Smart storage, stellar performance and a fun design made the Frigidaire Retro Mini Fridge an instant favorite around the office.
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We Ran This Frigidaire Retro Mini Fridge For 500 Hours and It Outperformed Almost Every Other Model We Tested
Updated on Sep. 24, 2024
Even if you already have a full-size refrigerator, adding a mini fridge to your bedroom or office can be a total game-changer.
With a mini fridge just an arm’s length away, you won’t have to run out to your garage fridge every time you want a drink or worry about your coworkers nabbing your lunch from the communal office refrigerator. And, of course, a mini fridge is a must for college students living in a dorm. Our expert product testers put several mini-fridges with freezers to the test. There’s one model in particular that we absolutely love: the Frigidaire 2-Door Retro Fridge.
At first glance, this retro-style mini fridge with freezer is so cute that we were ready to add it to our cart, with no questions asked. But since we’re all about making smart purchases, we brought it into our testing lab for closer inspection to assess whether or not it’s worth your hard-earned money. Once our testing was complete, we compiled all of our findings into a detailed Frigidaire Retro Mini Fridge review. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the Frigidaire Retro Mini Fridge?
The Frigidaire Retro Mini Fridge is a 3.2-cubic-foot, two-door mini refrigerator with a freezer. It measures 37 inches tall by 21.5 inches wide by 19 inches deep, and it weighs 41.89 pounds. The power cord is 71.5 inches long.
The exterior of the fridge, which is available in four colors, boasts a retro design complete with chrome accents. It has a built-in bottle opener, and both doors are reversible, so you can use it in just about any space. The outside of the fridge is also magnetic, meaning you can jazz it up even more with your favorite magnets.
The interior of the refrigerator contains two removable glass shelves, a crisper drawer, a can rack and two door shelves. There’s also a dial that allows you to adjust the temperature from 0 to 7. The freezer has one main compartment and a door shelf. And, it comes with an ice cube tray that makes 12 ice cubes: four rectangular, four heart-shaped, and four spherical.
TMB STUDIO
editor's pick
Frigidaire 2 Door Retro Fridge
This stylish refrigerator is equipped with a separate freezer and comes with fun extras like a built-in bottle opener and heart-shaped ice cube tray.
How We Tested it
Product testing manager Annamarie Higley took this Frigidaire mini fridge into the Testing Lab with the Product Testing Team for a closer look. While she was smitten with the bright Coca-Cola red body and chrome accents, she acknowledges that it may not be for everyone.
“The retro-style fridges are garnering a lot of attention by other office workers,” she says. “Although it likely wouldn’t be everyone’s taste, at least it has some flair and personality compared to the modern-looking ones.” She also described the ice cube tray as super cute and awarded points for playfulness.
Since this mini fridge has a bottle opener and actual handles (as opposed to divots underneath the door like on the other models we tested), it required some assembling. Our team noted that the bottle opener was super easy to install. They described it as substantial and sturdy, too. A labeled sticker on the side of the fridge told them exactly where to place it, and they used the included hardware to do so.
The door handles, on the other hand, weren’t as straightforward. Though the handles were supposed to simply slide into place via pre-installed brackets (no tools required), our team thought the plastic felt very cheap.
“I was timid with the pieces so as not to break them,” says Higley. “However, a lot of maneuvering and coaxing is required to actually click them into place. I was super nervous the whole time that the tiny plastic mechanism was going to snap. I ultimately figured it out, but this step requires both force and finesse. Careful!”
Additionally, the team suggests checking the brackets themselves before installing the handles.
“The bracket onto which the handle was installed wasn’t screwed into place super tightly by the manufacturer, so the whole handle mechanism wiggles up and down,” explains Higley. “Now that the handle has been clicked into place, I’m not sure it’s possible to tighten the screw because it’s not very accessible.”
With the installation complete, it was time to get down to the nitty-gritty of what this mini fridge was really made of. To start, our team collected an array of common refrigerator and freezer staples. The items included a gallon of milk, a carton of eggs, a 2-liter bottle of soda, a gallon of ice cream and a standard-size frozen pizza. Then, they attempted to stock the fridge and see what they were able to fit. The team was immediately impressed by the can storage in this fridge.
“This has superior can storage compared to all the others. The designated racks, shaped themselves like cans, make for easy grabbing and storage that ensures cans are secure and not shaken up,” raves Higley.
