There cannot be a kitchen that doesn’t have a refrigerator as it helps in preserving food and beverage for many days from spoiling. When it comes to buying a refrigerator for the home, budget plays a pivotal role. Large refrigerators are expensive, though they are modern and are of high capacity they could cost several thousand dollars. But you can enjoy the same comforts and features of a refrigerator by spending just $500. Here are our best refrigerators under $500 for your home, office, RV, dorm rooms, and wherever you need chilled drinks.
Things to look for while buying a refrigerator under $500
Apart from choosing the best brand of refrigerator within the budget, there are also several other factors to consider while choosing a refrigerator under $500.
1. Capacity of the refrigerator: Find the best refrigerator with the desired storage space within your budget. Choose units with adjusting shelves.
2. Freezer: Focus on the freezer space, if you want to store frozen meat and food in your home and if you have a sweet tooth for desserts.
3. Defrosting: Refrigerators with automatic defrost function help in preventing freezer burns.
4. Energy star: Units with energy star certification, helps in saving energy in the long run.
Choose a refrigerator with a powerful compressor, even if is below $500, and make sure it runs on environmentally friendly refrigerant.
What Are The Best Refrigerators Under $500?
Also check: Best Refrigerator for Small Kitchen
Best Refrigerators Under $500
#1. RCA RFR786-BLACK 2 Door Refrigerator – Best Overall
| Features | Rating |
| Performance | 9.1 |
| Controls and Functionality | 9.2 |
| Build quality | 9.2 |
| Energy efficiency | 9.1 |
| Value for money | 9.3 |
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This is an elegant refrigerator for apartments and is available at an affordable cost under $500. It looks small and elegant, but still holds a total capacity of 7.5 cubic feet. This refrigerator has a large capacity and it helps in storing all our favorite food and beverages cool and fresh for many days. The refrigerator has a practical design and its retro looks add to the ambience of the home. It also has a practical design, to complement all kitchens. The refrigerator has a total capacity of about 1.5 cubic feet.
The freezer compartment of this refrigerator has full width fixed wire freezer shelf and the door bins of this refrigerator help in organizing the storage of the unit for frozen food items. The interiors of the refrigerator have bright incandescent lighting that illuminates both the refrigerator and freezer compartments so that we can easily find what we want inside the appliance.
There are many dedicated storage bins in the door of the refrigerator to keep small food items organized and handy. There are also dedicated vegetable and fruit crisper bins in this refrigerator to preserve the freshness of the vegetables and the fruits. The spill-proof glass shelves of this refrigerator help in containing the spills and simplify the cleanup process. It also prevents the liquids from leaking on the shelves below in the refrigerator. There is also a dedicated defrost mode in this refrigerator to remove the ice from the refrigerator easily.
Pros
- A reversible door that helps in convenient and attractive placement of the refrigerator.
- The refrigerator has to adjust its legs for stable placement and operations.
- The freezer is on top and helps in regulating the fresh food and freezer sections.
- Adjusting glass shelves render great flexibility to meet the refrigerator storage needs.
Cons
- The refrigerator has a single thermostat.
- The unit has partial automatic defrost.
Also check: Best Refrigerators for Basement That You Can Buy in 2022
#2. Galanz GLR10TRDEFR True Top Retro Refrigerator – Runner Up
| Features | Rating |
| Performance | 9.3 |
| Controls and Functionality | 9.2 |
| Build quality | 9.1 |
| Energy efficiency | 9.1 |
| Value for money | 9.2 |
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This is an elegant refrigerator that looks classic in its retro style and red color. This refrigerator has a true top freezer with frost-free controls. This is a dual-door fridge with electrical thermostat control. The total capacity of this refrigerator is 10 cubic feet. The classic design of this refrigerator adds to the existing décor of the home and it helps in keeping the beverages cool and fresh for a long time. The refrigerator suits best for apartments, office spaces, recreational vehicles, dormitories, etc. The freezer of this refrigerator has a swing-type door that opens easily and efficiently.
