Mini-Fridges are an important part of dorm life. While the student may have an unlimited meal plan, late hours, inclement weather, and dining hall fatigue are all factors keeping them from visiting the dining hall lines 3 meals a day, every day.
They are important, but here is what you need to know before you purchase a mini-fridge for college.
I wouldn’t say a majority of schools say no, but a growing number of schools are only allowing MicroFridges in their campus housing. These mini-fridge/microwave combos use less energy and help the school plan for power needs effectively.
If you can only have a MicroFridge, you will likely need to rent one through the school’s approved 3rd-party provider. This is a cost that can be split with a roommate.
I’ve been asked if you should just buy a MicroFridge, and my answer is no. At the purchase price point, you’re better off just renting and letting someone else move it in and out of the dorm room. Just know that these are not brand-new MicroFridges- they may be a bit beat up, so set everyone’s expectations as such!
If you’re allowed to bring a mini-fridge, you’ll probably find the following rules:
Please consult the Housing page on your school’s website and look for the Community Guidelines – this is named differently at every school, and they’re not always easy to find, but the rules should be there somewhere.
We get this question a lot in the Facebook group, “Does my student really need a 2-door mini-fridge?”
And the comments are a resounding 99%, yes. Why?
Fresh food is lovely, but college students are sponteneous – they’re not planning meals; they just need a snack or some protein when they need it. When it is pouring rain or sleeting at dinner time, and they really don’t want to walk 3 buildings down to get the same old Thursday night special, they’ll be so happy for a microwaveable meal or a frozen bag of chicken nuggets.
And it saves money in the long run. DoorDash, GrubHub, pizza delivery- it all adds up quickly!
I love to make batches of my kids’ favorite things to send back with them to college.
I make one son’s favorite homemade mac & cheese and portion it into individual servings to freeze. Or their favorite sausage pancake muffins – easy to take one (or two) out of the freezer bag and warm them up in the microwave. It’s a perfect on-the-go breakfast that they always appreciate having in the freezer.
And then there is ice cream. They got their ice cream habit from their dad!
If they’re planning to bring a countertop ice maker to college, they’ll need a freezer to store the ice as it is made. None of the countertop models can store any frozen cubes – they need to head right to a freezer after they are made. Send a little ice cube bin along as well.
When you’re allowed to bring your own fridge, you’ll almost certainly be permitted to bring only one per room unless there is a medical exception.
The roommates should agree on the fridge size and a rough budget, and then one of them should purchase the fridge. Do not split the cost of the fridge, as it will raise the question of who takes it at the end of the school year. Rather, the other roommate should bring shared items of about equal cost, such as a rug, or a microwave and blackout curtains.
Our guide to sharing common dorm items with roommates will help you make a list of shared items and split it up.
Maximize the space above and around your mini-fridge with one of these 2 solutions. As always, check your dorm layout and dorm rules to be sure you’ll have the space and are permitted to bring ‘outside furniture’.
Dorm Vertical Kitchen – No additional space in the dorm room? No problem. This solution uses the space above the fridge.
Dorm Fridge Bridge – A great solution combining 2 nightstands and fridge/kitchen storage in one DIY solution.
I highly recommend sending airtight food storage for any open foods stored outside of the fridge for 2 very important reasons.
Moving off-campus to a place with your own bedroom? I can’t tell you how popular it is for those who have a mini-fridge from their dorm to bring it to their next place and keep it in their bedroom.
With 4-6 students sharing one kitchen, the kitchen fridge gets busy, and it can be hard to find room for everything you need to refrigerate.
And then there are visitors. It’s unfortunate, but when visitors come by, whether your friends or those of your roommate, your favorite sparkling water, energy drink, string cheese, or frozen burrito may come up missing.
This has students keeping their favorites and the expensive items in their own fridge in their (locked) bedroom. Off-campus student housing often comes with individually locking bedroom doors with keycard access.
The following are our recommendations which should meet just about all of the size limits we’ve seen from across the country.
If possible, you should always transport a fridge or mini-fridge upright. A 3.1 cubic foot fridge should fit in the back of most SUVs, and you can take it out of the box if needed.
If you must lie it down for transport, after you arrive at your destination, let it stand upright for at least the amount of time it was lying down, or ideally, at least 24 hours before plugging it in.
This allows the coolants and oils that may have shifted while lying down to drain back to their proper positions.
If your school does not offer helpers at move-in, be sure to bring a hand-truck to make moving the fridge easier. Unless there is no elevator….in which case, bring strong helpers of your own!
A mini-fridge is a dorm must-have for most students. Check the rules, and pass by the off-brands. Sticking with a trusted recommendation and brand name is important with a large appliance like a fridge.
SAFETY TIP: Never plug a mini-fridge into an extension cord! Mini-fridges should be plugged into a wall outlet if possible, or a surge-protected power strip if necessary – never into an extension cord. Many schools prohibit the use of extension cords for any use.
All we do is dorm and college: every single day, all year long.
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