We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Shopping Home Reviews Large Appliance Reviews The 10 Best Garage Refrigerators of 2024 Running out of room in your kitchen fridge? Add extra storage with these garage-ready picks. By Erica Reagle Erica Reagle Erica Reagle has been writing for Better Homes & Gardens for two years. She specializes in bedding, pillows, appliances, furniture, and decor. Her writing has also been featured in Bob Vila, Her Campus, and Real Simple. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 22, 2024 Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel Jessica Wrubel is an accomplished writer, copy editor, and fact checker, working for over 15 years for various publications owned by Tribune Publishing, The Arena Group, and Hearst Communications in the areas of Food, Health & Wellness, Travel, Lifestyle, Education, and Home Improvement. Learn about BHG's Fact Checking Process In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews The Bottom Line What to Know About Them Your Questions, Answered Who We Are Better Homes & Gardens / Marcus Millan Garage refrigerators are built to handle extreme temperatures while providing additional storage for food and drinks that can’t fit in your regular fridge. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to store all of your favorite beverages or extra everyday items like milk and eggs, garage-ready refrigerators are a great solution. To choose the best garage refrigerator, it’s important to consider factors like overall dimensions, capacity, temperature range, and power consumption. To select the best refrigerator options for the garage, we researched the category and collected insights from Justin Eckelman, general manager, Home Improvement at Wayfair. When looking for the best garage refrigerator for your needs, Eckelman recommends choosing a model that is labeled garage-ready. “In colder climates, using a standard refrigerator in a garage may cause the refrigerator’s temperature control system to not run its compressor frequently enough,” Eckelman says. “Meaning that the freezer may not maintain cold enough and could possibly result in spoiled or unsafe food." How We Researched Garage-ready: All of our top picks are labeled as garage-ready, which ensures they can handle wide temperature fluctuations.Power Consumption: We considered energy-efficient appliances to keep energy bills low.Warranty: Our picks include a one-year limited warranty at minimum.Capacity: We looked for refrigerators with different sizes and styles to accommodate a wide range of garage sizes. Our Top Picks Best Overall: GE Top Freezer Stainless Steel Refrigerator at Wayfair ($798) Jump to Review Best Budget: Magic Chef Top Freezer Refrigerator at Walmart ($559) Jump to Review Best Splurge: Unique Classic Retro Bottom Freezer Refrigerator at Wayfair ($2,799) Jump to Review Best Large-Capacity: LG Top Mount Freezer Refrigerator at Wayfair ($848) Jump to Review Best Heavy-Duty: Gladiator Rolling Refrigerator at Lowe's ($1,500) Jump to Review Best Mini: Black+Decker Mini Fridge at Amazon ($199) Jump to Review Best Side-by-Side: Avanti Products French Door Refrigerator at Wayfair ($1,220) Jump to Review Best for Bottom Freezer: Vissani Bottom Freezer Refrigerator at Home Depot ($798) Jump to Review Best for Top Freezer: Samsung Top-Freezer Refrigerator at Lowe's ($699) Jump to Review Best for Beverages: hOmeLabs Beverage Refrigerator and Cooler at Amazon ($298) Jump to Review Best Overall GE Top Freezer Stainless Steel Refrigerator Best Buy View On Wayfair $798 View On Lowe's $799 View On Home Depot $798 Why You Should Get It Built for cold or hot climates, this refrigerator can operate in temperatures as low as 38°F and as high as 110°F. Keep in Mind This refrigerator doesn’t come with a built-in water or ice maker. Our pick for the best garage refrigerator is the GE Garage-Ready 21.9-cu ft Top-Freezer Refrigerator in fingerprint resistant stainless steel. It’s built to withstand temperatures as low as 38°F and as high as 110°F, which makes it a great choice for the garage. There are also dual controls so you can regulate the temperature of the fridge and freezer. Finding a garage-ready refrigerator with convenient storage options is important. This GE refrigerator features modular bins on the inner door so you can keep your food and drinks organized and humidity-controlled drawers for storing fresh produce. It also comes with LED lights which makes it easier to find what you’re looking for, even in a dark garage. The glass shelves that come with the refrigerator offer a sleek look and can be easily removed when cleaning the fridge. The freezer also comes with adjustable glass shelves so you can customize the space to accommodate your frozen food. The exterior of this refrigerator is easy to wipe clean so you don’t have to worry about dirty hands leaving marks on the glossy surface. Although this refrigerator doesn’t come with a water or ice maker, you can purchase a compatible ice maker to use with it. Product Details: Dimensions: 34.5 x 65.875 x 32.75 inches | Warranty: One-year limited | Freezer Capacity: 6.68 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 15.25 cubic feet | Temperature Range: 38°F to 110°F (exterior) | Finish: Stainless steel | Power Consumption: 422 kWh