Until recently, I hadn’t owned a mini fridge since college. The dorm-issued model that sat next to my desk held little more than a “mickey” of vodka (that’s Canadian for a 13-ounce bottle) and a bag of frozen pizza rolls. So, when Rocco approached me to review its Super Smart Fridge, I certainly didn’t expect…
Setting Up the Super Smart Fridge
Anticipation was high before the mini fridge even arrived. There are seven mostly vibrant colors to choose from — I opted for Cherry Tomato Red, which was a limited-edition release in collaboration with lifestyle brand MALIN+GOETZ (sadly, this color is not currently available). The scheduled delivery was seamless; my only mistake was requesting that it be placed in my garage-turned-rec room, where outlets are scarce.
Any appliance that draws high, continuous power shouldn’t be plugged into an extension cord (it’s a potential fire hazard), so I made the decision to move the unit upstairs to the living room. And boy, was it heavy! The Super Smart Fridge clocks in at 150 pounds, and moving it with a dolly, then by hand with my husband, resulted in several bruises and one almost-fatal drop (for the fridge, not me — thankfully it comes with a 10-year warranty). A word of caution: Be very strategic about where you plan to place it.
Prominently displaying a mini fridge in my living room had never crossed my design-obsessed mind. After all, why would I want to include an appliance in my scheme? But this thing looks like a piece of furniture — and a cool, modern one at that. Its boxy shape, short cylindrical legs, and reeded glass front have fooled multiple houseguests who erroneously thought it was a storage cabinet. (That’s also a testament to how quietly it runs.) The inset, flat top and included tray also eliminate the need for a bar cart; I’ve adorned mine with various spirits and a vintage ice bucket.
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Smarter Than Your Average Mini Fridge
While the exterior is all about style, the interior is pure utility. The six adjustable shelves include five full-size racks and one half-size rack. They pull completely out of the frame, so you never have to reach for a mystery canned beverage. The capacity is unmatched — it can hold up to 27 Bordeaux bottles (those with prominent “shoulders” at the base of the neck), 88 cans, or a combination of the two. It also features dual temperature zones, which range between 37 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit. I set mine to 37 degrees for the beers and seltzers on the bottom, and 47 degrees for the bottles of sauvignon blanc toward the top.
The fridge offers three noise-level modes: Quiet Mode, Party Mode, and Standard Mode. I keep mine on Quiet Mode most of the time, which registers as low as 39 dB — a barely perceptible, white noise-level hum. Party Mode, the loudest option, provides rapid cooling; Standard Mode customizes cooling based on the environment, so the sound fluctuates in volume. You can easily switch between the three modes within the app. I do, however, wish the “door open” alarm were louder; my husband has a habit of leaving it cracked open, and the noise isn’t jarring enough to prevent those slow leaks of cold air.
Another cool feature — pun intended — is the Rocco Sight System, which is currently in beta testing. The fridge’s built-in cameras have the ability to show you exactly what’s inside via the app. To process your initial scan, you have to pull out each shelf and adjust the bottles and cans with the logos facing up. It can take up to 24 hours to get your results, but after that, the inventory list is supposed to update automatically. I’ve had mixed results with this feature — lesser-known brands sometimes can’t be identified and nutrition labels are occasionally incomplete. Hopefully, future app updates will allow the Rocco Sight System to reliably check my Diet Coke inventory while I’m at the grocery store deciding whether to stock up.
How I Use the Super Smart Fridge
Rocco’s Super Smart Fridge has changed the way I prep for parties, serve guests, and even how I organize my kitchen refrigerator. Allow me to explain:
My secret hosting weapon: Before the Super Smart Fridge, I’d remove all nonessentials from my main refrigerator to clear space for the beverages I purchased and the bottles and cans my guests would likely bring. Even so, when I needed space for party food, I often resorted to a cooler — or, weather permitting, nestling cans outside in the snow. Now, the Super Smart Fridge allows me to store all the beverages in one convenient location, freeing up valuable space for hors d’oeuvres or chilled desserts. It has also made stocking up for parties easier: Since I always have room in the mini fridge, I can purchase items here and there instead of blowing my budget on booze the day before an event.
Self-service station: I always aim to be an accommodating host, but I don’t want to spend the entire party refilling drinks instead of mingling with my guests. With the Super Smart Fridge, guests can easily grab whichever drink they like or mix their own cocktail using the bottles perched on the flat top. It’s also a lifesaver if you have a cramped kitchen where guests tend to congregate and refill their drinks. The mini fridge encourages friends and family to remain in the living room, giving me more space to put the finishing touches on dinner party dishes. It’s essentially a self-service bar that takes some of the less-fun responsibilities of hosting off my plate.
Groceries get priority: I consider myself a pretty serious home cook (mostly because food delivery is nearly nonexistent in my rural area), and reserving the main kitchen refrigerator for groceries has been a game changer. As I type this, a 7-pound whole chicken is dry brining on a half-sheet pan on a lower shelf. If my kitchen fridge were full of Hamm’s beer (as it often used to be), there’d be little room for that roast. It’s so much easier to find whatever ingredient I’m looking for when I’m not fighting my way through a cluster of cans. The space looks cleaner and more organized, and there’s ample room for my ever-growing collection of mustards.
Should You Buy Your Own Super Smart Fridge?
The Rocco Super Smart Fridge typically retails for $1,995. But right now, during the Black Friday sale, you can save $400 on the company’s core colors (orange, green, graphite, white, and yellow), and $200 on its limited-edition colors (currently blue and cream). This is the biggest sale of the year and a great opportunity to get one in time for holiday hosting or save big on a special gift for a loved one. Despite its high price tag, I think the Super Smart Fridge is worth the splurge, as it has simplified the way I host — guests don’t have to reorganize my kitchen fridge to make space for their NA beers or track me down to get another pour of pinot gris. Say goodbye to crowded coolers and hello to the easiest entertainment you’ve ever done.
