Ahh, the mini fridge—the holy grail of every dorm room. While these small but mighty appliances might instantly bring us back to college, there’s so much more to them than storing your favorite snacks and (shh!) mixers. With the right mini fridge, the possibilities are endless.
“They’re good for dorm rooms, dens, or basements,” said Nicole Papantoniou, the Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliances & Culinary Innovation Lab. “One big trend we’re seeing now is people putting them in their walk-in closets or their makeup rooms, or even in their bedrooms to have cold drinks on hand whenever they need them. They can also be used for storing milk, so another trend we’re seeing is storing them in your bedroom so you can make your coffee upstairs. Or, if you’re breastfeeding, you can pump and store it in your mini fridge without having to go downstairs in the middle of the night.”
The possibilities are truly endless, but finding a good mini fridge worth the investment can be tricky. That’s why we sat down with Papantoniou to discuss her team’s search for the best of the best, from the most reliable mini fridge to small, portable models that offer the versatility of taking your refrigerator on the go. With these recommendations, you’ll never have to worry about running low on fridge space—or being without an ice-cold beverage—ever again.
Ready to chill out? Be sure to check out our tips for getting the most out of your fridge, such as guidance on what foods you shouldn’t store there, what condiments should go in it (because the last thing you need is a catastrophe of Pink Sauce proportions), and how your new fridge can help you reduce food waste.
Our Top Picks
How We Picked These Products
To find the best mini fridge, we turned to our friends at the Good Housekeeping Institute, who have identified the best and highest-rated brands and put them to the test. Their team of on-staff experts—which includes all types: engineers! data analysts! registered dietitians!—rigorously put everyday products to the test (and then more and more tests) in their New York City-based labs to determine which ones you can trust.
Using extensive research, lab testing, and expert insights, these Kitchen Tech Experts assessed a multitude of mini fridges based on their ease of use and assembly, performance when keeping food and beverages cold or frozen, cleanability, bonus features, and ability to regulate temperature and humidity. After reviewing their findings and discussing their evaluations in-depth with Papantoniou, we’ve determined that these are the best mini fridges you can buy in 2022.