When you have a new member of the family, the things that you need to keep up with seem almost endless.
You’ve got a million things to keep up with – wipes, diapers, medical checkups, pumping breast milk, feeding schedules, changing… and that’s just scratching the surface. When you factor in that everyone is running on 2-3 hours of sleep, it can be positively overwhelming.
Thankfully, organization is a tried and true method that can really take the edge off of your stress, and today we’re going to talk about the best fridge for baby bottles so that you can have convenient access to bottles that just need to be heated, and maybe even have a snacks handy for a pair of very deserving, tired parents.
We’ll tell you about some of the best mini fridges out there, in order to give you an idea of your options, and we’ll also give you some tips on optimizing the new space that you’ll have. After that, we’ll cover some basics on what to look for in a mini fridge and we’ll even tell you our favorite out of the listings that we’ve shared today.
If you’re good and ready, then let’s get started on our quest to find the best mini fridge for baby bottles!
A little fridge can really make a big difference
Even if organization is like second nature to you, when you’re dealing with a baby then it’s easy for all of your plans and preparations to go right out of the window. You’ll be running on a lot less sleep, you see, so while you might think ‘I can just organize my regular fridge’, it might be a little harder than you are expecting.
Especially if you already have a few kids raiding the refrigerator already!
By creating a personal space, dedicated to keeping breast milk or formula chilled, then you’ll ALWAYS know how much you’ve stocked for the baby and you can even mark items on the outside with markers so that they are dated to help you ‘rotate stock’.
No muss, no fuss, and with a dedicated space, there’s no worry about ‘baby’s inventory’ getting knocked over in the communal fridge or touching any leftovers that you definitely don’t want to get on those bottles!
Finally, there is the nice little perk that can also let you store baby food later, chill pacifiers for when your little one is teething, and with any extra space you’ll have handy snacks for mom or dad – what’s not to like?
With that in mind, let’s get to that list and you can see some of the best mini fridges and what they have to offer in terms of making your life just a little bit easier.
The Best Mini Fridges for Baby Bottles
It’s time to take a look at those mini-fridges now but before we get started, we’ll give you a little idea of what to expect since it may vary a bit from the kind of reviews that you’re used to. For each item, we’re going to tell you a little about what it does and its features, and we’re also going to tell you how others who purchased this product rated it and share some of their comments.
It won’t all be praise and we think that’s important.
Too often, you’ll purchase an item and have a problem, and waiting for you in the 1-star reviews is a comment from someone who experienced the same thing. It’s almost like a double-whammy when that happens and it makes you wish that you had checked that side of the reviews.
So, in the interest of fairness, we’ll share good feedback from the 4 and 5-star categories, as well as some 1-star feedback. Just remember, however, that in a review pool of hundreds or even thousands, someone’s always going to have a bad experience – our goal here is just to bring the contrast to your attention so that you’ll have a gentle reminder to go through those reviews before you decide what you’ll be choosing.
With that said, here are the best mini fridges for baby bottles!
Black and Decker BCRK32V Compact Refrigerator
Our first entry comes from a name that we all know and trust – Black and Decker. This Black and Decker BCRK32V is just like a regular refrigerator, but small enough to put it wherever it is going to be the most convenient.
Inside this silver (or black) mini fridge, you’ve got 2 removable shelves, as well as a small freezer compartment on top, and additional shelving in the door. With 3.2 cubic feet of space, things like baby bottles, jarred foods, or even a cold binky to help with teething will all be chilled and ready when you need them!
As far as overall measurements, this fridge is 32.7 inches tall, 17.5 inches wide, and 19. Inches deep and this unit also includes thermostat control, and reversible door, and comes with a 1-year warranty on parts and labor and a 2-year warranty on the compressor.
Looking at the reviews, we can see that Black and Decker got 5 stars from 79% of the 1797 reviews. Another 9% of reviewers gave it 4 stars and praise for the product included ‘perfect little fridge’ from ‘Judy’ and ‘Patrick G’ tells us that it ‘works well’ and it’s ‘sleek looking’.
Moving on to see who DIDN’T like this product, we found that 7% of reviewers had less flattering things to say. We found two incidents of the unit ceasing to function – for ‘Traci Scott’ in 50 days and for ‘Michael Muller’ in only 10 months, and user ‘Joseph Gregory’ felt that he was loud.
While these reviews were definitely in the minority, be sure to check the feedback personally if you like the look of this model – it is a Black and Decker, after all!
RCA RFR322 Mini Refrigerator
Next up we have this handsome RCA RFR22 Mini Fridge and it comes in 7 colors – White, stainless, black, blue, red, green, and purple! Like the Black and Decker, it features 2 removable shelves in the main body, as well as convenient door shelving and a freezer section on top, and contains 3.2 cubic inner space for you to work with.