The refrigerator has removable glass shelves and drawers that separate both the fruits and vegetables. This helps in preventing different types of food items inside the refrigeration unit. Its removable slide-out glass shelf offers more ways to organize the food storage needs. The refrigerator also has to adjust electrical thermostat controls that make our life easy and efficient. The temperature at the refrigerator compartment of this appliance is between 32 and 47 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature in the freezer compartment of this refrigerator is below zero degrees Fahrenheit.
This refrigerator is extremely energy-saving and it emits very low noise. This retro compact refrigerator makes use of an R600a refrigerant that is highly efficient and makes use of very low energy. Its highly efficient compressor is extremely energy efficient and its bright LED lights help in illuminating the interiors of the refrigerator.
Pros
- Freestanding refrigerator with standalone installation.
- The refrigerator holds an automatic defrost function
- The unit is made of adjusting glass shelves.
- This appliance is energy star certified.
Cons
- The appliance comes with just one year of product warranty.
- Frost builds up quickly in the refrigerator.
Must check: What Is the Best Single Door Refrigerator?
#3. Costway 22756WH-CYPE-CS Compact Refrigerator – Editor’s Choice
| Features | Rating |
| Performance | 9.2 |
| Controls and Functionality | 9.2 |
| Build quality | 9 |
| Energy efficiency | 9.1 |
| Value for money | 9.2 |
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This is an excellent and elegant refrigerator from RCA with a total capacity of 3.4 Cu.ft. This is a classic fridge with adjusting and removable glass shelves. The unit also has mechanical controls and recessed handles for attaining superior cost-efficiency. This is an elegant refrigerator for apartments, and it is available in elegant white color and glossy finish. The appliance features an electronic lock type and it comes with an inbuilt inverter as well.
This refrigerator has a two-door design and has a large 3.4 cubic feet capacity. The refrigerator renders ample space to keep the fresh food items organized and preserved. The appliance has enough room to store the frozen food items and there are two exterior doors in this refrigerator to access the refrigerator and the freezer compartments separately. This is an elegant refrigerator that cools evenly and quickly. The appliance will help in keeping the ice frozen solid and foods chilled for hours and days.
The refrigerator has crisper drawers that are designed to store the vegetables and fruits organized and to keep them fresh at all times. There is a separate freezer compartment in this refrigerator that helps in chilling the beverages and frozen desserts at all times. It also comes with an included ice tray that can chunk out huge volumes of ice for preparing cold beverages. The refrigerator has removable glass shelves that can be both adjusted and removed to organize taller food items.
Pros
- This is an excellent refrigerator that brings in years of quiet and reliable use.
- The adjustable glass shelves help in easy organization and cleaning.
- This compact refrigerator brings a lot of excitement to our lives
- There is a special can dispenser in this refrigerator and door bins to store drinks on the insides of the door.
Cons
- The refrigerator makes a lot of ice and gets frost easily.
#4. RCA RFR725 EFR749 2 Door Refrigerator – Value for Money
| Features | Rating |
| Performance | 9.2 |
| Controls and Functionality | 9.2 |
| Build quality | 9.2 |
| Energy efficiency | 9.1 |
| Value for money | 9.4 |
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The appliance looks sleek, long, and compact and features a retro design, with a total storage capacity of about 7.5 cubic feet. Its double door design with dedicated doors for the refrigerator and freezer compartment appeals to apartments and for small families and most importantly, it is available at a cost of less than $500. The best feature of this refrigerator is its multi-event technology that helps in keeping the food items evenly cooled and easily accessible. Its eminent temperature controls, help in preserving food items at an optimal temperature. The unit also has a manual defrost function, that makes ice removal as easy as a cakewalk.
There is a dedicated freezer compartment in this refrigerator that has a fixed wire freezer shelf and door bin to help with the organized storage of fresh food items. The interiors of this appliance have bright incandescent lighting that seamlessly illuminated both the refrigerator and the freezer compartments to locate the ideal food item easily. Apart from drawers and shelves in the main compartment, there are also special and dedicated bins at the door of the refrigerator to store smaller items and to keep things within the reach of the hand.
