Igloo 3.2 Cu Ft Single-Door Mini Fridge vs BLACK+DECKER BCRK17 1.7 Cu Ft Compact Refrigerator
The two best single-door dorm fridges without a real freezer — choose the Igloo for far more fridge space and automatic defrost, or the BLACK+DECKER for the smallest footprint, ENERGY STAR efficiency, and the lowest price.
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BLACK+DECKER BCRK17 1.7 Cu Ft Compact Refrigerator
$141.15Check price at AmazonRead full reviewTopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| Igloo 3.2 Cu Ft Single-Door Mini Fridge | BLACK+DECKER BCRK17 1.7 Cu Ft Compact Refrigerator | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 | $141.15 |
| Total Capacity | 3.2 cu ft | 1.7 cu ft |
| Doors | 1 (single door) | 1 (single door) |
| Freezer | Internal compartment, 0.2 cu ft | Internal chiller, 0.2 cu ft |
| Energy Star | No | Yes |
| Noise Level | Moderate | Quiet |
| Defrost | Automatic | Manual |
| Dimensions (D x W x H) | 18.6" x 17.1" x 32.5" | 18.5" x 17.5" x 19.7" |
| Weight | 38.5 lb | 34.2 lb |
How they differ in real use
Neither of these fridges has a true separate-door freezer, so both are built for keeping drinks, leftovers, and snacks cold rather than storing frozen food — the choice between them is about size, efficiency, and where the fridge has to go. The Igloo 3.2 cu ft is the space champion: it offers 3 cu ft of fresh-food room, the largest fridge compartment in its price range, and it is the only pick here with automatic defrost, so you never have to scrape ice out of it by hand. Its weaknesses are that its 0.2 cu ft internal freezer compartment is really a chiller that will not keep ice cream hard, it is not ENERGY STAR certified and draws a relatively high roughly 304 kWh per year, and its budget build with a static-cooling compressor can hum audibly in a quiet room. The BLACK+DECKER BCRK17 takes the opposite approach: at 1.7 cu ft and under 20 inches tall, it is the smallest and cheapest unit here, and crucially it fits where the taller fridges cannot — under a lofted bed, on a shelf, or beside a desk. It is ENERGY STAR certified with efficient R600a refrigerant and just 70 watts of draw, and it runs quietly. The catch is capacity: 1.7 cu ft is a personal fridge, not one you can share, and it too has only a chiller compartment rather than a freezer. So this is a space-and-defrost pick against a footprint-and-efficiency pick. The Igloo is the one to buy when you want the most fridge room for the money and have floor space for a full-height unit; the BLACK+DECKER is the one when the fridge must be small, cheap, and efficient.
Igloo 3.2 Cu Ft Single-Door Mini Fridge
- Largest fresh-food capacity in this lineup at 3 cu ft for the lowest two-door-rivaling price
- Automatic defrost means no manual ice-scraping, unlike every other pick here
- Full-width glass shelves and a single tall door make loading groceries easy
- Lightest full-size dorm option here at 38.5 lb
- The 0.2 cu ft internal freezer compartment is a chiller — it will not keep ice cream hard
- Not ENERGY STAR certified, with a relatively high ~304 kWh/year draw
- Budget build quality and a static-cooling compressor that can hum audibly in a quiet room
BLACK+DECKER BCRK17 1.7 Cu Ft Compact Refrigerator
- Lowest price and smallest footprint here — fits under a loft bed or on a shelf
- ENERGY STAR certified with R600a refrigerant and just 70 watts of draw
- Quiet operation suits a desk-side or bedside spot in a shared room
- Reversible door and a slide-out glass shelf despite the compact size
- 1.7 cu ft holds far less than the 3-plus cu ft picks — a personal fridge, not a shared one
- The chiller compartment with ice tray keeps items cold but will not freeze them solid
- A single shelf limits how you organize taller items
Which should you buy?
Buy the Igloo 3.2 if you want the most refrigerator space for the lowest price and you have room for a roughly 33-inch-tall unit — its large fresh-food compartment and automatic defrost make it the more practical everyday fridge, as long as you do not need real frozen storage. Buy the BLACK+DECKER BCRK17 if space, price, and efficiency come first: it is the pick that slides under a loft bed or onto a shelf, it is ENERGY STAR certified and quiet, and it is the cheapest way to keep drinks and snacks cold. Choose the Igloo for capacity; choose the BLACK+DECKER for a compact, efficient personal fridge.
Choose the Igloo 3.2 Cu Ft Single-Door Mini Fridge if
- Students who mainly store drinks, leftovers, and snacks, not frozen food
- Anyone who wants the most fridge room on the tightest budget
- Buyers who would rather have automatic defrost than a real freezer
Skip it if
- Anyone who needs to keep ice cream or frozen meals genuinely frozen
- Buyers focused on the lowest running cost or the quietest operation
Choose the BLACK+DECKER BCRK17 1.7 Cu Ft Compact Refrigerator if
- Tight spaces like under a lofted bed, on a shelf, or beside a desk
- Students who want the cheapest, most efficient personal fridge
- Anyone who only needs to keep drinks and snacks cold
Skip it if
- Students who need to freeze food or share the fridge with a roommate
- Anyone who wants full-size grocery capacity
Common questions
Can either the Igloo or BLACK+DECKER freeze food?
Not really. Both have only a small internal chiller compartment rather than a freezer behind its own door, so they will keep items very cold and can make ice, but neither will keep ice cream or frozen meals solid for long. If you need genuine frozen storage, step up to a two-door model like the Midea WHD-113FSS1 or the EUHOMY, which seal the freezer off from the fridge.
Which fits under a lofted dorm bed?
The BLACK+DECKER. At 19.7 inches tall and 1.7 cu ft it is designed to fit on a shelf, under a raised bed, or beside a desk. The Igloo is a full-height fridge at about 32.5 inches tall, so it needs floor space and will not fit into those tight spots. If your setup requires the fridge to tuck under furniture, measure the opening first — the BLACK+DECKER is the only one of the two that will fit.
Is the Igloo's larger size worth the higher energy use?
It is a genuine trade-off. The Igloo gives you nearly twice the fridge capacity of the BLACK+DECKER, but it is not ENERGY STAR certified and uses more power over a year, while the BLACK+DECKER is certified and efficient at 70 watts. If you want the most storage and do not mind the running cost, the Igloo makes sense; if you pay for electricity or want the lowest long-term cost in a small space, the BLACK+DECKER is the more economical choice.