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Which fridges are suitable as outdoor fridges?

Amina8 OCTOBER 2025
A wooden room with a bicycle, window, and a black refrigerator.

If you enjoy spending time on your terrace or in the garden, a fridge outside in your shed, garage or garden house can be a good option. This way, you don’t have to go inside every time you want a cold drink or organise a barbecue with friends. But can you just put any fridge outside? Here you’ll read what to look for when choosing an outdoor fridge, so the appliance lasts a long time.

Ensure the right ambient temperature

A thermometer indicates 40 degrees Celsius on a wooden wall. The wall consists of vertical wooden planks.

If you’re looking for a fridge for your outdoor kitchen, garage or garden house, pay attention to the ambient temperature of the space in which the appliance will be placed. Not every fridge works well at every temperature. The climate class of the fridge indicates at which temperatures the cooling and freezing functions continue to work properly. For example, a model with an SN climate class works fine in a space where it is at least 10 and at most 32 degrees Celsius. Is it colder in your outdoor space? At the moment, there is no climate class yet for fridges with a minimum ambient temperature of less than 10 degrees Celsius. However, some brands do offer appliances that continue to work at 0 to -15 degrees.

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What are the right climate classes for fridges in the shed?

Property nameMinimum ambient temperatureMaximum ambient temperature
N (Normal)

16 °C

32 °C

SN (Subnormal)

10 °C

32 °C

SN-T (Tropical)

16 °C

43 °C

SN-ST (Subtropical)

16 °C

38 °C

What happens to an outdoor fridge when it freezes?

Frozen meadow with tall grasses and wildflowers under a soft, pastel sky. Foreground plants are coated in frost.

If it freezes around the fridge, the temperature inside the fridge increases. The appliance has to work harder to keep your groceries cool. This also leads to higher energy consumption. Over time, frost can also cause parts of the fridge to break. To make your choice, it’s best to compare several fridges. Pay attention not only to their climate class, but also to features such as DuoCooling and FrostProtect. With DuoCooling, you have 2 separate thermostats for your fridge-freezer combination. This technique works well at 0 degrees Celsius. FrostProtect also works in extreme frost of -15 degrees.

What are the best outdoor fridges?

A modern kitchen features gray cabinets, a marble countertop, and an open white refrigerator filled with food.

First measure the minimum temperature in your garage or garden house with a thermometer. On a cold, wintry day, check how cold it is in the space. A shed or garden house is usually not very well insulated and during the coldest months it’s often less than 16 degrees Celsius. That’s why it’s best to look for an outdoor fridge with an SN (Subnormal) climate class that can withstand a minimum ambient temperature of 10°C. Is it even colder in your outdoor space? Then choose a fridge that continues to work well at 0 degrees Celsius or less. These exist, but don’t have their own climate class yet. So, make sure to inform yourself well before making your purchase.

Discover our favourite fridges

Can an outdoor fridge withstand rain?

A clear umbrella is held up in heavy, warm-toned rain. A hand reaches out to catch the water.

If you put a fridge outside, make sure it’s somewhere indoors (in the shed, garage, garden house or outdoor kitchen), or under a canopy or covered terrace. A fridge can’t withstand rain very well. Over time, it will start to oxidise or rust. This isn’t healthy and can also cause the outdoor fridge to stop functioning properly. If you expose the appliance to rain and other weather elements, you will shorten the lifespan of your fridge.

Can a fridge go in an outdoor kitchen?

Outdoor patio with stone wall, wooden beams, and kitchen. Tables with chairs, white umbrellas, and blue accents.

In summer, you can certainly put a fridge in your outdoor kitchen. This way, you have all the ingredients at hand while cooking outside. If you want to leave the fridge overnight, it’s best to opt for an appliance with an adapted climate class that continues to work well during cooler nights. Place the fridge somewhere where no rain can reach it. A built-in fridge in a niche in your kitchen cabinets is a good option. If your outdoor kitchen isn’t sheltered, you can also put the fridge inside in case of rain or cold weather. In that case, choose a table model or a fridge that you can easily move.

Can a fridge go in a garden house?

A grey shed with open doors sits on a stone patio, surrounded by green plants and trees. A wooden table and chairs are nearby.

If your garden house is properly insulated, you can place a fridge with a normal climate class in it. But if it’s often less than 10 degrees Celsius in the garden house, a fridge with an SN climate class is a more logical choice. This way, you can be sure the fridge is suitable for lower ambient temperatures in autumn or winter. On the other hand, it’s often very warm in a garden house in summer. If the temperature rises above 32°C, it’s better to place the fridge elsewhere (unless you choose a fridge with climate class SN-T or SN-ST).

Find the right outdoor fridge at MediaMarkt

Are you considering an outdoor fridge for more comfort during barbecues or summer evenings? At MediaMarkt, you’ll find a wide range of outdoor fridges suitable for different climates. On this page, you discovered what to look out for when buying an outdoor fridge. Now you’re ready to choose the right fridge, online or with the help of our experts in your trusted MediaMarkt shop.

Tip: Read the MediaMarkt.nl article here about placing a fridge in the shed.

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