TechJunkie is a BOX20 Media Company

Home Reviews Home Office Store All Your Essentials at Arm’s Length in the Best Desk Mini Fridges

TechJunkie Expert Recommendations

Store All Your Essentials at Arm’s Length in the Best Desk Mini Fridges

TechJunkie is supported by our readers. When you make a purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Read More.

Store All Your Essentials at Arm’s Length in the Best Desk Mini Fridges

We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of our links. The newsroom or editorial staff was not involved in the creation of this content.

Buyer’s Guide: Desk Mini Fridge

While having a refrigerator is essential to keep all your essentials cold — from food and beverages to skincare products — you might not want to leave your chair or bed to grab your favorite snacks or eye cream. You can’t live without a refrigerator. These handy devices store items and keep them from going bad. But a desk mini fridge is the perfect blend of convenience and refrigerator, allowing you to keep all your items at arm’s length. A desk mini fridge not only takes up less space, it also offers features that are very similar to a full-size refrigerator. We hate to break it to you, but finding the right appliance isn’t as easy as it may seem. If you don’t want to accept anything less than perfect, check out our review of the finest desk mini fridges of 2023.

Because electronic appliances are usually expensive, you have to be extra careful when purchasing them. You need to consider a variety of specifications and features to ensure that you invest in the right product. We’ve compiled this detailed buying guide to help you choose the right desk mini fridge. 

Benefits of a Desk Mini Fridge

Stylish design

A desk mini fridge sits gracefully on your desk or bedside table and looks more visually appealing than full-sized fridges. A desk mini fridge can help you create an aesthetically pleasing, highly functional, and practical atmosphere to keep all your essential items near you. Also, desk mini fridges are available in a range of colors and styles to match the ambiance and decor of your space. 

Cost-efficient

Because a retro mini fridge is much smaller in size, it costs a fraction of the price of a full-sized refrigerator. What’s even better is that a mini fridge consumes about a tenth of the electricity of a full-sized refrigerator, making them energy-efficient. With retro mini fridges, you won’t have to worry about getting an enormous electricity bill!

Keep your items safe

If you often skip your nighttime skincare routine because you don’t feel like getting up, a desk mini fridge can keep all the items you need within your reach. It can also store insulin, beverages, and snacks for midnight cravings.

Eliminate the need for coolers

When you want to take your favorite drinks with you on outdoor adventures, coolers are the go-to choice for most people. A desk mini fridge that comes with dual voltage can be plugged into your car to keep your drinks and snacks with you without carrying ice or having to deal with the mess of spilling or leaking coolers.

How to Choose a Retro Mini Fridge

Size and capacity

Because a desk mini fridge is designed to be smaller and more compact, they usually have a limited capacity. You should think about your personal preferences and needs when considering the capacity of a model. Most desk mini fridges allow you to store six soda cans, a water bottle, and other small items. 

Noise level

Certain desk mini fridges generate a lot of noise due to their compressors, disrupting a peaceful environment. If noise levels are a concern, check with the manufacturer and read through customer reviews to rule out the possibility of purchasing a noisy refrigerator.

Power source

You should also consider the power source of a desk mini fridge if you want it to be portable. Some desk mini fridges operate on built-in batteries while others need to be directly plugged into an electrical socket.  You can also find some options that are USB-powered to plug into your car’s battery so you can take them with you wherever you go. Some expensive options also operate on solar power, conserving energy and eliminating the need for batteries or power outlets.

01 Frigidaire Desk Mini Fridge

If you’re looking for a stylish yet efficient option, the Frigidaire Desk Mini Fridge boasts appealing aesthetics and fits anywhere. This portable mini fridge can efficiently store your drinks, lunch, snacks and baby bottles, allowing you to keep all your essential items by your side all the time. Weighing only three pounds, this fridge is extremely lightweight and easy to carry around the house. 

You can even plug this mini fridge into a cigarette lighter outlet, making it extremely handy and user-friendly. You will surely love the flush-back design, which blends in well with any interior. This desk mini fridge is far from being an eyesore! With its super stylish and space-saving design, this desk mini fridge easily earns our best overall award.

Pros

  • Removable shelf for easy cleaning
  • Safe-to-use, advanced semiconductors
  • Thermoelectric technology for better efficiency

Cons

  • No built-in battery
Frigidaire Desk Mini Fridge

02 Chefman Desk Mini Fridge

Don’t want to spend a fortune on a mini fridge? The Chefman Desk Mini Fridge comes at an affordable price and has amazing features to make it the ideal choice for road trips, offices and dorms. Despite its small and compact size, this mini fridge can efficiently store soda cans, drinks, snacks and skincare products. The best thing about this appliance is that you can efficiently set the fridge to either warm or cold with just the flip of a switch. 

You can store up to six cans with other items in this fridge and the removable shelf makes it even more convenient to store slightly larger items. Made from eco-friendly material, this mini fridge is CETL-approved and safe to use.

Pros

  • Both cooling and heating modes
  • Includes car and home power cords
  • 100% freon-free construction

Cons

  • Some find it too small
Chefman Desk Mini Fridge

03 AstroAI Desk Mini Fridge

The AstroAI Desk Mini Fridge comes in eye-catching colors and an appealing silhouette, making it an ideal appliance for both storing items and adding a touch of elegance to your space. You can easily fit six soda cans in this fridge, snacks, beer, skincare products and other essentials. Plus, you can take this portable fridge with you on outdoor excursions. 

Coming with both AC and DC adapters, this fridge is compatible with a home power supply of 100 to 200 volts or you can connect it to a 12 volts car power supply. The semiconductor refrigeration chip of this mini fridge is completely freon-free and made using eco-friendly technology. Best of all, it runs quietly at a frequency of 25 decibels, so you can keep it on your bedside table and rest peacefully.

Pros

  • Weighs only 4.65 pounds
  • Low-noise operation at 25 decibels
  • Durable, energy-efficient semiconductors

Cons

  • Is lower quality than others
AstroAI Desk Mini Fridge

04 CROWNFUL Desk Mini Fridge

Planning to go on a road trip or looking for a solution to keep your beverages chilled or food hot near your work space? The CROWNFUL Desk Mini Fridge comes with both hot and cold settings, allowing you to store anything with ease. This mini fridge is lightweight and compact, making it extremely convenient to carry around your house or take it with you when you’re on the go.

The chic design makes it extremely attractive and it’s available in many color choices to match with the overall setting of your space. This desk mini fridge operates super quietly so you can use it in your room, office or dorm without having to deal with annoying noises. You can easily switch it between heating and cooling modes with just the press of a button.

Pros

  • Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
  • Built-in carrying handle for portability
  • Low-noise, quiet frequency

Cons

  • Cooling power isn’t very strong
CROWNFUL Desk Mini Fridge

05 Cooluli Desk Mini Fridge

The Cooluli Desk Mini Fridge is the perfect choice for those who want a spacious but low-profile option that doesn’t take up too much space. It weighs only 7.9 pounds so you can easily carry it around in your home or take it with you on outdoor adventures to keep your snacks and drinks cool. 

This multifunctional and dual-voltage mini fridge works great in your home as well as in your car. The stylish and sleek design with glass front door allows you to have a quick glance inside the fridge to grab your favorite drink quickly.

Pros

  • Advanced, energy-efficient EcoMax technology 
  • Prevents frost and moisture buildup 
  • Features a handle with a spring lock

Cons

  • May leak a bit
Cooluli Desk Mini Fridge

People Also Asked

How long should I keep my drinks in the fridge if the desk mini fridge is off?

If your desk mini fridge has been on for a while and you want to conserve energy, you can put it on a lower temperature setting. We don’t recommend turning your desk mini fridge off because it can cause the items stored inside to go bad or get warm.

Can I take my portable desk mini fridge camping?

If your portable desk mini fridge is battery powered, you can take it with you anywhere you want. Most fridges come with dual voltage features, allowing you to plug them into your car.

My desk mini fridge smells bad. How should I clean it?

Mini fridges might develop a bad odor due to moisture buildup or bacterial growth. Regularly cleaning your mini fridge helps with the elimination of odor causing elements. You can try putting baking soda in a small container in the desk mini fridge which will quickly soak up and neutralize odors.

Alex Baum

Jul 22, 2022

37 Articles Published

Our Process & Method

We're not just tech junkies, but we're also tech experts. Each and every "Best of.." list on TechJunkie is curated by our content-area subject matter experts to provide a well-rounded, unbiased perspective to help and inform you, our reader. Our lists are constantly reviewed and updated, so you can be sure you're reading relevant and up to date information.

Elevate Your Workplace Using the Best Desk Chair Mat

Read More

More