Credit:
Reviewed / Kyle Looney
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Credit:
Reviewed / Kyle Looney
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
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Don’t let its size fool you: Its clever layout means it can hold as much beer as many larger fridges—up to 86 cans. Read More
The Igloo is a conventional mini fridge—the kind you'd find in a college dorm—complete with a can dispenser on the door and a small freezer up top. Read More
This Danby was one of the best performing products we tested, offering up style and substance. Read More
Temperature output was fine and can capacity was average, but the bland design and lack of a door-mounted can dispenser left something to be desired. Read More
The top shelf was 5° warmer than the bottom. If the upper shelf is set right, the lower cans could be too warm; if the bottom is just right, the top might freeze. Not great any way you slice it. Read More
No matter whether you drink Bud Light or nerd out over craft brews, you need a place to chill all those cans and bottles. We pored through hundreds of beverage coolers and mini fridges to find the most popular, affordable, practical models.
After testing many beverage fridges for both capacity and temperature range control, we used our years of kitchen fridge testing experience to figure out just which one you should buy. That's why we recommend the Wine Enthusiast Evolution Series Beverage Center (available at Best Buy for $284.99) as the best beer fridge to buy.
Stylish, retro look
Brightly-lit interior
Angled can dispenser
Nothing we could find
Can maintain consistent temperatures
No door-mounted can dispenser
Relatively high price for few features
Stylish looks
Adjustable shelves
Temperature not consistent throughout
Hi there! We're Reviewed's appliance testing team. Between us, we've spent many years testing major appliances including washers, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, and robot vacuum cleaners.
In addition to testing these products in our lab, we also incorporate them into their daily lives, which means that we have a great sense for what appliances are bargains at their price points, and which special features actually make life easier, as opposed to just looking good on paper.
We test each beer fridge from two perspectives—first, from a data-driven, objective point of view, and second, as a regular person who just wants to keep the wine and beer at the right temperature for the end of the workday. We use both perspectives to inform our recommendations.
Refrigerators pull in air and cool it to around 37°F to help keep food preserved and to limit or slow bacteria from growing on your leftovers. Since the air comes in from outside of the fridge, the temperature of a room affects the fridge’s ability to function.
When it’s hot, the condenser and cooling coils inside work overtime to get that air to the right temperature. When the temperature is low enough, the fridge condenser may not even turn on. This is most obvious with fridges that are kept outside in a garage, but it’s true everywhere.
We run our refrigerator tests in a lab that’s air conditioned to 72°F +/- 5°F (basically, room temperature), with relative humidity kept to 50% RH +/- 15% RH. This way, we know that each fridge has a chance to perform its best, and is dealing with the same conditions as every other fridge.
Our refrigerator testing usually lasts a week. We pack each model with water filled containers (since fridges operate better when there’s less empty space), we measure the fridge’s temperature, humidity loss, freezing time, usable space, and energy use.
Temperature Generally speaking, the ideal temperature settings for fridges is around 37°F. That keeps you well clear of the bacteria “danger zone” that starts at 40°F. We set each fridge to ideal temps, then collect temperature data throughout the testing week to learn how close the temperature got to the ideal value, and how well it stayed there. Some people may not set a dedicated beer fridge as low as a normal fridge, but consistency is still crucial.
Usable Space — The total capacity, or the volume in cubic feet, is a big consideration for a fridge. But because of the arrangement of shelves, drawers, and more, not all of that space is truly usable. We always test how much of a fridge’s empty space is actually available for storing food and drinks. In this case, that means seeing whether the can capacity lives up to manufacturer’s claims.
Energy Use — Using an electric meter, we measure the fridge’s energy usage (in Watt-hours) over the week of testing. The less energy used, the more efficient that fridge is, and the more money it’ll save you on utility bills in the future.
We also use each fridge more casually over time to determine the usefulness of its specs and features. We consider the doors, shelves, controls, and more. If a refrigerator can maintain the ideal temperature perfectly, but the control panel makes no sense and it’s hard to open the doors, we penalize that fridge with respect to its ease of use.
In general, beer can last from six to eight months in a fridge—but the quality of the fridge could make it last longer or cut into its lifespan. Make sure to get a beer fridge with excellent internal temperature consistency if you want to up the shelf life of your suds.
While most fridges should stay at 37°F, there’s more room for preference in a beer fridge, as mentioned earlier. A range of 50-55°F is reasonable, depending on the type of beer and your personal taste.
However, if you do keep your beer fridge at a higher temperature, be sure not to keep perishable food in there. Microorganisms can proliferate more rapidly at temperatures above 40°F, turning leftovers into ecosystems. But that can actually be good news for beer, since it lets yeast continue to do its thing.
The line between a beverage center and a mini fridge is a bit blurry, but in general a beverage center dedicates basically every storage area for beverages. A “beverage center” can mean a stand-alone mini fridge, or even a separate drawer compartment in a full-size fridge with its own temperature controls.
Because beverage centers are built specifically for storing beverages, they often do a better job with the details than a general-purpose mini fridge. Beverage centers often have better storage solutions for corralling bottles and cans, come with their own temperature controls, and can run much warmer than you should ever keep your fridge. Since they’re purpose-built for keeping cans cold, they’re generally the better option.
While the lifespan of any appliance can vary wildly due to several factors, you should expect your fridge to last for about 10 years.
Most manufacturers will at least cover the first year in their warranty, but some companies will offer more robust programs that will cover specific parts up to five years, 10 years, or for the lifetime of the product.
Mark Brezinski works on the Home Team, reviewing refrigerators, minifridges, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, air purifiers, and fans.
Jonathan Chan currently serves as the Lab Manager at Reviewed. If you clean with it, it's likely that Jon oversees its testing. Since joining the Reviewed in 2012, Jon has helped launch the company's efforts in reviewing laptops, vacuums, and outdoor gear. He thinks he's a pretty big deal. In the pursuit of data, he's plunged his hands into freezing cold water, consented to be literally dragged through the mud, and watched paint dry. Jon demands you have a nice day.
Matthew is a native of Brockton, MA and a graduate of Northeastern, where he earned a degree in English and Theatre. He has also studied at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin and spends most of his free time pursuing a performance career in the greater Boston area.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
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