To keep drinks and fresh food at home, in the office, and the car, here are the best compact refrigerators to buy and how to choose the one that best suits your needs.
The compact refrigerator is a small fridge with basic functions. Perfect for keeping snacks, drinks, and other food fresh during the summer. Its strength is its small size which allows it to be transported and used anywhere.
The compact refrigerator is perfect for storing water, juices, and other drinks to store lunch, fresh fruit, and vegetables in the office. You can always place it under the desk or in a break room to have your favorite food available.
To furnish a bed and breakfast or to welcome friends to our house, we can choose a compact refrigerator, perhaps with a freezer and a bottle rack. Like a minibar, it can contain all sorts of drinks or food to offer guests maximum comfort and independence during their stay.
In general, compact refrigerators are not built-in. Still, considering the size and the power cable, we can also take advantage of some furniture compartments such as shelves and bookcases.
Due to space constraints, the compact refrigerator is widely used on campers and boats. Compact refrigerators can be attached to the car’s cigarette lighter to make comfortable trips and summer vacations with cool drinks, fruit, or other snacks. An easy and effective solution can be exploited while staying at the campsite, in the mountains, or at sea.
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How to choose a compact refrigerator: Types and Features
To choose the best compact refrigerator available, let’s see the different types and the most important features to evaluate before purchasing.
We need to evaluate where we want to place the mini bar, the amount of food or drink we want to keep fresh on average, whether we can freeze food, and the available space.
Type of Compact Refrigerator
First, we distinguish compact refrigerators into two large groups based on the cooling system.
Compressor: Even though they are miniature, the compressor compact refrigerators are the ones that come closest to the operation of the traditional refrigerator because the compressor makes it possible to obtain greater power in refrigeration.
With this compact refrigerator, the set temperature remains more constant and is less affected by the room temperature. On the other hand, these are larger and heavier models than portable compact refrigerators, and the external dimensions are more voluminous due to the space occupied by the engine. Therefore, the compact compressor refrigerator has the advantage of having a low impact on consumption.
Thermoelectric: The thermoelectric is equipped with Peltier cells and a fan system to cool the air inside the fridge compartment. Although these are very efficient compact refrigerators, the outside temperature can significantly influence the temperature set inside.
Normally, this type of compact refrigerator has no freezer. However, the compact thermoelectric refrigerator is the quietest circulation thanks to the compressor-free cooling system.
Compact refrigerator with freezer
If we need an ice compartment in addition to keeping drinks and food in a cool place, we can choose a compact refrigerator with a freezer. This is a minimal and fairly narrow space, such as keeping ice cubes or some ice cream, but it is necessary to want a complete fridge, especially in summer, when the temperatures get more intense. Given the power required to maintain a lower temperature, the freezer is usually available in compact refrigerators with a compressor.
Power
Given the small size, the compact refrigerator uses low power, on average, between 40 and 60 watts, although some models can reach 100 watts. This results in great energy savings compared to the traditional refrigerator.
Temperature
The best compact refrigerators are equipped with a thermostat to regulate the temperature. Each fridge model will have a temperature range, for example, between -11.2 to 5°F, with a lower temperature in the freezer. The temperature can be regulated precisely by a degree in a thermostat or adjusted to 5 or 6 levels.
Another indication concerns the cooling temperature, which is especially important in a compact thermoelectric refrigerator because it is more affected by the outside temperature.
For example, we can have a compact refrigerator model that can lower the temperature by about 6.8°F compared to the external one. Another performing model can reach -4°F compared to the ambient temperature.
Regardless of the type of refrigerator, the temperature is maintained by insulation. Compact refrigerators can be made of steel or sturdy plastic, but what matters are the materials and the insulation structure that allows you to protect the inside of the fridge from the outside temperature.
We can choose compact refrigerators with double insulation for better efficiency, which guarantees higher performance and allows you to keep cool for many hours if should disconnect the fridge from the electricity.
Dimensions
One of the most important features to consider when buying a compact refrigerator is its size. The strength of the compact refrigerator is precisely the small footprint; it is a compact and space-saving refrigerator. Depending on the needs, we can choose compact refrigerators up to 33″ high and 19″, small but large enough to store drinks and food.
With less space available, we can choose an ultracompact refrigerator, which generally does not exceed 11-15 inches in height and offers the necessary space for water, soft drinks, and small snacks. As we shall see, some of these are real portable compact refrigerators.
In addition to the measurements, it may be useful to evaluate the fridge’s shape, narrow and elongated or lower and square. Among the many compact refrigerator models for sale, we can choose from an infinite number of shapes that allow us to make the spaces we have available.
Portable compact refrigerator
The portable compact refrigerator is a tiny and light model. You can easily transport it with a capacity between 6 and 12 liters. Generally, the portable compact refrigerator is equipped with a convenient handle and includes the car power cable.
The fridge connects to the cigarette lighter and keeps food cool for the trip. Some of these models have a top opening similar to the camping fridge. The portable compact refrigerators with the most accurate design include a cable compartment to avoid obstructions during transport.