per year Best Budget Magic Chef Top Freezer Refrigerator The Home Depot View On Walmart $559 View On Home Depot $499 Why You Should Get It This budget-friendly refrigerator features adjustable shelves, door storage, and two crisper drawers. Keep in Mind With only 10.1 cubic feet capacity between the refrigerator and freezer, it might not be large enough to store everything you want. If you’re looking for an affordable refrigerator that won’t take up too much space in your garage, consider the Magic Chef 10.1 cu ft Top Freezer Refrigerator. Although it’s small, this garage-ready refrigerator has plenty of storage options including adjustable glass shelves, a bottle rack, gallon door storage, and two crisper drawers for fresh produce. This refrigerator also comes with a separate thermostat for the refrigerator and freezer, an automatic defrost function, and a built-in light so you can easily find your favorite food or drink. This energy-efficient refrigerator is Energy Star certified, which means it uses less energy and can help you save on electricity costs. The doors are reversible so you can position them to open from the right or left side, whichever orientation is most practical in your garage. In addition to the one-year parts and labor warranty which is standard for many garage refrigerators, there’s also a five-year compressor warranty, giving you additional peace of mind. If you need a lot of space for storing food and beverages outside of your main fridge, this one might not be the best option since it only has 10.1 cubic feet capacity. However, for the price and the features it offers, it’s the best garage refrigerator for those on a budget. Product Details: Dimensions: 25.2 x 59.4 x 23.6 inches | Warranty: One-year parts and labor; Five-year compressor | Freezer Capacity: 2.7 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 7.4 cubic feet | Temperature Range: Not listed | Finish: Smooth platinum steel | Power Consumption: 297 kWh per year Best Splurge Unique Classic Retro Bottom Freezer Refrigerator Wayfair View On Wayfair $2,799 View On Lowe's $2,799 View On Home Depot $2,999 Why You Should Get It This retro style garage refrigerator comes with a wine rack and ice maker. Keep in Mind The refrigerator doors aren’t reversible. If you have a colorful, retro aesthetic, this is the best garage refrigerator for you. We love the Unique Appliances' summer mint green shade, but it also comes in three other colors: marshmallow white, midnight black, and ocean mist turquoise. This bottom freezer refrigerator has a built-in ice maker and three-bottle wine rack, which aren’t common features in garage refrigerators. It also has four adjustable glass shelves, a crisper drawer for fruits and veggies, and 6-gallon storage shelves on the door that can be moved up and down to accommodate different sized items. The fridge and freezer both have LED lights so you can search for your favorite food and drinks with ease. This Energy Star-certified refrigerator has a digital control panel so you can easily adjust the temperature of the refrigerator and freezer. This garage refrigerator is designed to prevent frost build-up, which also means it’s easier to keep clean. Unlike most of the refrigerators on our list, this one doesn’t have reversible doors so you may have less placement options in your garage. Before you purchase, make sure the doors will be able to open properly in the space you want to put the fridge in your garage. Product Details: Dimensions: 29 x 72 x 30 inches | Warranty: One-year | Freezer Capacity: 5.26 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 12.43 cubic feet | Temperature Range: Not listed | Finish: Smooth, mint green | Power Consumption: 512 kWh per year Best Large-Capacity LG Top Mount Freezer Refrigerator The Home Depot View On Wayfair $848 View On Lowe's $849 View On Home Depot $748 Why You Should Get It This top freezer refrigerator offers 23.8 cubic feet of capacity between the refrigerator and freezer, plus spacious door shelves. Keep in Mind It doesn’t come with regular handles, so it may take some time to get used to the pocket handles. The best garage refrigerators provide lots of storage space for food and drinks with shelves and drawers to keep everything organized. With 17.6 cubic feet of refrigerator capacity and 6.2 cubic feet of freezer capacity, this freezer refrigerator by LG offers plentiful storage space. This garage refrigerator features two spill-proof tempered glass shelves in the refrigerator and one in the freezer as well as additional storage space on the refrigerator and freezer doors. This large-capacity refrigerator is equipped with convenient features like digital temperature controls, a door alarm, automatic defrost function, and LED lights to brighten up the inside of the fridge. The Multi-Air Flow Freshness System (which provides ideal humidity and temperature) and humidity-controlled crispers help ensure your food stays fresher for longer. This spacious refrigerator has a streamlined look featuring reversible contoured doors, pocket handles, and a smooth stainless steel finish that’s resistant to fingerprints and smudges. LG offers one of the best warranties compared to the other manufacturers on our list—including limited warranty coverage for parts and labor, the sealed system and