Nothing beats a cold drink on a hot day. Whether you’re doing yard work or just relaxing poolside, it’s great to grab a can of your favorite beverage and enjoy. And it’s even better when you don’t have to trudge back to the kitchen for it!
Having a refrigerator in the yard is an awesome addition. It doesn’t have to be just for drinks, either, of course. It’s great for keeping salads or snacks cold. And if you’re going to grill, you can keep your burgers, steak, and hot dogs at the right temperature before it’s time to toss them on the flame!
But not just any refrigerator will do outdoors. Sure, you can move a regular fridge to the yard for a special occasion. But if you want something that can stay outdoors all the time – or at least for extended periods – you want something designed for outdoor use. For more information, be sure to read our article on why not just any fridge will serve outdoors.
What To Look For In An Outdoor Fridge
We’ve talked elsewhere about the special demands on a refrigerator that’s used outdoors, so we won’t rehash it all here. But let’s just mention three quick points about what you should look for when making your choice.
Size
Of course, the size of your refrigerator is one of the most important elements to consider. Most outdoor refrigerators don’t need to be full-sized. A mini-fridge is ideal, though. I can hold an ample supply of drinks or enough food to support your immediate needs for grilling.
We’ll look at fridges from about 3 to 5 cubic feet of capacity. These will serve most outdoor needs.
Materials
You want your outdoor refrigerator to look good. But it also has to be made to stand up to the unique demands of being outdoors.
The climate inside your house is stable. Outside, not so much. Indoors, temperature and lighting don’t change much throughout the year. But outdoors, temperatures rise and fall. Your fridge has to deal with rain, wind, and the sun.
That can affect how the machine appears but it also makes a difference in how well it works.
Stainless steel is stylish, but it also does a great job in adverse conditions. Of course, no fridge is designed to stand up to the most extreme weather, so if you face tropical storms or severe winter weather, you’re still going to want to move it inside temporarily.
Efficiency
We hinted at efficiency above, but this is an important factor. Using a refrigerator outdoors is going to cost more on your electric bill simply because of the conditions.
It’s important to find an efficient one so that you minimize the extra expense. Spending a bit more upfront for your purchase can save you money in the long run.
Our Picks for the Top Outdoor Refrigerators
There are a lot of quality outdoor refrigerators available, and we’ve checked a lot of them out. Here are our recommendations – be sure to read up before you buy yours!
Be sure you read about the size of the refrigerator and don’t go by just the picture. The pictures are all accurate, but the proportions of some make them look like full-sized fridges. These are all mini-fridges from 3 to 5 cubic feet, despite how they may look in the photos.
Remember that a refrigerator needs some room to “breathe”, too. Don’t push it up against walls. If it’s enclosed, you should leave at least 2 inches behind it and a quarter-inch on each side and at the top. Some manufacturers recommend more, so be sure to read the manual
Brama 5.1 cu. ft. Outdoor Refrigerator
This is one of the larger outdoor fridges in our recommendations. It has 5.1 cubic feet of interior space and three adjustable shelves inside.
The unit measures 23.5 inches wide, 22.5 inches wide, and 32.3 inches high. It weighs 96 pounds. The hinge is on the right, meaning it opens left to right. The door can be locked -great if you want to control access!
The outer body is made of stainless steel.
There’s a digital control panel and readout on the inside at the top, so it’s pretty easy to read and adjust. There’s also a standard interior light.
It seems to cool well without stress on the motor even on hot days over 100 degrees! Hopefully, you won’t have many days like that, but you can be confident that this device will help you grab a cold one when you need it.
The price of this fridge is kind of high. It’s the highest ticket item in this article as of when we prepared this piece. But you get a quality, large machine that should hold up for a long time and meet all your expectations!
There’s a one-year limited warranty on this product.
Whynter 5.3 cu. ft. Outdoor Refrigerator
Whynter also makes a great outdoor refrigerator, and it happens to be the largest of our recommended models. At. 5.3 cubic feet, it holds a lot for a mini-fridge.
