Best Mini Fridges

All-refrigerator and with-freezer compact fridges, 24 to 27 inches high

Mid-size compact refrigerators are about 24 to 27 inches tall but have about the same footprint as the smaller cube-shaped models, measuring 19 to 21 inches in width and depth. Capacity is considerably larger at 2.5 to 2.8 cubic feet, rather than the 1.5 to 1.8 cubic feet offered by most cube fridges, and mid-size models usually have more shelving options. On average, they cost only slightly more and have much better refrigerator performance. The freezers are just as problematic. In general, owners say that the freezer section cannot be trusted to keep foods frozen for long periods of time, and it cannot be considered safe to use for freezing perishable items such as raw meat. They can be used to make ice and are adequate for short-term use -- for example, keeping a pint of ice cream frozen for a few hours.

Like the Danby DAR195BL, the 2.5-cubic-foot Danby DAR259 (*Est. $150) doesn't have a freezer. This larger Danby mini fridge includes three adjustable shelves and a reversible door. Other features are identical to those of the DAR195BL, including automatic defrost, a can dispenser and 2-liter bottle storage in the door. It's available in white and black finishes and is also Energy Star-rated. We found numerous complimentary owner reviews for this model at Walmart.com, ABT.com, AJMadison.com and CompactAppliance.com. The few users who give this small refrigerator less than 4 stars (out of 5) do so because of damage during shipping rather than problems with the refrigerator itself.

One of the new 2011 mini fridges from Haier fits in this category, and although it's too new to have a significant number of reviews, it's worth mentioning given the good reviews previous models from Haier have received. The Energy Star-rated Haier ECR27 (*Est. $125) is a 2.7-cubic foot refrigerator with a half-width freezer; it comes in white or black. The Haier mini fridge has two full-width wire shelves and two full-width door shelves, one of which accommodates up to three 2-liter bottles. It's 18-inches wide by 19-inches deep and just over 26 -inches high. It must be manually defrosted, and it carries a one-year warranty with five years on the sealed cooling system.

Counter-height compact refrigerators

Counter-high compact refrigerators are the largest type and tend to be better performers and more energy efficient than smaller mini fridge models. As the name suggests, they are designed to line up with a standard height kitchen counter or wet bar, and the top can be used as an extra work surface. Depending on the building and university policy, a counter-high refrigerator may be impractical (or not allowed) for use in a dorm.

Like other compact refrigerators, most counter-high mini fridges have freezers that offer little room for food storage but that work fairly well for making small amounts of ice. One exception to this is the enclosed freezer in the 4.3-cubic-foot GE Spacemaker GMR04BAN (*Est. $200) , which owners say has enough room to hold three or four full-size ice trays -- a nice convenience considering that it may take several hours (or longer) for water to freeze in a compact fridge. This GE mini fridge has three adjustable shelves, with a can dispenser and 2-liter bottle storage in the door. Additional shelves in the door can be used to hold small items such as single-serve yogurt containers and 16- or 20-ounce bottles, so there's a minimum of wasted space.

This GE Spacemaker compact refrigerator performs well in objective tests of refrigerators, and most owners say it is quiet. User reviews at ABT.com, HomeDepot.com and AJMadison.com are complimentary overall. It comes in black or white; the same model in a finish GE calls CleanSteel, the GMR04HASCS, sells for $25 more.

Another mini fridge from Danby, the 4.4-cubic-foot DAR440 (*Est. $200) , has no freezer, concentrating instead on more space for beverages and perishables. Like other Danby mini fridges, it's Energy Star-rated. The DAR440 has two and a half wire shelves, tall bottle storage, adjustable shelves and a can dispenser in the door. Extra features like reversible door hinges, automatic defrost and an interior light are nice extras in this price range. This Danby DAR440 gets great reviews from more than 230 owners at Walmart.com and is recommended in a review at Bestcovery.com.

Two-door mini fridges

Two-door mini fridges are shrunken versions of full-size refrigerators, with a separate refrigerator and freezer. These mini fridges are the same size as single-compartment, counter-height fridges. The advantage of the two-door configuration is freezer performance, which according to owners, rivals that of a full-size fridge. Of course, the extra insulation required to separate the freezer and fridge takes up space, about a cubic foot of total capacity compared to a single-door mini fridge.

One of the least expensive two-door mini fridges, the Emerson CR500 (*Est. $150) , gets generally positive owner reviews, though we found no comparative reviews of it based on tests. The CR500 has a total capacity of 3.1 cubic feet, 2.2 cubic feet of which make up the refrigerator compartment. It has two adjustable wire shelves and a vegetable drawer, with room in the door for tall bottles and several cans. The small freezer has a door rack for a little extra storage. Reversible door hinges and an interior light make it convenient to use. Most of the 70 or so owners posting reviews at Target.com give the CR500 good ratings; some say the refrigerator compartment doesn't keep food as cold as they'd like, although the freezer works well. According to one, the exterior finish is plastic that's supposed to look like stainless steel, but looks "cheap" in her opinion.

Haier introduced a  two-door model for 2011, the 3.3-cubic-foot HNDE03VS (*Est. $200) . Its features are similar to those of the Emerson CR500, with a few extras including glass shelves, a glass-covered vegetable crisper and a can dispenser in the door. Like the other new Haier models, this one has not accrued many owner reviews, but the seven or so owners who post reviews at HomeDepot.com give it an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars.  Given the good reviews previous Haier models have received, this one merits consideration.