5 Best Mini Fridges of 2026, According to an Expert
Whether it's in a pantry, den or dorm room, a small fridge can come in handy!
Mini fridges are great for keeping beverages and snacks in a family or rec room or stashing brought-from-home lunches in an office. If space and the school allow, they're super useful in dorm rooms for storing leftovers and midnight munchies. However, they vary in size, features and how well they keep foods cool. We've rounded up a selection of models that maintain safe temperatures for food safety in a variety of sizes, so there's one to select regardless of your needs.
Our Top Mini Fridge Picks
How We Picked
To select the best mini fridges, our author relied on years of experience testing refrigerators and in-depth knowledge of the category. We also checked to see what other reviewers recommend, as well as what home users have to say. Our most important criterion was the ability to maintain safe temperatures for food storage, but we also took into consideration size and features. On this list, you'll find a variety of models for different needs and situations.
- Separate freezer compartment
- Crisper drawer
- Energy Star rated
- No humidity controls on crisper
This 3.1-cubic-foot model is our top choice overall and our pick for the best mini fridge with a freezer. Because the freezer is a separate compartment, it'll be able to keep foods frozen solid, so you can safely use it to store meats and poultry or a supply of frozen dinners. There's even a shelf on the freezer door to stock with ice cream or bags of frozen peas.
In the fridge, you'll find two glass shelves as well as a crisper drawer for fruits and veggies. However, the crisper doesn't have humidity controls, so don't expect it to keep greens sprightly for more than a week. On the door of the fridge, there's a can dispenser as well as two shelves, including one for tall soda bottles and a smaller one for condiments.
This model is Energy Star-rated, which means it will be easy on your electric bill. It's available in black, white and a finish that looks like stainless steel but doesn't show fingerprints or smudges.
- Model Number GDE03GLKLB
- Capacity 3.1 cu. ft.
- Dimensions 18.6” x 20” x 33.4”
- Energy Star Yes
- Warranty 1 year
- Retro design
- Separate freezer compartment
- Energy Star
- No humidity controls on crisper
With a contoured shape and chrome latch handles, this model resembles a 1950s fridge. However, it has the kind of temperature management you expect from a twenty-first-century unit. On top, there's a separate freezer compartment with a shelf on the door. In the refrigerator, two glass shelves and a large bin for produce will help you keep foods organized. The door has a large and small shelf and a system for dispensing soda pop cans.
This Magic Chef is Energy Star rated. In addition to black and white, you can have it in either red or aqua to make even more of a design statement in a game room or college dorm.
- Model Number HMCR320RE
- Capacity 3.2 cu. ft.
- Dimensions 19” x 20” x 33.5”
- Energy Star Yes
- Warranty 1 year parts and labor, 5 years compressor
- Compact
- Energy Star rated
- No crisper drawer
- Small freezer within fridge
If you're primarily looking for a fridge to keep fruit, drinks, and maybe cheese in the den and don't want to spend a bundle, this square little fridge is your best bet. It will keep things that need refrigeration like yogurt, cut-up melon and a lunch salad safe as well as merely chilled. It has one wire shelf in the main compartment and shelves on the door.
There's a small freezer compartment to use for a bag of ice or to keep ice cream at a scoopable consistency, but we don't suggest keeping meat or poultry there for more than a day.
This model bears the Energy Star label and should only cost about $25 a year to run. It's available with a black or white finish.
- Model Number MCR170BE
- Capacity 1.7 cu. ft.
- Dimensions 17” x 18” x 19”
- Energy Star Yes
- Warranty 1 year parts and labor
- Compact
- Energy Star rated
- No crisper
- Very small freezer within fridge
In addition to fitting easily in a dorm room, this little fridge has a reversible door to make it easy to open wherever its placed. It has one glass shelf in the main compartment and two racks on the door, one for 1-liter bottles and a smaller one for soda cans or peanut butter and jelly jars.
On top, there's a small freezer compartment for making a tray of ice cubes (tray included) or keeping a frozen dinner icy for a day or two but it's not large enough to hold a pint of cookies n cream. The fridge is an Energy Star model, which means it's among the best for the environment, a fact that should make your student happy. Its available with a black, white or silver finish.
