Monica Hewitt is an accomplished chef with an extensive background in setting up kitchens around the world. From selecting kitchenware and kitchen utensils to menu planning, Monica has been responsible for establishing complete restaurants from the ground up. As the Kitchen and Cooking Expert at Homesthetics, Monica is in charge of reviewing and curating all cooking and kitchen-related content on the platform. In her free time, Monica is a good sport, enjoying critiquing our homemade meals around the clock and telling us what could have been improved in sandwiches.
Mini freezers work like a charm. They are great for storing frozen items during camping trips, portable enough to work like a refrigerator, and for families with small spaces.
Simply put, these mini freezers work like mini food storage devices for people with low space.
If you're looking for a mini fridge to add to your little space or dorm room, then fortunately enough, you'll never run out of options. Below is the list of the best mini freezers to get in 2023!
What Are the 7 Best Mini Freezers to Buy?
As I've mentioned, there's a wide selection of mini freezers on the market today, and choosing one can be difficult to begin with.
To help you with this, I've already done the hard part, and below is the list of the best mini freezers to store your frozen essentials.
Mechanical Temperature Adjustment Ranges From -11. 2' to 8....
Features Reversible Door that can Open from Left or Right....
What I like
Reversible door hinge
Slide out two removable shelves
Energy-star certified
Low noise level
Adjustable thermostat
Adjustable legs
What I don't like
Pricey; not budget-friendly
If you're hunting for the best portable freezers on the market, the Midea WHS-109FW1 Upright Freezer ranks as the best mini freezer on my list.
This mini fridge packs a punch despite its size; the wire shelves at the back are great for a few frozen essentials, and the reversible freezer door hinge allows you to open this small freezer either left or right.
Its temperature control is great too! It will have a consistent temperature and cold storage, and you'll be surprised by the extra space it can hold!
In addition, it is also energy-star certified, which cuts down the cost significantly as most models with these certifications use up less energy in the long run.
This small freezer is a great addition for owners with small spaces and students living in dorm rooms. It is the perfect mini fridge to store your frozen foods.
Type: Upright | Capacity: 3.0 Cubic Feet | Temperature Range: Not specified | Frost Type: Manual Defrost
The Whynter 2.1 Cubic Feet Stainless Steel Upright Freezer is small enough to fit on any countertop or convenient location at home. It has a capacity of 2.1 Cubic Feet, more than enough to store bigger and bulkier items.
In addition, this mini freezer has many convenient features, such as having an energy-star rating, an adjustable thermostat, removable shelves, and many more.
What I liked the most about this product is its recessed handle, which adds to the mini freezer's convenience.
This freezer might be the best option for users who want an extra fridge. It also comes with a cylinder lock with two keys which allows you to have peace of mind knowing your kids can't access this mini fridge.
From the outside, it looks pretty sleek and compact. The only drawback I found is it needs to be manually defrosted as frost builds up more quickly than I imagined.
Compact Freezer: Ideal for any small space where cold...
Flexible Food Storage: Our small freezer features a...
What I like
Reversible door and recessed handle
Large freezer space
It offers more usable space
Adjustable shelves
Energy-star certified
What I don't like
Not power outage safety
Smaller than most options
The Whynter CUF-11oB is one of the smallest mini freezers I have ever come across in my life. However, don't let this mini fridge fool you!
This mini freezer features a reversible door that allows you to customize the direction depending on the layout of your house. It operates at a respectable 42-decibel level, which is good enough.
Also, it has one removable wire shelf to organize frozen foods. This product is by far the best mini freezer with 1.1 Cubic Feet of storage space, and it doesn't feel like it.
It has enough refrigerator space while keeping the footprint to a minimum, which is ideal for students living in a dorm room. The removable shelf allows you to organize essentials easily.
This mini freezer passed with flying colors based on my tests and criteria.
Type: Upright | Capacity: 1.1 Cubic Feet | Temperature Range: -2 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit | Frost Type: Manual
HIGH CAPACITY: Our heavy-duty 12 volt refrigerator boasts an...
