The 9 Best Mini Fridges
Updated by · How we research
Two-door freezers, desk cubes, drinks coolers and dorm staples compared on space, cold and power use. The Midea WHD-113FSL leads for its separate freezer door. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Most mini fridges sold "with freezer" have only a small ice box at the top of the cabinet, and the maker of one popular model says plainly that it won't hold ice cream. Real frozen storage takes a two-door model, and even those rarely reach zero in independent tests. The picks below cover dorm rooms, bedrooms, offices and home bars.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
A freezer that actually freezes is what most people shopping for a small fridge want, so the Midea WHD-113FSL, with its freezer behind a separate door, now leads. The Midea WHS-65LB1, Upstreman BR321, Frigidaire EFR0492, Euhomy CRF006-31 and Igloo IRF32PL6A are new too.
Seven earlier picks are gone. The Teccpo Compact, Galanz Retro and RCA RFR835 can't be bought new anymore, the Euhomy RF-S has disappeared, and the RCA RFR322 and Homelabs Under Counter gave way to stronger choices. The Cooluli Concord is a thermoelectric cooler that can't keep milk safe, and its maker recalled two smaller models for fire risk in 2026. The Black+Decker BCRK32B, Black+Decker BCRK25 and hOmeLabs HME030065N stay.
The most useful evidence was the temperature logs Reviewed and Family Handyman published for compact fridge-freezers: freezers that rarely hit zero, and some fridges that ran warm or froze lettuce. For brands no one has measured, we went by spec sheets, energy ratings and recall records.
December 16, 2020:
There are only a few models here that are a little different and perhaps not for the average consumer: the Cooluli Concord is small and portable, and useful for those who need to keep medication or beauty supplies cold, but probably not large enough for most users. The Galanz Retro is cool-looking and perfect for a barber shop with an old-fashioned style, but your use for it depends largely on which size you get and the decor of your space. The Homelabs Cooler is specifically for drinks, so it's great for keeping in the TV room if you often have company over for sporting events.
The rest of the models on the list are standard mini fridges, and at first glance they may appear to be all the same. However, beyond size, there are considerations like reversible doors, separate doors for freezers, and temperature control. The Teccpo Compact has stolen the top spot because it has seven temperature settings, is very quiet, doesn't use a ton of power, has a separate freezer, and can get incredibly cold. The Euhomy RF-S is right behind, and the Black & Decker BCRK32B is the best small unit for those who don't need a ton of capacity.
December 12, 2019:
Mini fridges aren't just a common solution to dorm room food storage; a mini fridge in the bedroom can solve the age-old problem of roommates stealing your beer. Specifically to that end, the Homelabs Cooler and NewAir NBC060 are both capable glass-front can fridges that let you or your coworkers see what's inside at a glance. Their main drawback is that they don't have any room for making ice or holding frozen food.
The RCA RFR835 and Euhomy RF-S are both relatively standard and feature separate cooler and freezer doors which can increase efficiency and keep frozen things frozen without introducing much frost. The Danby DCR045 and Igloo FR326M both have only one door, so they're slightly more compact at the cost having a separate freezer compartment. The 4.5-cubic-foot Danby is also notable for its above-average capacity. The Homelabs 030210 is similar, but has a slightly smaller footprint in case the others don't quite fit in the space you have reserved for them. If you don't need a ton of room, the Galanz Refrigerator is worth a look in large part because it's so incredibly affordable. For something considerably different, check out the AstroAI Portable, which is somewhat limited in its cooling ability but is compact and light enough to offer an entirely different kind of convenience.
And while those listed above are pretty close to the common 3.2-cubic-foot standard, we want to bring to your attention to the Danby DPF073, which is somewhere between a simple drink cooler and a full-size refrigerator. If you're storing food for a small family and don't want to take the plunge on an expensive, heavy, and bulky Frigidaire, this 7.3-cubic-foot appliance provides considerably more cold storage than almost all of the rest.
Special Honors
ENERGY STAR Certified Refrigerators The EPA's ENERGY STAR site lists certified compact refrigerators with their rated yearly energy use, so you can check a model's claim before you buy. It also has plain advice on placement, door seals and recycling an old fridge. energystar.gov
Danby Danby, a Canadian appliance maker, focuses on compact refrigerators and freezers. Its lineup includes outdoor-rated and under-counter models, which matter if your fridge is headed for a patio, garage or kitchen cabinet run. danby.com
Freezer, Chill Box Or No Freezer At All
Put food in already frozen, and eat it within weeks rather than months.
The word "freezer" covers three different things on a mini fridge. Most single-door models have a small metal box or shelf at the top, often called a chill box or ice box. It makes ice slowly and keeps cans very cold, but it isn't built to hold frozen food. Upstreman says outright that the freezer shelf in its BR321 isn't meant for ice cream or ice cubes.
