Kitchenguys - I have a question about what size refrigerator will fit (1 Viewer)

[CrossEyed]

We're buying a new house that has a 38" space for a refrigerator. To the right of the fridge will be a wall, to the left are standard cabinets/countertop.

My question is this: If we want to get a French door refrigerator, what is the maximum width we can fit? I know I need to account for clearance against the wall, but do I need to account for any clearance against the cabinets/countertop?

 

[Mystery Achiever]

I was able to but a 32"+ one under a 36" cabinet. You can check the specs online for each model - may vary. The specs should give you info for both cabinet and fixed wall.

 

[CrossEyed]

Unfortunately on the Sears website only a few list the width with doors open at 90 degrees. Not sure why they wouldn't list this for all of them.

 

[Mystery Achiever]

Do they have the user manuals online? Needed clearance should be shown in those.

(ETA- For clearance, I was thinking about what the manufacturer requires for circulation vs ability to open the door)

 

[apalmer]

You shouldn't need any clearance on the cabinet side (assuming they are standard counters)--the fridge will extend out beyond them giving you all the clearance you need. FWIW, our French Door fridge doesn't need to have the door open beyond 90 degrees to open the drawers (although it might be tricky removing the crisper drawer for cleaning), so the only clearance on the wall side would be the depth of the handle.

 

[GTBilly]

You shouldn't need any clearance on the cabinet side (assuming they are standard counters)--the fridge will extend out beyond them giving you all the clearance you need. FWIW, our French Door fridge doesn't need to have the door open beyond 90 degrees to open the drawers (although it might be tricky removing the crisper drawer for cleaning), so the only clearance on the wall side would be the depth of the handle.

This is the correct answer.

 

[The Commish]

If you want your doors to open all the way, you're going to have to put the fridge flush with the wall, so unless the cabinets stick out further than your wall, the cabinets won't be an issue. You can't buy a "counter depth" fridge though (if you want the doors to open all the way)

 

[belljr]

Fridge width are standard size. The depth and height are what change. If you have standard counters that should not be a problem. Is it a full wall on the one side? Or will the front of the fridge be out in front of the wall

 

[CrossEyed]

Fridge width are standard size. The depth and height are what change. If you have standard counters that should not be a problem. Is it a full wall on the one side? Or will the front of the fridge be out in front of the wall

Actually they're not standard widths. Far more are in the 35.5-36" range, but there are narrower ones also.

And the wall extends beyond the fridge, so it is a factor.

Thanks to everyone else for confirming that the other side doesn't come into play. We're not planning on getting a counter depth fridge.

 

[CrossEyed]

You shouldn't need any clearance on the cabinet side (assuming they are standard counters)--the fridge will extend out beyond them giving you all the clearance you need. FWIW, our French Door fridge doesn't need to have the door open beyond 90 degrees to open the drawers (although it might be tricky removing the crisper drawer for cleaning), so the only clearance on the wall side would be the depth of the handle.

This is the correct answer.

Thanks guys, appreciate the info.

 

[belljr]

Fridge width are standard size. The depth and height are what change. If you have standard counters that should not be a problem. Is it a full wall on the one side? Or will the front of the fridge be out in front of the wall

Actually they're not standard widths. Far more are in the 35.5-36" range, but there are narrower ones also.And the wall extends beyond the fridge, so it is a factor.

Thanks to everyone else for confirming that the other side doesn't come into play. We're not planning on getting a counter depth fridge.

35 to 36 is the standard width of a fridge.sure there are special ones but if you walk into Lowes sears home depot all the fridges will be 35.5 to 36

 

[CrossEyed]

Any idea if there's a manufacturer that builds theirs to require less additional space for for clearance?

 

[belljr]

Any idea if there's a manufacturer that builds theirs to require less additional space for for clearance?

check out houzz.comI think whirlpool makes a 32.25 width model

 

[Raider Nation]

More KitchenGuys here than I would have suspected.

 

[belljr]

And honestly having a whole wall could be problematic. I think you really have to hit some stores.

my fridge is out in front of my partial wall so it's a non issue but some require more clearance than others.

