Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator - In-depth Review

The Midea Group is the manufacturing company behind the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator.

It is a Chinese-based manufacturer of electric appliances which has risen up the ranks since 1968 when it was founded.

Since July 2015, the company has been listed on the Fortune Global 500, which signifies its high placement amongst other manufacturing companies around the world.

The company which started as a bottle lid production shop is headquartered in Beijiao, Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong, where it was founded decades ago.

In 2016, Midea made a big decision to acquire KUKA, a German robotics company that was regarded as the largest robot and appliance manufacturer in the world.

Some of the appliances produced by Midea include dishwashers, washing machines, kettles, water dispensers, and refrigerators.

Let’s take a closer look at the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator. It may be what you’ve been looking for after all.

Who Needs the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator?

The Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator is an appliance that will be perfect for bedrooms, offices, dormitories, and nurseries.

It can be used by people who do not need a larger refrigerator due to limited space or because they don’t have many items to put in their refrigerators.

It comes with a separate freezer compartment for individuals who have food items that would go bad in the refrigerator.

You will find this unit useful at your office, especially if you prefer to keep your items away from the general refrigerator which may get filled up on time.

Features of the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator

Design

The Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator comes in a simple design that makes it fit in wherever you decide to put it.

It also has adjustable legs. This contributes to the refrigerator balance on whatever surface you decide to place it on.

Its door has a door seal that keeps your items safe and prevents them from falling out. The door has reversible hinges, so you can place it anywhere and also open it in any direction.

Behind the door is a nice shelf arrangement. There is a CanStor beverage shelf that holds up to 6 beverage cans and also a tall bottle storage shelf that can contain a 2-liter bottle. Smaller items can be stored on the shelf above.

Also, the refrigerator has two glass shelves for better organization of items in your refrigerator. Glass shelves are also easier to clean. With them, you can see everything in your fridge.

The refrigerator also has a vegetable crisper below the shelves for storing fruits and vegetables. It protects them from moisture which may result from an extremely cold temperature of the fridge.

For people who intend to store mainly beverages in their refrigerator, the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator is large enough and its shelf arrangement makes it even better.

Freezer Compartment

Different refrigerators come in different designs. Some of them do not take the freezer compartment into consideration and are mainly refrigerators with so many shelves on which you can place a lot of items.

Others come with either a half or full-width freezer or chilling compartment in the refrigerator.

The last category includes refrigerators such as the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator has a separate freezer compartment with a separate door.

Individuals who have a lot of items to put in their refrigerators would find this useful because it can take more than just an ice tray and a small plate of ice cream.

The freezer door also has a small shelf where you can place small packets and containers.

Temperature Control

Regulating the internal temperature of your refrigerator is an important feature you shouldn’t ignore especially if you’re purchasing compact or large-sized refrigerators.

Without a means to control your refrigerator temperature, your items may freeze over and get damaged, or sometimes you may not get your desired temperature.

The Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator has a thermostat with which you can set your refrigerator temperature.

When you set it to the highest levels, your items may freeze over in a short while. This isn’t such a good idea especially when fragile items are in the fridge.

You have to set it to a level that encompasses the optimum temperature for most of the items in your refrigerator. You can place a refrigerator thermometer in your fridge to help you determine the thermostat level that would be best for you.

Connectivity

Refrigerators are electrical appliances. And like every electrical and electronic appliance, they need a power source for them to work.

The Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator has an AC connectivity option, so you can use it where there’s a 110V AC outlet. This can be found in homes, offices, in RVs, and even some places outdoors.

You can always create an extension from inside your house if you want to have a small party with family or friends outside the house or wherever there’s no AC source.

You can’t use this refrigerator in a car or other small vehicles because it is large and does not possess a DC adapter to connect to your cigarette lighter.

Pros of the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator

i. It is built like a large refrigerator but is compact and can occupy small spaces.

ii. It has a thermostat for regulating the internal temperature.

iii. It has a separate freezer compartment.

iv. The CanStor and tall-bottle storage shelves behind the refrigerator door creates more space to store items in the fridge.

v. It doesn’t make noise when working.

vi. Has adjustable legs.

vii. It is durable

viii. It has removable glass shelves which make organization and cleaning much easier.

Cons of the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator

i. Refrigerator temperature may not be uniform.

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Alternatives to the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator

Smaller Option

Midea 1.6-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator

The Midea 1.6-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator is a smaller-sized compact refrigerator. Unlike the 3.1-Cubic Foot Refrigerator, it does not have a separate freezer compartment. Its half-width freezer resides in the refrigerator section and can only store a small number of items such as ice cube trays, small containers, and snacks.

The refrigerator has a smaller number of shelves. So, it is a great alternative for people looking for a compact refrigerator and do not have a large space for the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator, or would like to have something to place on their office tables or bedside drawers.

We have made a detailed review of this product to provide information about it. You can read it here before you make a decision.

