Hey everyone! I'm looking for some advice on fridge shopping. We live in a historic home with a small kitchen that was renovated beautifully, but we're in a bit of a pickle with our fridge situation. Currently, we have a narrow side-by-side fridge measuring 68"x32.75"x32" (HWD), but it's reached the end of its life. My wife has her heart set on a new fridge which is just slightly too wide and tall for our cabinet space—it's 70" tall and 35 3/4" wide, while the actual cavity in the cabinets is 69 7/8" tall and 35 9/16" wide.
The cabinets don't seem to be high-end wood, just painted MDF, so I'm wondering if it would be better to try to widen the cavity to fit this fridge or if that's going to cause more headaches and we'd be better off rebuilding the cabinets entirely. Any thoughts?
3 Answers
Try using websites that let you input the fridge dimensions! I found a great tool that helped me find options that would fit by brand and size, and then I could check them out locally or even order online. It might save you a lot of hassle!
It really depends on your cabinet’s construction. Modifying the boxes usually isn’t too tough, but doors can be tricky. If you decide to go this route, just remember that cabinet styles can influence how easy it is to adjust. It could be worth having a pro take a look to see what options you have!
I recently went through a similar fridge hunt in my custom cabinet kitchen. Here’s what I learned: when checking dimensions, always go beyond just the fridge specs. Look for installation guides that provide more accurate measurements, including space needed for door swings and any hinge adjustments. You might find that shaving off an inch isn't enough because opening the doors may require extra space. If your cabinets have a lip that's easy to modify, you might be able to get away with that. However, if they're set up in a way that’s more complicated, you could end up having to remove a whole section. So absolutely measure everything, and don’t buy a fridge that extends too far into your walkway—nobody wants that! Oh, and avoid Samsung and LG if you can; they're known for short lifespans!
Thanks for sharing your experience! That’s really helpful advice about the installation guides. I’m glad to hear others have had success with tricky measurements.
Thanks for your input! I’ll definitely consider having someone assess the situation.