BLACK AND DECKER 1.7cu Mini Fridge BCRK17B Review

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Black and Decker is a known brand in the market for mini fridges, and the newest model is no exception. The BCRK17B is a beautiful machine that will handle all your mini fridge requirements seamlessly. Besides, we at TeckFlock have ranked it #1 in our best mini fridge with freezer guide. Whether you are a student who needs a small fridge for his dorm, or a place to store drinks at your office, the Black Decker is a perfect little cube.

Mini fridges have slowly emerged as essential household items. Just like a microwave oven or a toaster, electric pressure cooker everybody either already has a mini fridge, or planning to get one. If you are one of the latter, you have landed at the right place. In our series of reviews of the latest mini fridges, we bring everything to you at one place.

The Black+Decker BCRK17B Review [2020]

Before I begin with the review, I’d like to inform that I’ve tried to add everything I could. In this post, I’ll be explaining the features, things I like, things I dislike, pros, cons and also answer a few frequently asked questions about this model. Besides that, I’ve also shared a few alternatives you shall consider if a feature you want is not there in this model.

1. Extra Storage

The Black and Decker BCRK17B features a customized door where you can store additional bottles of your favorite beverage. The door of this cool min fridge features one full-width and one half-width door shelf for maximum storage capacity.

You do not have to struggle to fit in those large 2 liters Pepsi bottles anymore, fiddling around with the shelves. It offers the perfect solution for this age-old problem prevalent among mini fridges.

What I like about this feature: Ability to store all beverages in one place.

What I do not like about this feature: the fridge magnet is pretty weak, and the beverage bottled may hinder adequate closure of the fridge unit.

2. Door and back

The door of the Black Decker is reversible, as is the case with mini fridges these days. What that means is you can customize the installation, based on your dominant hand.

The back of the mini fridge is flush and flat. You can store it anywhere without worrying about keeping clearance from the back wall. This is especially helpful for students who have limited storage space. Just place it in a corner and forget all about it.

What I like about this feature: Easy to store the fridge in a corner and customized door installation is handy.

What I do not like about this: The door installation can be tricky for a first time user.

3. Interior design and capacity

The mini fridge has a capacity of 1.7 cubic feet, just enough to store your drinks and snacks. There is one full-width adjustable shelf made of glass, so you can decide exactly how you want to organize your storage space. Not to mention, the sleekness and sophistication a glass shelf offers.

The adjustable shelf helps you organize big bottles and small bottles separately. You can create a neater inside space as well as a visually appealing area in your mini-fridge.

What I like about this feature: Adjustable shelf makes it easy to place large and small items in the fridge

What I do not like about this feature: the storage space may feel restrictive for office and rec room uses.

4. Freezer, Temperature Control, and Manual Defrost

Small Freezer and Temperature Control options

There is a small freezer compartment in the Black and Decker BCRK17B. I was able to store a few frozen pizza boxes or a pint of ice cream in the freezer.

The freezer covers the entire width of the fridge and there is an ice cube tray too. So you can not only store some frozen treats but also get some ice for your whiskey on the rocks.

You can defrost the Black Decker manually to get rid of that pesky ice that takes up all the space in the freezer. No more compromising on storing between ice cream and frozen burritos.

The temperature control dial allows users to decide how cool they want the compartment to be. So you can easily make adjustments according to the food items you are storing inside.

What I like about this feature: A freezer compartment in a fridge that small is unexpected and a huge bonus.

What I do not like about this feature: The compartment is very small, not ideal for anyone except students. The manual temperature dial does not control temperature precisely. You cannot make ice in the mini fridge either. The manual defrost is a hassle too.

5. Exterior and levelling legs

The Black Decker BCRK17B comes with extremely stylish, sophisticated black chrome exteriors. Whether you are a student or office goer, this sleek little appliance will look extremely cool in your space.

The compact fridge also comes with leveling legs that allow you to place the fridge anywhere you want. This feature is especially useful to those who have limited space in their living area or kitchen.

What I like about this feature: stylish looks, levelling legs help keep the fridge stable.

What I do not like about this feature: nothing to dislike here.

6. Energy Star Certified

Energy Star Label on the Black+Decker BCRK17B

One of the best features of mini fridges is the number of dollars you save on energy bills. The Black Decker comes with 5-star energy certification, making it an all-around perfect appliance for students and those of us looking to save money on monthly bills.

What I like about this feature: Energy star certification makes it cheap and energy efficient mini fridge

What I do not like about this feature: What is there to dislike about saving money?

