Whether it is for your little apartment, dorm room, man cave or family room, a mini fridge is always a handy thing to have around. It occupies very little space especially if the room you plan to keep it in is not very large as opposed to the regular sized one which can be inconveniencing becoming a hindrance when moving about in the room. Having a fridge that is too large for a room can also be a bit of an eye sore taking away from any decorative input in the room. A mini fridge can add a design or decorative element to a room especially if it a bar or wine fridge placed strategically in a room.
There are a lot of factors to consider when deciding which mini fridge will best serve your needs and will fit seamlessly into the intended space. Research is the key component of the quest for acquiring the best fridge that your budget allows. Here are 10 tips to help you in your quest, and if you are looking for the best brands take a look at the Amazon best selling mini fridges here.
1· The bigger the better
Mini fridges consume more energy than the larger types regardless of whether it is dubbed energy efficient or not. Their small size usually limits the amount of insulation that can be placed inside the fridge thus need more energy to keep itself cold enough. When getting a fridge make sure you measure the area you intend to place it in a get a fridge that fits almost exactly proportional to the space to save on the amount of energy it consumes due to its bigger size. You will also get a bigger interior space which is better to not need and have than needing it and not having. The larger mini fridges are also known to perform better providing consistent temperatures for your stored food items.
2· Choose the two door model to cater for your frozen food needs
Depending on the use of the mini fridge the two door model is superior to the single door model if you want to store perishable food for longer periods of time. The single door model provides a larger storage space but its freezer compartment shares the temperature controls with the rest of the fridge so to keep food frozen you will have to change the temperature settings for the whole fridge causing the food in the entire fridge to freeze. The two door model is the way to go if you have a need for ice and storing frozen food.
3· Adjustable shelves are the way to go
The space in a mini fridge is already very limiting so why limit yourself even more by buying one that has permanent shelves which might not always suit your needs. Adjustable shelves help you take maximum advantage of the space by configuring the storage space to the items you plan on storing whether they are big or small.
4· Glass shelves are superior
The traditional wire racks are usually a nightmare when it comes to cleaning and will cause you to clean the entire fridge because one little leak. Glass shelves are steadier preventing items stored from toppling over thus causing a mess. They also contain leaks as they are not permeable and make it easier for you to clean as you only need to clean areas where the spill happened.
5· Buy thermoelectric fridges to hold drinks and snacks only
A thermoelectric fridge usually does not produce the require temperatures to preserve perishable food items so when buying a mini fridge make sure for perishable foods stay away from this type. This mini fridge can however be pretty hand as bedroom or family room fridges. They come in pretty cool designs and can be incorporated as a cabinet which provides a good design flow in a room.
6· Noise levels
Depending on where you are placing the fridge noise levels might be an issue for you or not. Fridges that are to be kept in places like the kitchen do not need to be silent but ones placed in bedrooms or guest rooms need to be 100% silent so as not to interrupt you or your guest’s sleep. Make sure fridges bought for such are areas are silent, do not take the sales person’s word for it give it test run before you buy it.
7· Absorption powered or compressor powered units
Many people might not go into that much detail when researching on a fridge to buy, but it does matter. Absorption power units need to be placed in a ventilated room as the use a heat source to power the fridge needing the ventilation to cool down, if you are considering buying one make sure its intended area is aerated. Compressor powered units on the other hand use a sealed compressor to power the fridge and do not need aeration. They are the better choice as they are more energy efficient than the absorption powered units.
8· Extra features are not always the best
Some fridges come with vegetable crispers and automatic defrost functions, which can seem as pretty cool additions but mini fridges containing these additional features are reported to have the highest number of break downs. Simplicity takes the prize here as the simpler ones tend to be longer lasting and more efficient because they only have one goal and that is to keep food at the right temperature.
9· Always shop around
After identifying the best fridge for you go to several retailers and ask about the price, warranty and extras such as delivery. The one that offers the best deal- which is not always in terms of price as some might offer an extended warranty plus free delivery and installation as a bonus on purchase while others offer a cheaper price but you will have to pay for the rest-will win your business. You can check out the best selling fridges at Amazon.
10· Warranty information
Make sure you get all the warranty information about your newly purchased mini fridge. Ask to ensure you have all the details on the repair policy or the return policy if not satisfied and for how long the warranty lasts. You can also purchase and extended warranty just to be on the safe side also ascertain whether the repairs are done in the repair center or you can have a repairman sent to your home for repairs.
Source: https://www.diy-experts.net/10-tips-buy-best-mini-fridge/