Most people the mini-fridge because of its size. Y can squeeze a mini-fridge into a range of spaces in your home. It won’t take up much space in your home.
However, most people fancy placing things on their mini-fridges. Why? They believe the fridge’s body is well-insulated, and placing objects on it won’t affect its performance or lifespan.
If you’re fond of placing things on your fridge, this post is for you. Keep reading for more details on the subject.
Is It Ok To Put Things On Top of The Mini Fridge?
It’s not advisable to put stuff on a mini-fridge. It’s not a good idea. But then, if you don’t have another option, you can put things on your refrigerator.
Now, understand this clearly. Even if you want to put things on your fridge, ensure they’re lightweight. The items should be at least 20 pounds or less.
In a nutshell, if you can avoid putting items on your fridge, please do so.
How Much Weight Can You Put On Top of a Refrigerator?
As earlier said, it’s not advisable to put things on top of a refrigerator. The refrigerator’s purpose is for storage. It’s not a countertop or table.
But if you feel like putting things on your refrigerator, ensure they’re lightweight.
Now, how much weight should the items have? Well, the maximum weight shouldn’t exceed 20 pounds. It doesn’t matter if it’s a single or several items. You just have to ensure that their total weight doesn’t exceed 20 pounds.
You can put food items, flower vases, and even a microwave on your refrigerator. Just ensure the microwave’s weight doesn’t exceed 20 pounds.
What Can You Put Above The Mini Fridge?
Anything you plan to put above your mini-fridge should be lightweight. The item or collection of items shouldn’t weigh above 20 pounds. Additionally, the lower the item’s weight the better.
Now, what can you put on your mini-fridge? Generally, you can put a microwave, decorative items, food items, and other appliances above your mini-fridge.
Let’s discuss items you can put on your fridge in detail.
1. Microwave
Can you put an appliance such as the microwave on a mini-fridge? Yes, you can. But if you have other option, please leave your mini-fridge alone.
Will the heat the microwave generates when in use be an issue? No, it won’t affect your mini-fridge, except the microwave is faulty.
Please, note that you can’t put a large microwave on your mini-fridge. It will damage your fridge over time.
As a rule of thumb, ensure your microwave weighs within 20 pounds. Check your microwave’s weight properly before placing it above the mini-fridge.
2. Printer
Can a printer go above a mini-fridge? Yes, it can.
Small-sized printers are generally lightweight. They might not even weigh above 20 pounds. Again, placing the printer above the mini-fridge, an elevated platform, will make printing a breeze.
Unfortunately, the printer isn’t the best item to place on a mini-fridge. It’s not advisable to place a printer on a refrigerator of this size.
Why? The printer boasts a somewhat large surface area, which might cover the top of the mini-fridge.
When this takes happens, the refrigerator will have issues dissipating heat, and this may affect its lifespan over time.
3. Toaster oven
Most people utilize their toaster ovens almost every day. So having the opportunity to place the oven above the mini-fridge would make sense. It would be easier to grab some drinks after toasting bread.
Now, back to the question! Can you place a toaster oven on a mini-fridge? Yes, you can.
The toaster oven is lightweight. Additionally, the toaster won’t be an issue for your refrigerator in the weight department.
The only thing that should disturb your mind is the toaster’s heat. But you can take care of that by laying a heat-resistant mat between the mini-fridge and toaster oven.
4. Decorative items
Can you put decorative items like flower vases above a mini-fridge? Yes, you can. It’s also a wise creative idea to make your living area more appealing.
However, ensure the decorative items don’t weigh over 20 pounds. They should even weigh less than this.
A Handy Tip: If you’re seeking an ideal potted plant to put above your fridge, consider the Snake Plant. Why? Firstly, this plant requires low maintenance. You don’t even have to water it excessively like most plants.
However, ensure water doesn’t spill on your fridge when watering the plant and enter areas it is not supposed to enter.
5. Food items
Does it make sense to put food items above a mini-fridge? Yes, it does, provided the food items aren’t heavy.
You can put can foods whose weight doesn’t exceed the limit. You can even place dry vegetables, fruits, and other dry foods, including canned foods.
However, ensure you don’t put wet foods above your mini-fridge. For safety reasons, put foods in a container or bowl before placing them above your refrigerator.
Is It Bad To Put a Microwave on Top of a Mini Fridge?
No, it’s not bad if the microwave isn’t too heavy. However, a heavy microwave may dent the top of your fridge and can even affect the fridge’s performance.
You can check the fridge’s instructional manual for clues on whether the manufacturer supports placing items on top of the appliance.
If the manufacturer is against placing things on the fridge, desist from doing so.
Another thing to consider is the balance of the microwave. Did the microwave sit properly on top of the fridge? Remember that some microwaves might be bigger than the top of the fridge and may not sit well.
If that’s the case with your microwave, abandon the idea of placing it on the fridge. Otherwise, your microwave may fall to the ground one day.
Microwaves made for countertops are vented from the back and even the sides. And this makes it even possible for the microwaves to work efficiently, even when placed on the countertop.
So if you have your refrigerator mounted in an open space, the microwave ventilation wouldn’t be affected. However, the heat from the microwave might cause your fridge to work harder than it should, and that could be an issue for the appliance, performance-wise.
Danger Of Putting Things On Top Of Mini Fridge
It’s possible to put light things on a mini-fridge. But if you have other places to keep those items, please avoid placing them on the mini-fridge.
There are dangers associated with putting things on top of a mini-fridge. Let’s discuss them.
1. Make heat dissipation a challenge
Your mini fridge dissipates heat when working. But that might be hampered when you have items sitting on the fridge.
If your mini fridge has a problem dissipating heat, the compressor may work harder and, over time, may develop a fault.
2. Inability to withstand too much weight
Look at your mini-fridge. Isn’t it too small to have items placed on it? Most persons place different things on their mini-fridges, not minding their weights.
Your mini fridge can’t hold heavy items. So, avoid placing such items on the appliance.
3. Lowers the fridge’s lifespan
The reason you have to avoid putting things on top of a fridge is the fact that they can hamper the dissipation of heat. And when this happens, the compressor may have to work much harder than it should, reducing the fridge’s lifespan.
4. Items placed on the fridge can cause injury or damage
The mini-fridge isn’t best option stability-wise. When you open the fridge now and then, items placed on top may move to the edge and land on the ground one day.
Imagine if the item placed on the fridge is quite expensive. You would lose something valuable.
Now think about what would happen if the item fell on a toddler that’s crawling. It could result in an avoidable injury.
Can You Put Small Plants on Top of a Mini Fridge?
Yes, you can put small plants on top of a mini-fridge. The plant would make the fridge and surroundings look better.
However, bear in mind that the heat from the fridge could dry up the plant over time.
So, what should you do to ensure the plant survives? Just keep monitoring the plant for a week or two to see if it likes the environment. How is it coping with the light and heat?
You can decipher this in the first 1 to 2 weeks when the plant lands on the fridge.
Conclusion: Can you put stuff on top of a mini-fridge?
Yes, you can. But ensure the items placed on the fridge are lightweight. They shouldn’t weigh more than 20 pounds.
Furthermore, note that the fridge isn’t a replacement for your countertop or table. So it’s not advisable to keep things on top of a refrigerator when you have other options.
It’s not advisable to place things on a mini-fridge for several reasons, which we have stated in this post. Doing so can hamper your fridge’s ability to dissipate heat, reducing its lifespan.
