Mother’s milk is the best thing that you can give to your child during the earliest period. Many studies show that, in this critical period of your baby’s life, breast milk will bring the most benefit to your loved one.
Breastfeeding is recommended until the child is six months old, and after that, food and other drinks should be implemented in the child’s diet.
Breastmilk lowers the chances of many illnesses, but it also has a particular psychological advantage for the mother as for the baby. So we can’t stress enough how vital breastfeeding is if you can do it, of course.
With the way we live our lives, sometimes storing breastmilk can be a good option for busy moms.
We still think that we are lucky to live in a world where some things can be easier on us, and we thought, having already talked about some solutions for baby bottle warmers, we should also include a list of our favorite products for storing milk.
Maybe the kitchen is too far, or perhaps you would like to have everything centralized in your baby’s rooms, but a mini-fridge could also be a smart investment.
This mini fridge can also be the perfect thing for families traveling as some of the models can power up on charging ports in cars or batteries. It can also be a good idea to separate the milk and other food items not to contaminate the milk and baby food.
In the fridge, the liquid can stay fresh for up to 5 days, which can surely come in handy in some situations. The refrigerator can be later repurposed for any other need, and these mini-fridges are great for offices, mancaves, and campers, and they can be a useful thing to have around.
If you need milk storage bags, read this article about that and find and buy the best for you.
Things to look for in a mini-fridge!
If you think about getting one, ask yourself a few questions:
- Will it fit into my space and how big of a fridge do I need? Maybe you would like to repurpose it later?
- Do I get a fridge with a smaller or a bigger one needed so I can power it up in my car on the go?
- Do you need a shorter storage option where a thermoelectric one will do, or if you need a longer storage choice, then would one with a compressor be the match for you?
With these questions answered, we can turn to some specific information; we will present some of our favorite picks and talk about their pros and cons.
1. Cooluli Mini Fridge Electric Cooler and Warmer
A truly all-in-one device that will fit all your needs. A thermoelectric system allows it to heat and cool things.
Perfect for those who want a portable option first, it is suitable for any mom who would like to keep her formula or breast milk fresh and ready.
- The thermoelectric system allows heating and cooling; it is recommended to wait 30 minutes between the modes
- AC power, or a car cigarette adapter too; has a 2A battery bank with USB as an option
- Great reviews and some cute design options (we especially like the cow design)
- This one will be used for short-term cooling options and probably for those who need a portable option on the go
- Some users report a bit of ice in the bottom when using the machine
2. AstroAI Mini Fridge
One of the affordable options. It has a cool name, and it can cool your things too. Lightweight and portable, we suggest this as a short-term option.
Silent when running and environmentally friendly, it’s an excellent little machine.
- AC/DC power options so can be operated in a car
- The cooling down period lasts a long time, items will stay cool for up to several hours after turning off
- A 3-year warranty is pretty good in this case
- As said, suitable for short-term cooling options
- Will not make items cold (which can also be viewed as a pro)
3. Midea WHS-65LB1 Refrigerator
This is a compressor-based fridge that is in the big boy league. It is suitable for moms who want a long-term option. It is a bit larger but still an excellent choice for your nursery.
A sleek modern design with adjustable legs and a reversible door, it can go in any space.
- Long-term option with a mechanical thermostat ranging from 32′ to 35.6′ Fahrenheit
- Adjustable on which side will open the door open
- Super affordable for what you’re getting
- Just a one-year warranty
- Can’t make icecubes or freeze items in it
4. RCA RFR321
One more long-term option, this one comes in many colors! In the middle range of affordability, this option is the bulkier mini-fridge on this list. A very sleek design will fit any space.
- Has a reversible door that can be opened from both sides
- Has a freezing compartment and it can make ice cubes
- Adjustable feet and an adjustable thermostat
- It’s a standard little fridge that is not really portable
- Some users reported bad handling in shipping when they received it
5. Gourmia GMF600
This one from Gourmia rocks a thermoelectrical system that can warm and cold items in it. It an excellent for those who don’t have too much room in their nurseries.
