Will the French door fridge fit?
French door fridges are wide and deep. Check if one fits your kitchen space with the gaps it needs, and whether it gets through the doors on the way in.
The checks
Biggest size for this spot
Ways to make it work
Why French door fridges need extra care
A French door fridge has two half-width doors on top and usually a pull-out freezer drawer below. They’re among the largest fridges you can buy, often around 30, 33 or 36 inches wide (about 76, 84 or 91 cm) and 68 to 71 inches tall (about 173 to 180 cm). The depth is what surprises most people: a standard-depth model can stick out well past your kitchen counters.
That size causes trouble at the front door too. With the default sizes above, a 36-inch fridge only just gets through a 36-inch door. That’s why delivery crews often take the fridge doors and handles off, which can make it a lot shallower. The manual or the shop can tell you the “depth without doors”.
Standard depth or counter depth?
Standard-depth French door fridges hold more but often sit several inches proud of the counters. Counter-depth models are shallower, so they line up more neatly with the cabinets, but they hold less. If you want a flush look, measure from the back wall to the front edge of your counter (not the cabinet doors) and use that as the spot depth.
Doors, drawers and the wall
French doors need less room in front than one big door, because each door is only half the width. The freezer drawer still pulls straight out, so leave enough floor in front for it and for you. Next to a wall, check the hinge side: many fridges need their doors to open past 90 degrees before the crisper drawers will slide out. The checker warns you when a hinge sits too close to a wall.
How to measure your fridge space
- Width: measure the opening between cabinets or walls at the top, middle and bottom. Use the smallest number.
- Height: measure from the floor to the underside of any cabinet above. Leave room for the top hinges.
- Depth: measure from the back wall to where you want the fridge front to sit. Remember the water line for the ice maker and the plug behind.
- The way in: measure every door and hallway between your front door and the kitchen at their narrowest points.
More fit checkers
Buying a different kind of fridge? Use the fridge fit checker, which covers single door, double door and side-by-side models. Doing the laundry room too? Try the washing machine and dryer checkers.
Questions
Does the listed depth include the doors and handles?
It depends on the brand. Look in the specifications for “depth with doors”, “depth without doors” and “depth with handles”, and use the biggest number for the spot and the smallest for getting it through doorways.
How much space does a French door fridge need around it?
Typical starting points are a small gap on each side, about 1 inch (2 to 3 cm) above, and about 2 inches (5 cm) behind for air and the water line. Many models need extra side space on the hinge side so the doors open fully. Your fridge’s installation guide gives the exact numbers.
Can I lay a French door fridge down to move it?
It’s better to keep it upright. If it has to be tipped, most makers say to let it stand upright for several hours before switching it on. Check your manual for the exact time.
How accurate is this?
The tool treats the fridge as a box, so it’s a careful estimate, not a guarantee. If the result is orange, measure again before you buy.