Buying A Mini Refrigerator

A functional appliance that can be used in college, the garage, the basement, or even to take along with you for a camping trip is the mini refrigerator. These are great for college students because they don't take up too much room in an already crowded dormitory. Men love to have a mini fridge in their "man caves" for keeping extra beer, soda, or snacks on hand. When taking a camping trip to a campground with electric hookups at each campsite, a fridge can be used to keep perishable food cold. When you are considering purchasing one of these convienent appliances, there are a few things to keep in mind.

The first step will always be to set a reasonable budget. It is far too easy to continually raise the amount of money you are willing to spend as you browse each model that has another cool feature that you would love to have. Because these fridges have a very wide range of costs, anywhere from $50 to $1500, it is important to figure out what is truly an important feature before you begin shopping. What you are going to use the fridge for will also help you determine an appropriate budget based on necessary features. Will it be used all the time for instance in a basement or garage? Does it only need to last a few years, when used in a college dorm room? If using for camping, you may only be using the fridge a few times a year.

Also consider what size refrigerator you will need. For a college student, consider getting one that also has a built in freezer compartment large enough to keep some ice cream or a few frozen meals on hand. For camping, portability is going to be key, so a very small fridge with room only for a jug of milk and some lunchmeat may be more than sufficient.

There are many features to consider when purchasing a refrigerator. Any basic fridge will have a variable temperature adjustment knob. Larger mini-fridges may have crisper drawers for veggies or fruits. Many different options will include can racks in the door for keeping beverages cold. Look at the shelf configuration for what will suit your needs best. There are often spill resistant shelves or shelves that can be reconfigured or moved based on your storage needs.

Mini refrigerators are available from a wide variety of retailers like Wal-Mart, Zellers, Lowes and Amazon. Many bargain clubs like Sam's or Costco will also carry these fridges. Keep a look out for sales, especially in July and August before college starts to get the best deal. The top brands for mini refrigerators are : GE, Haier Mini Refrigerators, Danby, Sanyo, Magic Chef and Avanti.