- Designed with an eco-friendly mindset
- ETL certified which means it complies to North American safety standards
- AC/DC outlets
- Can warm and chill items
- None really, but we warn you, it is small, so plan ahead
We hope we have clarified the matter. There is a benefit of not having to get up at 3 AM to get the bottle out of the fridge and then warm it up.
Centralizing all those tasks in the nursery can be an excellent and efficient solution that can save more time and make your life much easier! Be sure to plan a long or short storing option, as that will impact your buying choice the most.
What is the best brand of mini-fridge?
For our purposes, the best brands would be the ones on the list. Coolio and AstraAI are doing great and Midea has already established itself as a very good choice. We also suggest checking out the Black+Decker series of fridges.
We also heard great things about Magical Chef and the Danby Designer fridges were loved by some customers. So there are a lot of options to choose from, but we do think that the current products in this market are really high quality.
Can breast milk be stored in a mini fridge?
Well, to be short about it, YES! We hope we emphasized on short-term and long-term cooling options. At room temperature, breast milk can be stored for 3 to 6 hours. If the room is colder, it can be stored there longer.
A good mini fridge will refrigerate breast milk for 3 to 7 days. Make sure that the temperature is below 39°F and that you are good to go. Be sure that your mini fridge can go below that temperature when buying one!
We can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure that the milk is stored safely and that is not contaminated by any means.
Can breastmilk be stored in the freezer?
Freshly expressed milk when frozen can be stored in the back of the freezer for up to 12 months. Mayo Clinic does recommend using the milk in 6 months from when you freeze it.
It is important to understand that by freezing the milk., it will lose some of the nutrients and especially vitamin C. Always make sure that you are storing the milk in a glass or hard plastic bottle. Please don’t use disposable bottles of any kin or bottles that are not sterilized.
How do I thaw the milk from the freezer?
We suggest taking out the milk from the freezer and then putting it overnight in the fridge. Leave it there for a night and then gently warm it with warm water or use a warmer.
Make sure that it is not warmed too much and if some foam occurs be sure to stir it very gently in! It is not recommended to shake the milk!
We also want to tell you that the color can vary a bit, but if it was frozen right and warmed right, then that should not be an issue.
Does a mini fridge take a lot of electricity?
Most new options are environmentally friendly and do not take too much electricity. As said some even have built-in power banks and can be powered on a 12V DC car adapter.
In our opinion, a mini-fridge of the kind that we presented won’t be a big consumer and there isn’t too much to worry about. Still, we always recommend checking out the details and making sure that all will work.
What should I keep in my mini fridge?
In this case, we suggest just having your breast milk stored in there. The liquid can be contaminated by other food items and for this reason, so just keep the baby bottles and the milk in the machine.
If you are not a mom, or a dad the mini fridge will be great for some sausages and some beers when camping! Maybe that will be the new purpose of the fridge after the baby gets bigger!
Do mini-fridges keep food and liquids cold enough?
Mini-fridges aren’t that good at keeping food cold enough for long periods of time. In this case, if you are not buying a bigger and bulkier fridge, like the Medea one on our list, keep the milk or baby food in there for 24 hours or less.
The better ones, if they can keep a cool temperature, can go up to 48 hours but don’t overdo it.
Can you plug a mini fridge into a regular outlet?
Most mini-fridges will work on regular 120V AC and will work fine. Some models will have additional charing options which can be an added benefit.
Some even have USB power options that you can use on the go or somewhere where it’s hard to get electricity. A fridge running from a portable battery is definitely the future!
Are mini-fridges dangerous?
Especially American products won’t combust into flames. The materials these machines are made of are not flammable, and all these machines will go through testing and need to comply with standards.
Big compressor fridges can be dangerous, but we are talking about industrial-sized machines, not mini ones. So the likelihood of that happening is not too big. Don’t worry too much about it!
For the end, we have some general tips on how to store your breast milk!
- Use suitable containers that were made for storing your breast milk! No disposable bottles, only glass and hard plastic!
- Please sterilize the containers in the right way
- Keep the containers from food items or other things that could be in the fridge
- Watch for electricity outages if you are storing your milk in the freezer, if it thaws even a bit it can lead to bacterial growth
- Thaw it gently and be patient, the microwave is never an answer!
If these weren’t enough, check out some other picks from Amazon also:
