<p>I just set up my mini fridge. It’s been on for a few hours. None of the sodas were even close to getting a chill. I touched the freezer portion, and that is beginning to get a bit colder. </p>
<p>Does it usually take a while to get it cold and going?</p>
<p>Sounds about normal so far. Make sure the fridge stands a few inches away from the wall and then give it until tomorrow morning.</p>
<p>And make sure if it doesnt get any cooler, you turn the dial to lower the temperature. Seems like common sense, I know, but a lot of people forget.</p>
<p>Does the fridge’s box say “thermoelectric”? If so, it means the fridge doesn’t use actual coolant, and won’t get nearly as cold. In a warm or hot dorm room, it’s a food safety hazard. If it is thermoelectric, I would go out and buy a new (non-thermoelectric) one; you can get a really good one for about $150.</p>
<p>I won a thermoelectric fridge at my graduation party, and it says it doesn’t go more than 25 degrees below room temp, even at the highest setting. In a 75-degree dorm, that’s 50 degrees. A safe temp is about 35. So, if you’re worried about food safety, drop the thermoelectric if you have one!</p>