Its dimensions are 32.8 inches high by 1.5 inches wide, and it’s 177. Inches deep. This model also features an adjustable thermostat, a reversible door, and a handy defrost button – providing you with all of the basics you need that you can accessorize in a color you like!
Treading onward to the review section, we see that the RCA was well-received, with 70% of reviewers giving this product 5 stars and another 13% giving it 4. User ‘kino dasilva’ tells us it’s a ‘great size and price for a great fridge’ and ‘You Save 101’ advises us that an hour in the freezer section on the max setting was enough to make a plastic bottle of Sunkist soda explode! That definitely sounds like ‘max cold’ indeed.
Looking at the less happy side of reviews, 8% of customers were less enchanted with the RCA, giving it 1 star in the reviews. Checking them, most seemed to be shipping issues, except for a few that stopped working (one after 2.5 years), but we also noticed that there were complaints about the customer service and warranty – which tends to get our attention more.
As such, while the reviews are pretty good for this model (a combined 83% gave it 4 or 5 stars out of 17,094 reviews ) just be sure to check out the warranty first that’s linked on the page, and call customer service on advance and ask a few questions – that way you can see firsthand before you commit!
BANGSON Mini Fridge with Freezer
Our next mini-fridge for baby bottles is this lovely Bangson Mini Fridge with Freezer that’s a little more budget-friendly and has comparable features to the RCA and Black and Decker. You’ve got 3.2 cubic feet of space at your disposal, although this model also features a plastic drawer at the bottom so that mom can have fresh snacks at the ready, and the door shelving features wire guards to keep bottles and other items snugly in place.
This model is 33.07 inches tall, 18.7 inches wide, and 17.4 inches deep and also has a 5-level thermostat control and an energy-efficient low-power compressor to help you to save on electric bills. Add in that it also runs quietly (just 38 decibels) and you’ve got a recipe for a fine little mini fridge that we think you’re going to love.
Let’s see how it did in the reviews, though! Out of 216 global reviews, a solid 66% gave this little fridge 5 stars and another 14% felt it was worthy of 4. Compliments included ‘The frig is extremely quiet and works perfectly = it cools properly!!’ from ‘Shirl’ and ‘Han’ tells us that customer service was extremely helpful and super responsive – something we always like to hear!
Now that you’ve had the sweet, it’s time for the sour, and 5% of reviewers felt that the Bangson should only get 1 star. User ‘Maria’ said that hers didn’t cool enough and one anonymous ‘Amazon Customer’ review said that theirs died in a few months.
All in all, however, this brand got a lot of praise and we think it’s definitely worth a closer look for an affordable mini with a few nice extras.
Midea WHS-65LB1 Compact Single Reversible Door Refrigerator
If space is at a premium then this Midea WHS-65LB1 with a reversible door might be just what the doctor orders.
With 1.6 cubic feet of space inside, you’ve still got plenty of space to have baby bottles at ready and there’s a little corner freezer and in-door shelving as well! Featuring a 6-setting thermostat, there is also a removable shelf in case you need to refrigerate larger items from time to time.
The Midea model measures just 19.4 inches high, 18.6 inches wide, and 17.7 Inches deep so it’s both sweet and petite. Available colors for the Midea are black and white, but if you don’t mind the spartan color options, it’s a pretty little fridge that can get the job done!
Moseying on down to the Feedback Corral, this little workhorse did pretty well, with 76% of 6341 reviewers polled giving it 5 stars. Another 13% felt that it had earned 4 and compliments for this product included ‘Good cooling and lightweight’ by ‘Timothy B.’ and ‘DocT65’ said ‘works great’, adding that he ‘had to turn it down to 1/3 power otherwise it freezes your liquids’. Not a bad start at all!
To keep things fair and balanced, however, we’re going next to the ‘dark side’ of the reviews where 5% of reviewers only gave the Midea 1 star. User ‘Dawnmarie R.’ tells us that hers broke within 6 months, while ‘Lewis Kofsky’ said that theirs only lasted 2 years.
With the overwhelmingly good response, however, we have a lot of confidence in the Midea and hope that you’ll withhold judgment until you see those reviews for yourself!
Frigidaire EFR492, 4.5 cu ft Refrigerator
If you need a bit more space, this Frigidaire EFR492 can deliver that and also the heft of a trusted brand name. While it does have a freezer box in the corner, the lion’s share of the 4.5 cubic foot space inside is yours to do with as you, please.
The shelves inside are removable, you’ve got a plastic drawer bottom for fruits and veggies, and there’s a bottle rack, dairy section, and plenty of place for jars, canned drinks, and other goods – basically, it’s the same as your regular fridge, but shrunk down for convenience.