Portable Option

Cooluli Vibe 15-Liter Mini Fridge with Dry-Erase board

The Cooluli Vibe 15-Liter Mini Fridge falls within the mini to micro refrigerators. You can carry it wherever you go because it is small and comes with an inbuilt handle for portability.

As a result of its size, it comes with a DC connectivity option. You can use it in your vehicle while traveling alone, with relatives or friends. It also has a dual temperature function, i.e. it can cool and warm food items.

For people who are looking for a refrigerator to keep things such as medication or cosmetics, this is a good option because deciding to put these types of items in compact refrigerators can be a waste of space.

The door of Cooluli Vibe 15-Liter Mini Fridge also serves as a magnetic dry-erase board where you can put down some notes and set reminders.

You can read our extensive review of this mini fridge here to learn more about it.

Larger Size

Magic Chef 4.4-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator

The Magic Chef 4.4-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator is much larger than the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot refrigerator. While you will expect this refrigerator to come with larger freezer space, it doesn’t.

The Magic Chef refrigerator is mainly a fridge with many shelves. Its full-width freezer compartment lies inside the refrigerator, so you wouldn’t be storing many items there.

It also has a mechanical thermostat for better temperature controls and nice door shelves where you can keep so many canned and bottled beverages.

It is a good alternative for people looking for a larger refrigerator with smaller freezer space.

We’ve done a comprehensive review of this product to help you learn more about it. You can check it out here.

Quick Comparison

	Featured Product	Smaller Option	Portable Option	Larger Size
Product	Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Double Door Mini Fridge with Freezer Click here to get it on Amazon!	Midea 1.6-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator Click here to get it on Amazon!	Cooluli Vibe 15-Liter Mini Fridge with Dry-Erase board Click here to get it on Amazon!	Magic Chef 4.4-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator Click here to get it on Amazon!
Dimensions	18.5 inches x 19.4 inches x 33 inches	17.7 inches x 18.6 inches x 19.4 inches	10.7 inches x 12.8 inches x 15.2 inches	34.2 inches x 22.8 inches x 20 inches
Capacity	3.1 cubic feet	1.6 cubic feet	15 liters	4.4 cubic feet
Weight	52.2 pounds	35.3 pounds	12.1 pounds	62 pounds
Temperature ranges	At ambient temperature Cooling – 30⁰F-50⁰F Freezing – -11.2⁰F – 5⁰F	Cooling – 32°F to 35.6°F	Cooling – 30⁰F-35°F below ambient temperature Heating – 149⁰F	At ambient temperature Cooling- 30⁰F – 40⁰F below ambient temperature 0⁰F for freezing temperatures
Connectivity	Has AC adapter.	Has an AC adapter	Features both AC and DC adapters.	It has an AC adapter
Color(s)	Black, Stainless Steel, White	Black, White, Stainless Steel	White, Black	Black, Stainless Steel

What Users Are Saying About The Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator

The Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator has generated hundreds of reviews, most of which have been good.

One feature so many users loved about this refrigerator is how silent it can be when working. Even in a very quiet room, users have claimed that they barely had the sound. This is a very great advantage compared to other refrigerators of similar size because most of them make humming noise due to the compressor function.

As a result of this low noise feature, many users have recommended this refrigerator to others.

Another major feature the users love is the size of the freezer. Many of them have bad experiences with refrigerators with half or full-width freezer in the refrigerator space. The freezer compartment of the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator is very large and doesn’t have a shelf, so there’s enough space to store items.

Moreover, the freezer gets very cold and forms ice in a very short time. Everyone loves when they don’t have to wait for years for their ice cream to be solid enough.

Although many users enjoyed their fridge, a few users have found problems with their refrigerator. A common problem is the temperature regulation of the refrigerator. For these users, even when they turned the thermostat to the highest level, it didn’t get as cold as they wanted it. For some, the beverages in the door shelves were not cold enough.

Of course, this is not a general problem. Only a few people experience these setbacks when using their refrigerators.

Generally, the Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator is well appreciated by users and most of them would recommend the product to others.

Our Verdict

The Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator has the design of larger refrigerators but is small in size and able to fit into small spaces. If you have a counter or desk in your kitchen, bedroom, or office, this refrigerator will fit perfectly under it and even contribute to the aesthetics of the room.

Many people notice that their refrigerators stop working after day use. This is because you didn’t carry out a very important task when your refrigerator arrived.

Many refrigerators are placed on their sides or tilted during delivery. When it gets to your location, you’re not expected to plug it immediately. Even if you’re excited about using your new refrigerator, let it stand upright for at least 4 hours before you plug it.

Why?

During transportation, the compressor oil enters the coolant lines when the fridge is tilted. If you don’t let the oil return back before putting it on, it will circulate with the coolant and clog the lines and your refrigerator will be damaged before you’ve even gotten the chance to use it.

The Midea 3.1-Cubic Foot Compact Refrigerator is a very good appliance that works quietly and gets items cold on time. If you do things right, you would enjoy your refrigerator for a very long time and may even be able to give it out when you want a new one.

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