The Least Expensive "True" Counter-Depth Refrigerator Solutions

A counter-depth refrigerator, via Bosch

You'll often hear it said that appliances come in standard sizes, but there's a great deal of variation in refrigerators. So-called "standard" 36-inch refrigerators vary in height and width, and more importantly, depth. This is immediately apparent to anyone shopping for a "counter-depth" fridge. What the industry calls a "counter-depth" fridge costs several thousand dollars more than a conventional refrigerator—and still protrudes past your countertops. If you're looking for a more streamlined look, here are the options.

Recessed, Counter-Depth, Built-In, or Fully Integrated

Before you go shopping for your refrigerator, become familiar with the common terms. A standard, 36-inch wide, refrigerator is about 33 inches deep. The standard base cabinet is 24 inches deep. If you purchase a standard fridge, a good 8-9 inches will protrude past the surrounding cabinetry. If you purchase a so-called "counter-depth" refrigerator it will cost a few thousand more, and the doors will still protrude a few inches past the cabinets. Only a built-in or integrated model will sit level with your cabinet doors. 

So, what's a budget-minded homeowner to do?

A standard refrigerator extends a good 8-9 inches past the cabinet fronts

Recess a Full-Depth Refrigerator

If you love the counter-depth look but are put off by the price or even by the reduced interior cubic feet, a clever workaround is to recess it into the wall. This can be a smart and smart-looking option. Not only will you be able to get by with a lower cost standard refrigerator with the highest interior cubic feet available but you'll also be able to replace your refrigerator years into the future at a low replacement cost. 

Recessing a refrigerator can require some advance planning. Your contractor (or you, if you are handy) will need to carve out a recess into the rear wall of up to 8 inches by removing drywall and studs. And if the wall in question is a retaining wall, you will need to install a reinforcement beam. 

Note: This solution will not be completely "integrated." You will have a few inches gap on the sides of the fridge, so that the doors can swing open. If you overlook this, it could make opening the doors fully or even removing interior shelves and drawers difficult or even impossible.

A counter-depth refrigerator protrudes a few inches past the cabinets, via Bosch

Counter-Depth Refrigerators

Another option is the counter-depth fridge. Though a counter-depth refrigerator may sound like a dream come true, it's a bit of a misnomer, as the doors still extend past the counter top and surrounding cabinetry. (See photo above.) You can't recess the doors past the hinges or the doors won't open. Another thing to note about these models is that as you lose depth, you lose interior cubic feet, and thus, storage space. For models that cost a few hundred dollars more than standard refrigerators, it may not seem worth it to some buyers. 

A built-in refrigerator, via BlueStar

Built-In Refrigerators

Built-in models have no gaps on the sides, as they have special hinges that allow the doors to open without swinging wider. Zero-clearance models include Sub Zero, Liebherr, Bosch, BlueStar, Fisher and Paykel, and Haier, among many others. Search for "zero-clearance." 

My refrigerator, a Liebherr that has been paneled and is integrated

Integrated Refrigerators

Integrated refrigerators look seamless. To achieve this seamlessness, you pay about twice the cost of a standard refrigerator. Integrated models are sold without panels. The buyer can choose to purchase a stainless steel panel, if you like that look, or to order panels from your cabinet maker for a more streamlined look, both at extra cost.

My refrigerator, during installation and before the panels were installed

I ordered panels to match my pantries from the cabinet maker

Paneled models are the most expensive. The Sub Zero 36-inch currently costs about $13,000. I went with German-made Liebherr at half the cost; they're now about $7,500—middle of the range—and I'm very happy with it. At the lower end of the integrated price range there is also the Fisher and Paykel Active Smart refrigerator that ranges from $4,000 for stainless steel to $7,000 for a tall, panel-ready model. Designers love the F&P, as contractors encounter few problems installing it. But note that it does have the least amount of interior storage space. Though sold in three heights—72, 80, and 84 inches tall—that's a bit misleading, as all three models are exactly the same refrigerator, sold in different enclosure sizes. 

via Houzz

All three have the same internal capacity (16.8 cu. ft.), the same layout, same number of shelves and bins. 

via Houzz

The only difference is the taller 80-inch and 84-inch models sit on an elevated platform and are fitted with longer doors. 

via Houzz

The taller F&P models cost a few thousand more. If you don't mind paying more for "the look" of a taller refrigerator that integrates into your tall pantries, F&P might be the fridge for you. After you panel them they're visually on par with very high-end models like Sub-Zero.

Fridge and freezer columns, via Subzero

Columns

Separate freezer and refrigerator columns is a trend that's been gaining momentum among high-end kitchen designers. It can sometimes solve workflow issues. It can address the problem in a kitchen design where there isn't enough room along one run to house both together. Or it can simply present nice symmetry in designs that call for for a column on either end of a run. Though it's the most expensive option, I briefly considered it. I'm a weekend batch cooker and I need as much freezer space as refrigerator space, if not more.

Batch cooking in my old narrow, galley kitchen—I don't miss it!

The skinniest column available is the 18-inch-wide Subzero. A fridge and freezer pair would have fit side by side in my 36-inch space, however, the cost! Each column costs about $7,000. Yikes! The freezer column also does not provide much more space than in a standard side by side fridge like the one I was replacing in our remodel. In addition, a skinny fridge doesn't allow for storage of big platters, like a Thanksgiving turkey. In the end I went with the 36-inch-wide Liebherr that has two freezer drawers on the bottom, plus I added an additional under-the-counter unit of two freezer drawers, installed at the end of my sink run. That unit is the panel-ready Summit CL2F249, roughly $2,000, and it performs well for my cooking needs. 

I love the additional freezer drawers at the end of my sink run