At Wiens, our goal is to make your refrigerator buying experience informative, exciting, and stress-free! This guide will help you navigate counter-depth refrigeration, a popular choice that helps create a cohesive look throughout your kitchen.
So, what exactly is a counter-depth refrigerator?
The main difference between a counter-depth (can also be called shallow-depth) refrigerator and a standard depth is a counter-depth doesn’t protrude from your cabinets, creating a clean, more linear appearance in your kitchen!
The one drawback people have with counter-depth refrigerators is that they aren’t as deep, meaning there is less room for food storage and bigger items such as trays and platters. The good news is you can go wide with counter-depth refrigerators, making up for that lost space! You can even gain space in height, with a built-in refrigerator, which we’ll dive into later on.
There are 3 types of counter-depth refrigerators!
1. Regular Counter-Depth
2. Built-In Counter-Depth
3. Integrated/Columns
Regular Counter-Depth
Regular counter-depth refrigerators are the most popular style of counter-depth refrigerators. They come in 24”, 30”, 33”, and 36” widths. They are the least expensive of the 3 types. They’re available in many different configurations; bottom mount, side-by-side, and French door, and double French door.
- Bottom Mount: The freezer is on the bottom, the refrigerator is on top. Available in larger capacities.
- Side-by-Side: These fridges have more organized storage.
- French Door: A French door fridge is a side-by-side refrigerator with a pull-out bottom freezer. It has better lateral storage for bigger items.
- Double-Door French Door: Just like the regular French door refrigerator but with an added drawer (or two); perfect for entertaining!
Regular counter-depth refrigerators are typically between 20 to 25 cu ft capacity. They are not typically panel-ready because the door is thick. The door and handle will protrude from the cabinet, so if you want it completely seamless, keep on reading as we will cover integrated refrigeration in a little bit!
A few of our favourites:
Jenn-Air 36-Inch Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator
Samsung 36-Inch Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator
KitchenAid 36-Inch Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator
Frigidaire Gallery 36-Inch Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator
Electrolux 36-Inch Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator
Built-In Counter-Depth
Built-In counter-depth refrigerators have an industrial look that mimics the refrigeration used in commercial kitchens. The majority of these fridges stand taller than any other type of counter-depth fridges. They’re typically 84” high with the compressors at the top of the unit (ventilation). They’re completely secured to the cabinet and come in 30”, 36”, 42”, 48” sizes with 36” being the most popular size. These refrigerators definitely make a statement, much like a professional range does.
A few of our favourites:
Sub-Zero 36-Inch Bottom Freezer Refrigerator
Sub-Zero 48-Inch Side-by-Side Refrigerator
Jenn-Air 42-Inch French Door Refrigerator
Integrated/Columns
There is a difference between built-in refrigeration and integrated! Built-in refrigerators are secured to the cabinets but still protrude out for a professional look. You do see the panel beyond the cabinet as opposed to an integrated fridge, which seamlessly blends into your cabinetry for the ultimate custom look. You can buy stainless steel inserts but the integrated look looks best with custom panels. Integrated refrigerators are typically 18”, 24”, 27”, 30”, and 36”, but there are a lot of different widths and styles. This style is the much shallower but gives you more width and food visibility. No more hidden leftovers at the back of the fridge!
Column refrigeration is essentially a separate full fridge and a separate full freezer. You would typically buy two columns to complete a kitchen. Widths are typically 18”, 24”, 30”, and 36”. Columns give you the flexibility to choose the size of fridge or freezer that suits your lifestyle; for example, if your family buys a lot of fresh food, you may prefer to have a larger refrigerator. The beautiful thing about column refrigeration is that you have the flexibility to put the columns in different areas of your kitchen (or in your pantry!) Column refrigerators are panel ready.
A few of our favourites:
Sub-Zero 36-Inch Bottom Freezer Refrigerator
Thermador 23.5-Inch Built-In All Refrigerator
Thermador 11.2 Upright Freezer
