Insignia Retro Bar Fridge

I love retro appliances. There’s just something about the colour, style, and retro look that draws me in, but I’ve never committed to a full-size retro refrigerator or retro range. That’s OK though, because I’ve found it’s far easier to bring a retro appliance home when it’s the size of the Insignia Retro Bar Fridge.

The Insignia Retro Bar refrigerator is a mini-fridge with a roomy interior and a top freezer. I  It comes in three colours and has that vintage vibe we all love. I just unboxed an Insignia Retro Bar Fridge, so I’ve got a quick look for you at the features on this great little refrigerator.

Features of the Insignia Retro mini-fridge

Insignia Retro Mini Fridge Mint Green

The Insignia Retro Mini-fridge, model number NS-CFR32MT1, has 3.1 cu.ft. total interior space and measures 18.72 inches (48 cm) W x 33.15 inches (85 cm) H x 19.7 inches (50.5 cm) D. It weighs just over 50 lbs (23 kg).

  • Flat top retro bar fridge fits easily under counters
  • Top freezer is 0.9 cu.ft. to give you space for ice and frozen foods
  • Adjustable glass shelves make it easy to sort and organize your food
  • Chrome-style handles are sturdy and stylish
  • Adjustable temperature controls and light inside the fridge
  • Produce drawer for fruits and vegetables
  • Includes ice tray and ice shovel
  • Available in mint, cream, and fire engine red

Setting up the Insignia Retro Mini-fridge

Because the Insignia Retro refrigerator is only 50 lbs., it’s one of the easiest fridge installations you’ll ever take on. You just pull the box over the top of the fridge and lift it off of the bottom styrofoam layer. As with any fridge, you don’t want to tip it sideways or lay it down on its side.

Once you remove the tape holding the door shut and you place the shelves where you’d like them, you can plug the fridge in. You’ll also need to pop on the door handles as they are packaged separately in the box.

Retro appliances bring style home

Insignia retro fridge with top freezer

There are quite a few different reasons people choose to bring home a mini-fridge or bar fridge. Some want one for their rec room, others want to use it as a dorm fridge. No matter what you’ll use your mini-fridge for, the Insignia Retro Bar Fridge has the features and style you need.

Add a splash of colour to your space

Insignia retro bar fridge red Insignia retro bar fridge mint green

Wherever you put the Insignia Retro fridge, it’s going to spice up the room with colour. I unboxed the mint green Insignia Retro bar fridge, but it’s also available in cream and red.

One feature that stands out the most about the Insignia Retro Bar Fridge is the shape. It has a flat top while most retro fridges have a rounded top. Having a flat top means it’s easier to fit under a countertop. It’s also only 33 inches high, and the standard height of countertops is 36 inches so it could easily slide in beside your cabinets for a built-in look.

I love the handles and the satin finish of this mini-fridge. It adds such a cool retro vibe to any space.

Top freezer keeps the ice flowing

Not every bar fridge has a top freezer, but the Insignia Retro Bar fridge does and it is fantastic. It’s a small but comfortably sized space, and you could definitely fit canned drinks for a speedy cool, a tray of ice cubes, frozen treats, and so much more.

I love how you can open the freezer on its own, as most bar fridges that do have a freezer only open via the fridge door.

Interior space holds everything you’d like

Insignia retro bar fridge ice cube tray

While the Insignia Retro Bar Fridge is only 3.1 cu.ft., there is more than enough space inside for everything you want to store. The side storage holds cans and wine bottles, and the interior glass shelves are easy to adjust if you need to store larger items. It also has a crisper you can use to store produce, and it slides in and out easily.

Temperature control and lights

Temperature control is important in a bar fridge, and not every model you’ll find has the ability to turn the temp up or down. With the Insignia Retro Bar Fridge, you can set your temperatures to keep your food and drinks cool or dial it up to keep them really chilly. If you’re using the bar fridge for wine and cans, you’ll love being able to keep them icy cold. Even better, if you want them colder, you can pop them in the freezer for a period of time.

The light will turn on when you open the fridge. The light is only inside the fridge, not the freezer. I left the door open for a while and the light turned off, so it won’t stay on for long periods if you forget to shut the door properly.

Insignia bar fridge runs quietly

The Insignia Retro Mini Fridge runs very quietly. It was so quiet, I had to open the fridge to make sure it was running! It’s nice that you can slide this fridge into your kitchen or living room and you won’t need to worry about having a loud fridge running beside you.

Should you choose the Insignia Retro Bar Fridge?

Interior Insignia Retro Bar Fridge

I would choose the Insignia Retro Bar Fridge just for the great retro style. I love the soft, satin finish and the chrome handles. They add a lot to the overall aesthetic of the fridge.

The roomy interior gives you more than enough space for all of your perishable foods or just for cans and bottles. You can fit five bottles of wine and five cans just on the door, so I can imagine how much you could stack on the glass shelves.

If you’re using the Insignia Retro Bar fridge for wine and beer storage, the produce drawer will still be useful. You can put glasses in it to keep them cold, pulling one out when you’re ready to pour a drink.

Who wouldn’t want a fridge that looks this cool? You can find the Insignia Retro Bar Fridge at Best Buy right now.

Shelly Wutke
Editor TV & Home Theatre
I'm a Vancouver freelancer and tech enthusiast. When I'm not writing you'll find me on my farm with my alpacas, chickens, and honeybees. Visit my website Survivemag

1 COMMENT

  1. Nice fridge! Just a problem: on bestbuy.com its at $210 (and even at $170 for the red one on sale) .
    On bestbuy.ca its at $400 !! If you sell CAD$ at 0.5 USD$ , I’m a buyer of few millions CAD$ anytime! 🙂

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