3 Tips You Should Know About Owning a Compact Refrigerator
Sometimes bigger isn’t always the better option, especially when it comes to appliances. Compact fridges are excellent for installing in small condos and apartments. They can also work as go-to snack storage for your bedroom. However, just because it’s small in size doesn’t mean that it doesn’t require as much care and thought of buying and caring for it.
Caring for compact appliances
A mini-fridge is an excellent luxury item for people who need a midnight snack for a quick fix or a separate container for their drinks. Mini fridge electricity costs make up a significant portion of your monthly bills, which means that improper care and maintenance of it can lead to even higher energy expenses at best and fire from overheating at worst.
In this article, we will share three tips in owning and caring for your compact fridge.
1. Buy from reputable retailers
Firstly, you need to make sure that you buy a brand new fridge. Shopping for a refrigerator is one of the few appliances in your home that you should prevent buying second hand as much as possible. This is because a second-hand fridge could have issues and band-aid repairs that you might not be disclosed during the purchase. The same principle can be applied even for compact refrigerators.
Though compact fridges aren’t as bulky as its full-size counterpart is, it doesn’t mean that you should be lenient on their quality. Replacing refrigerator parts is still a costly expense, regardless of the size. For this reason, buying a brand new model gives you the benefit of registering it to the manufacturer. This provides you with a period of warranty in dealing with potential defects and malfunctions on the appliance for repair and replacement.
2. Be mindful of overheating
Similar to its larger counterpart, compact refrigerators expel heat to keep its contents cool inside. One of the common mistakes that compact fridge owners make is that they forget that their appliance is prone to overheating due to improper placement. To avoid overheating, you must make sure that proper air circulation is present on your appliance’s vents.
One positive aspect of a compact refrigerator is that it is much easier to clean when compared to a normal-sized one. Remember to unplug it before you start with your cleaning, and after clearing the fridge’s contents, make sure that you vacuum all sides of the refrigerator, especially underneath. In different seasons, it is important to adjust your compact fridge’s temperature dial to avoid using too much electricity in powering your appliance.
3. Find the right placement
One reason placement is a more significant concern for compact fridges is that they’re prone to tipping. If you don’t place it on a sturdy base, it can easily tip over and potentially injure you in the process. Though compact fridges aren’t as heavy as full-sized refrigerators, the combined weight of its contents, together with its durable frame, can still do some considerable damage.
When you are deciding on its placement, make sure that you avoid placing it on edges of furniture, such as tables, shelves, and countertops to prevent any accidents, especially to children and pets. It’s safer to place your compact fridge on the floor, but only if your flooring is stable. You can also use a mini-fridge stand to put some elevation on your fridge from the floor so that it won’t overheat. Other than that, you can install anti-tip straps or brackets to provide extra protection to your appliance.
Conclusion
Many owners often underestimate an appliance’s capability of causing significant damage not just on their monthly bills but also on their property. The key to keeping your appliances safe is by knowing how to care for them properly while making sure that they receive professional maintenance regularly.
If you need more information on proper compact fridge care, our blog has many articles that cover different types of topics to help you. Whether you want to know about the cost to run a mini-fridge or whether you can put it on the carpet, visit our site to search for fridge-related questions, answers, reviews, and more!