Product review (3 stars): No freezer and reliable, but a problem with the door
I ordered this Avanti compact refrigerator (AR4596SS) on Wednesday, May 7, 2014. Since I have Amazon Prime, I expected it to arrive on Friday. And Friday morning, the tracking on Amazon said it was "Out for Delivery." I needed to take it up a flight of stairs, so I had a helper standing by to help me get it into my home. By 6pm on Friday it had not arrived. So I called Amazon. After waiting on hold for several minutes, I was told it was on its way and would arrive in an hour. Well, 7pm came and went, and it still did not arrive. So I called Amazon again. This time I was told that it was never even scheduled for delivery on Friday; that it would be coming on Saturday. So I asked, "Why did the Web site say it was 'Our for delivery' and why was I was told at 6pm that it was coming in an hour?" All the Amazon representative could say was that that was the info the site administrator and the previous rep had, but she now had the correct info.

If it had just been me I wouldn't have been too upset, but as I said, I had another person waiting to help me. So we both wasted the whole day waiting for a package that wasn't even scheduled to arrive until the next day. In addition, before I ordered it, I checked the weather, as I knew I'd be outside for a while hooking the fridge up to a dolly. Friday the weather was to be nice, but storms were forecast for Saturday. That is why I ordered it on Wednesday, so I'd get it on Friday. I didn't want to be outside on Saturday in the middle of a lightening storm messing with a metal fridge and dolly. The forecast was right: it was nice on Friday and stormed on Saturday. But the fridge did not come until 5pm on Saturday, so the storms had passed by then. But it was two wasted days for me and my helper.

However, for all of the hassles, Amazon refunded a significant portion of the cost. So for that I am thankful, and it is why Amazon is my "go-to" place for Internet shopping. Their service is usually very good, and if they do screw something up, they usually make it good somehow. But be forewarned when ordering large items, as there could be hassles with the shipping.

That said, on the fridge itself, the reason I was getting a compact fridge was for "overflow" from my main fridge. Specifically, I try to eat mostly organic food, especially fruits and veggies. The best place to get such in the Pittsburgh area where I live is Pittsburgh's "East End Food Co-op." But that is over an half hour drive for me, so I only go once a month. As such, I really need to stock-up when I go. A compact fridge enables me to get even more fresh produce and not have it spoil by having it in a fridge the whole time.
I had a compact fridge before this one, but it had a freezer compartment. As soon s I got that fridge, I knew it was a mistake. The freezer compartment was worthless. The only thing it would freeze was water. Even spaghetti sauce or chicken juice did not freeze. But what it did do was get covered with ice very quickly, so I had to defrost the freezer every month or two. Doing so required taking everything out of the fridge and freezer compartment, putting a tray under the freezer compartment to catch the melting ice, then wiping up the water that overflowed the tray, and then putting everything back in. It was a real pain, so I got rid of it. Unless you have a pressing need to make ice, do not get a compact fridge with a freezer compartment. That is why I got this Avanti fridge, as it does not have a freezer compartment.

In any case, I finally got the fridge into my home and set up where I wanted it. The front feet are adjustable, so I adjusted them as needed. But I read somewhere in researching compact fridges that you should let a fridge sit for several hours after moving it before plugging it in. I'm not exactly sure why, but it has something to do with letting the cooling elements settle. So not wanting to damage my new fridge, I let it sit overnight. The next morning, I plugged it in and put a fridge thermometer in it. But when I went to turn it on and adjust the temperature, I noticed a minor problem with this fridge. The inside is white, including the knob for adjusting the temperature (located on the right hand side in about the middle of the fridge), but the numbering on the knob is light gold, so it is barely readable. I had to use a magnifying glass to read the numbers. But with doing so, I set it to the middle and  let it cool. It only took about an hour. And I've only had to adjust the temperature a couple of times since then, so the hard to read numbering on the knob is not too much of a problem.

But the second problem is much more significant. After I got everything in it with no problems, I put a two quart jug of reconstituted protein powder on the door and shut it. But when I went to open the door later, it was stuck! I couldn't open it. I had to shake it to get it opened, which with the "not moving it after it is plugged in advice" was probably not a good idea, but it was the only way I could get it opened. After some investigation I figured out what happened. The jug was "so heavy" it bent the door down, so it was catching on the bottom of the fridge. I had to pull up rather strongly on the door to straiten it up, which made me uncomfortable, as I was afraid I would break it. I didn't, but I knew then that I could not put anything "heavy" on the door.
But even with only putting a few very light items on the door, the door still sticks. So I need to gently pull up on the door each and every time I open and close it. Since there is no handle on the door, this is not easy to do. I have to use both hands and grab onto the little grip at the top of the door with my fingertips to open and close it. This is a real pain, especially when I am putting something into the fridge. Rather than holding the item in hand and opening the fridge with the other as anyone reading this has probably done thousands of times without thinking about it, I have to set the item down, open the door with both hands, then hold the door open with one hand as I pick up the item with the other hand and then put it into the fridge.

Because this is something that irritates me every time I open and close the fridge, I am only giving it three stars. But that is shame, as if it wasn't for that one problem, I would probably give this fridge five stars. As indicated, I got this fridge in May; it is now October. So I've had it for five months, and it has been working fine that whole time. The fridge stays cool, even when I load it up after my monthly Co-op trip, so it is a reliable fridge. Plus, there is a lot of space for a compact fridge, so I can really stock up on healthy foods. And eating lots of organic produce and other healthy foods has improved my health. That is no surprise, as I discuss the benefits of doing so in my&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/God-given-Foods-Eating-Plan/dp/B004RWUACK/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">God-given Foods Eating Plan</a>&nbsp;book. But when I was between compact fridges, I wasn't going to the Co-op, so I wasn't eating quite as healthy as I am now.

Bottom line: this Avanti fridge is reliable and roomy, and the lack of a freezer compartment is a big plus. If they would just fix the door and use black numbers on the temperature knob, it would be ideal.