They were also delighted to find that they were able to fit all of their items in the appliance. However, they did have to make some adjustments in order to fit everything. They had to remove the top shelf of the fridge in order to fit the gallon of milk, and the 2-liter bottle of soda had to be laid on its side in the interior of the fridge.
“It doesn’t fit in the door, despite claims in the manual that the door holds 2-liter sodas,” says Higley.
Next was to assess how well this appliance maintained the appropriate temperatures. To do this, our testers placed three thermometers inside: one in the freezer, one in the crisper drawer, and one in the main compartment of the fridge. They recorded the temperature of each thermometer in the morning and again in the late afternoon once a week for the entirety of August.
They also placed a humidity gauge in the main compartment and checked them along with the thermometers. According to our testers, the recommended temperature range for food safety is between 34 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and humidity levels should hover around 65%. Freezer temperatures should be at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
At the end of the month, our team found that the Frigidaire Retro Mini Fridge had an average refrigerator temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit and an average freezer temperature of 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
“The fridge never jumped above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature stayed within a three-degree range,” says Higley.
Moreover, the average humidity level was 63%. Overall, our testers were thoroughly impressed by the stellar performance of this stylish little fridge.
“Between the heart-shaped ice cube tray, the bottle opener and the catchy color, this fridge is so fun. It caught the eye of countless co-workers as I tested in the office. But it’s hard at work while it adds a punch to your space, too. The fridge and freezer temperatures were spot-on, and the storage systems are smart,” concludes Higley.
Pros:
- Maintains consistent fridge and freezer temperatures
- Humidity levels stay within the recommended range
- Smart storage systems
- Stylish design
- Includes an ice cube tray and built-in bottle opener
- Offered in several colors
- Reversible doors
- Removable shelves
Cons:
- Door handle brackets feel cheaply made
- A 2-liter bottle of soda doesn’t fit on the door
FAQ
How long does a Frigidaire mini fridge last?
Generally speaking, mini refrigerators have a shorter lifespan than full-size refrigerators. That said, a well-maintained Frigidaire mini fridge should last for many years. Be sure to carefully read the manufacturer’s warranty for your mini fridge.
Why is my Frigidaire mini fridge not cooling?
If your Frigidaire retro mini fridge isn’t cooling, there could be a few issues at play:
- The condenser coils located in the back of your fridge could be dirty or covered in frost.
- A defective door gasket, which is the seal around your refrigerator door, could also be the culprit.
- The condenser fan, which helps the condenser coils stay cool and function properly, may need to be replaced.
- Â Your refrigerator’s thermostat may be broken.
- The fridge could have a defective start relay. A start relay is what helps the compressor operate correctly. If this is broken or defective, your mini fridge cannot cool down to the correct temperature.
Can I leave my Frigidaire mini fridge on all the time?
Yes. These refrigerators are designed to run continuously. Our Frigidaire retro mini fridge ran for 500 hours in our testing lab.
Why you should trust us
At Family Handyman, we know how important it is to find quality products that make your life easier and won’t leave you with a bad case of buyer’s remorse. This especially applies to appliances, which can be a hefty investment.
Our editors and testers have years of personal experience with some of the most reliable refrigerator brands that won’t require frequent repairs, including the Gladiator refrigerator. And we only recommend a product if we believe it’ll enhance your own space as it did ours.
Our product testing experts on the product testing team spent hours in our lab getting up close and personal with nine mini fridges with freezers. Several of those hours were spent actively testing the Frigidaire Retro Mini Fridge, which we ran for a total of 500 hours. We performed 13 tests on each appliance and collected roughly 500 data points overall.
Final Verdict
If you’re in the market for a mini fridge, then this Frigidaire retro mini fridge is a no brainer. And if you’re not in the market for a secondary fridge, go ahead and add this one to your cart anyway. Not only does it add a pop of color to your space but it also keeps fridge and freezer goods at the perfect temperature. Plus, the built-in bottle opener and heart-shaped ice cubes are guaranteed to make you smile every time you reach for your favorite beverage. Cheers!
TMB STUDIO
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Frigidaire 2 Door Retro Fridge
This mini fridge was run for 500 hours. During that time, it maintained appropriate and consistent temperatures and humidity levels.