FAST COOLING: With its powerful compressor, the car...
What I like
Adjustable thermostat
Portable and convenient to use
Great mini freezer for outdoor trips
Versatile
Works with an AC adapter
What I don't like
Doesn't show accurate temperatures
Not the most durable mini freezer
If you're looking for a portable freezer for your outdoor activities, the AstroAI Portable Freezer 12 Volt Car Refrigerator is the first choice when it comes to this.
While I don't recommend this mini freezer as your staple freezer, this can serve as a mini freezer during outdoor getaways.
What's more impressive is you can hook it up to your car battery, and this car refrigerator can provide plenty of freezer space in the wilderness.
It has the perfect storage space to keep your frozen food from spoiling in the jungle while keeping your drinks cold.
This mini fridge can be powered in three ways, an electrical outlet, a 12- or 24-volt car cigarette lighter, or a 12-volt accumulator battery.
Type: Portable freezers | Capacity: 15 liters | Temperature Range: -4 and 68 Fahrenheit | Frost Type: Manual defrost
Any homeowner looking for a mini freezer attached to a refrigerator should consider the Frigidaire Mini Fridge with Built-In Freezer. It has a total storage space capacity of 3.1 cubic feet, which is more than enough.
As I've mentioned, this mini freezer comes with refrigerator features. The refrigerator part features a pull-out drawer and two shelves to organize perishable items easily.
The freezer option keeps food frozen for long periods.
Another feature I was impressed about is that the freezer and fridge have a mechanical temperature control individually, which allows you to set different temperatures for both compartments.
The Danby Design Compact Freezer has one of the best mini freezer interior designs one could find on the market today. Despite its small capacity, the insides have adjustable shelves that make storing items a breeze.
While the exterior leaves something to be desired, the internal design will truly amaze you. This freezer has adjustable temperature controls and features a beverage dispensing mechanism.
Ice buildup is a common problem most freezer owners tend to experience. However, that's not the case with this freezer. It has an automatic defrosting feature that prevents ice build-up on the freezer door.
Furthermore, this freezer is energy-star compliant, which helps cut down electricity costs in the long run. This mini freezer is the best freezer for beverage lovers.
Type: Chest Freezer | Capacity: 3.8 Cubic Feet | Temperature Range: 0 to 110 Fahrenheit | Frost Type: Automatic
This freezer features an aesthetically-pleasing design that will make your head turn the moment you've seen it.
What I'm impressed with the most is that despite its size, it feels a little roomy inside. Three different temperature settings allow you to turn it to minimum, medium, or max.
Its sleek black interior adds elegance to any part of the house. The interior light is bright enough to make your goodies visible even in the dark.
Type: Upright | Capacity: 2.4 Cubic Feet | Temperature Range: Not specified | Frost Type: Mechanical
Before anything else, you need to keep things in mind to have the right mini freezer for you. Here are some features you must look for when buying a mini freezer.
Size and Capacity
A mini freezer isn't intended solely to work as a traditional refrigerator. They are small enough to be placed in compact spaces.
And because they are called "freezers," they are best used for keeping foods frozen. How much space will depend on what is its intended purpose?
The size you should get depends on how much-stored food you will place inside. If you have a big family, then I wouldn't recommend a freezer of this size. Chest freezers are the best choice.
Going back to size and capacity, if you only store a few essentials and have a small space, you can rely on a mini freezer to keep your food, fruits, and veggies frozen.
However, if you have a big family and large space, you can look up the chest or upright freezers, as their primary purpose is to store bulkier items and valuables.
If you feel that you want bigger storage, you might want to look for upright freezers for the job.
Manual vs Automatic Defrosting
Regardless of freezer type, a freezer needs defrosting to avoid ice buildup. For comparison, a manual defrosting freezer is harder to maintain as it requires removing all your essentials while melting the ice away.
On the other hand, automatic defrost removes this tedious process and doesn't experience ice build-ups but is significantly priced higher than their counterparts.
If you have the money, I recommend an automatic defrosting freezer as it's easy to maintain and doesn't require you to do the aforementioned tedious process.
Garage-Ready Design
If you plan to put your freezer in your garage, I must warn you that only a few freezers operate under extreme temperatures.
Not all freezers can do well with fluctuating temperatures on the opposite side of the spectrum.
But if you plan to store your freezer in the garage, look for a freezer that says "Garage-ready." This type of freezer is specially-made for these kinds of scenarios.
You might want to check the best refrigerators with garage-ready features!
Standout Features
You want a mini freezer, in the first place, because of its features and how they will benefit you once you purchase one!
It is important to know what features you want in a mini freezer so that this expensive investment will provide you with returns and benefits!
Additional standout features can help you choose the right freezer for you. Here are some features you'd wanna look out for before buying your option:
Defrost Drain
While these are known only as bells and whistles, having a defrost drain can make your life easier if you have a manually-defrosting freezer.
Having an exit point when the water has accumulated due to condensation is a great way to keep your freezer running. More often than not, freezers with automatic defrosting features have this feature.
You might want to store your frozen goods as airtight as possible to avoid freezer burn.
Indicator Light
An indicator light bulb tells the owner the freezer is functioning and plugged in.
While this is not customary, it can clarify whether your freezer works properly. Fortunately enough, almost all freezers have this feature.
Reversible Door
A freezer with a reversible door and adjustable legs makes the entire experience more convenient. A chest freezer doesn't have this feature because its hinged lid is on top.
Most upright freezers have this feature and create the flexibility of having your door swing to the left or right. This feature is not a must, but if it comes with it, you'll be happy to have it.
Glass Shelves
Many glass shelves in your freezer can help you organize and categorize all your stored food. A removable shelf can also work wonders if you plan to store bigger, bulkier items.
Mini Freezer FAQs
You might find the answers below if you have additional questions regarding mini freezers.
What Is the Smallest Freezer You Can Buy Right Now?
As you’ve seen on my list, mini freezers come in various shapes, sizes, and features.
In addition, you can’t compare mini freezers to portable freezers. The smallest freezer you can buy should not exceed below .8 cubic feet; anything below that, and you will store small items.
Do Mini Freezers Consume a Lot of Electricity?
A mini freezer uses less electricity than your traditional refrigerators. They are smaller and can only store food based on their limited capacity.
Fortunately, most mini freezers today are energy certified, which means they use less energy while storing your frozen items at an optimal level without spoiling.
I highly recommend you opt for products with energy-star certifications to ensure you will cut down on electricity costs in the long haul.
If you want to save electricity with some of your other appliances like your electric kettles, you can check out whichelectric kettle is best for you!
Are Frost-Free Freezers Better Than Mini Freezers?
This is a matter of personal preference. If you’re after convenience, you would want a frost-free freezer as you don’t have to defrost your freezer manually.
But a mini freezer will be enough to keep your items frozen if you don’t have the budget.
Are Mini Freezers Quiet?
It depends on the product. To give you a good idea, read the manufacturer’s manual and check the decibel level in which the freezer operates.
Most operate around 40 decibels, which is quiet enough to sleep soundly. In most cases, energy-efficient models have a quieter operation than others that aren’t energy-certified.
What Size Mini Freezer Should I Get?
Again, this is a matter of personal preference and intended use. Consider the number of items and food you will store inside and where your freezer is placed.
In addition, you have to decide whether it would serve as a supplemental freezer or your sole freezer at home.
The Whynter Freezer is the best value as it hits the sweet spot of functionality, performance, and storage. Not a lot of products can rival this one within the price point.
There's no question that the Midea WHS-109FW1 Upright Freezer is a top pick. It has a large storage capacity, low operating noise, and removable shelves that can make your life easier when storing frozen goods.
Conclusion
Getting the right freezer for the intended purpose can be overwhelming due to the number of reputable brands and products in the market.
However, this list should give you plenty of options, and they are great in their own way.
Before you head out and purchase, always read some of the things you need to consider before buying one. If you are looking for a decent chest freezer, check out the best chest freezers available!
