In the houses where we have a counter depth fridge, we have a garage fridge for the times we need more space. In our new SC place I'm also replacing the under counter wine fridge with an all purpose fridge so I have more space in the house. Short of another refrigerator I guess you could put things in coolers with ice. I once had to do that for three days due to a power outage and it worked better than I thought it would.

We still have the dorm fridge we’d gotten for the kids’ college years. We figured we’d plug it in to use it when we need the extra fridge space. But we haven’t needed it yet. It would only need a day or less to chill, you just need a little warning. It doesn’t have to live in the kitchen.

I have a couple of "dorm" fridges too - one smaller and one larger with a freezer section. I find the space in those is very limited and not very deep. They do work for beverages but mine tends to freeze things if it's too full.

If you just need extra space for drinks, the Yeti hard coolers are kind of amazing.

We have a small dorm style fridge we keep in the store room downstairs for when we need it....otherwise it's off.

Mine is in my garage 😊 I could have put one in my mudroom but chose an upright freezer for that space instead. I find I use a freezer more efficiently if in a convenient location. I also occasionally need the extra refrigerator space, so garage. DH keeps soft drinks and beer in it for his friends too so its always on.

Just last week I bought a dorm sized Frigidaire in a retro style and color and had it sent to my nephew for their lower level guest suite with pool table, office, TV room. He's recovering from a fall there (no stairs), is drinking plenty of fluids and enjoys them chilled. Big A, and the delivery cost must be built into the price (which was modest) because I wasn't charged any extra for delivery.

My SIL keeps a dorm fridge in their lower level, in the pretty laundry room along with a Keurig, next to the guest bedroom and her husband’s office/workout room and the grandkid playroom. It’s convenient, and when they need more space like for a platter of food upstairs, they move smaller items downstairs for the time being.

Really depends on what you need it for those few times a year. A dorm fridge is great for drinks and smaller items when entertaining. A cooler can serve that function as well. I have a mid-sized bottom freezer in the utility room. We got it when the boys were both in marching band and connected the ice maker - we went through so much ice for their water jugs. Now we use it primarily for overflow of produce when we get our farm share boxes, storing extra baking flours and nuts, but the thing that matters to me most is that it can hold baking sheets for an overnight chill. Built-ins and counter depths cannot. A dorm fridge can't even come close.

Would a dorm size one work for you? I looked at one for our other home but decided it was too small. It made more sense to just buy a small refrigerator. Then we didn't have to worry about defrosting the dorm fridge.

If I needed one and price didn't matter this is what I'd get. My 5 year old grand daughter is enamored with Snoopy and I found this while looking for a Snoopy refrigerator magnet. When my son saw it he suggested buying a dorm fridge and painting it.

I really don't need a separate freezer but it would be nice to have a small one and now that we have a whole house generator I wouldn't have to worry about power outages. My brother lives just outside Houston and he hasn't had electricity since Monday and it may not be restored until early next week.

We have two fridges, one is in the kitchen, one is in the dinning room. We also have a small freezer in the basement at our primary home. . At weekend place we have 3 fridges, one in the kithen and two are in the dinning room. We don’t use all of them.

Thanks for the various ideas.

I need space for extra produce & dairy, leftovers, and some beverages. I use a cooler sometimes but it’s not ideal. I wasn’t sure if a small fridge that is only plugged in occasionally was ok, but it sounds like it will be. The issue might be where I’ll put it.

Off to research small fridges...

A small dorm fridge will not support produce and dairy.

I recommend a 8-10’ fridge.

if you are financially challenged, then a 4’ dorm fridge.

$200-300 for a 4’ dorm fridge vs $3-400 for a 8’ fridge with a frezzer.

the foot print is the same or similar.

Re garding unplugging…i recommend an inline switch.

Thanks, A Mat. I’ll look at the 8’ and inline switch.

I have a wine frig installed in the side-bar in the dinning room. I can take out the wine bottle racks, then large items will fit...gallon milk jugs or 2 litre bottles of soda.

Re wine fridge, what are the temps?

I wouldn't count on a dorm fridge for produce and dairy. The height of milk and similar containers will likely be a problem. no bins for produce and the temperature control is not as good -- dairy may not stay fresh as long adn produce could freeze if placed close to the top. And they have to be defrosted (unless there is something new). When frost builds, the temp control is even worse.

I'd look at a small upright -- the old apartment style. I think you will get better temp regulation. I would also keep it plugged in and running. The cost of running a fridge is not that great, especially if it is kept closed most of the time. The operating cost of maintaining cool is likely less than having to cool down when full of rom room temp air each time you want to use it -- and you might be defrosting, cleaning and drying each time you unplug to avoid empty fridge funk. I was trying to find operating cost and saw that Home Depot has an LG that can be used indoors or in the garage in case that helps with where to put it.

We have the usual kitchen refrigerator, a second smaller but full size fridge in the basement--mostly for DHs beer creations and an upright freezer. We STILL need more space a few times a year. Luckily for me those are in the winter and the hood of my car/cupboards out there works quite nicely. So this is of no help to you. It really helps if you have an older model fridge in the basement/garage...they are work horses lasting 20+ years as opposed to the modern appliances on the five year plan.