When shopping for an apartment size refrigerator, it’s vital that you buy a refrigerator that is the correct size and also uses a minimal amount of energy.  Name brand is not as near important , but some of you may have had some success with a specific brands, so you may be better off just sticking to a branded apartment size refrigerator.

Below is an over view of what I feel you will need to think about before deciding on an apartment size refrigerator.

First and foremost size is the key element in any apartment fridge. Since apartments are typically smaller, space is always at a premium.  Knowing the exact space you have to work with is critical. Be sure you measure the depth, width and height of the location you plan on placing the fridge.  This will save you time and money down the road.  You will also need to know how easy or difficult  it will be to deliver the fridge to your apartment.  What is constantly overlooked is the width of the front door and stairs, if you have stairs.  Countless times I have seen people go out and buy a gorgeous apartment size refrigerator only to get home and it not fit though the front door.  Although apartment size refrigerators are lighter than standard refrigerators they are still heavy. And carrying one up a flight of stairs is not fun.  I recommend you hire a professional to correctly install your apartment size refrigerator if you’re having to deal with stairs.  Safety should always be on your mind and lifting a fridge up the stairs is something you should highly avoid.

Another essential step is to make sure to check is the energy consumption of the refrigerator. Since you are limited on space, you will not want an apartment size refrigerator that will create an excessive amount of heat.  This is where planning ahead is vital.  In my very first apartment I was so excited because fortunately enough I was not limited on space.  Although the kitchen was somewhat small, I did not need to think about buying an apartment size refrigerator because the space for the fridge was adequate for a standard fridge. This was the wrong move on my part since the kitchen was so small and the fridge was not energy efficient.  I had a massive amount of heat being pumped into the kitchen because of the refrigerator. Take into consideration the amount of extra money it was costing me to run the A/C. I would have been better off buying an apartment size refrigerator with an energy star approval on it.

Energy Star is ran by the U.S. Department of energy and is a trusted source for an effective energy rating .  They rate appliances on how efficient they are at conserving energy. The less energy consumption of the refrigerator the cooler it will run.

The two above items are critical in shopping for an apartment size refrigerator.  With that being said, you may also want to check out a few brands.  I recommend a Danby refrigerator, Sanyo refrigerator or the ever popular Avanti refrigerator.  All are very trusted brands that make high quality compact refrigerators and apartment size refrigerators.

As with any apartment size appliance, price is always driven by two things, brand and features.  You will find all the features on an apartment size refrigerator than you would on your typical standard fridge. Some of the features you might find in a apartment size fridge include:

• Ice Shelf with trays
• Automatic defrosters or frost-free designs
• Can dispensers built from a wire rack
• Elegant Stainless Steele with a nice Black Finish
• Gallon door storage
• Spill proof shelves
• Tops that can double as a counter top
• Vegetable crisper and other food separators
• Reversible door hinges

As for location on where to buy a apartment size refrigerator.  You can shop your local appliance store or what some people tend to overlook is online.  There are many online retailers that offer free shipping on any apartment size refrigerators. Not to mention that you can find some very good sales when shopping for an apartment size refrigerator online. Note that if you purchase a fridge be sure to wait 24 hours before plugging it in.

Well there you have it, now you are armed to find the best deals and the right apartment size refrigerator for your apartment, condo or dorm room.

The Summit 5.1 Cu. Ft. Compact Refrigerator is one of many compact refrigerators that summit appliance has came out with. Think of it as an apartment size refrigerator for someone that is looking to really scale down the kitchen.

Actually since this falls under 6 cu.ft I would consider this more for a dorm room. But, doesn’t mean that a bachelor could not get by with this apartment size refrigerator.

For such a small refrigerator it does offer up some very large features.

• Adjustable thermostat for easy temperature control
• Fully finished cabinet allows freestanding use
• Full 5.1 cu.ft. capacity inside slim-fitting 24″ footprint
• Unique dual evaporator cooling ensures freezer keeps items frozen
• Adjustable glass shelves provide flexible storage solutions
• 3 racks of door storage
• Keep greens fresh with lower crisper drawer
• Interior light automatically illuminates when the door is opened
• User reversible door swing
• ADA compliant 32″ height
• Freezer Capacity (Cu. Feet) 1.1
• Refrigerator Capacity (Cu. Feet) 3.9

I like that the coils are underneath and not behind a feature which is probably why the cost of this apartment size refrigerator is a bit more than I’m use to seeing. Average retail online has been in the $300 range. Both Lowes and Home Depot also carry the Summit AL650. Again a little pricey,but has a lot more options than several of the other compact refrigerators on the market today.