How to Defrost a Mini Fridge with Freezer

How to Defrost a Mini Fridge with Freezer

Look, this isn't hard. Two to four hours of your time, no tools required, and you'll probably save yourself a $150 to $300 replacement fridge. Most people don't realize their mini fridge is already struggling until it stops cooling altogether. Do this every three months or whenever frost starts looking thick, and your energy bill will thank you.

Common Causes

• The door gasket is cracked, stiff, or just gunky with old food residue, and it's letting warm humid air leak in every single time the door closes.
• Opening the door way too frequently, like in a dorm room or office break room where people are in and out constantly throughout the day.
• Putting hot or warm leftovers directly into the fridge, which dumps a ton of moisture into the compartment that freezes on the coils almost immediately.
• The thermostat's cranked too cold, so the evaporator plate frosts over faster than the passive defrost cycle can handle.
• High ambient humidity in the room, especially in summer or in basements and garages where the air's naturally more moist year-round.

Symptoms You May Notice

• The frost layer on the back wall of the freezer is getting thick, like you can actually grab a chunk of it with your fingers.
• Your freezer door won't close all the way anymore because ice is physically blocking the seal.
• Food that should be ice-cold feels just sort of lukewarm, like the fridge is losing the battle against the temperature.
• Compressor's running nonstop and the sides of the unit feel noticeably warm when you put your hand on them.
• You're seeing frost crystals forming on food in the main fridge section, not just up in the freezer.

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

Frequently Asked Questions