These days a lot of people are on tight budgets in addition to tighter living spaces – You want a fridge that’s small and perhaps even portable but also don’t want to pay a fortune on a basic house hold appliance. So with that in mind I’d like to highlight four of the best mini fridges I recommend for people on a strict budget. These are all decent fridges and provide the best best bang for your buck so to speak. So without further ado, let’s take a look at my recommendations in this mini fridge review roundup.
My top pick for a decent cube mini fridge is the Danby Millennium Series 1.8 cubic foot. If you don’t require a freezer section, this is the fridge for you. Not only is it attractive but the thing runs super quiet and keeps your food and drink very cold. Also, despite its small size, the refrigeration space is actually quite decent with the fridge door holding a 2L bottle and canstor up to 6 cans. It comes with a 2-year warranty and has an auto defrost feature so you’ll never have to defrost it. The other thing I really like about this fridge is its low energy consumption, more than 20% less than comparable fridges. The only gripe I have is that the temperature dial is located at the back of unit which makes adjusting it slightly annoying. Still this is a pretty minor thing considering all the pros for this fridge.
If price is your primary concern, another great option is the Haier HNSBo2 which features 1.7 cubic feet of storage space and is roughly 18 inches wide and less than 20 inches tall. It has a 1 year warranty and unlike the Danby this one has a small freezer compartment along with a thermostat with seven settings. It weighs about 40 lbs and is so small it would be almost unnoticeable if placed under a desk at the office. Overall this fridge is pretty decent though not quite at the same quality level as the Danby. There have been a few complaints from some people claiming that the freezer compartment wasn’t quite up to speed. Still this mini fridge is damn good for the money.
If you’re looking for something a little larger but still compact enough to fit in most spaces, consider the Danby 3.1 Cu Ft fridge with independent true zero degree freezer. I really like this fridge a lot; It truly is like a smaller version of your traditional fridge and freezer unit. It comes with a 1-year warranty and is energy star rated which helps cut down on your energy bill. Its dimensions are 33 9/16″ high, 18 11/16″ wide and 19 8/16″ deep and is designed for freestanding use (i.e. sits directly on the floor). Just like the smaller Danby I recommended above, this fridge runs quiet and holds it’s temperature very well. Not much bad to say about this fridge really, except perhaps the excessive plastic in the design, which I assume helps keeps its price down which by the away is pretty darn low considering how much fridge your getting.
Now if you want something that’s not only small but ultra portable, you have to check out the Koolatron Coca-Cola Mini Fridge. This fridge though small is pretty slick. It can hold up to six 12-ounce beverage cans but it works great for keeping your lunch cool or whatever else you want to keep cool. The most amazing thing about this fridge is despite being ultra portable, it really does keep things consistently cool and the fan noise level is surprising low. The thing also just looks funky, resembling a retro classic coke machine. The only thing I didn’t really like about this fridge is the latch is a bit on the flimsy side – not problem if you’re careful not to yank the thing too hard but it would have been nice if they had just made it a bit sturdier. Despite this small gripe this is a great little portable fridge especially at this price.
Which ever fridge you decide on you can’t really go wrong with any of these top picks. They all posses at least a one year warranty and are all pretty decent brands. If you can, try to get express shipping so as to minimize any potential shipping damage – It’s rare but it can happen. Also, If you buy one of these fridges, please leave a comment here and tell everyone what you think. I’d love to hear others experience with these models as well as any other recommended fridges.
