I bought a counter fridge and here is what I honestly think about it 2 years later (hint: other brands and con con)

Two years ago, then at this time, I revealed my rental kitchen is renovating. In the months leading up to that, I mourned my journey by finding “before” and “after,” and one of the biggest investments in my equipment. When my family moved in, we had a broken white range, a black (and old) sink, and a very small fridge, it’s in the apartment, and it’s white. It was a mishmash of pheles and not one of those materials that suited our needs.

It took me about a year full of hunting for new-to-me, kitchen supplies in my budget, but I finally did it. The biggest find was my refrigerator, mainly because I had very specific restrictions, including needing a depth model. Not only that, but the way they are represented is cut by a slight overhang in the place where the Fridge sits, it would not be able to accommodate a standard 36-inch diameter model. We needed a fridge freezer.

Here are a few excerpts from my kitchen that reveal this process:

“Let me tell you… Finding a 33-inch freezer in the counter-depth (this space needed) was close to doing something that fits that stock. And then I did it. But I did it. But I did it. But I love our refrigerator… it makes me so happy every day.”

So, here I am, 700-plus days later… Do I still love you? Am I still very happy every day? Yes, mostly, although it is complicated. And that’s what I’m here to talk about today.

What is a counterfridge, and why does one need (or want) one?

A counter-top refrigerator is what it sounds like: a refrigerator that’s about as deep as a standard kitchen countertop, usually standing between 24 and 36 inches deep and extending back 36 inches. So, why is it worth it, and why do I personally choose to go with the opposite depth? I’m glad you asked.

I grew up in homes where there was a built-in box cabinet that dumped a high-end refrigerator. That looks like this:

Our fridges sit inside a frame designed for their depth, with an upper drawer that extends beyond the larger ones. We had a good amount of walking space around the fridge, too. Some people (or especially, designers) don’t like this because it breaks with having a seamless line. You can see that in the picture above. It certainly doesn’t look bad when it’s done right, in my opinion, but it’s become more common recently to have a fridge, especially if it’s integrated / panel-ready, which is perfect for countertops and lower cabinets.

The way around this, if you care, is to have your fridge on its wall built into floor-to-ceiling cabinets without counter space, like this:

None of this, it was my situation. I was not renovating a custom kitchen. I was hoping to find my rental kitchen – where I spend a large amount of time cooking, eating, or cleaning a small amount of “bargain bekatement” and “a good family home. As I said at the beginning of this article, I was working with some limitations in terms of width, and after measuring, I realized that the standard depth can just stick to 10 inches past 10 centimeters past 10 centimeters past my past centimeters past my past centimeters my inches break my rule. In a kitchen with a solid color like mine, an appliance that applies far to the center space but also determines the flow physically and visually. I know I’ll have to look for something to combat the depth caused by the placement where my fridge was on the floor plan.

I found this great Instagram comparison on Instagram of the different (Note: This is not in my kitchen) to get a sense of how much stretch is best:

My fridge freezer, where I bought it and what I paid for it

This post is not intended to be a kind of endorsement of the refrigerator that we have finished getting, but I wanted to include it in case it is useful to anyone, and also because I wanted to show how much a few centimeters in the fridge are. Here is the model I ended up buying (Reminder: I bought mine used on the Facebook marketplace for about $600).

Below the same fridge, but instead of being 31 centimeters deep, it is 37.5 centimeters deep. (Remember that the fridge itself is 36 inches, but the final dimensions include the handles, too.) A difference of six inches equals about six cubic feet of difference. That, my friends, is more space inside the fridge. Also, note that the small counter depth model is $100 more expensive than the standard fridge. From what I understand, that price increase is due in part to supply and demand (it just makes fewer anti-depth blocks than normal depth), but also because the cost of producing them is higher.

These are important things to remember when thinking about counter depth, but more on my own experience with reduced space, in particular, below. Keep reading!

My honest thoughts, 2 years later.

There are many advantages to our refrigerator, but there are still others. Let’s start with the positives, because I hope.

Good:

• It fits! Above and beyond that, that was my first thing, obviously.
• No extra six inches stuck to my already tight kitchen!
• Apart from the aesthetics of its size, the most convenient part of the refrigerator is that, because it is not deep, food does not get lost in the holes of your chiller. Playing Jar Jenga is too much for me, pulling pickles, pasta sauce My fridge can only hold two to three items before hitting the back wall. For some, this can be CO CO CO CO, because it prevents storage, but for someone like me, who often has leftover containers to deal with (and needs constant reminders, they have food at home), it reduces food waste.

From where I come (the basic model of the top-freezer that is loved by the owners of the world for its price tag), the fridge is a big update, be it depth or not. Much of what I love to begin with can be attributed to this, as well as the construction of the French door. I loved the easy access everywhere on the inside side of the door, the wide Deli drawer, and the flexible shelves.

HELP:

• Several model options to choose from. This is one of my biggest challenges, mainly because I need to be deceptively deep and only 33 inches wide (36 inches wide and deep is standard). This is more popular, thankfully, so the supply increases as the demand.
• They are very expensive, as I already said.
• Reduce cubic storage. You can also expect a deep freezer to have a capacity of anywhere from 17 to 25 cubic feet (LG makes some with really enlarged interiors), with an average of 22 by 22 feet. A typical refrigerator has a footprint of about 20 to 30 feet, depending on the style, model, and diameter.

Now that I’ve lived with this size fridge for over two years, I can say that I’ve been frustrated at times by not having enough room. We are a family of two adults and one small child, and there is very little room for my food. I usually go shopping all week and hit things with hope and prayer. Granted, I buy enough food to cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, and at least six days worth of snacks. Also, we keep our big water pitcher there because there is no water line to that side of the kitchen, so the water dispenser doesn’t work, and I need cold water to survive. If you are the type of person who buys a few meals a few meals a week, there is only a day or two for you, or you cut back more than I produce according to your preferences, milk / drinks, it may be good for you.

In the future kitchen of my choice, this size just won’t cut it for my cooking style. I’m sure it will feel better with a full width of 36-inches, but at that time, even for a “pro” not to miss the food in the back of the fridge and I would get the purpose of the time of my place.

–

That’s my assessment, but this is a community where your opinions are very valuable (and diverse), so please Chime in your comments related to the counter fridge, for better or for worse.

Until next time, friends…

Photo Opening: Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House Kitchen reveals