compressor, and the inverter compressor. This refrigerator doesn’t come with a water or ice maker, but you can purchase a compatible ice maker to use with it. Product Details: Dimensions: 34 x 33 x 69 inches | Warranty: One-year limited for parts & labor, five years for sealed system & compressor, six to 10 years for inverter compressor (parts only) | Freezer Capacity: 6.2 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 17.6 cubic feet | Temperature Range: 38 to 110 °F | Finish: Stainless steel | Power Consumption: 417 kWh per year Best Heavy-Duty Gladiator Rolling Refrigerator The Home Depot View On Lowe's $1,500 View On Home Depot $1,500 View On Best Buy $1,620 Why You Should Get It This heavy-duty refrigerator features a foot pedal so you can easily open the door even when your hands are full. Keep in Mind Unlike many of the options on our list, this garage-ready refrigerator doesn't come with a freezer. This heavy-duty matte black refrigerator by Gladiator has a sturdy design and build with a hammered granite cabinet and stainless steel tread plate foot pedal. The ultra-thick shelves can withstand a lot of weight, with the ability to hold up to eight 12-packs at a time. Additional storage options include wire drawers and drawer bins, including one that has enough space for five 2-liter bottles. This Energy Star certified refrigerator comes with electronic controls and LED lights. Unlike any of the other options on our list, this refrigerator has a unique step-to-open design so you can easily open it while carrying grocery bags or other items. It also comes with rolling casters so you can move it around as needed and a reversible door so you can open it from the left or right. Although this refrigerator doesn’t have a built-in freezer, you can purchase an accompanying upright freezer if you need space in your garage to store frozen food. This heavy-duty garage refrigerator is one of the most expensive options on our list, but has a lot of useful features that make it worth the price. Product Details: Dimensions: 32.38 x 72.75 x 30.88 inches | Warranty: One-year limited | Freezer Capacity: N/A | Refrigerator Capacity: 17.87 cubic feet | Temperature Range: Not listed | Finish: Matte black | Power Consumption: 293 kWh per year Best Mini Black+Decker Mini Fridge Amazon View On Amazon $199 View On Wayfair $200 View On Wayfair Why You Should Get It This mini fridge comes with a can dispenser and door shelves that are large enough to store gallon or 2-liter bottles. Keep in Mind Even though there’s a freezer, it’s not very large so you’ll have to pick and choose what you store in it. When you need a little extra fridge space, but don’t want to splurge on a second full size refrigerator for your garage, consider a mini fridge like the Black+Decker 3.2 Cu. Ft. Energy Star Refrigerator With Freezer. Although it’s small, it doesn’t lack storage space. This mini fridge features two removable glass shelves and additional door storage including a can dispenser that can hold six 12-ounce cans, a compartment large enough for a 2-liter bottle, and a door shelf for smaller items. This Energy Star-certified mini fridge comes with an adjustable thermostat control that can go as low as 32°F, which is a useful consideration when shopping for the best garage refrigerator. There’s also a built-in ice cube tray and freezer shelf that can hold a few items like ice cream or frozen fruit for smoothies. However, the freezer’s capacity is only 0.2 cubic feet, so you won’t be able to store too much in it. This garage-ready refrigerator comes with convenient design features like a reversible door, recessed handle, and adjustable legs to keep the fridge level. The compact design and flat back make it easy to slide this refrigerator into corners—regardless of the size of or available storage space in your garage. Product Details: Dimensions: 17.5 x 32.7 x 19.3 inches | Warranty: One-year limited on parts and labor; two-year limited on compressor | Freezer Capacity: 0.2 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 3.0 cubic feet | Temperature Range: Lowest temperature 32°F | Finish: Stainless steel | Power Consumption: Not listed Best Side-by-Side Avanti Products French Door Refrigerator Wayfair View On Wayfair $1,220 Why You Should Get It This side-by-side refrigerator features three storage compartments on the refrigerator and freezer doors to help you stay organized. Keep in Mind It isn’t as deep as some of the other refrigerators on our list, so it might be more difficult to store larger items. Side-by-side refrigerators, like this one by Avanti, allow you to store fresh and frozen food at eye level. The separate full columns of fridge and freezer space make it easy to organize your food and drinks without having to reach too low or too high to access what’s in the freezer (unlike bottom or top freezer refrigerators). Storage options include three shelves in the refrigerator and freezer compartments that can be positioned at different heights and removed when you need to clean your fridge. There are also three clear storage bins on each door and two clear sliding drawers in the fridge and freezer for storing fresh produce and frozen foods. A small light on top of each side helps you see inside the refrigerator and freezer. Electronic temperature