Opening door
When spaces are particularly tight, it is useful to consider opening the refrigerator door. Choosing a compact refrigerator with a door opening to the right or left can make a difference when the space available is minimal. In addition, the refrigerator is attached to the wall or other furniture, which can prevent or disturb the opening.
If we have not yet chosen where to place the compact refrigerator or plan to use it in different homes, opting for a compact refrigerator with a reversible door is better. In this case, we can choose the door opening direction.
Compartments
We can use all the space available as a single compartment of the compact refrigerator, for example: when we need 1 or 2-liter bottles to be placed on our feet. Otherwise, we can arrange grids or shelves on different heights to distribute the space according to the cans, jars, and food containers we want to keep in the fridge.
Compact refrigerators usually have only one removable shelf, while larger ones have two or three shelves. In addition, the larger compact refrigerators are equipped with bottle racks on the back of the door, plus other small compartments to maximize the available space.
No frost and low frost technology
Thanks to the no-frost technology, the refrigerator walls always remain clean and free of frost or ice. In general, no frost is always combined with an automatic defrost and defrost system that allows continuous fridge use without worrying about cleaning it. However, the ice slows down its operation and reduces its efficiency.
Low frost technology is also spreading among the new compact refrigerator models. Unlike the no frost, the low frost reduces frost formation in the fridge walls by about 80%. Compared to no frost, the low frost has a lower cost but still offers a good compromise between regularly defrosting the fridge every 3-4 years instead.
Noise
The compact refrigerators are quiet and rarely exceed 45 dB of sound level. On the other hand, a super quiet compact refrigerator can go down to 30 dB. A notable advantage is that these appliances are placed right in the rooms or tiny rooms like the studios. The reason is the engine’s small size and the cooling system that does not cause vibrations, especially in a thermoelectric system.
Accessories
The compact refrigerator top range offers accessories, such as the mold for ice cubes, in a compact refrigerator with a freezer. Other useful accessories are the egg container and the trays.
The Best Compact Refrigerators to Buy
Below is the complete selection of the best compact refrigerator price with the respective features and prices.
- Capacity: Spacious 3.2 Cu. Ft.. Capacity
- Refrigerator Cooling Range: 32 – 50 degrees F
- Freezer: Separate Freezer Compartment Is Ideal For Any Frozen Foods
- COMPACT DESIGN: 1.7 Cu.Ft. of refrigerator space is perfect for food, soda, beer, or other...
- SPACE SAVING: Ideal for dorm rooms, offices, apartments and more. 20.25" H x 18" W x...
- ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE: Full range temperature control with compressor cooling and...
- Compact & Convenient: Given a dimension of 18.9” *17.7” *19.3” (W*D*H), this mini...
- Adjustable Temperatures & Freezer: Ranges from 33.8° F to 46.4° F (1° C to 8°C NOT...
- 38dB Quiet: Operates at a low noise of 38 dB, this fridge brings the peace and refreshing...
- Built-in freezer compartment stores frozen items and can be used to cool items...
- 2.5 cu ft capacity provides plenty of space to store beverages and grocery items.
- Easily maximizes space and is organized with adjustable wire shelving, a built-in can...
- COMPACT & STYLISH - This space saving small refrigerator (17.5" x 18.5" x 19.7") stores...
- LARGE CAPACITY - The removable glass shelf expands the storage space and makes the fridge...
- CONVENIENT FEATURES - A reversible door, leveling legs, and adjustable temperature control...
- THE MOST CONVENIENT MICRO-FRIDGE: This compact fridge is perfect for everyday use. You can...
- PORTABLE MINI FRIDGES: 3 pounds, perfect for on the go. You can place this fridge in your...
- GREAT FOR SMALL SPACES: This mini-fridge is (10 x 7 x 10 inches) has a flush-back design...
- RETRO CHARM: Elevate your space with this sleek and stylish small retro fridge. The...
- SPACIOUS DESIGN: Featuring a 1.6 cu. ft. capacity, this compact fridge offers plenty of...
- ORGANIZED STORAGE: Equipped with a wire shelf and 2L door basket for large bottles, this...
- STYLISH: Our RCA Compact Refrigerator comes in a variety of colorful, bold, and glossy...
- REVERSIBLE DOORS: It is small enough to fit in any dorm, kitchen, room, or workplace....
- ADJUSTABLE THERMOSTAT CONTROL: The thermostat may be easily controlled with the control...
- RETRO CHARM: Add a touch of vintage flair to your space with this compact retro mini...
- AMPLE STORAGE: With a 6L capacity, this electric cooler can store up to 9 cans of your...
- SKINCARE COOLER: You can also use the interior space of this countertop mini fridge for...
- Compact Single-Door: This mini fridge measures 18.7’’*17.4’’*33.1’’(W*D*H) and...
- Adjustable Thermostat: From 33.8° F to 46.4° F (1° C to 8°C NOT suitable for storing...
- Energy-efficient & Quiet: The mini fridge energy cost is estimated to be as low as 0.5 kWh...
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