Best Mini Fridges with Freezer Reviews: After 67 Hours of Research (2020)

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A Mini Fridge or a compact refrigerator is a powerful appliance to keep your food preserved and your drinks cool when you don’t have space or need for a full-fledged refrigerator. However, a mini-fridge is a rather specialized piece of equipment and does not have all the functions and utilities of a large fridge.

As a result, different mini-fridges are better suited to different purposes. In the following guide, I shall be answering a few questions concerning mini-fridges so that you can make a better-informed choice before you invest your money in one.

Mini Fridge ModelCapacityBrand 
Black + Decker BCRK17B1.7 Cubic FeetBlack + Decker
Black + Decker BCRK32B3.2 Cubic FeetBlack + Decker
Midea WHD-113FB13.1 Cubic FeetMidea
Alpicool CX3030 LitresAlipicool

We don’t randomly add any products into our list, else the above table would’ve been filled with brand-sponsored models and would have had more than 10 products. But my goal as a source of information is to provide you with quality and highly researched information.

For those who don’t know about a mini-fridge, I’ll also explain about it and share the reasons why you should buy one. You can see the contents section below, it has the blueprint of the things covered in this guide, so check it to jump to the section you’re interested in or to skip a section you already know about.

Please care to comment down with your favorite model, so we can keep updating the post if we find a few more nice models.

TeckFlock Staff

What is a Mini-Fridge?

Basically put, a Mini-fridge, as the name suggests, is a refrigerator but smaller. It is incredibly useful if you want to keep things cool or frozen, or even simply preserve food, but don’t have the necessity or space for a full-scale fridge. They are most commonly seen being used in dorm rooms and offices where cooling might be desirable, but larger fridges will be a waste of space and energy. Some of them can even keep your food warm for you if you want to.

Most mini-fridges are suited to different purposes and not all are created equally. Since you’re making the fridge smaller, you are also taking away a lot of the functions and properties from it. As a result, there are different types of mini-fridges suited to different purposes. If you want all functions in one same fridge, it would be better to go for a refrigerator altogether.

You may not always require all parts of a full fridge, making a mini-fridge the best choice as it lets you pick a model which is meant to suit your purposes.

Best Mini Fridge with Freezer (2020 Edition)

As mentioned earlier, all mini-fridges are created differently to suit different purposes. A few are meant to be spatially economic. Furthermore, a few have the freezer functionality. Some are meant to be portable and usable while traveling. Finally, there are those which are meant to be multifunctional and comparatively small at the same time. As a result, I’ve compiled a list of mini-fridges which are best for different purposes.

Besides adding my opinion after testing all of these products, I also looked up for specific queries people had in their mind and have tried to answer them in this post. So be assured that all your questions will be answered and all your doubts will be solved.

1. Smallest Mini Refrigerator with a Freezer: Black + Decker BCRK17B

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Black + Decker BCRK17B
  • COMPACT & STYLISH - This space saving small refrigerator (17.5" x 18.5" x 19.7") stores food, soda, beer, and other beverages with minimal energy (70 watts) and without taking up too much space. The sleek, modern design - available in black, stainless steel, and white - is perfect for college dorm rooms, offices, garages, home bars, small apartments, and RV campers.Freezer Capacity:1 cubic_feet.Fresh Food Capacity: 1 cubic_feet
  • LARGE CAPACITY - The removable glass shelf expands the storage space and makes the fridge easy to clean. Additional door storage fits two cans (like soda and beer) or small containers on the top shelf, and liter or taller bottles and containers (like water, wine and milk) on the bottom shelf
  • CONVENIENT FEATURES - A reversible door, leveling legs, and adjustable temperature control (33.8 degrees Fahrenheit at the lowest setting) make this mini fridge even more practical. The small freezer (8 inches wide x 2 inches tall) fits ice packs, most frozen dinners, and the included ice tray
  • ULTRA QUIET - Low sound operation is perfect for places where you don’t want a noisy appliance – waiting rooms, TV and game rooms, and even baby rooms where you can store milk for easy feeding.Do not use harsh chemicals,abrasives, ammonia, chlorine bleach,concentrated detergents, solvents or metal scouring pads
  • ONE YEAR WARRANTY - 1 year warranty for parts and labor, and 2 year warranty for compressor part

While the Black + Decker BCRK17B is a really good mid-size fridge, it actually suits most purposes you can ask for from a fridge while saving you a lot of space at the same time. It is shaped like a cube and is naturally larger than a Cube Fridge. However, it is small enough that you can keep the unit almost anywhere. I’d generally suggest this model to people who live in a dorm or want a fridge for their personal room.

