Whether you’re working with limited space in a dorm room or need a fridge for a pool house, a mini fridge can be a convenient solution. While many mini fridges have a limited capacity, the Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer offers more room while still compact.
This mini fridge with a freezer includes adjustable shelves, a vegetable bin, and in-door shelves to maximize its capacity. It also features seven temperature settings, an in-fridge light, and reverse-opening doors.
I tested it in my home to see how well it performed and if it might be worth buying for your dorm, apartment, garage, or other space. Keep reading to see how it performed, and head to our ranking of the best mini fridges for more.
Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer: Key Specs
Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer: Price & Availability
The Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer is available exclusively at Lowe’s. It retails for $269.00. Lowe’s offers pickup and delivery and will haul away your old fridge or freezer for $50.
Score: 4/5
Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer: First Impressions
The mini fridge is shipped in a cardboard box with four plastic shipping straps holding the box together. Those straps were an ideal handhold that allowed me to tilt the box backward and pull it into the house. Since the freezer weighs just 66 pounds, it is easy to move, a major advantage if you carry it up or down stairs, such as for an apartment or dorm installation. I could slide it down one flight of stairs in the box alone, but two people could comfortably carry it.
Installing the mini fridge and freezer was very simple. Once I moved it into place, I cut the plastic packing straps. The ceiling was too low to fully lift the cardboard box off the unit, so I pulled the edge of the box apart and unwrapped it.
The mini fridge and freezer were covered in a protective plastic bag, and thin pieces of Styrofoam were on the top and bottom of the unit. I tipped the fridge slightly, pulled it off the Styrofoam base, and slid it into place. It has feet, which make this easy.
Once I removed the plastic bag, I removed the tape holding the doors, drawers, and shelves in place. The drawers and shelves were covered in a plastic sheet, which I pulled off. Everything was securely in place, and there was no damage at all. I unwound the power cord, plugged it in, and the fridge and freezer were ready to use.
Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer: Design
I was immediately impressed by the mini fridge and freezer’s sleek design. It’s very elevated compared to my basic mini fridge when living in a dorm and apartment. I received the fridge in a silver finish, which looks fantastic against many color schemes. The fridge looks modern, and the recessed, ergonomic door handles are easy to use and contribute to that sleek appearance.
The fridge and freezer have a quality overall feel. The doors are mounted well and close securely, and while the unit is lightweight, it doesn’t feel flimsy. The doors measure 18.5 inches wide, so while they open far enough to give you easy access to the fridge and freezer, they aren’t so large that they require significant space in the room to use them.
While the doors open to the right, they can both be reversed, giving you plenty of options for locating the unit. The instruction manual includes detailed directions and diagrams on changing the doors from the right side to the left.
Score: 5/5
Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer: Performance
The mini fridge and freezer are simple and user-friendly. Inside the fridge, a single temperature adjustment dial has settings from 0 to 7. To operate, just choose your desired temperature.
Since the Zero setting turns the unit off, I started with the one setting. I heard the motor immediately start to hum, then left the unit and returned two hours later. That setting created ideal temperatures; the fridge was 37 degrees Fahrenheit, while the freezer reached negative four degrees.
I tested the unit on the seven settings and was surprised at how cold it got. The fridge temperature was 20 degrees Fahrenheit, while the freezer temperature was so low that it didn’t register on my thermometer, somewhere below negative 20 degrees. Additionally, ice had started to form on the back of the freezer. This setting is too cold to be practical if you’re using the fridge, but it does demonstrate that the unit has impressive cooling capabilities.
After the ice formed in the fridge, I put the unit back on setting one and let it run for six hours. When I checked it, the ice had melted completely, and the water was channeled into a small drain hole. The fridge had no water pooling, and the drain hole worked well.
I left the fridge on setting one and started to add my food. I tested the temperature on the shelves and in the crisper drawer and found it was consistent in all locations. I was impressed with the amount of food the fridge could hold, and the shelves are easily adjustable, so you can customize them to your needs. The doors swung easily, even with heavier foods like milk in them. The shelf in the door is designed for soda cans, but it could also hold condiments or other small items.
The freezer was also plenty spacious. I could fit an ice cube tray, two cartons of ice cream, and frozen fruit with room to spare. The food stayed cold, and I didn’t experience any ice or frost buildup issues.
I measured the temperature in the fridge and freezer over a month. The temperature stayed very consistent, even when the temperature in my home fluctuated.
When the motor powers on, it’s quiet, reaching just 44.5 decibels. The motor only occasionally runs once the unit has reached its desired temperature. I am a light sleeper and have no problem sleeping a few feet from the mini fridge and freezer. The unit is also Energy Star Certified, which should help to minimize energy usage and electrical bills.
Overall, I was very impressed with how the fridge and freezer performed. I think it’s important to take the time to test out the settings to find the right temperature for your needs, but I suspect settings 1 or 2 will work for most people. The options to choose colder settings are nice, but setting seven was so cold that I can’t imagine anyone would use it unless you need to turn the entire unit into a freezer.
Score: 4.5/5
Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer: Maintenance
Hisense recommends cleaning the fridge and freezer interior and exterior at least every two months. The exterior can be cleaned with a cloth, water, and mild detergent. The interior can be wiped with a weak solution of bicarbonate of soda and rinsed with warm water.
The appliance automatically defrosts, but Hisense notes that a layer of frost may develop inside the freezer if the door is too long. If this occurs, you must defrost the freezer by removing all the food, unplugging the appliance, and leaving the doors open.
Since the fridge and freezer spaces are largely shaped like rectangles, I found them easy to wipe out. The fact that the crisper drawer is removable makes it easy to clean, too. The silver exterior also wipes clean of fingerprints and smudges, so though I’ve used the appliance for a month, it still looks new.
Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer: User Reviews
The Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer has a 4.3-star rating on Lowe’s. Reviewers use the appliance for everything from a dorm fridge to a beer fridge to a fridge in an assisted living apartment. Positive reviews often praise the unit’s consistent temperature and ability to keep food cool. Many reviewers appreciate the fridge and freezer’s generous capacity and several notes that the unit offers great value for the money.
Negative reviews often mention the temperature extremes the unit can reach, including that the fridge can reach freezing temperatures when using the coldest setting. A few reviewers received the fridge and freezer with small dents in the size and top from shipping. Additionally, a few reviewers didn’t like that the shelves are glass and would have preferred plastic.
Should you buy the Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer?
Buy it if
Don't buy it if
How Does the Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer Compare?
The Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer is competitively priced compared with other smaller mini fridge and freezer units. While some smaller 3.2-cu ft units are available in the $100-$180 range, they don’t offer the generous capacity of this appliance. The Hisense mini fridge is one of the most modern and sleek-looking appliances available.
How I tested the Hisense 4.4-cu ft Mini Fridge with Freezer
At Top Ten Reviews, we are committed to providing our readers with honest and reliable reviews of products, including the best mini fridge and freezer combos. Our expert reviewers conduct extensive research and thorough testing to ensure we recommend only the best products to our readers.
Our reviewers possess experience and industry knowledge, allowing them to identify and analyze the most critical features of every mini fridge and freezer. They put these products through a series of tests, evaluating setup, performance, ease of use, maintenance, and more, to deliver comprehensive and consistent reviews.
We test each mini fridge and freezer in real life to ensure our reviews are accurate and reliable. We aim to provide readers with authentic and trustworthy reviews to help them make well-informed purchase decisions when buying a mini fridge and freezer. For more information about our testing protocols, please visit our comprehensive guide on how we test.
