If your Instagram algorithm is anything like mine (and even if it isn’t), I can almost guarantee you’ve seen the Rocco fridge pop up on your feed at least once in the past couple of years. If you’re unfamiliar, I’ll give you the rundown: First released in the fall of 2023, the Rocco Super Smart Fridge is a beverage fridge that doubles as a bar cart. It’s one of the best additions I made to my home last year, and it’s currently $400 off.
Why I wanted the Rocco Super Smart Fridge
I’ve been a staunch advocate for the whole mini-fridge-as-bar concept since I moved into my apartment several years ago. I live in a small space, but that doesn’t keep me from hosting dinner parties, game nights, and cocktail soirees on a regular basis, so having a designated area where guests can help themselves to drinks has always been important to me.
Before the Rocco, that meant perching bottles on top of my roommate's old college mini fridge: a retro light blue number that looked cute next to our yellow couch but left a lot to be desired functionally. The interior was designed like a fun-size version of a normal fridge, with no space-efficient way to store cans or bottles. It also jutted into the room further than we'd have liked, and the square top was fine for stashing bottles but not great for actually finding them.
The Rocco seemed like the ideal upgrade. Designed to hold a mix of wine bottles and canned beverages on adjustable racks, with a top built to function as a home bar and a shallow depth that works well in tight quarters, it promised to meet every one of my needs. Plus, it was pretty.
What I love about it
In addition to being cute, the Super Smart Fridge boasts dual temperature zones to keep your reds and whites appropriately chilled and a host of smart features (hence its name), like app connectivity and a camera that supposedly tells you what’s inside your fridge.
After testing this fridge for two years, I can confidently say that it’s been a true hosting game-changer. I love that I can set one half of it to fridge-cold for sodas, hard seltzers, and the like, while keeping the other half at a warmer temp more suitable for wine—all of which I can control remotely from the app (which works very well for that purpose). It’s incredibly quiet and even has multiple noise level modes that you can switch between (Smart, Quiet, and Party).
As someone whose kitchen and living room are essentially one unit, I’ll do anything I can to keep guests on the other side of the room while I’m futzing around with appetizers or frantically getting dinner to the table—and there’s simply no better way to do that, I’ve found, than an eye-catching fridge that’s fully stocked with all of their favorite bevs (and even a premade batched dirty martini if I’m feeling like it).
What I'd leave
If the camera function is what's drawing you to the Rocco, temper your expectations. I've noticed improvements in the technology over the two years I've been using it, but it isn't perfect and probably shouldn't be the reason you buy it. The app controls for temperature, on the other hand, work very well.
Final thoughts
Two years in, the Rocco has more than earned its spot in my apartment. The dual temperature zones, quiet operation, and reversible drawer inserts make it as practical as it is pretty
The big caveat here? It’s not cheap. At $1,995, the Rocco’s price tag would be enough to give anyone some serious pause before purchasing. And look, no one needs a fancy beverage fridge. But if you’ve been eyeing it, consider this your sign to bite the bullet while it’s $400 off. Your future guests will thank you, as will the bevy of wine bottles and six-packs of beer that are currently crowding the depths of your big fridge.
