Best Mini Fridge 2023: 5+ Detailed Reviews

Top 5 Best Mini Fridges 2023:

1. Cooluli Infinity White 10 Liter Compact Portable Cooler Warmer Mini Fridge
2. BLACK+DECKER BCRK25B Compact Refrigerator Energy Star Single Door Mini Fridge
3. Chefman Portable Mirrored Personal Fridge 4 Liter Mini Refrigerator
4. Gourmia GMF668 Thermoelectric Mini Fridge Cooler and Warmer
5. AstroAI Mini Fridge 9 Liter/12 Can AC/DC Portable Thermoelectric Cooler and Warmer

Who doesn’t want to have their goodies, beverages, and snacks within arm’s reach at all times?

But of course, it’s impossible to carry your refrigerator with you wherever you go and stash all of those.

What you need, then, is a diminutive version – the mini-fridge – that you can keep in your office, bedroom, dorm, or take on a trip with you.

When summer heat takes charge, there’s hardly a more useful device that will keep you refreshed with cold beverages.

Finding the best mini fridge for you is not that easy, though. You want it to be as compact as it gets, but not at the cost of efficiency and cooling properties.

Based on a gauntlet of tests, we’ve selected the five best options that balance the two very well.

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5 Best Mini Fridges In 2023: Detailed Reviews

1. Cooluli Infinity White 10 Liter Compact Portable Cooler Warmer Mini Fridge – Best Overall

If you’re in for the ideal mini fridge that has all of the most desirable features and is not outrageously expensive at the same time, the Cooluli Infinity White Mini Fridge is the way to go.

It is equipped with advanced EcoMax technology that uses the minimum amount of energy for top productivity. What does it mean?

Basically, when the maximum efficiency is reached, the fridge automatically goes into the Eco Mode uses less power, and saves you money in the long run.

This unit can cool down to 35-40°F below the room temperature, and the carefully utilized mechanism prevents any frost.

But its capabilities do not end there. 

This fridge can also warm up to 149° by using an internal thermostat! It’s safe to assume that your focus is not on the warming properties, but the extras are always welcome, aren’t they? It means that you can reheat your food on the go and always enjoy fresh meals.

Another thing that impressed us about Infinity is its 10-liter capacity. In practice, this is around twelve standard cans of beer (12oz).

No matter where you are located (or plan to take it), you can use this fridge, as it has a dual-voltage feature (100-240V).

As far as the inside is concerned, it comes with two adjustable shelves and a container basket.

Finally, its stylish design cannot go unmentioned. The tempered glass front looks premium and the glossy finish adds to its elegance. We liked the all-white variant the most, but other beautiful color schemes may better fit your interiors, such as black or pink.

2. Chefman Portable Mirrored Personal Fridge 4 Liter Mini Refrigerator – Budget-friendly Pick

Do you want to save a buck with a budget-friendly mini-fridge that still matches the characteristics of our top pick?

The Chefman Portable Mirrored Mini Refrigerator is our favorite inexpensive alternative.

Sure, the lower price tag still comes at the expense of the capacity – 4 liters instead of 10 with the first pick – but this unit sports too many things to count, if you can forgive the lower storage space.

Just like the first pick, at the flip of a switch, you can toggle between the cooling (up to 32°F below ambient temperature) and the warming mode (150°F). At the maximum setting, we measured that the time needed to cool down a soda was about half an hour.

The 4-liter capacity means you will be able to store up to six cans (12oz) or around three snacks/meals. The inside is 5 x 5 x 7.5 inches, which may give you a hint about what to expect. There is a removable shelf if you want to separate small items such as yogurt, fruit, etc.

On a bright note, lower capacity than with some other picks can be seen as a pro – this fridge is exceptionally portable, and it will fit anywhere. It even comes with both a standard home outlet and a 12V-car plug, which makes it a perfect companion on the road.

Lastly, its sky blue modern design will surely win you over!

3. AstroAI Mini Fridge 9 Liter/12 Can AC/DC Portable Thermoelectric Cooler and Warmer – The Most Compact

All of the mini-fridges we reviewed today will give you a lot of free space as they are portable, but the AstroAl Mini Fridge manages to hit the right balance between being the most compact and offering solid capacity.

In other words, for the capacity that it can hold (9 liters), this is the smallest size of the mini-fridge that you can possibly get. This translates to storage space for around twelve 12oz cans, while it’s also tall enough to fit 20oz bottles or a gallon of milk if you remove the inner shelf.

Again, this is a 2-in-1 unit, cooler and warmer, and it can be used both in your home with the AC110V output and in your car with a 12V cigarette lighter.

It can cool down the temperature to 32°F below the room ambiance or warm up to 150°F. 

A good thing to know is that this unit does not use any of the chemicals that are harmful to the environment, such as Freon. We are also not in favor of noise pollution, and the 25dB sound level that this fridge offers is the exact opposite of it!

The three-year warranty is much longer than that of some other mini-fridges, but this unit will surely last much more than that.

4. Gourmia GMF668 Thermoelectric Mini Fridge Cooler and Warmer – Best Design

Be careful with the Gourmia GMF668 Mini Fridge – people might easily get it mistaken for a  speaker!

Not only does it look like a speaker box, but it has a built-in Bluetooth speaker that plays your favorite tunes while you’re enjoying the refreshments right out of it. It connects to any device that has Bluetooth, regardless of the OS. It’s an incredibly cool unit for parties!

Let’s move on to its primary purpose: temperature control. If you set it to chill, it can go to 32°F below the ambient temperature, or warm to 150°F if you flip the switch. As it is imbued with a well-insulated interior, the temperature holds for up to 2 hours even when it’s unplugged.

