When it comes to choosing college dorm refrigerators, also known as the “mini fridge”, there are a lot of options and a lot of different features to consider. While it is perfectly possible to survive college without a mini fridge, it’s a great convenience for having basic supplies like milk, storing leftovers, and being able to store ice cold beverages as well.

Here are some questions to ask yourself before you start shopping for your college dorm refrigerator:

1. Will My Room Mate Be Sharing It With Me? Often times you and your room mate will be able to split the cost or compromise where one person buys the fridge, the other person buys the microwave for example. This is a huge help in saving on expenses, and you’ll both be glad that you have one. Most schools will notify you of who your room mate will be a few months in advance, so you’ll have plenty of time to try and track him or her down and see if they have any preferences or are willing to split the cost with you. It’s a good idea to check with your room mate also just so the two of you don’t show up on moving day with two refrigerators!

2. How Big Should it Be? Mini fridges come in all different kinds of sizes, and you’ll want to make sure that yours is large enough to hold the things you need, but not so big that it takes up valuable dorm room space as well. Carefully think about how much you’ll really be storing in there and what size you’ll need.

3. What Features Are Important to Me? There are many different features available, ranging from refrigerators with freezer compartments, ice machines, cold beverage racks, and more. If those features are important to you, then you’ll want to make sure the machine you choose has them. If you can go without some of the bells and whistles you may be able to save a lot of money when purchasing it.

4. Where Will I Get it From? There are so many different places to get a refrigerator. If you like to save money, you the first thing to do is look for a mini fridge on eBay for an inexpensive second hand one. Many stores and retailers will also have specials in the summer on mini fridges because they know that college students such as yourself will be needing one for the upcoming semester. Since you’ll probably have plenty of time to wait a week or less for shipping, getting one online at a site such as Amazon.com can make it much easier to find exactly what you are looking for and save a lot of money as well. (We’ve routinely found they are less expensive than many big box retail chain stores on many items, especially when the items are eligible for free shipping!) Another perk? They also have customer reviews, which can help you sort through the losers and the winners.

Now that you’ve asked yourself these very important questions, here are our top picks for college dorm refrigerators, based on price and features.

	Igloo Mini Fridge w/Freezer This mini fridge is compact at only 3.2 cubic feet, but offers separate freezer and refrigerator compartments, as well as room for an ice tray. Reasonably priced for under $200, it’s a strong contender for any college student. Learn More
	Sunpentown Compact Fridge This is one very compact refrigerator at 1.7 cubic feet that also includes a small freezer section for ice. It’s extremely economical and stainless steel finish and larger sizes are also available. Learn More
	Avanti Half Height Refrigerator This compact fridge boasts of full temperature control and self defrosting, which can be a headache saver. It also features door storage for soda cans and tall bottles. Learn More

We hope this college dorm refrigerators mini fridge buying guide has been useful to you and your roommate as you try and decide what type is best for you. Have any questions? Comments? Suggestions? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.