The measurements of this model are 32.1 inches high, with a width of 21.7 inches, and an expanded depth of 20.5 inches. You’ve also got the standard thermostat and energy-saving efficiency so that running this little wonder won’t take a huge bite out of your electric bill – a definite perk, as those bills add up!
Wandering to the reviews to see how it was received, out of 303 users polled, 67% gave this product 5 stars, while another 19% felt it had earned at least 4. ‘Kenneth A.’ advises us that it ‘works great’ and adds a warning to watch the temperature control, as the higher settings can quickly freeze the contents of your fridge! ‘Frank Benegas’ also chipped in that it was ‘perfect for my needs’.
There’s always going to be a little rain, of course, so get your umbrellas as we walk over to the 1-star reviews to see what dirt we can find. As it turns out, 6% of those reviewed gave the Frigidaire only 1 star, with comments such as ‘Too cold’ from ‘Rita DeBry’ to which ‘Paul A, Rubenstein’ agreed, advising us that he had 2 beverages explode on just the ‘1’ setting.
While there were a lot of reports of this being cold, these incidents of problems with the 1 sets don’t seem to be a trend, but we wanted to bring them to your attention so that you’ll know to take a peek at the reviews on your own before you commit to purchase.
Danby Designer Mini Fridge
Another spacious mini option is this Dandy Designer with 4.4 cubic feet of space that you can make completely yours. Refreshingly, with the Dandy, you also don’t have a freezer unless you specifically pick the option to have one!
That’s not the only customization that you can do, however, although the rest is the ‘manual’ variety’ The 3 shelves inside are removable, you see, and you can repurpose the tilted can holding for bottles with ease if you like. Don’t like the crisper? Take out the door and now it’s a shelf.
The Dandy’s dimensions are 33.16 inches high, 20.16 wide, and 20.16 inches deep, and this unit is Energy-Star compliant, has an adjustable thermostat, and the wire shelving inside gives you better overall airflow within this neat little fridge’s interior.
Sidling over to peek at the reviews, we’re pleased to see that out of 1250 polled, 72% of reviewers gave 5-star reviews for the Danby and a further 14% awarded it 4. ‘Margo’ tells us that it’s a ‘GREAT refrigerator’ and that she has no complaints at all, while ‘M Waldeck’ praises the constant cool temperature, even after owning the unit for a year already.
Looking into the less-savory side of reviews, 5% of reviewers didn’t see so much appeal in the Dandy Designer. ‘Mike’ from Texas felt that the door opens too easily and says he gets too much condensation as a result, and while most reviews lauded the chilling power of this fridge, ‘Wisconsin Mom’ and a few other users said they couldn’t get theirs below 42 degrees.
As always, use your best judgment and check out the reviews on your own – 86% of 1250 reviewers really liked this – but we promised to share the ‘dirt’ along with the ‘gravy’, so we’re just telling you what we see in the reviews.
hOmeLabs Beverage Refrigerator and Cooler
Our final entry has a fancy look to it but there’s a bit more to it. This hOmeLabs Beverage refrigerator and cooler is a lot like a refrigerated display case that you would see in a store, and that can be a very good thing for a particular organizational mindset.
While the display shows sodas and chilled coffees, having an open display like that means that when you are storing items (especially very perishable ones) in the fridge, then you can see important information at a glance. Right away, you know what you’ve got stocked, what’s available, and what needs replacing – all without having to open the door. Doubly so if you use the classic ‘write the date with a marker’ method to know when to toss certain items.
The dimensions of this lovely hOmeLabs refrigerator allow you 3.2 cubic feet to work with, as it is 33.3 inches high, 18.9 inches wide, and 17.3 inches deep. The shelves are removable and rather than a dial, you have touch=sensitive temperature control and a ‘whisper’ compressor helps to ensure that this fridge is pretty, efficient, and QUIET.
Walking over to see how it fared in the reviews, out of 6103 in total, 78% of reviewers loved this enough to give it 5 stars and another 12% gave it at least 4. User ‘Rafael’ happily assures us that it’s ‘Cold!’ and ‘Forsell’ chimes in that it’s also ‘super quiet’, so starting off we’re hearing very good things about this fridge.
Naturally, we want to see who DIDN’T like it, so moving to the 1-star reviews we find that 5% of people who purchased this unit were much less impressed. User ‘PM’ advised that their own was loud and stopped working fairly quickly, and user ‘Paul’ said he died also, though he advised it stopped working after 2 years.
As with any appliance, these things can happen, but check the feedback on your own and see what you think – this really is a nice little fridge and we feel it’s definitely worth a closer look.
