If you mainly want drinks and snacks close to hand, choose a mini fridge for extra storage. If you regularly shop for ingredients to cook meals, look for a compact fridge with enough capacity and storage for fresh food. Either way, measure the space, allowing for the clearances specified in the manual. And when considering comfort in a bedroom, don’t rely on the stated decibel rating alone.
If you want to keep a few drinks and snacks in your bedroom, perhaps near your desk, start by measuring the available space. The word ‘mini’ tells you nothing about the appliance’s depth or how much room it needs for ventilation.
If you want to store fresh food, bottles and leftovers in a studio flat, consider how the capacity is arranged. The space between the shelves and the door storage matter just as much as the stated capacity.
If the fridge will be near your bed or desk, compare the stated noise level, then look for detailed reviews covering vibrations and operating cycles. UFC-Que Choisir points out that how noisy an appliance seems isn’t determined by its decibel rating alone.
Choose this if: you mainly want to keep a few drinks and snacks in your bedroom.
Bear in mind: there’ll be limited space for groceries and fresh meals.
Choose this if: you need space for fresh food from your regular shops.
Bear in mind: you’ll need enough room for the appliance, its door to open and proper ventilation.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and storage | Compare the capacity, the space between the shelves and the room for bottles with what you usually buy. | When I prepare several meals in my studio flat, I need space to keep bottles, containers and fresh food separate. Around 36% of consumers put storage space first. |
| Noise and vibrations | Check the stated decibel rating and look for detailed reviews mentioning vibrations and operating cycles. | If I sleep next to the appliance, repetitive noise may matter more to me than a few extra litres of capacity. Quiet operation is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Temperature and freezer compartment | Check the fridge’s temperature settings and, if you need a freezer compartment, its type, temperature and intended use. | If I want to keep perishable or frozen food, I need to know what each compartment can actually store. Around 21% of consumers put this first. |
| Installation and energy use | Measure the space, allowing for the clearances specified in the manual; then compare the energy consumption shown on the energy labels. | With very limited space, I want to make sure the appliance can be installed correctly while also considering its energy use. This is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
An appliance designed mainly for drinks and snacks may not have enough room to organise several fresh meals.
Start with your usual shopping list, then compare it with the shelf and door storage dimensions of the model you’re considering.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, how disruptive noise is also depends on its type and on vibrations. The stated rating alone won’t tell you how comfortable the appliance will be near your bed.
Look for reviews that specifically discuss noise, and make sure the appliance is installed on a stable, level surface.
Heat needs to escape from around the fridge, and the required clearances vary depending on the model and how it’s installed.
Measure the space and follow the manual’s ventilation instructions before choosing an appliance.
The presence of a compartment doesn’t tell you its capacity, temperature or which foods it can store.
If you plan to store frozen food, check the intended use and defrosting instructions in the documentation for the exact model.
The models reviewed range from a 45 L mini fridge designed for drinks and snacks to a 90 L model offering more organised storage.
Beko’s range includes the TS190340N and TSE1264FMGN tabletop fridges, which are worth considering for a small kitchenette.
The FGX490 is one of the compact bar fridges to consider when space is limited.
These two models suit different needs: the 92 L CHiQ for storing groceries in a small kitchenette, and the 45 L TCL for keeping drinks and snacks close to hand.
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Worth considering if your shopping needs a compact fridge rather than just somewhere to store drinks.
Stated capacity: 92 L; energy rating E. Check the dimensions and ventilation requirements in the manual, as well as the temperature and permitted use of the freezer compartment before storing frozen food in it.
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Consider this for a few drinks and snacks in a bedroom, rather than for storing all your studio flat groceries.
Stated capacity: 45 L; adjustable feet, a tempered-glass shelf and energy rating E. Before storing perishable food in it, check the lowest temperature it can reach.
Start by thinking about what you need to store: a few drinks and snacks may fit in a compact extra fridge, while regular shops call for storage suited to fresh food. Compare the capacity with the shelf and door storage layout, then measure the space available.
Not necessarily. UFC-Que Choisir points out that how noisy an appliance seems also depends on the type of noise and vibrations. Use the decibel rating as a basis for comparison, then look for detailed reviews and make sure the appliance is level.
Follow the clearances specified in the manual for your chosen model. For the freestanding appliances covered by its advice, Whirlpool recommends leaving 5 cm above and 10 cm behind. These measurements don’t replace the instructions for your specific appliance.
Anses recommends keeping the coldest part of the fridge between 0 and +4 °C. If you plan to store perishable food, check the available temperature settings and use a fridge thermometer to monitor the temperature.