There are a few very important factors that you should not forget to check before buying a mini-fridge for your home. These factors will help you understand the appliance better and will be useful in the long run. Some of the factors are as follows:
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1. Storage Capacity:
Checking the storage capacity is one of the most important things. By checking the capacity, you can get an idea of the size and the number of items that you can store in the fridge. Freezer space and shelves take up some of the space inside the mini-fridge though.
The capacity of the mini-fridges ranges between 45 liters to 120 liters. You can select one according to the storage space that you wish to use.
2. Size:
The size of a mini-fridge is obviously smaller than that of a regular fridge that is used in the kitchen. You should select the size depending on the allocated space where you are planning to keep the fridge.
Based on the size, there are three different types of mini-fridges available in the market. They are:
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Cube Mini-fridges:
Cube mini-refrigerators are the highest selling mini-refrigerators. One of the main reasons behind it is these types of refrigerators are highly portable because of their shape and size.
The interior space of a cube mini-fridge is around 28 to 59 liters. It weighs about 12 to 15 kg. This tiny fridge comes at an affordable price too.
The cube mini-fridge is great to be used in small offices, dorms, or playrooms. You can simply place it over a counter and use it. Some of them even come with reversible doors so that you can open the fridge from any side.
However, one of the disadvantages of this type of fridge is they are not insulated properly. Hence, they end up consuming more power.
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Mid-Size Mini-fridges
The mid-size mini-refrigerators are larger in size than the cube mini-fridges. Thus, they are more spacious with ideal size. The interior of this type of fridges ranges around 80 liters to 96 liters with an average height of 66 centimeters.
Apart from this, there are more number of shelves and the freezer section is a bit large too. With these dimensions, the mid-size mini-fridges are the perfect choice to be placed in offices, bedrooms, and hotel rooms.
There are a lot of variants available in these types of fridges. Some of the common variants include reversible doors, freezer compartment, and lock feature. Some models even have a thermostat control for regulating the temperature as there is a freezer section too.
Apart from size, the major difference between both types of fridges is mid-size mini-refrigerators are more energy efficient when compared to the cube mini-fridges. They are not that expensive too. The mid-size fridges are compact and easy to move around.
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Counter-High Mini-fridges:
The height of a counter-high mini-fridge is similar to that of a kitchen counter. Thus, it is sometimes also referred to as an under-counter mini-fridge. You can place this fridge under a counter.
Its capacity ranges between 99 liters and 127 liters. The average countertop size of a counter-high mini-fridge is about 90 centimeters.
Some of the reasons behind the popularity of counter-high mini-fridges are double door design, thermostat control, and energy efficiency. Due to the size and weight, these fridges are not very portable and are the most expensive amongst all.
3. Technology:
How fast does the food and drinks cool down inside the fridge depend majorly on the technology used. It also gives you an idea of how much energy does the fridge uses. Some commonly used technologies in mini-fridges are as follows:
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Compressor:
Compressor mini-fridges use mostly the same technology as used by a regular full-sized refrigerator. It has compres