If we were going off to college, Kenmore's 95872 is the compact refrigerator that we'd want to take with us. It has plenty of upscale features and a nice, solid, durable feel -- all for a price that won't break the bank.

Inside, the 95872 has features that you'd normally expect to find only in a full-size refrigerator, but that you'll welcome in this compact model. The 95872 functions beautifully as a dorm refrigerator, but it's equally at home in the family room as an entertainment refrigerator. It is also well suited for use in very small apartment spaces or in an office. With 5.8 cubic feet of space, it has enough room to hold several days' worth of groceries for a single person.

When you open the door of the 95872, you'll be amazed at the interior details, since its price is similar to other compact refrigerators with far less in the way of features. For example, the door has two full-width door shelves that are deep enough to hold two-liter bottles or other tall items. There's also a clear covered dairy compartment. Within the fresh foods area are three full-width glass shelves, two of which slide out and are adjustable for height. The 95872 also has two clear crisper drawers, a wonderful feature for those who like to keep their produce separated from the rest of their fresh foods. The crispers are surprisingly durable and can hold an astounding amount of fruits and vegetables.

The freezer is small, but it can accommodate ice trays and a few smaller items; an ice cube try is included. Another great freezer feature is the defrost capability. Although it is not an automatic defrost model, you only need to push a button to start the defrost process. If you're a college student, you'll especially appreciate this feature

The 95872 is only available in white.

The Kenmore 95872 is a fully featured compact refrigerator at a relatively low price, and thus is the definition of a Best Buy.


Pros: Wide array of performance and convenience features, medium size, fair price
Cons: No automatic defrost