Xbox Series X Fridge Review: uh…lol?

POSITIVES

✓ Looks kinda cool

Even has a USB A port like the Xbox

✓ Lighting

No real LED competition in the fridge game

✓ rare

Has the collectabillia aura

Negatives

✓ Really Cheap Quality

As plastic as can be

✓ loud fan noise

Only way to keep things somewhat cool

✓ Quality Control

Mine came scratched from the factory

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Purchase Price: $100.00

One afternoon last year, I was browsing the electronics section of Target and I caught a glimpse of an Xbox box on the counter. Could it be the elusive Xbox Series X? I sure didn’t think so, not that I’ve ever seen one in person, nor was I actually interested in buying a 9th gen console at this time. I mean who has time to game nowadays right? There was one Microsoft product with an Xbox name attached that I was somewhat curious about and lo and behold it was sitting right in front of me. The elusive Xbox Series X fridge! This had to be it! So I went up and talked to the guy at the counter and asked him if that was the fridge and he got really excited that I knew what it was. “We rarely see them in the store! Do you want one?” he asked me after geeking out about it. Do I need a mini fridge? Nope. Did I buy the mini fridge? Absolutely!

A Fridge That Isn’t a Fridge

At the time, these fridges were quite difficult to come by. The production units are sold exclusively in-stores at Target. Of course it’s only logical I’d see an Xbox Series X fridge first before an actual Xbox Series X that it was based on in person. Excitement of seeing something rare aside, the unboxing experience was sadly pedestrian. I’m a geek collector at heart and Microsoft definitely could have fluffed up a little bit of the showmanship factor. It’s only $100, but $100 for a fridge that isn’t really a fridge is actually kind of a lot of money. The package comes with the fridge and an AC and a DC plug for power, meaning you can also use this in your car. I don’t get why the plug and switch are located at the top of the fridge. I would have preferred it on the bottom from a functionality point of view. 

Anyway, like I was saying, this fridge isn’t really a fridge. It’s more like an electric cooler for temporary use. In fact, the product actually is a thermoelectric cooler that suggests owners turn it off periodically. The guy at Target told me to treat it as a chiller. Keep the drinks in a real fridge and move them into the chiller before drinking. Microsoft says this should cool items up to 36°F (20°C) below ambient temperature. The fan noise is quite loud when toggled to max settings. That however, is the best way to actually keep the cooler cool. The Eco mode is significantly quieter, but it also is significantly not as cool as the max mode.   

It looks kind of cool from a distance. There’s even a USB A port similar to what a real console would be like. There are two buttons that control the LED lighting. One of them lights up the white Xbox logo while the other one toggles the green ambient light emitting from the grill on the head of the Xbox design. They aren’t too impressive in person.

The Xbox Fridge has a 10L capacity with two shelves and door pockets that are removable to customize. It’s not a lot of space, but for a game room, it’ll probably suffice for a small party. Even though this was originally an internet joke, I do wish Microsoft would have put a little more effort into the quality of the product. The Xbox Fridge is made of a junky feeling plastic that screams children’s toy. I wasn’t expecting much from this gag gift, but even then, it was below expectations. The quality control on my unit also leaves much to be desired. From a collector’s standpoint, this might have had the potential to be an obscure piece of gaming collectabillia down the line. While it isn’t sealed anymore, my Xbox Fridge came scratched up from the factory.

What To Throw In It?

So what logically would be a good fit to use this Xbox fridge for? Rapid Covid-19 Antigen tests of course! If you want to be a normal person, cans fit fine as well. You can squeeze 12 regular soda cans in here, although I think the mini-cans are better for game room uses especially if you have kids. A water bottle can fit in here with a little bit of configuration. Heck, even a Hydro Flash can find a way to occupy the 10L space. The “snack shelves” are the only thing I find useless. If I had a box of say Reese’s Pieces (like the ones at the theaters), it’s roughly the same size as this Covid test kit. The door doesn’t close if anything occupies the bottom section. It’s one space or the other which effectively lowers the amount of drinks the Xbox can hold. 

Imagine this scenario: You’re getting your butt kicked in Madden by your buddy. Take his controller and throw the thing into the Xbox Fridge. What better way to cool down a hot hand than to literally cool the controller. Since this isn’t a real fridge anyway, it might make a great controller storage unit! For the first time ever, you can put an Xbox controller inside of an Xbox. Mind blowing! Lesson learned! Don’t buy this fridge to be a fridge. Buy it to have fun.

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