This also is very suitable for a mother who wants to preserve breast milk for her baby. If you don’t have much to store, then this Black & Decker mini fridge is the best one.

It can also be carried around and shifted comparatively easily, even though it is not suited for portability and travel purposes. It has 1.7 cubic feet of space available inside, which is equivalent to 48 Litres of storage space including the freezer section. It is also available in three colors: Black, White, and Gray.

The BCRK17B compact fridge has a separate area for the freezer with its own insulation to not affect anything outside the freezer compartment. This enables it to preserve or even freeze ice on its own. It also has an adjustable thermostat for the refrigerator section which has to be manually adjusted. All defrost operation also have to be made manually.

The refrigerator runs on a compressor technology which makes it more economically feasible to operate. It is also well insulated, which makes it less dependent on the ambient temperature for cooling. However, it cannot warm any food or drinks kept inside of it. It has a one-year warranty on all of its parts and a two-year warranty on the compressor.

Pros

Pros
  • Sufficient Storage Space.
  • Sufficiently small to fit almost anywhere.
  • Available in three colours.
  • Best value for money.
  • Good insulation.
  • Separately insulated freezer section.
  • Thermostat Control.
  • Energy efficient.
  • One-year warranty on parts, two on compressor.
  • Very low noise.

Cons

Cons
  • Might be a tad heavy to be portable.
  • All defrost operations must be done manually which can mean turning off the fridge.

2. Best Under-the-Counter Mini Fridge with Freezer: Black + Decker BCRK32B

Black + Decker BCRK32B
  • The sleek, modern design - available in black, stainless steel, and white - is perfect for college dorm rooms, offices, garages, home bars, small apartments, and RV campers
  • Product dimensions – 19.29” L x 17.52” W x 32.72” H | Freezer size – 12.8” W x 4.3” H | Total capacity – 3.2 cu ft. | Wattage – 219 watts | Lowest temperature – 32ᵒ F
  • A reversible door, leveling legs, and adjustable temperature control make this mini fridge even more practical | The small freezer fits ice packs, most frozen dinners, and the included ice tray
  • Low sound operation (45dB) is perfect for places where you do not want a noisy appliance – waiting rooms, TV and game rooms, and even baby rooms where you can store milk for easy feeding
  • The 2 removable glass shelves expand the storage space and makes the fridge easy to clean | Additional door storage fits six 12 oz. cans (like soda and beer), small containers on the top shelf, and 2 liter door storage for taller bottles

While the Black + Decker BCRK32B might be the best in storage space, it is also the largest, making it more of a smaller fridge than an actual mini-fridge.

However, it does come under the category of under-the-counter fridges and is actually meant to be kept under a kitchen or bar counter, which would make it quite large in size and offers up an amazing 3.2 cubic feet of space.

That is equivalent to 90 litres of storage, which can also provide for the personal needs of one person entirely. It has three shelves inside of it and it offers two wireframes to keep your cans and bottles in. It comes in only one color.

The fridge also has a separately insulated freezer section which renders it suitable for storing and freezing ice. It has separate thermostat control which is manually operated and is used to control the temperature of the rest of the fridge. It is also based on a compressor technology which ensures that the fridge does not consume too much energy while operating.

This model is slightly taller than the BCRK17B and has more capacity too, so this should be an ideal choice to you if you’re looking for something which is quiet, has more space and yet doesn’t put a hole to your pocket. However, you can consider the previous model if you’re not looking for more capacity.

The fridge comes with a 1-year warranty on all parts except for the compressor. The compressor has a 2-year warranty. The main problem which arises, with this mini-fridge however, is that it might be too large for most people and their needs.

Pros

Pros
  • Huge storage space.
  • Different removable shelves for easy arrangement and assortment.
  • Good insulation.
  • Freezer section with separate insulation.
  • Thermostat control to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator section.
  • Energy efficient due to compressor technology.
  • One-year warranty on parts, two-year on the compressor.
  • Low noise.

Cons

Cons
  • Not meant to be portable.
  • Takes up a significant amount of space.
  • All defrost operations are manual which might include turning off the fridge.
  • Relatively Expensive.

