If you're struggling to find space for your groceries in your refrigerator each week, it may be time to invest in a mini fridge to create extra space.
A mini fridge can also come in handy you're tired of cheeky flatmates "borrowing" your food, or if you're simply looking for more of a mini-bar style fridge for chilling drinks when entertaining (these can also be quite fun for the spare room, to recreate the indulgence of a hotel at home).
Others are simply fun accessories for kitting out the ultimate teenage den or bedroom (we like the Husky Rubiks cube design table top chiller, £133.97, Amazon - which also makes for a fun birthday present, if you're stuck for ideas).
While thermoelectric fridges are suitable only for chilling drinks and non-perishable goods, compressor fridges are designed for perishable foods including vegetables, meat and dairy. Size is important - always check the capacity before you buy.
You might also want to consider whether you're looking for an easy-to-access table top fridge, or whether a larger under-the-counter mini-fridge would suit better.
It's also worth noting that there are specialist wine fridges, wine coolers and wine conditioners designed to keep bottles of fizz and white wine in the right conditions to preserve the taste.
Finally, it's worth checking out mini fridge reviews to ascertain how much noise the appliance will make (especially if you're planning on keeping it in a bedroom or living room).
Ranging from budget buys to luxury appliances, here are nine of the best mini fridges on the market. If storage is the issue, we also recommend checking out our guide to the best fridge freezers.
1. Smeg freestanding mini fridge
Expensive, but worth every penny, this 73cm-high 50s style model from Smeg is every household's dream mini fridge. We can't resist the pastel colours on offer, but there's also classic cream, red, black and a Union Jack design to choose from.
It uses absorption cooling, keeping noise level low and efficiency up, meaning your average annual energy cost isn't too catastrophic. It also comes with a bottle shelf and a hinged door for easy access. It's lightweight too - weighing just 17.5kg. It also has an adjustable thermostat, 2 shelves that can be adjusted to 5 different heights, a bottle holder and snack compartment in the door, an ice cube tray, internal LED lighting, and easy-to-clean surfaces.
2. Russell Hobbs freestanding table top larder fridge
You can't go wrong with this mini fridge from homeware experts Russell Hobbs. Despite it's small size, it boasts an impressive large capacity of 45 litres and comes with an ice box, bottle rack, and a removable wire space, allowing you to customise the fridge to suit your needs.
Particularly helpful for storing the items in your main fridge you can't live without, but often end up taking up too much space.
3. Signature S30007 mini fridge
A bestselling budget option, this 4 litre capacity fridge really is miniature. It's ideal for chilling drinks at home or in the office, and has the advantage of being easy to carry with the help of a handle. It's small and dinky, so think more slimline cans and essential milk supplies than copious bottles of wine and the weekly shop.
4. Inventor Appliances A+ silent mini fridge
With a massive 66 litre capacity, this mini-fridge is actually big enough to store several bags of shopping, so if you're not in the habit of doing big shops, this might actually be a decent replacement for your main fridge.
At a budget price, it has won plenty of fans across the internet thanks to its quiet running, energy efficiency and reversible door, allowing it to fit into any room almost unnoticed. There's also a little freezer compartment on the top shelf (though users have offered varying reports of the quality of that particular part.)
Like many of the best normal sized fridges, this one has air circulating technology that helps prevent ice build up at the back, which should mean you don't have to do any messing around with this one to get it to work.
5. Husky Rubiks cube table top chiller
One of the main attractions of the mini fridge is the novelty, and the Husky Rubiks Cube Table Top Chiller has the novelty factor in spades. The official Rubiks Cube branding and design is a hit with the kids, adding fun and games to refreshments. It is also able to chill a not insignificant number of bottles of wine (12, to be precise).
6. ChillQuiet mini fridge
Ideal for storing drinks and other smaller snacks (such as fruits and chocolates) this compact 17 litre ChillQuiet mini fridge from Drinkstuff comes with a whisper-quiet cooling fan - no need to worry about annoying noises and overheating - a removable shelf and a lockable door. The small size makes it the perfect for taking on camping trips or to festivals this summer, and it has a one-year warranty.
7. Igenix IG6711 counter top fridge
Stuck in a flat share with very little space to call your own? This counter top mini fridge from Igenix might be the solution to all your problems, since it has a lockable door. Compact, contemporary, stylish and equipped with a reversible door, it'll sit nicely in any room in your home without you having to worry about it taking up too much space. It has a whopping storage capacity of up to 46 litres, and comes with an adjustable thermostat, one wire shelf, two balcony shelves and a locking door.
8. iceQ 15 Litre Deluxe portable mini fridge with window in red
This attractive portable fridge with a frosted glass window can hold up to four pints of milk, with room to spare. It is virtually silent when the eco-setting is used, while still keeping the contents chilled, making it perfect for quieter parts of the house such as the lounge or perhaps a university student's bedroom.
9. Swan Retro mini fridge
If you love the retro style of Smeg but are put off by the luxury price tag, this retro mini fridge from Swan does the trick just as well. One of the smallest fridges on the list, this thermoelectric model is perfect for people always on the go, in need of cool beverages and fresh snacks. Features an energy efficient cooling system, allowing food and drink placed in side to cool 16C below ambient temperature, while even warming to 65C if necessary.
