Mini-fridges are a darling of college-goers.
They are compact enough to chill your food and drinks from a nook.
They’re dirt cheap too, with some going for as little as $60 per unit.
Even in a spacious home, you’d consider adding one in your man/woman cave or bathroom.
Accordingly, Can You Put a Mini Fridge in The Bathroom?
The most automatic answer to that question is, why not?! It’s harmless and indeed there are several compelling reasons for it. Size alone makes them a great option if you are thinking full-size fridge in your bathroom. Also, if you like to keep your beauty products in the bathroom then a mini-fridge can be used to preserve them to their full shelf-life. However, there are a few concerns, like whether it’s a great idea to bring an electronic in a wet place.
Wait! A Mini Fridge Near A Toilet? Really? (Six Reasons – Why)
Start by clearing the main concern: ‘Isn’t it gross for a fridge to share a space with a toilet?’ Yes, it is, but it’s misleading to look at it that way.
Most bathrooms are equipped with a distinct water closet for your commode. Those that don’t will be large enough to keep your toilet/commode and mini-fridge apart.
Having addressed the hygiene concern, let’s take a glance at why it’s actually a great idea to equip your bathroom with a mini-fridge:
1. The Concept of Skin-Care Mini-Fridge (SCMF)
If you are a skincare aficionado or love to keep a stash of beauty products for flawless skin, you must have heard of SCMF by now.
The True Labor Of Beauty
Some of the beauty products in the market today are as perishable as your groceries.
Skin restorative sprays like Mother Dirt AO + Probiotic Spray, eye creams, lotions, food-grade face masks, aloe-based moisturizers, and jade rollers need to be chilled to keep them working conditions and extend the shelf-life of the ingredients.
Models, fashionistas, and everyone who cares about their look felt the need to keep all these items in a cold box somewhere in the bathroom and that’s how the concept of the Skin-Care Mini-Fridge was born.
2. Cold Storage Area for Medications and Vitamins
Some medications should be stored in cold conditions to be effective.
Vaccines and insulin are good examples although the former may never find a way into your home.
Besides effectiveness, cold conditions are essential for extending their shelf-life.
Most homeowners keep their medications in medicine cabinets in the bathroom.
Unfortunately, these cabinets are only limited to keeping your medications away from people it’s not prescribed to, like small children.
A mini-fridge is a better alternative as it provides both the preservation your medications deserve and safety from unintended individuals.
If these two functions are a must-have, choose a mini-fridge with a lockable door.
3. Unrestricted Access To Drinks
Some things go better with a drink in your hand, like soaking in a bathtub for hours thinking through the events of the day.
A warm shower can make you thirsty as well depending on the amount of time you spend there.
Rather than carry drinks into the bathroom, install a mini-fridge beside your tub or shower and fill it with your favorite bottles.
4. Turn Your Bedroom Into A Luxurious Suite
Homeowners are more willing to make changes to the bedroom than any other room.
That’s understandable because you spend more time in your bedroom than in any other place.
Since bedrooms and bathrooms are always adjacent, changes in one room will certainly affect how you feel in the other room.
Hence, a bathroom-based mini-fridge full of your favorite drinks is one of the surest ways to add comfort to your bedroom.
It actually makes it easier to entertain a special guest in your bedroom now that you don’t have to walk into the kitchen to fetch a treat.
5. Storing Your Natural Supplements
Natural supplements may qualify as beauty products to some people, but to others, they are special supplies that deserve care.
Do you prefer to wash your hair with beer to keep dandruff at bay?
You probably know that cracking an egg on your head helps keep your hair healthy.
Did you know charcoal whitens your teeth? It’s common knowledge that cucumber chops help relieve puffy eyes.
Ice cubes are renowned for pore-tightening.
The best way to preserve your natural essentials is to keep them in a cold place somewhere in your bathroom, preferably in a mini-fridge.
6. Concealing Your Pricey Treats From Everyone
The size factor can be the main reason anyone would buy a mini-fridge and place it anywhere at home, including the bathroom.
Today’s mini-fridges can fit in an average cabinet or smaller compartment and keep your supplies cold like any other fridge.
A mini-fridge in your bathroom drawers or cabinets is a great way to conceal your supplies from the rest of the home occupants.
So What’s The Perfect Mini-fridge For The Bathroom?
The smaller the mini-fridge, the better. Mid-size mini-fridges are considerably large – they are taller than the typical cabinet.
These mini-fridges would look out of place in any bathroom because of their ‘enormous’ size.
Your choices will be limited to these sizes:
1. Countertop Mini-fridges
Countertop mini-fridges are the smallest of the lot. They are designed to work on a countertop, desk, and bookcase. Others are small enough to be carried around.
They are sometimes marketed as outdoor fridges but they are the cheapest of the lot.
2. Built-in/Undercounter Mini-fridges
If you plan to install your mini-fridge in one of your bathroom cabinets, this is the best option.
Built-in mini-fridges are designed to sit flush with a cabinet and countertop.
This arrangement makes them appear like they were made for the cabinet. They are perfect for alcoholic drinks.
What’s The One Thing You Must Have?
It must be ventilation. Mini-fridges require ventilation, just like most other types of fridges. Poor ventilation can cause your fridge to overheat which may, in turn, lead to underperformance.
A fridge can be more vulnerable to overheating if you place it in a cabinet or similarly sized compartment.
The elements on the rear of the machine will heat the surrounding air. If this air is not replaced constantly through convection, the surrounding areas may overheat and pose a fire risk.
Note that ventilation can only be a problem if you put your mini-fridge in a cabinet (built-in/under-counter mini-fridge). Here’s how to ventilate your built-in mini-fridge:
1. Ventilation Via The Door Only
Ensure the mini-fridge is not installed to fit snuggly in the cabinet/drawer for this method to work.
Leave some spaces at the bottom and top of the cabinet (by adding grilles about 16 in. x 2 in.).
Hot air from the rear will leave the cabinet via the bottom and top of the fridge and then through the door of the cabinet.
2. Building in a small cabinet
This method is very much the same as the above-mentioned technique except that you are using a small cabinet this time.
This requires you to leave just one channel of ventilation, either at the top or bottom of the mini-fridge.
Conclusion
To summarize everything, there’s nothing wrong with a mini-fridge in the bathroom.
In fact, it’s a sensible thing to do as it could provide a storage area for your medications, drinks, and perishable beauty products.