3. Feature-Rich Compact Fridge with Separate Freezer: Midea WHD-113FB1

Midea WHD-113FB1
  • Adjustable Temperature Ranges: Refrigerator Compartment 32' to 50' F / Freezer Compartment -11.2' to 5'F
  • Features Adjustable Legs and a Reversible Door that can Open from Left or Right
  • Interior Light. Fresh section : 2.2 cubic feet, freezer section: 0.9 cubic feet
  • Separate Fruit and Vegetable Drawer. Note: The Internal Walls of the Main Compartment are Slightly Tapered Toward the Back
  • Full 1-Year Warranty

The Midea WHD-113FB1 is one of the best mini-fridges when it comes to ease of use and maintenance, and it is all simply because of the fact that it is a double door fridge. In other words, it doesn’t have the freezer compartment in the same compartment as the refrigerator section. Basically, if you’re looking for a compact fridge with separate freezer (combo) then this is going to be the perfect model for you.

This makes a lot of difference as you now have more space in the freezer section. It is sized like an under-the-counter fridge which might make it difficult to fit in most places and carry around.

This mini-fridge has a total space of 3.1 Cubic feet, out of which the refrigerator section has a space of 2.2 cubic feet while the freezer section has a space of 0.9 cubic feet. While this takes away from the space for refrigeration, it adds to the space for cooling. Furthermore, the two sections are well insulated from each other as well as from the external environment.

The mini-fridge also has 2 separate temperature thermostats which can be used to control the freezer and refrigerator sections separately. The refrigerator section supports temperatures between 32 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit while the freezer section can range from – 11.2 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. That is enough to chill most foods and freeze them a few times over.

The best feature of this mini-fridge is the fact that it is a double door fridge. This means that what happens to the freezer compartment stays with it and does not affect the refrigerator compartment. This makes defrosting it very easy while continuing to refrigerate food and drinks in the refrigerator section. Also, the fridge doesn’t freeze over if the freezer section has the occasional leak unlike in the case of most single door fridges.

The fridge also comes with an internal light and a vegetable drawer. It is based on a compressor technology which means it is quite. It is also subject to a one-year warranty.

Pros

Pros
  • Double Door Fridge.
  • Well insulated design.
  • Two separate thermostats for the freezer and refrigerator.
  • Large storage space.
  • Energetically efficient.
  • Low noise.
  • Internally lit with separate vegetables tray.
  • Easy to defrost.
  • One-year Warranty.

Cons

Cons
  • Heavy and difficult to move.
  • Large in size.
  • Relatively expensive.

4. Travel Fridge with Freezer: Alpicool CX30 Portable Fridg

Alpicool CX30 Portable Fridg
  • STORAGE SPACE:32 Quart(30 Liter) capacity ,fits 33 cans of Cola.
  • FREEZES WITHOUT ICE: -4°F(-20°C) deep chilling down performance ,no need ice ever. Run great with your small solar system as well.
  • TROLLY DESIGN:Individual trolley design with heavy-duty handles and wheels that make it easy transport and carry to anywhere.
  • CAR BATTERY PROTECTION:With temperature memory function and 3 different levels for battery protection: Low, Med and High to protect your vehicle battery without run down.
  • KEEP COOLING AND FRESH:Reliable sealing property construction,thick and high Density Foam Insulation.Continues keep cooling performance during your journey.Fresh all way and super energy saving!

Portable fridges are those which are suitable for travel purposes. However, most of them don’t have freezing capabilities and have warming capabilities instead. Moreover, they are also not energetically efficient and tend to drain the battery very quickly without managing to provide much cool. The Alpicool CX30 Portable Fridg is an exception and for the best. Even though it is certainly much more expensive than other fridges, it has a ton of features which makes it wonderful for traveling purposes.

For starters, the mini-fridge has a splendid 30-liter capacity and is available in other variants as well including 15 Litres, 20 Litres, 40 Litres, and 50 Litres for those that want them. While the 15 Litres and 20 Litres variants are smaller and lighter, the larger variants can get a little heavy to handle especially when full. As a result, the larger models come with a Drawbar and a pair of wheels so that you can carry them around like a trolley wherever you go.

As for the cooling properties, the fridge can go as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit. This is much more than the amount required to freeze ice. However, the obvious drawback here is that you can either use it as a refrigerator or as a freezer. It cannot use both modes at once, which tends to be a little problematic if you want to carry ice-cream and vegetables or fruits together for longer times. However, apart from that, it is more than sufficient for frozen food.