Best newbie tips for making the most of your mini fridge
While mini-fridges are helpful, you want to get the most mileage out of your investment and the best way to do that is by making the best use of your space and knowing your options. Below are a few tips that we hope you’ll find helpful in this regard:
If you have more than one child, having some self-serve snacks ready can save you from having to run to the kitchen while you’re focused on the baby (and save you from cleaning up the mess if one of the other children starts digging around for snacks). The easiest way to make it space-effective is plastic cups – simply drop the snacks inside and make your door shelving into a snack station for you and the kids!
Tupperware is a real godsend – not only does it stack easily, but you can write in marker on it or slap cheap labels on so that you’ve noted the date that it was put in and don’t accidentally munch a ‘flat’ snack. With breast milk bottles, you can also mark the date and time that you put them in so that you can be 100% certain that everything in THIS fridge is ALWAYS at its freshest!
Sometimes you’ve got to leave quickly and if you’ve got a hectic schedule, consider making ‘to go’ ziplocs with pre-chosen snacks inside you can even have an insulated lunchbox with some packaged items and fruits that will do well in the fridge. That way, if you need to leave quickly, then you won’t have to worry about being hungry later for it.
Buying Information for Mini Fridges
If you prefer to buy your appliances locally, then we’ve collected a few tips that we hope will help you to select the perfect mini fridge for your specific needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind when selecting your fridge model:
Energy-Star compliant models are nice to have, as their current iterations are about 9% more energy efficient than non-compliant models – it’s not a huge difference, with about $220 saved over a 12-year life of the appliance, but every penny counts!
If you don’t need a freezer compartment, there are plenty of mini models that won’t have them, so be sure to check around and get what YOU want instead of settling – you’ve definitely got options.
Defrost buttons are a nice extra that can save you time when you eventually need to defrost and deep clean that refrigerator. You don’t absolutely NEED one but they come in handy.
Don’t forget that you have a supercomputer in your pocket – look up the exact model number of a mini fridge that you are considering and read the reviews before you commit. To find an exact model number in a Google search, just add quotation marks like this Frigidaire “ABC123-D”. This will return ONLY results that have that model number on the page.
Product Recommendations
When we share a list of ‘the best of the best’, it’s not fair if we don’t tell you our favorite, and so it’s time for us to commit on our end. We really liked the Bangson Mini Fridge with Freezer for a number of reasons.
First off, it’s nice and compact – it’s definitely a mini and so it’s not going to take up much space at all. Next, it runs very quietly and provides a small freezer just in case you need a little ice or wants to chill something very quickly.
The crisper drawer is also great for snacks for you and others in the home and the wire guards inside help to keep bottles and other items snug while also improving the airflow inside. Finally, this was also one of the few brands noted for stellar customer service.
While we hope that you’ll never need to use it, knowing that you can get help without hassle these days is really one of the best perks that can come with any purchase. You just don’t see that enough these days!
Of course, if you need something larger or if one of the others piqued your interest more, then by all means check the reviews and go for it – all of the models that we’ve shared today are quality mini refrigerators and we think that you’re really going to love them!
FAQs
It’s just about time for us to wrap things up, but before we go, we’ve got a few frequently asked questions that we’ll take this time to address. We hope that you find this information useful and with that said, let’s take a look!
How long can breast milk stay in the mini-fridge?
Provided that you are not storing them in a plastic bag or disposable liner (never do this!), breast milk in an approved container can last for up to 4 hours at room temperature and for about 4 days in a mini refrigerator. If you keep a small marker nearby then you can easily mark any container on the outside with the time and date so that you never have to worry.
Can I save unfinished breast milk in the fridge?
Sometimes your baby won’t finish their bottle and when that happens, the unfinished breast milk should be discarded if it is not consumed within the next 2 hours. If this happens a lot, you can start warming it in smaller amounts and take notes, until you have a good idea of how much your baby usually consumes.
How many hours a day does a mini fridge run?
Modern mini-fridges are quite energy efficient, usually running for a period of about 8 hours a day to maintain the constant, cool temperature which you’ve set on the thermostat. Mileage will vary, of course, based on placement of the unit and the temperature inside, but 8 hours is a pretty good baseline of actual operating time.
Concluding our quest for the best mini fridge for baby bottles
In today’s article, we have taken a look at a number of mini fridges designed to make life a little easier for mom and dad. While our favorite turned out to be the Bangson Mini Fridge with Freezer for its features and snappy service, if another model caught your eye then by all means, take a closer look and make it yours if you like.
Just be sure to check the reviews and it never hurts to call customer service for a company before you buy – if they are happy to answer some quick questions about the model and it doesn’t take forever to get through, then you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you can expect.
Thanks so much for reading and we hope that you’ll visit us again very soon!
David learned to cook at an early age after his mother told him that he couldn't live on pizza forever, Dave uses his modest kitchen skills to recreate sorely-missed recipes from home and to occasionally make new favorite ones from places he is visiting.