Two-door models give the freezer its own door and its own insulated space. They're the only compact type worth buying if you want frozen meals or ice cream. Even then, keep expectations modest. Family Handyman logged temperatures in a group of fridge-freezer combinations and found none whose freezer reached 0 degrees Fahrenheit; the best averaged a few degrees above it. Put food in already frozen, and eat it within weeks rather than months.
The third type has no freezer at all: glass-door drinks coolers and thermoelectric personal coolers. Thermoelectric units are quiet and cheap, but they only cool to a set amount below room temperature. Reviewed found them hovering in the 50s, which is too warm for milk, meat or medicine. The FDA says a fridge should hold 40 degrees or below and a freezer 0 degrees, so a cheap fridge thermometer is worth having in any of these.
Size, Fit And Where It Goes
Compact fridges come in a few size classes. A cube of about 1.5 to 1.7 cubic feet fits under a desk or beside a bed and holds drinks, snacks and a few lunches. A 2.5-cubic-foot model is usually short enough to fit under a desk too, with room for a small grocery run. The common 3.1 to 3.2-cubic-foot dorm fridge stands about waist high, and the biggest compacts reach about 4.5 cubic feet, close to a small apartment fridge.
Measure the spot before you buy, and then add room for air. Most compact fridges shed heat through their sides and back, and ENERGY STAR advises leaving space around a fridge and keeping it away from ovens, heaters and direct sun. Check which way the door opens, too. Most models here have a reversible door, but switching it takes a screwdriver and some patience.
Think about what has to fit. A 2-liter bottle usually rides in the door; a gallon of milk often doesn't fit standing up in a single-door cube. Garages and porches are a special case. A regular mini fridge can stop cooling properly when the room gets very hot or near freezing, so use one only where the maker says the temperature range is fine.
Safety, Power And Recalls
Small fridges have had serious safety recalls. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of Frigidaire-brand personal minifridges made by Curtis International for fire and burn hazards in 2025 and expanded it in 2026. Cooluli also recalled its 10-liter and 15-liter minifridges in 2026 over power supplies that can short. None of the picks on this list is named in those recalls, but if you're buying used, read the model plate on the back and search it at cpsc.gov.
Plug a mini fridge straight into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or a power strip shared with a space heater or microwave. Most current models use isobutane refrigerant, which works well but is flammable in small amounts, so don't chip at ice with a knife near the coils or cooling lines. When an old fridge dies, take it to an appliance recycler or a local take-back program rather than the curb.
Running cost is low. Energy Star compacts on this list are rated at roughly 200 to 300 kilowatt-hours a year, which works out to a few dollars a month at typical U.S. rates. Manual-defrost models need defrosting once the frost gets about a quarter inch thick, because thick frost makes the compressor work harder.
How we researched this
We compared 17 mini fridges and drinks coolers, read the makers' specs and energy figures for the 10 finalists, studied the temperature logs Reviewed and Family Handyman published for compact fridges, analyzed owner feedback, and checked every brand against U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls.
Sources (7)
- Reviewed: The best mini fridges
- Family Handyman: Best mini fridges with freezer
- FDA: Are you storing food safely?
- ENERGY STAR: Refrigerators
- CPSC: Curtis International recalls Frigidaire-brand minifridges
- CPSC: Curtis International expands Frigidaire-brand minifridge recall
- CPSC: Cooluli recalls 10-liter and 15-liter minifridges
Frequently asked questions
Can a mini fridge freezer hold ice cream?
Usually not. The ice box in a single-door mini fridge is meant for ice trays and very cold drinks. A two-door model with a separate freezer can hold ice cream, but independent tests found these freezers rarely reach 0 degrees, so expect it to be soft.
How cold should a mini fridge be?
The FDA says 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for the fridge and 0 degrees for the freezer. About 37 degrees is a good target. A cheap thermometer tells you where the dial really needs to sit.
How much electricity does a mini fridge use?
Energy Star compact fridges are rated at roughly 200 to 300 kilowatt-hours a year, a few dollars a month at typical rates. Glass-door drinks coolers and older models tend to use more.
Can I put a mini fridge in a garage?
Only if the maker says it can handle the temperatures there. Ordinary compact fridges can struggle in summer heat and may stop running properly near freezing.
Is a thermoelectric mini fridge good enough for food?
No. Thermoelectric coolers only cool to a set amount below room temperature, and testers found them in the 50s. They suit drinks and skin care, not milk, meat or medicine.
How long does a mini fridge last?
Many run about 10 years, but most come with only a one-year warranty, and some fail much sooner. Keep the receipt and register the warranty.