If you’re having a diabetic person who needs the insulin to be preserved in a freezer while traveling or a medically challenged person who needs his meds to be in the freezer, then this should be one of the best things for your needs. However, this shouldn’t be your choice if you want a mini fridge for your personal room, dorm or anything which doesn’t involve traveling.

In addition to all those features, the fridge also comes with the capability to use either AC or DC current to operate and an AC adapter which you can connect to your car. There are two modes, Economy and Max. While the former uses 12 volts of electricity and cools less, the latter can get freezing but ends up using 24 volts of electricity for the same. And to add to that, there are safety measures in place which switch the refrigerator off in case the car battery gets overloaded or runs into lower voltage. This helps you avoid draining the battery of your car while using this.

Finally, the fridge is built using a Thermoelectric technology which minimizes vibrations while using it. However, the fridge is wonderfully insulated and isn’t really affected by external temperature. It also has a digital control panel with a thermostat.

Is it too large for you? Well, consider buying the Alpicool C15 which is a smaller and budget-friendly option (Read the review)

Pros

Pros
  • Large space.
  • Available in many variants.
  • Well insulated.
  • Trolley facilities present in larger variants.
  • Digital Thermostat and Controls.
  • Two power modes, economy and max.
  • AC adapter for use during travel.
  • Security measures to avoid battery drain.

Cons

Cons
  • Thermoelectric technology isn’t as power efficient.
  • Even despite trolley system, larger models might prove difficult to handle.
  • Cannot be used as a freezer and refrigerator simultaneously.
  • Might be a little large to fit in smaller cars.

These were all the mini-fridges that I found to be the best for different purposes after extensive hours of testing each and every one of them. Hopefully, it will give you sufficient information to purchase the instant pot which you would find the most useful for. Kindly consider buying them from the affiliate links here and helping me out through a small commission which won’t cost you anything extra.

Getting started with your Kitchen setup? Check our guide to buying the best instant pot.

Why should you Buy a Mini-fridge?

A mini-fridge is a very specialized piece of utility which is useful for a wide variety of purposes. People usually go for a full-fledged refrigerator for their purposes. However, this usually has its own limitations, the primary ones being portability and size. Different mini-fridges have their own purposes and their own advantages.

But who needs a mini-fridge? Be it a mother who wants to preserve breast milk for her baby during nights or an individual living in a dorm room, or a couple who craves for a midnight snack in their bed room. The mini fridge is for everyone.

The biggest advantage of having a mini-fridge is the fact that is smaller. That makes it much more convenient to store with you in most places. Unlike a fridge, which must be carefully handled, a mini-fridge can be handled quite conveniently and easily. They also occupy less space in households and don’t weight as much.

They can be kept in place without using up too much space, making them a good choice for congested places and smaller rooms, offices, and households where space is more limited. Smaller fridges are also easier to shift and move around the place and can be placed practically anywhere without having to place much effort into it.

While being smaller does make them more limited in size, it also makes them more limited in storage space. While that means less food that can be stored, it also means that you’re consuming lesser power. While that may seem irrelevant at first glance, to put things into perspective, it would be a greater waste to have a lot of space which you don’t need and have to pay for all the extra energy which it uses. Going for a mini fridge solves that problem by making sure that you have got only as much as you need and not more, making everything more efficient.

There are also a lot of fridges which aren’t available in full-scale variants and only in mini-fridge variants, such as travel fridges, beverage fridges, and wine fridges. Paying for exactly what you want and not taking what you won’t use saves a lot of time, energy, and money for a lot of people.

Things to consider when buying a Mini-fridge: Buyer’s Guide

John, who’s a condensation engineer has written a long list of things to consider before you buy a mini-fridge. This includes the technology being used, the size, the energy efficiency, the noise, the carbon footprint, and many other factors. Make sure to check on all of these before you invest in one.