The shelves of this refrigerator are made of spill-proof glass shelves that are capable of containing spills and they are easy to clean up as well, preventing liquids from spilling on the shelves below. The capacity of the refrigerator portion of this appliance is about 7 cubic feet and the capacity of the freezer compartment is about 0.5 Cu.ft.
Pros
- Its reversible doors help in the seamless placement of the refrigerator.
- The glass shelves can be removed for easy cleaning and organization.
- Adjustable electrical thermostat and compressor cooling.
Cons
- Very small freezer.
- Manual defrost function.
Also check: Best Refrigerator for Food Truck in 2022
#5. RCA RFR322-B 3.2 Cu Ft Mini Fridge – Great Compact Choice
| Features | Rating |
| Performance | 9.5 |
| Controls and Functionality | 8.8 |
| Build quality | 8.6 |
| Energy efficiency | 8.8 |
| Value for money | 9.3 |
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This is a very compact and affordable fridge that is available under $500 and thus can be an ideal addition for dorm rooms, recreational vehicles, apartments, in the bedroom as a second fridge, etc. It is available in super attractive colors such as black, stainless steel, blue, neon green, purple, etc., to match the existing décor of the home. This is a two in one refrigerator and freezer combo that combines contemporary style with cutting-edge refrigeration technology.
The refrigerator is convenient and compact and it is a multi-purpose mini fridge with a reversible door, that makes it easy to fit in any spot of the room, dorm room, and office space. This is an elegant refrigerator that helps in keeping the drinks cool even in hot weather. Its compressor cooling technology helps with ultimate performance even in hot weather. Its adjusting thermostat helps inefficient cooling of the unit at an appropriate temperature.
The refrigerator has an internal space of 3.2 cubic feet and the capacity of this refrigerator is 0.2 cubic feet. This mini fridge works on an environmentally friendly R134a refrigerant that helps in energy-efficient compressor cooling technology. The refrigerator has a low energy consumption compressor that helps in cooling food quickly, making use of lower energy.
Pros
- This refrigerator allows storing of a variety of food items such as veggies, beverages, ice cream, and a lot more.
- There is an elegant thermostat in this refrigerator to regulate the temperature.
- Its reversible doors help inefficient placement of the refrigerator
- The removable shelves of this refrigerator help in the easy organization of the unit.
Cons
- Mini fridge with minimal storage space.
- The freezer is not very efficient to make ice cubes.
Must read: How Long Should A Refrigerator Sit After Moving?
#6. Danby DAR044A4BDD-6 4.4 Cubic Feet Mini Fridge – Good Alternative
| Features | Rating |
| Performance | 9.1 |
| Controls and Functionality | 9 |
| Build quality | 9 |
| Energy efficiency | 9.1 |
| Value for money | 9.1 |
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This is a budget-friendly refrigerator for those looking for a second fridge for home, or their office, mini bar, RV, dorm rooms, etc. The black color and textured finish of this refrigerator add to the elegance and ambience of the home. This compact mini fridge has about 124 liters of capacity and it is roomy to store a lot of food items. This refrigerator has a highly functional door with integrated shelving.
There is a tall bottle storage space in this refrigerator that is ideal for stocking a large bottle of water, juice, and other drinks. Its CanStor beverage dispensing system offers tidy and efficient storage of small cans and it is integrated into the mini-refrigerator door. The refrigerator looks clean, bright, and modern and has white interiors with bright interior lighting. There are wire shelves in this refrigerator with an integrated door handle. The top of this refrigerator can also work as a scratch-resistant worktop.
This refrigerator fits almost anywhere and has a smooth back design with no bulky and exposed components, and thus it can fit in almost any space in the room. The unit also has versatile door hinges with adjustable wire shelves for exceptional circulation of air.
Pros
- This refrigerator is energy-star rated with ample space to store a lot of food items.
- There is an efficient and elegant can dispenser in the door.
- The glass shelves of this refrigerator can be removed and reorganized efficiently.
- Integrated door handles and smooth back design adapts it to tight spaces.
Cons
- There is no special freezer in this refrigerator
- There are no vegetable crispers or drawers.
In case you need a big fridge: Best Refrigerator for Large Family in 2022
