holder on the door becomes wasted space, and while most people agree that the freezer works well, some have found that temperature fluctuates above freezing. The back of the refrigerator compartment also tends to get colder, which you can use accordingly, but it can also be a nuisance. Compact and versatile as a fridge or freezer, Avanti’s Dual-Function mini fridge has a single shelf for easy storage and cleaning. Featuring a shelf, in-door storage, and a chiller, the Frigidaire 1.6-Cubic-Foot Compact Fridge has just enough room to store your mini fridge basics. Based on other mini fridges posted, this looks to be a pretty good deal.
We did not physically test any refrigerators for this guide, but we think that our extensive research actually helped us identify important trends that we never would have found with testing alone. We haven’t done rigorous hands-on testing of any fridges in this guide, but we have touched most models we mention here at appliance showrooms. We used an AI-powered analysis tool to scan 28,000-plus customer reviews across 34 fridge models for complaints and praise. Below, shop Target’s discounted mini fridge deals and enjoy the storage possibilities.
All you have to do is place an order and make a payment, and the fridge will be delivered to your kitchen, followed by a trained professional setting up the appliance while demonstrating all its features. But making a purchase isn’t a simple affair and looking inside while the door is opened simply isn’t enough. So below are the types and the benefits of each type of refrigerator. Fridges can be classified into single door refrigerators, double door refrigerators, and lastly, refrigerators with side by side doors. The shallowest freestanding counter-depth fridges measure about 27 inches deep, as much as 9 inches (25%) shallower than a standard-depth model.