The Magic Chef HMCR320 is a retro-styled two-door mini fridge with a separate top freezer, a crisper drawer and a listed capacity of 3.2 cubic feet. Wirecutter recommends it for buyers who want a tall mini fridge that feels more like a full-size one, recording fridge temperatures between 34.8°F and 37°F throughout its tests. Reviewed also found excellent temperature control, but noted that the door can bounce open and the handles feel cheap. It suits a dorm room, studio or office that needs real freezer space; anyone who needs a reversible door or a sturdy handle should look elsewhere.
Full review
Holds steady temperatures in both compartments
Both publications found strong temperature performance. In Wirecutter's testing the fridge sat between 34.8°F and 37°F throughout, while the freezer ranged from -7.8°F to 9.9°F, which Wirecutter describes as well into the FDA-recommended range for extended freezer storage. Reviewed reports that the fridge held to within a degree or two of its target and the freezer to within a single degree, and lists excellent temperature control as a main strength. Wirecutter calls it a great choice for anyone who wants a mini fridge that behaves a little more like a full-size refrigerator.
A real freezer, crisper drawer and can storage
The layout is the main draw. Wirecutter notes that the freezer has its own door, like a traditional top-freezer refrigerator, and is large enough for a few ice cream pints, standard ice cube trays and frozen meals. The fridge side has adjustable glass shelves, a can dispenser, secure in-door storage and a separate crisper drawer to help keep produce fresher for longer. Reviewed measured 2.01 cubic feet of usable space and liked the varied storage options, including a dedicated can caddy alongside conventional bins and shelves. It comes in white, mint green, red and black.
Retro fixtures that do not stand up to use
The weak points are physical. Wirecutter found that the retro-style handle often loosened or detached completely and advises opening the fridge by the groove in the door instead; it also notes that the door is not reversible. Reviewed adds that some of the chrome-look fixtures feel cheap and that the handles seem a lighter grade of plastic than the rest of the fridge. Its main complaint is that the door can bounce open if it is not shut forcefully, which matters for keeping food cold in a busy dorm or office.
Strengths
- +Wirecutter logged fridge temperatures between 34.8°F and 37°F throughout testing
- +Reviewed found fridge within a degree or two of target, freezer within one degree
- +Separate freezer door fits frozen meals, ice cream pints and full-size ice trays
- +Crisper drawer, adjustable glass shelves and a can dispenser
Watch-outs
- −Door can bounce back open unless it is shut firmly
- −Retro handle often loosened or came off in Wirecutter's testing
- −The door is not reversible
How it compares
Wirecutter describes the Frigidaire EFR840 as virtually the same fridge as the Magic Chef HMCR320, so the choice between them comes down mainly to door storage and finish. Unlike the freezerless NewAir AB-1200, it has a separate freezer compartment, and it adds a crisper drawer that the Midea WHD-113FSS1 is not described as having in the sources.
Rating sources
Our 4.1 score is the average of these published ratings. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