controls, displayed on the front of the refrigerator, allow you to set the refrigerator and freezer to the ideal temperature. This garage-ready refrigerator has a compact footprint and slim design so it doesn’t require very much space in your garage. The stainless steel doors and recessed handles give this refrigerator a stylish look. Since it’s a counter-depth refrigerator, there’s less front to back storage space but the vertical space makes up for it. The freezer side is narrower than the fridge side, but still provides a sufficient amount of storage space for your frozen food. Product Details: Dimensions: 25 x 70 x 33 inches | Warranty: One-year limited | Freezer Capacity: 6.1 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 9.5 cubic feet | Temperature Range: Not listed | Finish: Stainless steel and black | Power Consumption: 460 kWh per year Best for Bottom Freezer Vissani Bottom Freezer Refrigerator The Home Depot View On Home Depot $798 Why You Should Get It This bottom freezer refrigerator offers ample freezer space with 5.6 cubic feet capacity and a large plastic drawer. Keep in Mind This refrigerator doesn’t come in any other colors or finishes besides stainless steel. If you’re looking for a modern garage refrigerator with a large bottom freezer, consider the Vissani 18.7 cu. ft. Bottom Freezer Refrigerator in Stainless Steel. It has convenient storage options like removable glass shelves, gallon-size door shelves, and two humidity-controlled crisper drawers for fresh produce. The freezer offers 5.6 cubic feet of capacity, and is equipped with sliding drawers, giving you more space to organize frozen food. Aside from the practical storage options, this Energy Star certified refrigerator also has an electronic temperature control and LED lights in the fridge and freezer for added convenience. It’s also designed to prevent frost build-up, which can help keep your food fresh. This garage-ready bottom freezer refrigerator has a sleek stainless steel finish with black door handles and hidden hinges, but it doesn’t come in any other colors or finishes. Installing a refrigerator on uneven floors like a garage can be tricky, which is why features like adjustable legs are so useful. This garage-ready refrigerator also has a reversible door which gives you more flexible placement options. There’s also a door alarm to alert you if the refrigerator door is left open. This refrigerator is one of the more expensive options on our list, but the storage options and stylish design make it worth the price. Product Details: Dimensions: 30.91 x 66.61 x 29.53 inches | Warranty: One-year limited | Freezer Capacity: 5.6 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 13.1 cubic feet | Temperature Range: 38°F to 110°F (external temperature) | Finish: Stainless steel | Power Consumption: 466 kWh per year Best for Top Freezer Samsung Top-Freezer Refrigerator Best Buy View On Lowe's $699 View On Home Depot $698 View On Ajmadison.com Why You Should Get It With interior shelves, a produce drawer, and door bins, this refrigerator-freezer combo has plenty of storage space. Keep in Mind This garage refrigerator doesn’t come with a water or ice maker. The best garage refrigerators can operate in a range of temperatures which is why we love this one by Samsung that can handle external temperatures between 38°F and 110°F. The Samsung 15.6-cu ft Top-Freezer Refrigerator features multi-vent technology to help keep your food and drinks evenly cooled throughout the fridge, regardless if they are on the bottom or top shelf. It also has no-frost technology to help prevent frost burn on your food. This fingerprint-resistant stainless steel refrigerator has a clean modern design with a flat door and recessed handles, so it will not be an eyesore in your garage. The inside is equipped with high-efficiency LED lights, storage shelves, and a gallon door bin to maximize space. The spacious top freezer has one adjustable storage shelf and two door compartments, offering 4.6 cubic feet of space. The refrigerator and freezer doors are both reversible which provides more flexible placement options within your garage. Although it doesn’t come with an ice maker, you can purchase one separately and use it as needed so it doesn’t take up permanent space in your refrigerator. This garage-ready refrigerator is also Wi-Fi ready and app compatible, which is uncommon for refrigerators at this price point. Product Details: Dimensions: 29.25 x 66.88 x 27.63 inches | Warranty: One-year limited | Freezer Capacity: 4.6 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 15.6 cubic feet | Temperature Range: 38°F to 110°F (external temperature) | Finish: Stainless steel | Power Consumption: 345 kWh per year Best for Beverages hOmeLabs Beverage Refrigerator and Cooler Amazon View On Amazon $298 View On Walmart $300 View On Homelabs.com Why You Should Get It This beverage fridge has enough space for 120 standard sized cans. Keep in Mind It’s designed specifically to keep beverages cold, but the manufacturer doesn’t recommend storing fresh food in it. The garage is a great place to store extra beverages like soda, beer, or sports drinks. The Homelabs Beverage Refrigerator and Cooler made our list because of its compact design and large storage capacity—it can hold up to 120 standard sized