8 best mini fridges for your favorite college-bound graduates
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High school graduation season is coming up fast. Instead of marking the occasion and rite of passage with a traditional gift like a Cross Pen, spend the money on an item your budding college student will use every day in their dorm room.
Something like a mini fridge gives hungry students access to healthy snacks and quick meals, like fruit and veggies, cheese, yogurts and more, instead of overly salty, admittedly craveable, 99-cent ramen.
We’ve rounded up some of our favorite mini fridges—many that we’ve tested in our lab—that are in stock right now, so you can just click and buy without having to head to the mall.
1. Midea WHD-113FSS1
We put the Midea WHD-113FSS1 through rigorous testing in our labs. We like this model because it has a separate freezer compartment from the fridge so you have extra room for frozen goods.
It has plenty of room to keep all your essentials, including a beverage holder that makes it easy to stock up on your favorite seltzers and soda.
We found that the mini fridge tends to run warm, but you can solve this by turning the temperature controls to a cooler setting.
2. RCA RFR322-B
You can’t ignore a mini refrigerator that has almost 17,000 reviews with an average rating of 4.4 stars. This highly rated model features a large compartment to store fresh produce, yogurt, milk and leftovers that will keep you well fed.
It also has a freezer compartment that does run small but still has enough space to store ice cube trays and a box of pizza rolls.
3. Magic Chef Retro Mini Fridge
Our favorite mini fridge is the Magic Chef Retro model. We tested it in our labs and its performance maintaining consistent temperatures in both fridge and freezer compartments impressed us.
This fridge really shines thanks to its large freezer compartment where you have enough room for a pint of ice cream and bags of frozen fruit. Its nostalgic appearance will stand out among your dorm furniture.
4. Galanz GLR31TBEER Retro Compact Refrigerator
Just because something is utilitarian doesn’t mean that it should be boring. Go for a mini fridge with flair like the Galanz GLR31TBEER Retro.
When we tested this model, we were impressed by its stable temperatures that will keep your perishables fresh for longer. We did note that the freezer temperatures wavered, so look out for freezer burn on your perishable items. Otherwise, this is a top model to get you through the school year.
5. Black & Decker BCRK17W
If you’re cramped for space in your dorm room, then spring for a truly miniature mini fridge. This model only takes up 1.7 cubic feet of space and can be stacked on top of your desk, with room to spare for studying.
Almost 6,000 reviewers have given this mini fridge a 4.4-star rating for its top-notch quality. Many reviewers note how shocked they were to discover how much you can fit in the fridge. It runs quietly, so it won’t disturb your sleep or studying.
Best of all, despite its small size it still has room for an ice tray so you can keep your drinks cold.
6. Antarctic Star Mini Beverage Fridge
The Antarctic Star beverage fridge can keep all your favorite drinks nice and cold in a limited space. With over 4,000 reviews and a 4.3-star rating, users love this fridge for its longevity, which means it’ll survive all those moves from apartment to apartment.
You can control the temperature in the fridge, which ranges from 40°F to 61°F. Be wary, as 40°F is the max temperature to safely store food without it going bad, so keep this fridge to beverages only.
7. Insignia NS-CF26BK9
If you don’t need a freezer compartment on your mini fridge, then the Insignia NS-CF26BK9 is a good bet.
It has plenty of space, including a side door that can store a half gallon of milk and still leave room for more beverages. That side door also includes can holsters that are removable so you can customize the fridge for what you need.
8. Euhomy Mini Fridge with Freezer
The Euhomy comes highly rated with a 4.6-star rating on Amazon. More than 2,500 reviewers love this model for its huge capacity, despite the fridge’s small stature. It includes a separate freezer space so you’ll have plenty of room for storing ice and ice cream.
In a cramped dorm room, you won’t want a fridge making a ruckus while you’re trying to sleep, and luckily this model runs nice and quiet.
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed: 8 mini fridges to shop as high-school graduation gifts
