Small Refrigerators

Mini Refrigerators for Personal Use to Smaller Versions of Full Size Refrigerators

The recent increased demand for small refrigerators isn’t a huge surprise due to the current need to decrease energy consumption. Most current refrigerator buyers are aware that their refrigerator uses more energy than any other appliance in their home. (This increased energy usage is due it's to having to keep the contents cool 24 hours a day.)

If you're like most people you may be asking yourself what you can do to make a difference in how much energy you use. If you are in the market to purchase a new refrigerator the two most obvious things to are:

  1. Make sure you purchase an Energy Star rated refrigerator

  2. To decrease the size of your refrigerator
    (*most of us don't actually need as much storage space as we have)


5 Types of Small Refrigerators

While you might think you need a small refrigerator, first you will need to clarify what your needs are because there are many different types of small refrigerators. We've outlined the different sizes and types to help you in your refrigerator quest.


  1. Apartment Size Refrigerator

  2. If you are looking for a smaller version of a full size refrigerator then you can always look at refrigerators ranging from 8-14 cubic feet in size.

    These mini refrigerators are quite commonly used in spaces where you need more storage than a compact but you don't have the size for a full size refrigerator.



    Click here for more on Apartment Refrigerators




  3. Compact Double Door Fridge
  4. This is a compact fridge that actually has a separate door for the freezer. The nice thing about it being a separate door is the constant temperature inside as well as the lack of excessive frost build up issues.


    • FYI: We've only been able to find this model in a top freezer version.




  5. Compact Refrigerator
  6. This is similar to the model we just talked about but typically the freezer has enough room to freeze an ice cube tray to a thin plastic door covering a very small freezer within the fridge.


    • TIP: If a freezer is important to you or will be in the future, this may not be the right model for you as if it does come with a freezer, more often than not it doesn’t work very well.


    Click here for more on Compact Refrigerators



  7. Compact Cube Refrigerator
  8. This refrigerator is exactly what it says, it’s a compact refrigerator that is a cube shape. This is really perfect for much smaller spaces that don’t need much storage such as a dorm room or an entertainment area.

    Though the storage is quite limited and the freezer space is sometimes not even existent. When it does come with a freezer, typically very little can fit it in -- maybe an ice tray, a small one.


    Click here for Compact Cube Reviews



  9. Drawer refrigerator

  10. Up until recently you would have only found one of these in a professional kitchen but more recently these have become popular. These models are very convenient when cooking with more fresh items.


    They come in a variety of depths and are easy to add to many kitchens especially ones that don’t have very much room for a larger refrigerator.



What Size Small Refrigerator is the Right Size?

What many of us aren’t aware of is that you only need 4-6 cubic feet of storage space in your refrigerator per person living in your home. With this in mind the idea of an 18 cubic foot refrigerator for someone who lives alone doesn’t make much sense.

One person does not need that much refrigerator space (unless they entertain all of the time) making it so that they won’t fill up the refrigerator with enough food making it to very energy inefficient. Any empty space in a refrigerator will quickly fill up with room temperature air once the door has been opened making your refrigerator work harder to keep it cool.

  • Tip: If you have a refrigerator that is bigger than you need but want to still use it, then you place full gallon water bottles in those empty areas to keep the temperature more constant without using extra energy. You can also do this in your freezer as well and the best part is if your power ever goes out the ice will help keep it cold.


Small Refrigerators Related Articles


Apartment Size Refrigerator: Alright so you know you need more than a compact refrigerator but don't really know how much more - take a look at the apartment refrigerators on the market. They just might be exactly what you need.


Compact Refrigerator: This article helps you better understand the various types and brands of compact refrigerators with the goal of helping you find the right one for your needs.


Compact Refrigerator Freezer: Know you need a compact refrigerator but you also need more space in the freezer, then this will be the model for your needs.


Dorm Refrigerator: About to go off to college and not sure which refrigerator is not only going to fit in your dorm room but will be big enough for late night munchies and soft drinks (or let's be honest, beer)? This page should help you answer these questions and more.


Wine Refrigerators: Even though we didn't discuss wine refrigerators they also fall into the category of a small refrigerator and come in various different sizes.



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