The market for small form-factor refrigerators is absolutely massive, catering to a wide cross section of people and needs.
While it is fun to be spoiled for choice, sometimes this wealth of options can be a little intimidating for consumers.
In order to cut through some of this confusion, you can utilize the following list of 3 questions to narrow down the choices to a smaller, more manageable list: 1.
How Much Space Do You Need In The Mini Fridge? If you are going off to college and you need a refrigeration unit to store a few essentials, you can probably get away with the smallest size, also known as a "cube fridge.
" On the other hand, a slightly larger fridge will gain you more storage flexibility while retaining a small physical footprint.
One thing to keep in mind about small fridges is freezer quality.
Specifically, the smaller the refrigerator, the more likely it is that you will run into freezer leakage into the refrigeration compartment.
This is simply a matter of physics, where a smaller surface area will inevitably lead to some transference of energy between two adjacent compartments.
With a larger unit, there is more room for insulation between the freezer and fridge.
Of course, this is only going to be an issue if you buy a unit with a freezer actually built in, which may not be necessary depending on your needs.
2.
Do Have Any Limitations On Your Power Consumption? This consideration applies mostly to students who are moving into dorm rooms.
Many universities and student housing units have strict limitations on different kinds of resource consumption, whether it be power or internet bandwidth.
Accordingly, the new student would do well to call ahead to the dorm administrator to find out if any such limitations exist.
3.
Do You Have Any Special Dietary Needs? If you are a vegetarian, then you probably know that not all small fridges are created the same.
Let's face it: Most dorms still do not cater to specific diets as well as they really ought to be, and this means that people need to take things into their own hands.
In order to to this, you will need some way to store separate fruits and vegetables in a way that will keep them fresh for as long as possible, as well as keeping lingering odors at bay.
This especially becomes a concern when you are sharing the mini fridge with a roommate that likes to keep stinky leftovers around for a long time.
In order to avoid this problem, look for a unit that includes an easy-access crisper drawer.
Conclusion Once you have the answers to these simple questions, you will be prepared to move forward and narrow down the seemingly infinite array of mini fridges on the market to just the results that fit your requirements!