This unit can be installed in a cabinet, but its design also allows it to stand alone. You can even attach casters (included) to make it more mobile. Two of the casters lock so that you can keep it in place, too.
The case is stainless steel and the outside measurements are 26 x 24 x 34 inches. With the casters installed, it’s about 36.5 inches high. It has three adjustable shelves. You can squeeze in about 165 12-ounce cans if you want to!
The door hinge is on the right, placing the handle on the left. There’s a lock, as well.
The unit weighs 92 pounds.
We saw great cooling capacity even in hot weather. You’ll be satisfied with its function – and it looks great, too.
It has a one-year limited warranty.
Danby 4.4 cu. ft. Outdoor Refrigerator
For a slightly smaller unit, we love this fridge from Summit Appliance. It’s recommended for use in temperatures between 45 and 109°F – that’s a pretty nice range!
The volume of the unit is 4.4 cubic feet. It’s 21.3 inches deep and 20.75 inches wide. The height is 33.1 inches. It weighs 74.5 pounds. It’s designed to be a free-standing model, so be sure to allow enough space if it has to go between cabinets or walls.
The handle is on the left and the hinge on the right. However, the manual (and YouTube) have instructions for reversing the door if you need to. It does have a lock and keys, too.
It does have a LED light inside so you can easily see what you’re looking for even after sunset. The temperature control, though, is a dial.
The shelves can be adjusted for space or taken out if you don’t need them.
The material is listed as “stainless look” – it’s not as durable as true stainless steel but still has a nice finish.
The price is great, though, and if you want a good outdoor fridge on the larger side without breaking the bank, this one will do a good job for you.
The warranty covers parts and labor for a full year.
Summit Appliance 3.1 cu. ft. Outdoor Refrigerator
Looking for a different style? You’ll love this fridge from Summit Appliance!
It’s small, at only 3.1 cubic feet. But that’s still more than enough for family or individual needs for your yard. It’ll even suffice for most get-togethers if you just plan to use it for drinks.
What stands out most about this unit is the glass door. Sure, that looks good, but it also means you know exactly what’s left and when you need to restock.
Even though it’s smaller on the inside, it’s still pretty tall, at 33.25 inches. It’s only 19 inches wide and 17 inches deep, though.
The three shelves can be moved into various positions to meet your needs. It has a simple dial thermostat and LED interior lighting.
The sides are black and the front trim, stainless steel. The hinge comes pre-installed on the right but is reversible.
Our biggest concern is that it’s recommended for use between 60° and 85°F. That’s a rather small range for most of the US. Of course, if that’s optimal, we fully understand. But we’d hope it would be more tolerant of even higher temperatures. It works well, but there’s more strain on it.
Maxx Ice 3 cu. ft. Outdoor Refrigerator
Maxx Ice’s unit is the smallest model on our list, but definitely worth your consideration. Even though it’s “only” 3 cubic feet, it still holds what you need for your patio relaxation needs.
This is very narrow at only 14.75 inches wide. It’s deep, though, at 23.75 inches. The height is 33.5 inches, similar to the other units we’ve reviewed. It can be built into a cabinet space or stand alone.
The casing is all stainless steel. The hinge is on the right but it can be reversed.
Although there is no door lock, there’s an alarm to let you know if it’s not completely closed. The three shelves are easy to move up and down on the tracks.
One drawback is that it’s not designed to accept casters or wheels. That can be an annoyance since the unit weighs 80 pounds.
Overall, it’s a nice piece of equipment. Like any stainless steel piece, it’s on the expensive side. But you do want the durability that provides for outdoor use.
Maxx Ice covers this refrigerator with a one-year warranty.
Conclusion
There’s no need to run back and forth to the house just to get a cold drink or to keep your food chilled. Instead, add a refrigerator to your patio or pool area! But be sure to get one designed for outdoors so that it will hold up over time. We hope our reviews are useful as you make your choice!
