Are you looking for a new refrigerator for your kitchen remodel? Do you need to replace an outdated appliance? Regardless of your needs, investing in a new refrigeration appliance is commonly centered around function, features, and whether your new appliance will fit aesthetically with your kitchen layout.
There are a handful of refrigeration options to choose from, and it can be difficult to navigate through the various brands and configurations. As you conduct your research and begin the fridge-shopping process, learning about the specific attributes of each available fridge type can prove to be invaluable information.
We’ve spent quite a bit of time comparing types of refrigerators, fridge brands, and even compact fridge models, but what about installation type? The most common refrigerators used in household kitchens are counter-depth and standard-depth. The space where you plan to install your refrigerator can influence your purchase decision and affect the look you are trying to achieve, so let’s explore the differences between counter-depth and standard-depth refrigerators.
Most standard-depth refrigerators are between 31-36 inches deep. A standard or full-size refrigerator may stick out half a foot or more from the edge of your countertop due to its deeper storage proportion.
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If you’ve spruced up your kitchen recently or you keep up with current design trends, you’ve probably noticed counter-depth refrigerators in newly updated or renovated kitchens. Counter-depth refrigerators are increasing in popularity due to their streamlined design and elegant construction, but what exactly is a counter-depth fridge?
This particular fridge model is slightly taller than a standard-depth fridge, designed to be more space-efficient and fit seamlessly with surrounding cabinetry and countertops. Counter-depth models offer nearly identical storage as a traditional full-size refrigerator, but they won’t stick out past the kitchen cabinets and impede your walk path.
The distance from your backsplash to the front of your kitchen counters is one way to gauge your “counter-depth.” To fit within this space, counter-depth fridges are shallower than a standard-depth fridge, with a typical range of 23 to 27 inches deep. In contrast, most full-size standard-depth refrigerators are more than 30 inches deep, commonly in the 35- to 36-inch range. This means a traditional refrigerator may jut out more than six inches from the edge of the countertop.
So, how does this impact your kitchen? Introducing a counter-depth fridge allows you to achieve the sleek, refined look you’ve been craving, with just as much storage space. You can minimize congestion and disruptions in your workflow with a flush installation, which proves to be helpful when you’ve got more than one cook in the kitchen.
Some top-rated counter-depth refrigerators include:
Most people are probably a little more familiar with freestanding or standard-depth refrigerators. While counter-depth refrigerators are certainly picking up steam, standard-depth fridge models are still the most common fridge type found in everyday kitchens.
Standard-depth fridges do take up more space than counter-depth models—as mentioned, generally running 35- to 36-inches deep when the doors and handles are included. This extra depth provides more space for groceries and leftovers, but it also takes up additional room in your kitchen and can limit your ability to move freely.
The added depth can be an issue if you have a smaller kitchen because your refrigerator will protrude slightly from surrounding countertops and cabinetry. Now, this isn’t anything dire, but it can be a bit of an inconvenience and an eyesore at times.
Since standard-depth fridges are more common, you’ll most likely be able to discover a greater selection of colors, finishes, and styles as you shop around and begin to map out your newly designed culinary space.
Some top-rated standard-depth refrigerators include:
You can find either fridge model in the four most popular styles: side-by-side, French door, top-freezer, or bottom-freezer. If you have a smaller kitchen space, you can also find top- or bottom-freezer refrigerators with a narrower width and depth to help better utilize the limited space you have.
With so many design options to choose from, you’re destined to find the ideal fridge type for your new kitchen. In case you need a quick refresher, let’s break down some of these fridge types.
The French door refrigerator style features two doors on the top section and one or more freezer drawers below. French doors open outward to showcase one intact refrigeration space inside. A French door fridge requires less clearance to open each compartment compared to a single door refrigerator, so they are a popular choice to fit almost any kitchen structure.
Side-by-side refrigerators are exactly as the name sounds. These fridge models have two doors extending the full height of the fridge. On one side you’ll find the refrigerator compartment, oftentimes with a water and ice dispenser, and the other side will feature your freezer compartment.
A timeless and traditional fridge style, the top-freezer refrigerator features the freezer compartment on top of the appliance and a singular refrigeration compartment below. The handles will typically be on the left side of the appliance, opening toward the right side, but it depends on the model you choose.
➝ Learn More: The Best Top Freezer Refrigerators
The bottom-freezer refrigerator mimics the look of a French door fridge model, but instead of two refrigerator doors, it has just one. The refrigerator section is still on top and a freezer drawer is located below. Once again, depending on the select model, the refrigerator door can open either to the right or to the left.
Its good to be armed with this information before hand when you are shopping for a freestanding refrigerator because it is sure to be one of the first issues youre going to be confronted with when making your choice. For more information on counter-depth refrigerators or other appliances and plumbing fixtures be sure to call or visit the professionals at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center .
Appliance manufacturers may build similar freestanding refrigerators in both a full-depth version and a cabinet or counter-depth model. Most of the major brands such as Frigidaire, GE, Bosch, and Whirlpool offer cabinet depth models. Premium brands such as KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, GE Profile, and Electrolux also offer a wide selection of cabinet-depth refrigerators. Of course, all of them are available for you at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center (UAKC), Southern Californias premier appliance showrooms.
In practice, counter-depth refrigerators are likely to measure around 24″ deep not counting the doors, and about 27″ including the door, but not the handle. They look good and fit well into a standard space, only sticking out a bit. In contrast, their big full-depth counterparts could easily extend into the kitchen aisle another 6 or 7 inches.
However, these refrigerators with a shallower depth will have less capacity and cost more than their full-depth counterparts. Why then have cabinet-depth refrigerators become so popular?
First lets examine what we mean when we describe a refrigerator as being cabinet depth. Cabinet depth refrigerators are refrigerators that have roughly the same depth as cabinets. Cabinets are normally 24 inches deep or a bit more if the cabinet door is not inset, and countertops are likely to extend an inch beyond the cabinet. Therefore, cabinet or counter-depth refrigerators are designed to fit within the surrounding cabinets so that they do not not protrude into the kitchen much beyond that 24″-25″.
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FAQ
What is the standard depth of a refrigerator cabinet?
How deep should cabinets around refrigerator be?
What size cabinet for a refrigerator?
What size cabinet goes over a refrigerator?
How deep can a refrigerator be?
By contrast, traditional refrigerators can be as deep as 36 inches. To make up for the shallower depth measurement, standard counter-depth fridge dimensions tend to be wider (around 36 inches). Sometimes, counter-depth models are slightly taller, too, though this is less noticeable.
How deep is a counter-depth refrigerator?
With a depth of 24 to 25 inches, counter-depth refrigerators are about the same depth as kitchen counters. Unlike counter-depth refrigerators, which are practically flat with counters and cabinets, standard-depth refrigerators are typically 30-36 inches deep and can extend half a foot or more past countertops.
How deep is a refrigerator box?
The basic box on these refrigerators is typically between 23 and 27 inches deep, but the overall depth (with doors included) varies slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. You also may see refrigerators with overall depths of 28 3/4 inches (LG and Samsung), 30 3/4 inches (GE), or 27 1/2 inches (Whirlpool) all marketed as countertop-depth units.
What are the dimensions of a counter depth refrigerator?
Counter depth refrigerators typically range from 25” to 30”. When it comes to comparing counter depth refrigerators vs standard dimensions, the dimension of counter depth refrigerator models are typically wider but not as deep. They may also be taller, in order to provide the same storage capacity.