 

[CrossEyed]

Any idea if there's a manufacturer that builds theirs to require less additional space for for clearance?

check out houzz.comI think whirlpool makes a 32.25 width model

Yes, there are definitely narrower models, I was thinking maybe someone makes a hinge that required less extra clearance.

 

[The Commish]

Fridge width are standard size. The depth and height are what change. If you have standard counters that should not be a problem. Is it a full wall on the one side? Or will the front of the fridge be out in front of the wall

Actually they're not standard widths. Far more are in the 35.5-36" range, but there are narrower ones also.

And the wall extends beyond the fridge, so it is a factor.

Thanks to everyone else for confirming that the other side doesn't come into play. We're not planning on getting a counter depth fridge.

Is there ANY way to alter the floor plan so that the fridge can be flush with the wall? If not, I'd forego the french door fridge and get one that opens on a single hinge away from the wall. You'll thank me later. It drove me absolutely nuts and has become a major pet peeve of mine. I don't know why builders do this.

 

[CrossEyed]

Fridge width are standard size. The depth and height are what change. If you have standard counters that should not be a problem. Is it a full wall on the one side? Or will the front of the fridge be out in front of the wall

Actually they're not standard widths. Far more are in the 35.5-36" range, but there are narrower ones also.

And the wall extends beyond the fridge, so it is a factor.

Thanks to everyone else for confirming that the other side doesn't come into play. We're not planning on getting a counter depth fridge.

Is there ANY way to alter the floor plan so that the fridge can be flush with the wall? If not, I'd forego the french door fridge and get one that opens on a single hinge away from the wall. You'll thank me later. It drove me absolutely nuts and has become a major pet peeve of mine. I don't know why builders do this.

Unfortunately not. This was a house that was already built and in drywall when we stumbled across it. I'm thinking someone bailed out on it after they started building it, although the builder has never said that. They gave us $20K in upgrade incentives.

So the design is the design. The only thing we might be able to do is have a contractor friend of ours scale back the wall so it doesn't extend beyond the fridge. The only problem with that is that it really makes for a narrow wall in the room on the other side of that wall.

 

[Sweet Love]

Cross,

Keep in mind the "bulge" of the fridge. We got something like a 36" fridge to put in a 37" space, and it did not fit because they measure the fridge by the front, and if you look at the fridge, it bulge's out in the middle about 3/4" inch on each side...we had to cut into the cabinets and jam it in...luckily while we were in the home we did not need to have it repaired, but it was jammed up in there.

 

[The Commish]

Fridge width are standard size. The depth and height are what change. If you have standard counters that should not be a problem. Is it a full wall on the one side? Or will the front of the fridge be out in front of the wall

Actually they're not standard widths. Far more are in the 35.5-36" range, but there are narrower ones also.

And the wall extends beyond the fridge, so it is a factor.

Thanks to everyone else for confirming that the other side doesn't come into play. We're not planning on getting a counter depth fridge.

Is there ANY way to alter the floor plan so that the fridge can be flush with the wall? If not, I'd forego the french door fridge and get one that opens on a single hinge away from the wall. You'll thank me later. It drove me absolutely nuts and has become a major pet peeve of mine. I don't know why builders do this.

Unfortunately not. This was a house that was already built and in drywall when we stumbled across it. I'm thinking someone bailed out on it after they started building it, although the builder has never said that. They gave us $20K in upgrade incentives.

So the design is the design. The only thing we might be able to do is have a contractor friend of ours scale back the wall so it doesn't extend beyond the fridge. The only problem with that is that it really makes for a narrow wall in the room on the other side of that wall.

What's the room on the other side of the wall?

 

[El Floppo]

You shouldn't need any clearance on the cabinet side (assuming they are standard counters)--the fridge will extend out beyond them giving you all the clearance you need. FWIW, our French Door fridge doesn't need to have the door open beyond 90 degrees to open the drawers (although it might be tricky removing the crisper drawer for cleaning), so the only clearance on the wall side would be the depth of the handle.

This is the correct answer.

removing the crisper drawers for cleaning isn't a necessity, but it's a nice luxury if you can swing it. But not opening the door 90 degrees on the wall side will likely exclude that as an option as the poster above mentioned.

