A mini fridge could be the perfect gift or appliance in a lot of situations. If someone is going off to college, a mini refrigerator will let them keep their food cool and private. If you know someone who wishes they could keep beer cold in their garage, a mini fridge is perfect for that as well. There are some complications that can arise from not doing your proper research into a fridge before buying one. Everything that you need to know about buying a refrigerator will be explained below.
First and foremost, you need to make sure you are accurately measuring the spot where you plan on placing the fridge. You need to take into consideration not only the height, width and depth but the door opening radius as well. Having the mini fridge fit snugly, but not so much that the door can't be opened is the goal here. If you are giving the mini refrigerator as a gift and don't know the exact measurements, you are going to have to guess a little bit. Just remember that when giving a gift, it's always better to get a smaller fridge than is needed, rather than one that's too difficult to fit in a good place.
Next is the position for the fridge. It may seem like you already have this planned out, but trust me when I say it's not over yet. A refrigerator uses quite a bit of electricity and usually won't function properly when hooked up any old extension cord. So you have two options here, get a new extension cord that can support the power draw you want to put on it, or place the fridge right next to a wall outlet so it can reach it on its own. Another thing to consider, if you decide on an extremely powerful mini fridge, is the current power draw on the breaker. The last thing you need is your refrigerator kicking in and blowing a fuse out and leaving you in the dark. Blowing fuses from this small amount of strain doesn't happen in newer houses, but it does happen in garages due to their lower power consumption.
You should make an educated estimate of how much you plan on storing in the refrigerator. If you plan on storing mostly cans, how many do you want to be able to fit inside? Do you have any need for a freezer section, or can you do without it? Are you going to have a use for a drawer? How many shelves do you want and should they be movable or permanent? All of these questions need to be answered before you go out and purchase a new refrigerator. If you can't use your mini fridge for the intended purpose, there is no point in owning it (you might as well just use your refrigerator), so take some time to think about these questions.
And finally, you need to know just how cold your mini fridge needs to get. Some uses for a mini fridge require it to be only cool, and not chillingly cold. Other uses such as for sodas and beer, the colder it can get the better. Keep in mind that the more powerful a refrigerator is the more it's going to cost, but that's to be expected. Cold power from a fridge is tricky to measure when shopping around on the internet and in stores. The only way that you can truly know how powerful a mini fridge is, is by looking at consumer reviews and information online. Sadly there is no standard measurement for cooling in refrigerators so the descriptions that you will find might be vague. But, make sure to look at the reviews, anyway, so that you can glean at least a little bit of information from them.
If you follow those instructions and consider your options before making your purchase, then you are sure to enjoy your brand new fridge. Just remember to measure first, and don't forget to check the door opening radius as well. Refrigerator placement and power draw are crucial factors for some people, but most won't have a problem with it. Then finally, you need to find out how cold you need your mini fridge to be. It's not exactly an easy task to shop for a mini fridge, but it can be rewarding when you finally hook up your brand new mini fridge and it's exactly right.
