This refrigerator is Energy Star Certified and has a total capacity of up to 5.1 cu. ZDNET’s recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. If you are interested in purchasing a small orundercounter refrigerator to save space in your home, Whirlpool brand offers a variety of units to suit your needs.
For starters, its fridge ran warm on default settings, hitting an average temperature less than 1°F below the safe zone of 40°F. It was also the least consistent freezer of the group, oscillating between 2°F and 8°F, which is a huge swing when freezers normally deal in wavering by fractions of a degree. This sort of variation means you’ll likely have trouble with freezer burn. While it isn’t one of the bigger models out there, and its door takes some getting used to (if you don’t shut it hard enough it will bounce open again), we do love its retro look and consistent temperatures.
The refrigerator door has sections for storing cans as well as larger bottles, and there is an interior light that comes on when you open the door, allowing you to quickly see what you need even at night. The legs of this mini fridge can be adjusted to accommodate uneven floors in your kitchen or garage for optimal compressor performance and cooling. There’s nothing more valuable than fridge space for home cooks. If you find yourself in constant awe at how fast your fridge fills up, it may be time to consider investing in some extra real estate with a mini fridge. These compact appliances can suit any space and still have ample room to comfortably house everything from extra soda cans and wine bottles to leftovers and groceries.
But the wiring looked as if it were soldered in a hurry, and the compressor and all its connections were left unprotected on the back of the appliance. What this means is that it can sustain damage pretty easily in transit. Not only will you need to handle it with care, but so will the distributors, the people who work in warehouses and stockrooms, and the delivery people, too. If you suspect that you’ve received a broken unit, you probably have—return it immediately.
So we resigned ourselves to renting from Buddy’s, a place a friend of mine recommended that she had used before. It was $60 by the week or $200 by the month, no contract, no ding to my credit and they had it out within the Frigidaire fridge hour, which I found impressive. Sad thing is, we had Geek Squad on one new product and I found out that it actually would have covered the fridge. I had to repair my old fridge every few months towards the end of its life.
If space isn’t necessarily the deciding factor, and you’re going to be using the fridge a lot, you should consider a full-sized refrigerator on the more affordable side. From stainless steel to beautiful wood to dramatic lighting, you’ll find it here. If you buy a new refrigerator, be sure to recycle your old one. Many appliance retailers will pick up and recycle your old refrigerator when you purchase a new one.
To help you find the perfect mini fridge for your budget and needs, I put together a list of the five best models you can buy. I’ve broken down their features and price points so you can compare and choose the one that is the best fit for your home, office, or dorm. Whether you need a fridge for the garage, dorm room, or office, the Whirlpool 4.3 cu. This Energy Star rated compact refrigerator has an adjustable thermostat, allowing you to have control over how cold your items stay. The fridge has a seven-can dispenser built in, and is tall enough inside to hold two-liter bottles. The interior glass shelf is adjustable for space optimizing, and the interior light helps you make sure you grab the right item out of the fridge.
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. A mini fridge can absolutely be worth the cost, especially if you’re going off to college. Having a small refrigerator in your dorm room makes it easy to keep fresh food and cool drinks on hand between classes or when you just can’t bring yourself to eat another meal in the dining hall. Mini fridges are also great for use at home when you might need a bit of extra cold storage for groceries like meat, drinks, and vegetables. The LED interior light uses a motion sensor to automatically turn on as you approach.
Stainless steel pots and pans are a great addition to every kitchen. They look gorgeous, last a lifetime, and can be used for everything from steaming rice to braising chicken to simmering soup. This model bears the EnergyStar label and should only cost about $25 a year to run. You may have to defrost the freezer, an “ancient” procedure that may not be familiar to you. It involves turning the fridge off and allowing all the ice that builds up on the walls of the freezer to melt off.