 

[CrossEyed]

Fridge width are standard size. The depth and height are what change. If you have standard counters that should not be a problem. Is it a full wall on the one side? Or will the front of the fridge be out in front of the wall

Actually they're not standard widths. Far more are in the 35.5-36" range, but there are narrower ones also.

And the wall extends beyond the fridge, so it is a factor.

Thanks to everyone else for confirming that the other side doesn't come into play. We're not planning on getting a counter depth fridge.

Is there ANY way to alter the floor plan so that the fridge can be flush with the wall? If not, I'd forego the french door fridge and get one that opens on a single hinge away from the wall. You'll thank me later. It drove me absolutely nuts and has become a major pet peeve of mine. I don't know why builders do this.

Unfortunately not. This was a house that was already built and in drywall when we stumbled across it. I'm thinking someone bailed out on it after they started building it, although the builder has never said that. They gave us $20K in upgrade incentives.

So the design is the design. The only thing we might be able to do is have a contractor friend of ours scale back the wall so it doesn't extend beyond the fridge. The only problem with that is that it really makes for a narrow wall in the room on the other side of that wall.

What's the room on the other side of the wall?

Technically, it's the dining room. But for us it's going to probably be a living room/kids room. It's the first room on the right when you walk in the front door, so you already only have one full wall on the right, a window wall (front of the house) and a partial wall on the left where the stairs lead to the second floor. We currently have three prices of furniture (sofa, love seat and chair) along with a couple if tall bookshelves that we have slated for that room. Not sure we have the space if we cut that wall way back. But I'd have to go back and measure.

 

[CrossEyed]

Cross,

Keep in mind the "bulge" of the fridge. We got something like a 36" fridge to put in a 37" space, and it did not fit because they measure the fridge by the front, and if you look at the fridge, it bulge's out in the middle about 3/4" inch on each side...we had to cut into the cabinets and jam it in...luckily while we were in the home we did not need to have it repaired, but it was jammed up in there.

In my best Johnny Carson voice, "I did not know that."

Thanks.

 

[T Bell]

We're buying a new house that has a 38" space for a refrigerator. To the right of the fridge will be a wall, to the left are standard cabinets/countertop.

My question is this: If we want to get a French door refrigerator, what is the maximum width we can fit? I know I need to account for clearance against the wall, but do I need to account for any clearance against the cabinets/countertop?

Bend over and I'll show you.

 

[belljr]

As someone who spent months buying fridges...you need to go b&M

 

[The Commish]

Fridge width are standard size. The depth and height are what change. If you have standard counters that should not be a problem. Is it a full wall on the one side? Or will the front of the fridge be out in front of the wall

Actually they're not standard widths. Far more are in the 35.5-36" range, but there are narrower ones also.

And the wall extends beyond the fridge, so it is a factor.

Thanks to everyone else for confirming that the other side doesn't come into play. We're not planning on getting a counter depth fridge.

Is there ANY way to alter the floor plan so that the fridge can be flush with the wall? If not, I'd forego the french door fridge and get one that opens on a single hinge away from the wall. You'll thank me later. It drove me absolutely nuts and has become a major pet peeve of mine. I don't know why builders do this.

Unfortunately not. This was a house that was already built and in drywall when we stumbled across it. I'm thinking someone bailed out on it after they started building it, although the builder has never said that. They gave us $20K in upgrade incentives.

So the design is the design. The only thing we might be able to do is have a contractor friend of ours scale back the wall so it doesn't extend beyond the fridge. The only problem with that is that it really makes for a narrow wall in the room on the other side of that wall.

What's the room on the other side of the wall?

Technically, it's the dining room. But for us it's going to probably be a living room/kids room. It's the first room on the right when you walk in the front door, so you already only have one full wall on the right, a window wall (front of the house) and a partial wall on the left where the stairs lead to the second floor. We currently have three prices of furniture (sofa, love seat and chair) along with a couple if tall bookshelves that we have slated for that room. Not sure we have the space if we cut that wall way back. But I'd have to go back and measure.

OPEN THAT SUCKER UP!!! Creates a more open floor plan. You can find space for the stuff...if you can't donate.

 

[jfranco77]

Just make sure whatever you buys fits through your ####in door.

/experience