- Model Number BCRK17W
- Capacity 1.7 cu. ft.
- Dimensions 18.5” x 17.5” x 19.7”
- Energy Star Yes
- Warranty 1 year labor and parts, 2 years compressor parts
- Spacious
- Three glass shelves
- Crisper drawer
- Freezer within fridge
If you entertain a lot or just keep a large supply of beverages at the ready, you may want a bit more room than you'll typically find in a mini fridge. Bigger than most, the Galanz has three glass shelves for refrigerated items. On the door, there are two small shelves and one for tall soda bottles as well as a dispenser for eight cans.
The freezer doesn't have its own door, but it's wider than the ones found in most minis. It will come in handy if you need a lot of ice or frozen treats for a party, but it's not a good idea to keep meat or other highly perishable items for more than a day.
You have a choice of black or a finish that mimics stainless steel or black stainless steel.
- Model Number GL43BK
- Capacity 4.3 cu. ft.
- Dimensions 20” x 22” x 33”
- Energy Star Yes
- Warranty 1 year
What to Know Before Buying a Mini Fridge
Avoid any models that use thermoelectric technology.
They don't keep food at a set temperature but rather change in relationship to the room condition. When it's very warm, they don't cool to an acceptable level for food safety. And, when the temperature changes, the temp in the fridge goes up or down. Foods stay best when they're stored at a steady temp.
Opt for an energy-efficient model.
Check the yellow Energy Guide Label to get an estimate of how much it will cost to run the refrigerator and how that cost compares to similar models. If possible, choose a model with the Energy Star label. In addition to helping to keep your electricity bill down, it's better for the environment.
Measure before you buy.
Not all mini fridges are the same size. Some come with freezer compartments and others do not. Make sure to take measurements of where you plan to put it to make sure it fits before installing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should you install a mini fridge?
A mini fridge should be stored in a temperature-regulated space. Don't keep a compact refrigerator in an unheated garage or basement. They're not designed to work in temperatures below those in a home.
Can I store food in a mini fridge freezer?
The freezer in a mini fridge isn't intended for long-term storage. It should only be used for storing meats for a few days, making a tray of ice cubes or keeping ice cream at a scoopable consistency.
How do I know if my mini fridge is the proper temperature?
It's a good idea to buy a refrigerator thermometer and check the temperatures periodically. Don't rely on one reading but take several over a few hours. To keep foods safe, the fresh food compartment should be no higher than 40 degrees F and 37 degrees F is optimal. Ideally, the freezer should stay at 0 degrees F or lower. If it’s above 5 degrees F, the freezer's not reliable for long-term food storage.
When you load the fridge compartment with food, leave space for cold air to fully circulate around items.
Help! I have ice buildup in my mini fridge.
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.
Why You Should Trust Our Expert
Sharon Franke has been a contributor to Food Network for four years, writing articles to help readers make educated decisions about all types of kitchen equipment, from stoves and ranges to dinnerware. After a seven-year career as a professional chef, Sharon joined the prestigious Good Housekeeping Institute, where she worked for three decades, serving as Director of the Kitchen Appliances Lab and establishing standards for testing. With over 37 years of experience testing, writing and consulting about tools used for cooking, storing and serving food as well as cleaning up, she is a respected authority on kitchen gear.
Why You Should Trust Food Network Shopping Experts
Food Network Shopping Experts believe the best method for testing products is based on how our fans are going to use them in the real world. In each of our Tested and Reviewed stories, products are tested in real home kitchens that reflect real-world use cases. Our testers follow rigorous testing rubrics designed by our expert editors and take copious notes during the testing process. When choosing the best products, our testers evaluate all of the testing data and take into consideration many factors, including ease of use, price, product availability and practicality. The products covered on FoodNetwork.com are chosen completely independently by our editors without any outside influence. Our editors do not accept products in exchange for a positive review or promised coverage.
Related Links:
The Food Network Kitchen team develops recipes, tests products, preps for Food Network shows, produces videos and social content, hosts events and much more. "Food Network Kitchen" is the marker of this team's inspiring, helpful and trustworthy content on FoodNetwork.com.