  • Thermostat: A good mini-fridge generally has thermostat control which is used to regulate the temperature inside of the fridge. The finer the controls and the broader the range, the better the fridge.
  • Size: The entire point of a mini-fridge is to make it smaller in size. However, smaller doesn’t necessarily mean better. Smaller storage space makes it more difficult to store more food in it. Go for a size which suits your purposes. Thinking about what you want your mini-fridge for really helps in these regards.
  • Weight: A good mini-fridge should be lighter in weight. This mostly depends upon various factors including the size, the build material, the technology used, the insulation provided, and so on and so forth.
  • Storage space: While Storage space is directly proportional to the size of the fridge, there are similarly sized fridges which have different storage spaces because of how they have been crafted. As a rule of thumb, larger storage space generally means better for you.
  • Insulation: A good fridge should be insulated properly to enable it to better maintain the temperature inside the fridge. Without this, the ambient temperature has more of an effect on the cooling properties of a mini-fridge. Good insulation also adds more weight.
  • Portability: Sometimes, good mini-fridges should also be portable. While weight plays a major factor in this, it is also governed by other factors including shape, size, and ability to use DC and AC current to enable usage of the fridge.
  • Cost: Nothing special here. Cheaper is better as long as you’re getting all the features you’re looking for.
  • Purpose: Different Mini-Fridges are suited to different purposes. It is best to go for a beverage fridge if all you want to do is keep your drinks cool. Wine is best stored in a Wine Cooler. A cube fridge or a travel fridge is best for portability. At the same time, you’ll require something with a freezer if you want to make ice for yourself.
  • Energy Efficiency: A good fridge should spend less energy on cooling more efficiently. This means less power consumption and also means fewer electricity bills for you to pay.
  • Gas Emissions:  A good fridge produces as few greenhouse gasses as possible during its operation.
  • The technology used: Different technologies used have different effects on the mini-fridge, the power consumption, and the environment. There are currently three technologies available, Thermoelectric cooling, Compressor aided cooling, and Absorption based cooling.
  • Noise and heat dissipation:  Noise and heat are simply by-products of the refrigeration process. A good fridge should ideally make less noise and should be able to dissipate more heat as a sign that it can cool better. Cooling is merely removing heat from inside the fridge.
  • Warranty: Needless to say, a warranted product is always much more preferable than one without a warranty in case anything goes bad. Furthermore, customer service is just as important. Make sure that both of these are available in your region for the fridge that you’re purchasing.
  • Your local laws: Sometimes, a fridge that you may purchase may not follow a law or two specifics to your place. Always read up before buying a fridge unless you’re willing to secretly break the law and get away with it and order accordingly.

Mini Fridge – Frequently Asked Questions

Does a mini-fridge consume a lot of electricity?

Deceptive to its size, a mini-fridge does consume more electricity compared to the amount of space they are cooling. This is primarily because of the technologies used to make these fridges smaller and lighter. They still consume less energy than larger fridges and the overall change isn’t too noticeable at worst. With better technology, they consume much less energy than larger refrigerators.

What size is a mini-fridge? (Dimensions)

A mini fridge is available in various sizes and shapes which are best suited to a variety of purposes. The three categories include Cube fridges which are the smallest, Mid-size fridges which are rather self-explanatory, and under-the-counter fridges which are the largest of the lot and are meant to fit underneath a kitchen or bar counter.

Can I put a mini-fridge outside?

A mini-fridge can be kept anywhere. There are travel fridges which are meant to be taken on short trips and picnics with some snacks or drinks to cool. As long as your fridge has proper insulation, sunlight and other factors should not affect it. Refrain from keeping Wine Coolers in the sun unless they are tinted to avoid spoiling wine as an exception to this statement.

How long does a mini-fridge last?

A mini-fridge typically lasts around 14 years on average whereas most other fridges last 17 years on average. There is hence, not much of a difference in longevity as compared to the difference in price point.

Do mini-fridges make a lot of noise?

Mini fridges don’t make a lot of noise. Thermoelectric fridges generally make a low humming noise which is the sound of the fan dissipating the heat from the back of the fridge. Similarly, compressor fridges may let out a slight vibrating noise because of the motor inside. Otherwise, Absorption fridges are more or less noise free.

Can you lay a mini-fridge on its back?

Thermoelectric and Compressor fridges can be laid on their back easily. However, absorption fridges need to be kept upright at all times for them to function properly. Even if such an event was to occur, it is best to keep the fridge upright for 24 hours or at least the same amount of time spends by it lying down before operating it.

Can a car battery handle a mini-fridge?

Travel Fridges and other Cube Fridges are usually meant to be used with the AC current fed from the car battery. However, they do consume a lot of energy. While it won’t matter much while the car is running, it can easily be fatal for the car’s battery if the fridge is left running with the engine turned off.

How do you defrost a mini-fridge?

In order to defrost a fridge, if it doesn’t have the option for a defrost feature, simply switch it off until all of the ice melts and turns into water. Drain out all the water and simply plug it in and turn it on again. Any wet insulation should dry itself out as the fridge continues operation.

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