When I was 12 years old, I got the best Christmas present ever: a dorm fridge. It was totally different than the toys that my friends were asking for, but when they would come over to play video games, they would quickly see the benefits of being able to grab soda after soda without ever having to leave the room. In high school, the mini fridge helped prevent me from procrastinating by letting me stay at my desk instead of heading to the kitchen every time I wanted to replenish my drinks or grab chilled snacks.
Having multiple refrigerators is definitely a luxury. But when one of them is a dorm-size fridge, it’s a much more affordable luxury (and a pretty smart one). A good dorm fridge will make living in a dorm a breeze or long days working from your home office more pleasant, and if you’re really tight on space, the right mini fridge can totally do the job of a full-size fridge — especially if you get one with a freezer. Check out our top picks for the best small-space-friendly dorm fridges to add more cooling convenience to your dorm room, apartment, or house.
Looking for more dorm design ideas and inspiration? Check out Dorm Therapy, which features personal recommendations and reflections from a team of student contributors.