The best mini fridges

It might feel like a bit of a First World problem, but sometimes if you’re working or studying in some far flung corner of the house, getting a sweat on in the attic-turned-gym or making some music out in the garden studio, the last thing you want to do is make the trek to the fridge when hunger – or a hankering for a cold one – strikes. Luckily, we think we can help by assisting in your search for the best mini fridge the shops have to offer. 

•  Thinking a little bigger? Here’s our list of the best refrigerators and fridge freezers
•  You might struggle to fit a magnum in a mini-fridge, so take a look at our best wine fridges for bottles that are always chilled to perfection  

No longer merely a novelty, mini fridges have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, but there are still a couple of things to keep in mind while navigating our list. If you’re worried about noise, especially if you want a mini fridge for the bedroom, look for a thermoelectric fridge, which is quieter than most. 

However, if you’re looking to keep food as well as drink in your mini-fridge, you may want to buy a fridge with a condenser, as thermoelectric elements don’t keep risky perishables cold enough (according to official guidelines) to be safe to eat, although snacks like chocolate and fruit should be fine. Aside from that, it’s all about whether it fits in (both literally and aesthetically) and has the capacity and shelf configuration to meet your needs.

This thermoelectric mini fridge has both cooling and heating capabilities, which might sound a bit mad, but you’d be surprised how it can come in handy! Users found its four litre capacity to be the ideal size for a few cans of fizzy drink or a bottle of milk for those all-important cups of tea. That it looks very smart, with its stainless steel finish and pull-clasp closure, and that it can be taken on the road using the top cart handle and 12-volt input, is a bonus. 

Aspiring mixologists need look no further than the Frostbite Mini Fridge for an addition to their home back-bar. The smart glass door allows you to keep an inventory easily (although it does mean keeping the inside tidy!) and shows off a range of wares – up to 49 litres’ worth, to be exact. Some users say that it is quiet enough to keep in the bedroom at night for on-demand cold water, and all note that it kept cans and bottles properly cold, despite a conservative estimate from the manufacturers of a 5ºC minimum. 

The mini fridge might be a relatively modern invention, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice an old-fashioned aesthetic to take advantage of the convenience it offers. This Swan mini fridge comes in a range of retro shades from good-enough-to-eat ice cream hues to race-car red, and its minimal hardware and curved rectangle shape are the definition of simplicity. Users found it handy for everything from boats to student digs, but noted that it’s more effective for short bursts than continued use. Luckily, the rear switch means the whole thing doesn’t have to come away from the wall when it’s time for a break. 

Configuration wise, this cool-looking fridge is surprisingly close to the bigger version you probably have downstairs, boasting the shelf you’d expect in most mini fridges, but in-door storage as well, perfect for popping a couple of cans or bottles in to chill pre-party. The manufacturers say that the low running fan means it isn’t ideal for keeping in bedrooms, but with loads of reviewers saying they’ve gifted it, with great success, to students and younger teenagers for their bedrooms, we’d say that’s up to your discretion. They can sleep through anything, after all. 

If you’re stuck for floor space in a utility room, bedroom or studio, but still need milk on hand for emergency cups of tea, this countertop mini fridge might just do the job. The name ChillQuiet sums it up quite nicely, we think, and so do its many rave reviewers: they found that the lower estimate of 5ºC was fairly conservative, and that this tiny fridge kept drinks and snacks chilled to perfection, while being quiet enough in operation to keep in the bedroom overnight, or in the home office without proving a distraction. 

A proper bona fide worktop fridge, this Russell Hobbs model is great as an overflow option for a fully-stocked family fridge. Officially, it gets down to a cool 5ºC, but some reviewers reported lows of 2ºC (ideal for keeping the odd frosty beer on standby) and said it copes better in warm rooms than most of the competition they’ve tried. The in-door storage is a handy touch for wares that are better left standing, as the low shelves of most mini fridges don’t allow for long and tall bottles. 

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If your snacks of choice don't need their own cold box, consider something that'll show them off instead in our list of the best fruit bowls.