Two years ago around this time, I published a refresh of my rental kitchen. In the months leading up to that, I chronicled my journey from ‘before’ to ‘after’. One of the major overhauls was home appliances. When my family moved in, we had a partially broken white electric coil range, a black (and old) dishwasher, and a very small, also white, apartment-style refrigerator. It was a hodgepodge of finishes and none of their appliances suited our needs.
It took me almost a whole year to find new and used kitchen appliances within my budget, but I finally found them. The biggest gain was the refrigerator. Mainly because there were very specific limitations, such as the need for a depth-aware model. Not only that, but the countertop was cut to slightly overhang the area where the refrigerator sits, so it couldn’t even accommodate a standard 36-inch wide model. I needed a counter depth refrigerator.
Here is an excerpt from my kitchen reveal about this process.
“Let me tell you… it was nearly impossible to find a 33-inch refrigerator with counter depth (which this space needed). It’s safe to say they make three models that meet that requirement. Across the market. And if you’re looking for one of those used I tried to put it on, well, it was Everest territory. But I did it. And the elation I felt is what I imagine a stockbroker would feel when doing a job like being a stockbroker. I love the refrigerator and am so happy every day.”
So here I am, over 700 days later…I still love it? Am I still so happy every day? Well, mostly, although it’s complicated. That’s what I want to talk about here today.
What is a depth countertop refrigerator? Why would someone need (or want) one?
A countertop deep refrigerator is exactly what it sounds like. A refrigerator that is about the same depth as a standard kitchen countertop, usually in the 24-30 inch range, while a standard deep-deep refrigerator is 30-36 inches deep and may extend beyond the countertop. So why exactly is it important and why did I personally choose Counter Depth? I’m glad you asked.
I grew up in a house that had a cabinet box that could hold a standard-depth refrigerator. It looks like this:
Our refrigerator fit nicely into a frame made for depth, and the top cabinets also extended longer than the rest of the top cabinets. There was also enough space to move around the fridge. Some people (or mostly designers) don’t like this because it takes away from the seamless lines. You can see it in the photo above. In my opinion, it certainly doesn’t look bad if done well, but it’s becoming the norm for refrigerators these days to be flush with the countertop or lower cabinet, especially if they’re integrated/panel compatible.
A way around this, if you’re concerned, is to wall-mount the refrigerator inside a floor-to-ceiling cupboard with no counter space, like this:
Of course, none of these were my scenarios. We did not renovate the custom kitchen. I just wanted the rental kitchen, where I spend countless hours cooking, eating, and cleaning up, to look more like a nice family home and less like a cheap dumpster in the basement. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, I was working around some restrictions regarding width, but after measuring, I realized that the standard depth would protrude almost 10 inches from the countertop. In a narrow U-shaped kitchen like ours, a fixture that protrudes this far into the central space is not only an eyesore, but also cuts off the physical and visual flow. Considering the location of the refrigerator in the floor plan, I know I have to look for something with more depth.
To give you an idea of how much the standard depth sticks out, I found a great photo on Instagram of a side-by-side comparison of different things (note: this is not what I have in my kitchen).
My refrigerator specs, where did I buy it and how much did I pay?
This post is not a strong recommendation for the refrigerator we ended up purchasing, but I wanted to include it in case it was helpful to someone, and to show how much of a difference a few inches of depth can make to the inside of a refrigerator. Here’s the model I ended up purchasing (note: I bought it used on Facebook Marketplace for about $600).
Below is the same refrigerator, but instead of 31 inches deep, it’s 37.5 inches deep. (Note that the refrigerator itself is 36 inches, but the final dimensions include the handle.) A 6-inch difference equates to almost a 6-cubic-foot difference. Guys, there’s a lot of space in your refrigerator. Also, keep in mind that models with smaller counter depths cost $100 more than regular refrigerators. From what I understand, the price increase is primarily due to supply and demand (they simply produce fewer counter-depth refrigerators than standard depth), but also due to higher manufacturing costs.
These are important things to keep in mind when considering something to counter depth, but I’ll explain more about my personal experience with reduced space in particular below. Keep reading!
Honest thoughts after 2 years.
There are many good points about our refrigerator, but there are also some bad points. I’m an optimist, so let’s start with the positive.
Strong Points:
- It’s perfect! More than anything, that was my top priority.
- There’s no need to add another 6 inches to your already small kitchen.
- Aside from the aesthetics of their size, the most convenient thing about counter-deep refrigerators is that their shallow depth means that your food won’t get lost inside the refrigerator cavity. Playing jar Jenga is way too exciting for me, just pulling the pickles, pasta sauce, and relish out of the way to get to the Kalamata olives in the back. In my refrigerator, I can only nest it two or three times before it hits the back wall. This may be a negative for some people, as it limits storage space, but for people like me, who are frequently saddled with containers of leftover food (and, yes, need constant reminders that there is food in the house), it greatly limits food waste.
From where I came from (a basic top freezer model beloved by homeowners for its price), the refrigerators have been significantly upgraded, with and without counter depth. I think a lot of the reason I like this car is because of this and the French door design. I love how easy it is to access all the space inside the door, the wide deli drawer, and adjustable shelves.
Cons:
- There are fewer model options to choose from. This was one of the biggest challenges for me. Especially since I needed the counter to be both just 33 inches deep and wide (standard is 36 inches wide and deep). Thankfully, these are becoming increasingly popular, so the supply is increasing along with the demand.
- As already mentioned, they are more expensive.
- Reduced cubic storage. Counter-depth refrigerators also have a capacity of 17 to 25 cubic feet (LG also offers some with a maxed-out interior), with the average being around 22 cubic feet. A standard refrigerator can hold about 20 to 30 cubic feet, depending on the style, model, and width.
I’ve been living with a refrigerator of this size for over two years now, and I think there have been times when I’ve gotten frustrated simply because I don’t have enough space. We are a family of 2 adults and 1 young child and there is barely enough space for all of our groceries. I usually go shopping for the week and move forward with hopes and prayers. Sure, I buy enough groceries to cover at least 6 days worth of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Additionally, there is no running water on this side of the kitchen, so I keep a large water pitcher there. Therefore, the water server does not work and they need cold water to survive. If you’re the type of person who only buys groceries a few times a week, or if you only have one or two people, or if you buy less than I do in terms of condiments, milk/drinks, and produce, that might be OK.
In the kitchen I choose in the future, this size won’t suit my cooking style. Although I think a full-size 36-inch width would be more comfortable, I would still probably choose the largest refrigerator I could find for the space footprint, even with the “pro” requirements of not losing food in the back of the fridge and making it more accessible.
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That’s my assessment, but this is a (and diverse) community where all opinions are respected, so please feel free to share your own experiences related to counter-depth refrigerators, good or bad, in the comments below.
Until next time, friends…
Opening image credit: Photo by sarah ligoria trump |Source: Mountain House Kitchen Reveal
Source: Emily Henderson – stylebyemilyhenderson.com
