Choosing the right size of your refrigerator:
The first thing that you will need to do is measure the dimensions of the space that your refrigerator will fit into. Manufacturers usually recommend that you leave a few inches around all sides of the unit for air circulation, and there needs to be room for the doors to open.
The dimensions which you need to keep in mind is the height, width and most importantly the depth. Refrigerators are generally 30 to 35 inches deep (including the doors), but counter-depth and cabinet-depth models, at 23 to 27 inches deep, offer a more built-in look, and are an especially good option for smaller kitchens. If you are willing to loosen those purse strings and splurge a little more on the refrigerator you can also opt for a custom-made refrigerator.
1. Top freezers:
When the word ‘fridge' comes into your mind, you immediately think of this kind of a refrigerator. In this fridge, the bottom thirds portion part is devoted to storing the fresh food whereas the freezer on top is ice cold storing the delicious ice creams and popsicles.
If you are looking for a freezer with some modern, high end and feature-rich option a top freezer is probably not the best option for you. But if the style is not much of a big concern for you then top freezers offer some of the best bargains in the market.
Average dimensions:
Width: 29 inches; Depth: 31 inches; Depth with door open 90 degrees: 58 inches; Height: 66 inches.
2. Bottom freezers:
If you are looking for a fridge with a slightly simpler side you would enjoy a simpler access to the food then a bottom freezer unit may be the right choice for you. Bottom freezers are quite similar to top freezers with the only difference being that the freezer is located at the bottom instead of at the top as in the case of top freezers.
This means that your frozen foods will be located at the bottom with most of the freezers now being in a drawer style allowing you to easily access your frozen food items. Bottom-freezer units tend to be just slightly bigger than top freezers, but there's also less variety of models to choose from.
Average dimensions:
Width: 29 inches; Depth: 32 inches; Depth with door open 90 degrees: 59 inches; Height: 67 inches.
3. Side by side:
Side-by-side units split your fridge right down the middle, offering you frozen foods on the left and fresh foods on the right. These models give you almost an equal space for both the sections however it offers you a larger space for the fridge. This can easily make up for a narrow freezer section offering you an extra place to store the food.
Many of these features are aimed at saving space, especially when it comes to the shelving inside the doors. Side-by-side units also don't need as much clearance to open the doors, making them ideal for narrow kitchens. The fridge offers a vertical split and you should opt for the widest model which will fit through your kitchen and your budget.
Average dimensions:
Width: 35 inches; Depth: 30 inches; Depth with door open 90 degrees: 45 inches; Height: 71 inches.
4. French Door:
The French door model is highly popular and it combines the drawer style freezer of a bottom freezer unit and the low clearance door of a side by side unit. This offers you a larger door with plenty of storage space. This means that you won't be getting quite as much cold air out when you're opening just one door to grab the milk.
With today's increasing demand for French Door fridges, you can find a huge variety of models along with added top line features.
Average dimensions:
Width: 35 inches; Depth: 29 inches; Depth with door open 90 degrees: 48 inches; Height: 68 inches.
#Tip: You can also upgrade the look of your fridge to match your kitchen or even camouflage itself entirely among your cabinets, but you will have to spend some extra bucks.
5. Counter height fridges:
This kind of fridge is a great choice if you want to save space. This fridge takes up the minimum volume and provides you with more uninterrupted counter space. But these fridges have some drawbacks. One of them is the storage. This amount of volume is sufficient for a single person living in the house who does not cook much or shops every couple of days but it is not sufficient for many people.
The other drawback is that it has a manual freezer. This means every month or two you must let your freezer compartment thaw out. The overall recommendation is to only go for a counter height if space is really limited and/or you are not a serious cook or you only like dealing with very fresh food.
6. Standard height fridge:
If you have a bit more room to play with and you like keeping things on hand that you don’t cycle through very fast (condiments, wine, etc), we recommend going with a standard height fridge. Unlike the counter fridge, most of these have an automatic defrost. You can choose from many kinds of options, although it is not the most stylish choice in the market.
Making the right decision according to the style and space:
When deciding the fridge, the first thing that you need to see is the dimensions including the height which includes the cabinets and the allowable height. Allow sufficient width for door swing(s). Though we often like to think in terms of food storage needs (capacity) first, the available space will have the final say on the size of the fridge you settle on. So, keep your expectations within your space and budget considerations.
Refrigerator models can have cabinets or full depth which may affect the space and availability. If you want a model with onboard ice and water then keep in mind that it will reduce the overall capacity along with requiring a plumbing connection.
The next thing that you need to decide is that whether you want a freezer compartment, if yes then where would you like it to be; on the side, on the top or the bottom.
Each style of refrigerator comes with its own set of features and convenience level. This includes features, shelving and humidity features. If you've nailed down your choices to a French door model, you can help to keep costs down by getting only food storage features that matter to you. Costs for this popular fridge style can be considerable, so choose wisely.
Conclusion:
Thus, there are many different options which are available today when it comes to refrigerators and it can be difficult to decide which one you want to opt for. While installation constraints and capacity need often dictate how large a model you should buy, how that refrigerator is designed (style) also matters.
The style of the fridge can impede or enhance your kitchen workflow, making for more efficient meal prep and that easily translates into saving time and energy. For a busy household, this can make a significant difference in your day.
The most important question that you need to ask yourself is:
“What do you need in your kitchen?”