Minibars & Hotel Fridges
A minibar (hotel fridge) is a small, near-silent refrigerated unit designed for guest bedrooms, holding drinks and snacks for in-room purchase across hotels, guest houses and serviced apartments. The key buying consideration is noise level, since these units run close to guests overnight, alongside compact capacity suited to a bedroom footprint.
Key specifications
Typical external dimensions run 400-500mm wide, 400-500mm deep and 500-550mm tall, with capacities of 20-45 litres gross. These units run at +4 to +8°C on a 13A single-phase supply, use R600a refrigerant, and are built to run quietly — compressor models typically 38-40dB, below standard commercial fridge noise levels, while absorption models are near-silent. Expect reversible doors, absorption or compressor cooling depending on model, and a 1-2 year warranty.
Minibars & Hotel Fridges — FAQs
Why are minibars quieter than standard commercial fridges?
Many minibars use absorption cooling (no compressor) or specially insulated low-noise compressors specifically so guests aren’t disturbed by operating noise overnight in a bedroom.
How much can a minibar hold?
Typical hotel minibars hold 20-45 litres, enough for a small selection of soft drinks, beer, miniatures and snacks rather than full meal storage.
The category is led by Smeg, with Tefcold and Corby also well represented and Blizzard and Polar making up the remainder, standard across hotels, guest houses and serviced apartments.