BLACK AND DECKER MINI FRIDGE PROS AND CONS

Pros

Black+Decker BCRK17B Pros
  • Refined and clean, matte black looks. The appliance looks premium no matter where you use it – kitchen, rec room, office, or your personal man cave.
  • The mini fridge is an extremely lightweight unit at just 33 lbs. It is easy to transport the fridge and place it anywhere I wanted to. The installation alone was a breeze because of the less weight.
  • The Black Decker does not make any noise while running. Just switch it on and forget it is even there.
  • The unit allows customization of the inner shelf. It is easy to organize the space according to your convenience.
  • The door features a full width and one half-width shelf that allows storage of large, 2-litre soda bottles. A feature like this in a 1.7 cubic volume fridge is unprecedented.
  • The flush back and levelling legs make it easy to use the fridge in uneven flooring and store it in a corner.
  • You can use the top of the fridge as a countertop if you are in a crunch for space.
  • The manual temperature control dial makes it easy to control the internal environment according to the products you want to stock it with.
  • Energy certified ratings make it easy on the pocket when it comes to monthly electricity bills.
  • Door installation can be customized for left and right-handed people.

Cons

Cons
  • The fridge cannot be stocked full. Low power usage means all the products will not be cooled evenly if you fill the fridge to its capacity.
  • The freezer compartment is extremely small.
  • Manual defrost is a hassle. The fridge has to be unplugged every couple of weeks to get rid of the ice build up.
  • Manual temperature dial is not precise. The temperature inside the fridge is not the same as shown on the dial.
  • The fridge is not ideal for meat storage for prolonged periods.
  • The magnet on the door is weak. Once the door is stocked with large soda bottles, it is difficult to close the door.
  • The clips on the door can pop off after a while, making products fall on the floor as soon as you open the door. Make sure you glue them as soon as you get the unit to avoid wear and tear.
  • Customer service is unreliable.

BLACK AND DECKER BCRK17B MINI FRIDGE ALTERNATIVES

RCA RFR321-FR320/8 IGLOO Mini Refrigerator

RCA RFR321-FR320/8 IGLOO Compact Refrigerator

The RCA has a stainless steel body, compared to the plastic body of the Black Decker. The price range is similar, and the RCA comes with almost double the capacity of Black Decker at 3.2 cubic feet.

Danby DAR017A3BSLDB Contemporary Classic All Refrigerator

Danby DAR017A3BSLDB small fridge with 1.7cu capacity

With the same capacity as Black Decker, this Danby model is more expensive. It has a stainless steel body too, and a scratch resistant worktop.

BLACK DECKER BCRK25V Compact Refrigerator

BCRK25V Compact Refrigerator
with full-width freezer

Get double the storage and the same reliability of Black Decker with this BCRK25V model. The fridge has twice as many shelves and a full-width freezer compartment.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make ice in the Black Decker BCRK17B?

The mini fridge comes with a small ice cube tray in which you can make ice. However, a regularly sized ice cube tray will not fit in the fridge.

How many 12 oz beer cans can this fridge hold?

You can fit about 18 beer cans in the Black Decker.

What are the dimensions of the fridge?

The mini fridge is about 18 inches tall, 17.5 inches wide, and 18 inches deep.

Are the shelves removable?

The glass shelf inside the fridge is removable and you can customize the space inside according to your convenience.

Is the temperature control precise?

You can control the temperature inside the fridge with manual temperature control dial, but the preciseness is not verifiable. You can use a thermometer to check the temperature.

Does the fridge have a light inside?

No, fridges of this size do not come with a light inside.

Can I place my fridge on carpet or uneven surface?

The mini fridge has leveling legs, therefore it is a few inches above the floor. So you can place it on a carpet. But it cannot be placed on an uneven surface since that will make the fridge imbalanced and there is a danger of it falling over.

Is the fridge leaky?

No, you can easily use it on countertops and even carpets. It is not leaky at all.

The Verdict

The Black Decker BCRK17B is the perfect companion for students and travelers. With its small dimensions, this fridge redefines the meanings of a mini-fridge. Get it if you want a reliable machine that keeps your drinks cold and your food frozen. Priced at just over $100, the mini fridge is bang for bucks.

However, it may not be a clever investment for those of you looking to add a second fridge unit to your homes. It is quite small and a family of four may find it restrictive. Do get it though if you just want to store some beers in your recreation room or man cave. Accurately known as ‘the cube’ in the market, this mini fridge will take so little space that you will almost forget its there.

3 thoughts on “BLACK AND DECKER 1.7cu Mini Fridge BCRK17B Review”

  1. I’ve been using the exact model for 3 months now. It’s one of the best small fridges someone can have. The best thing about it is the capacity. It’s the perfect one for my room. In case someone is planning to buy it, consider this for sure. However, if you have requirements for a small fridge with a little more capacity then one should consider a similar model with higher capacity.

    Reply
  2. I have Black and Decker mini fridge and I’m very satisfied with their products. I own the BCRK25V and was looking for a smaller model, so I thought of getting this one, can you confirm if it is not too small? Although, the article mentions about the dimensions, would like a personal opinion.

    Reply

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