The Danby Designer DCR044A2BDD 4.4 cu. ft. Compact Refrigerator is an inexpensive, energy-efficient, Energy Star® certified model with semi-automatic defrost that uses the environmentally friendly R600a refrigerant and eats up just 226 kWh/yr.
Danby Designer Compact Refrigerator
Highlights: Ideal for a dorm room, office, workshop, or guesthouse. Includes a full-width independent freezer section, making this an excellent bar fridge as you can make your own ice. Features 2 full and 1 half shelf, offering excellent flexibility for storage.
Danby Designer Compact Refrigerator at a glance:
| Country of Origin: | Not disclosed |
| Power and Capacity: | Width: 20.688″ Height: 34.625″ Depth: 22.63″ Refrigerator Size: 4.4 (cu. ft.) Annual energy usage: 226 kWh/yr |
| Certifications: | Energy Star® |
| Coolant: | R600a |
Overview
This compact refrigerator is ideal for a dorm room, office, workshop, or guesthouse. It offers an impressive 4.4 cu. ft. of space while measuring just 20.7-inches wide, 34.6-inches high, and 22.6 inches deep. And it even includes a full-width independent freezer section, making this an excellent bar fridge as you can make your own ice.
The Danby includes a convenient CanStor beverage dispenser for your favorite drinks and has more than enough room for tall bottles. The unit features 2 full and 1 half shelf, offering excellent flexibility for storage.
This model is available in White, Black and smudge-free spotless Steel finishes, has an integrated door handle with a convenient reversible door hinge for both left and right-handed opening. Danby also offer an 18-month warranty on parts and labor with in-home service.
This model also has an all-fridge option (i.e. no freezer compartment) (View Price on Amazon), which uses a little more energy at 268 kWh/yr and is also available in Black, White, and Steel.
Danby Designer vs. Midea vs. EdgeStar
The Danby Designer is the best in this category for energy efficiency and function, beating out the Midea (View Price on Amazon) and the EdgeStar (View Price on Amazon). It is economical both in upfront cost and running costs, comes in three finishes, and is compact and space efficient, with excellent flexible storage and a reversible door, so it can fit in pretty much any space and fit in with any design scheme.
The Danby Designer offers greater functionality for the same energy use (226 kWh/yr) as the Midea. All three of its wire racks (2 full and 1 half) are removable and it features a true freezer compartment instead of just a chiller like the Midea. The EdgeStar also has slide-out shelves for easier cleaning and a true freezer, with a separate door for fridge and freezer. This is typically better for energy efficiency, but the EdgeStar has an automatic defrost, which might be why it uses almost 20% more energy than the Danby which has a semi-automatic defrost. The Midea only has manual defrost, which may make it less appealing for a student dorm room or office.
The Midea offers a decent amount of space (4.4 cu. ft) in an attractive design, with low energy usage (226 kWh/yr), giving it an edge over the EdgeStar (270 kWh/yr and just 3.1 cu. ft). It is also very quiet at 42 decibels, compared to the Danby’s 50 decibels, which is helpful in a dorm room. However, the Midea only allows you to set the temperature to 32-35.6 °F, while the EdgeStar has a temperature range of 34-60 °F, and the Danby Designer’s temperature range is 32-50 °F.
All three models use eco-friendly r600a coolant rather than CFCs or HCFCs and both the Midea and the EdgeStar carry a 90 days labor and 1 year parts warranty. The Danby Designer, however, offers 18 months parts and labor coverage with in-home service. The Danby is also available in three finishes, as is the Midea, while the EdgeStar is only available currently in a stainless steel finish. Both the Midea and the Danby Designer are less expensive than the EdgeStar by about 20% on average.