Speaking of the plugs, you get the standard AC for wall outlets plus the DC for cigarette lighters in your car.

Its capacity is the only factor that kept it from receiving a better grade. 4 liters (6 12oz cans/3 to 4 16.9oz bottles) might not be enough for everyone, and we are aware of that.

That aside, it’s a very portable multifunctional unit, and the budget-friendly price adds to its appeal even more.

We want to praise the tiny details, too. There’s a removable shelf to separate things inside, an ergonomic carry handle, and a self-locking latch on the door that makes sure nothing falls out of the fridge.

5. BLACK+DECKER BCRK25B Compact Refrigerator Energy Star Single Door Mini Fridge – Premium Pick

The Black Decker BCRK25B differs to a large extent from the other mini-fridges on our list. First of all, it is significantly larger (18. 5 x 17.5 x 26.5 inches) and heavier (45.4 pounds), which makes it much less portable.

Of course, this isn’t a mini-fridge you would take on a car trip with you, but it’s a great option if you want one for your dorm, office, bedroom, and generally all the small spaces.

It may not be as compact, but it offers a lot more than a standard mini-fridge. Namely, it has all of the components of a regular fridge, just sized down: two full-width glass shelves and two full-width door shelves. None of the other picks has a door shelf where you can store tall bottles.

This mini fridge even has a full-width freezer compartment that comes with the ice cube tray and the drip tray for condensation! Did anyone say “ice cream”?

On top of that, there is an adjustable thermostat control. We used setting number 2 the most, as it cools down to 33°F, which is great for anything you want to store.

One of the things we didn’t like with the Black Decker is its design. It’s not quite an eyesore, but when we put it side to side with some modern mini-fridges, it definitely looks boring.

It does carry a steep price tag compared to other choices on our list, but, believe it or not, you save money in the long run! How? The estimated yearly energy cost with this fridge is only $25, as it is Energy Star certified.

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Why Do You Need A Mini Fridge?

Thirsty? Hungry? Need a place to cool down your skincare routine or keep your insulin while you’re not at home?

Even when at home, it’s quite handy to keep your snacks, beverages, or anything else that needs to go into the fridge within reach.

And keeping a full-size fridge in your room is not an option, let alone taking it with you on a trip.

The mini-fridge enables all of this, and generally, it’s not an expensive appliance. So, if you have the chance, buy it – it will definitely make your life easier!

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Factors To Consider To Get The Best Mini Fridge For You

When shopping for the best mini fridge for your needs, there are some characteristics you need to consider.

1. Temperature

You might be surprised by this, but the truth is that mini-fridges usually come with both cooling and warming properties.

The idea behind this is to make them as useful as possible, so that you can also warm up the leftovers or a cup of coffee, in addition to the standard properties of a refrigerator.

A vast majority can cool down to about 35°F below, and warm up to around 150°F above the ambient temperature. Pretty cool, huh?

And it’s all regulated by a turn of the switch!

However, the temperature settings should not unreliably fluctuate, as is the case with some low-quality mini-fridges, which is why we paid extra attention to testing out this sector.

2. Size

Sure, mini-fridges are smaller, but the size is still something to think about, since you may not have a lot of space to allocate for the fridge.

The main question here is: Will it fit in the space you have?

Wherever you are putting the mini-fridge, e.g., under the counter, table, or somewhere in your car, make sure that you measure the space, and then check the specs to see if the unit will fit.

For those who have tight spaces, the best bet is a mini-fridge that also has a smaller capacity, which means it will be easier to tuck it in. That brings us to the next factor:

3. Capacity

The capacity of your mini-fridge translates to the amount of stuff you will manage to keep inside.

The common sizes are:

• 4 liters (can store six 12oz cans)
• 8 liters  (holds ten to twelve 12oz cans)
• 10 liters (fits twelve to fourteen 12oz cans)
• 15 liters (stores fourteen to sixteen 12oz cans)

To determine capacity, you can also measure the equivalent space of the number of cans it can store that food or any other items would take.

You might also want to keep an eye on additional accessories that come with the fridge.

For instance, they usually come with shelves that separate the main compartment into pieces so that the things you put inside don’t move too much. 

What you want to be on a lookout for are removable shelves that you can disassemble when you want to fit something taller (e.g., a bottle) and put it back when you store smaller items.

They are a true game-changer since you can customize the layout of your mini-fridge by using them. So, the more removable shelves, the better.

4. Freezer

For a full-sized fridge, a separate freezer compartment is usually a must. However, mini-fridges do not usually have a freezer or the capability to freeze anything, which is understandable, as it would take a lot of space.

However, if this factor is of paramount importance to you, our last pick, the BLACK+DECKER BCRK25B mini-fridge, has it.

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Wrap-up

Based on our research and hands-on experience, the Cooluli Infinity White 10 Liter Compact Portable Cooler is the best mini fridge overall. It offers well-balanced temperature control, style, compactness, and many useful features.

For people who value storage capacity above all, the BLACK+DECKER BCRK25B Compact Refrigerator Energy Star Single Door Mini Fridge, our premium pick, is a winner in that category. It’s slightly heavier and taller than the other cube-shaped fridges, but it has a freezer that they lack.

If you’re on a budget, our recommendation is the Chefman Portable Mirrored Personal Fridge 4 Liter Mini Refrigerator. In our testing, this budget-friendly unit offered some of the best cooling and warming results we’ve seen in a low-price mini-fridge.