cans. We also like the clear glass door which allows you to see which beverages are running low without having to open up the fridge. There’s also an LED light so you can find your favorite drink without having to turn on the garage light. This refrigerator comes with a digital thermostat so you can easily adjust the temperature, and set it as low as 34°F. This “smart” beverage fridge has a memory function that automatically reverts back to the preset temperature in case there’s a power outage or your refrigerator is accidentally unplugged. There’s also an automatic defrost setting to prevent your drinks from freezing. This beverage refrigerator comes with three adjustable chrome shelves so you can sort your beverages by type and adjust the height to accommodate larger bottles or cans. The shelves can also be removed for cleaning. Similar to many of the options on our list, this refrigerator comes with a reversible door and adjustable front legs to prevent it from being wobbly. Although it can store plenty of beverages, the manufacturer doesn’t recommend using this refrigerator for food storage. Product Details: Dimensions: 17.32 x 33.07 x 18.9 inches | Warranty: One-year | Freezer Capacity: N/A | Refrigerator Capacity: 3.2 cu ft | Temperature Range: 34°F to 50°F | Finish: Stainless steel and black | Power Consumption: 288 kWh per year The Bottom Line We chose the GE Garage-Ready 21.9-cu ft Top-Freezer Refrigerator as the best garage refrigerator because of its high temperature range, dual controls, and fingerprint resistant stainless steel finish. What to Know About Garage Refrigerators Before Shopping Capacity The capacity (measured in cubic feet) determines how much storage space the refrigerator or freezer has. If you’re looking for a garage refrigerator to hold extra items, you may not need as much space as if you’re planning to use it as a secondary everyday fridge. Think about the quantity and size of the items you’re planning to store in your garage refrigerator. Typically, larger refrigerators have larger storage capacities so it’s important to also consider the overall dimensions of the fridge to ensure it will fit in your available garage space. Temperature Range Since the temperature of your garage can get colder and hotter than inside your home depending on the weather outside, it’s important to choose a garage refrigerator that can withstand more extreme temperatures than a regular refrigerator. Garage-ready refrigerators can typically handle external temperatures from 38°F to 110°F. Power Consumption Power consumption measures how much energy your refrigerator uses per year. This is measured in kWh, or kilowatt hours. Many garage refrigerators use more energy than regular refrigerators since they require more work to regulate the wider range of temperatures. To conserve power and save money, look for energy efficient options that are Energy Star-certified. Your Questions, Answered Do you need a special fridge for a garage? Yes, it’s important to choose a refrigerator that is labeled “garage-ready” to ensure it will function properly, even when your garage reaches really low or high temperatures. “Given garages are typically not climate controlled, we recommend that consumers shop for refrigerators that are designed to withstand the harsh temperatures they may encounter in their garage,” Eckelman says. “Both extreme cold in the winter and high temperatures in the summer.” What is the difference between a garage-ready refrigerator and a regular refrigerator? There aren’t too many differences between a garage-ready refrigerator and a regular refrigerator, but one main distinction is that garage-ready refrigerators are able to handle more extreme temperature fluctuations. Eckelman explains that standard refrigerators are designed to function in room temperatures, but garage refrigerators are designed a little differently. Standard refrigerators may not run its compressor frequently enough, especially in colder climates. This can prevent the unit from maintaining its set temperature and result in spoiled food. “In colder climates, using a standard refrigerator in a garage may cause the refrigerator’s temperature control system to not run its compressor frequently enough,” Eckelman says. “Meaning that the freezer may not maintain cold enough and could possibly result in spoiled or unsafe food.” Does a refrigerator in the garage use more electricity? Garage refrigerators typically use more electricity than regular refrigerators because they require more work to keep temperatures regulated, especially when it’s hot outside. According to Eckelman, “modern garage-ready refrigerators use a similar amount of electricity as standard refrigerators regardless of season.” If you want to find the most energy efficient garage refrigerators, look for ones that are Energy Star certified. Who We Are Erica Reagle is a freelance writer focusing on interior design and the home who has written for Better Homes & Gardens since 2021. To write this story, she spent several hours researching the best garage refrigerators, considering factors like capacity, dimensions, temperature range, and power consumption. Erica also gathered insights from Justin Eckelman, general manager, Home Improvement at Wayfair. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit