Looking for the best mini refrigerator for a small space? Look no further! My go to pick has a set-it and forget-it thermostat, adjustable shelves, a double-paned glass door and integrated LED lighting. It's the perfect fit for my she shed.
Oh that's right, I got a she shed. I've realized that I'm not great at talking about projects that are in-progress. I've always preferred to wait until everything is buttoned up, insulated, painted, what have you. The mid-process just isn't anywhere near as glamorous.
But withholding it is a mistake! It leaves the impression that all of these renovations happen in the blink of an eye. In truth, there is a LOT of time spent on temporary furniture, hanging out in uncomfortable situations, with dust and dirt and pieces of partly-finished things all around. Renovating old homes is not for the faint of heart.
I'm making a conscious effort to be more forthcoming in how projects tend to plod along (especially when there are delays, stock issues, contractor shortages, etc). So this is one of those instances.
I had a “she shed” installed here at the Boise house, very similar to the laundry shed we put at the San Diego house years ago. I haven't had a chance to finish the inside yet, but when our long-term partner NewAir asked if they could send us their Limited Edition Anniversary Series 100 Can Beverage Fridge, I knew that this would be the perfect spot to put it.
Moreover, I knew that I deserved to go ahead and ENJOY my space! Mid-transition. Not quite perfect, but SO MUCH better than the limited storage space we had before. Nate and I put up side-by-side his-and-her sheds after the boys took over the garage space, and it's been a Godsend in terms of productivity. All his woodworking stuff has a place to live where nobody will mess with it, and my craft stuff can stop clogging up our small office.
It's a huge win for both of us, and I'm thrilled to be cozying into the space. As you can see, I've decorated it with some twinkle light signage, pretty flowers, and the best mini refrigerator available. That is IT. The rest of the space – so far – has been reserved for gift-wrapping for the holidays. Just me, some scissors and tape, an occasional friend to keep me company out there, and my mini fridge.
The Best Mini Refrigerator for a Small Space
I've actually been working up a storm in this she shed already, and found this to be the best mini refrigerator for a small space. Unlike the mini fridge in our home bar setup, this one is super-compact. It takes up very little in terms of square footage, and provides just enough room to stash 100 cans – or a handful of cans, some mason jars, and a couple mixers.
Lots of dusty work is done out here – and I need every inch of shelf space I can get – so I figured it would be best to just stash my mason jars inside the mini fridge, along with my drink fixins. That turned out to be the most perfect plan ever. It helps keep the drinks colder longer, especially since I'm not making space out here for an ice dispenser.
Pros of the Best Mini Refrigerator: Sleek Configuration, Easy Cleaning, Sturdy Construction
Thanks to adjustable / removable shelving, this bad boy can be totally reconfigured to fit your stuff exactly as you want it to. I removed a couple shelves altogether to make room for my tall margarita mixer. While that choice does limit storage of cans and glasses, I can easily stash those shelves for later if my priorities change.
It has wire shelves in lieu of glass shelves that a lot of mini fridges come with nowadays. I must say, I am a HUGE fan of the wire option. They're coated with a nice rubber that cleans up easily, and I can soak them or run them through the dishwasher if they get really cruddy. Without glass to stop any rogue splashes, though, nothing really accumulates on these.
The couple times I've had major spills, it's just gone straight to the bottom. That's WAY easier in terms of clean up than having to remove every shelf, dealing with the runoff and the stickiness that inevitable makes its way into the crevices that hold the shelves up. Wire for the win.
This puppy features stainless steel finish and stainless steel doors, a much better option than the cheap plastic trim I've seen on other mini fridges. It also has LED lighting inside, which is crucial for areas like a she shed that may not have reliable lighting setup all the time.
What you Sacrifice for a Small Space: Freezer Compartments
Note that there are no freezer sections or a separate freezer compartment in this mini fridge (allowing it to be smaller and more compact, ie the best mini fridge for small spaces). You won't be storing ice cream or stashing ice trays to make ice cubes in your she shed. You have a house for that. Let the home fridge do the heavy lifting!
You also won't find a crisper drawer, so stash your veggies elsewhere. Without too many bells and whistles, this single door mini fridge is energy efficient. It's a compact fridge that gets the job done, which is exactly what you're looking for in a she shed, right?
Another great thing about this compact refrigerator is its adjustable thermostat, a feature that isn't seen in a lot of retro mini fridges I've looked at. Temperature controls let you set the degrees Fahrenheit that you want your drinks stored at. We keep ours at 39, which is a pretty surefire sweet spot when you're storing a combination of soda and wine. Any dairy should be kept below 38. This one goes down to 37 degrees, so you're safe no matter what you want to store.
Just like most nowadays, this mini refrigerator uses a standard outlet. You can see that when this photo was taken, I was simply running an extension cord from the house. I've since had Nate install a plug by running a more permanent cord along the fence line and hooking it into a waterproof port that he drilled into the side of the shed, near the mini fridge. It's all nice and tightly-sealed so as not to let inclement weather mess with my comfortable, fan-heated and -cooled space.
Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't call attention to the double-paned glass doors. This is one of those things you don't really think to look for, until you've lived with a fridge that has a see-through front – and one that doesn't. I had a standard mini refrigerator all throughout my college years, and it was an absolute dream COME TRUE when I finally replace it with one that had a glass front.
Unlike a full size refrigerator fridge, a mini fridge is usually just used for small snacks and drinks. In such a small space, it serves as both a design piece and a functional storage space. It's an entertainment facilitator, a work energizer, a fuel tank filler-upper. It's an important component to the whole VIBE. When you're working or entertaining, it's distracting to have to open up the fridge to make sure there's enough for everyone. You don't want to have to check if you're running low on stock, when you're already pressed for time and room.
The see-through door is a Godsend for a small-space situation, and I'd never go back to a mini fridge that doesn't have that option.
Do you have a she shed? Is there a mini fridge in there yet?