How deep is a 36 inch refrigerator

Whether you’re getting ready to remodel your kitchen for a fresh space to create or simply replacing an older refrigerator with a new one, finding the right model takes a little prepping. With the right refrigerator measurements, you can find the perfect fridge to complement your kitchen for all your culinary creations. Use this guide to learn how to measure refrigerator dimensions as well as to familiarize yourself with the different refrigerator styles and sizes.

Note: When buying or installing a new fridge, always make sure to consult the owner’s manual and installation instructions for model-specific information.

What are Standard Refrigerator Dimensions?

Standard sizes vary due to the variety of configurations and styles. However, for most refrigerators, width can range from 24 to 40 inches, height can range from 61 to 72 inches, and depth typically ranges from 28 to 35 inches.

The dimensions for your new fridge will depend on the style you choose. Use this overview of fridge dimensions by style to help narrow your search.

Side-by-Side Refrigerator

Keep all your chilled and frozen ingredients accessible and within line of sight with a side-by-side refrigerator. These fridges range from 30 to 36 inches wide, 67 to 70 inches tall and  29 to 35 inches deep. KitchenAid offers a wide selection of stylish Side-by-Side Refrigerators designed to not just solve all your storage needs, but to help preserve your fresh ingredients with the Preserva® Food Care System.

French Door Refrigerator

Built with narrower doors that take up less space when opened for a better flow of your kitchen, French door refrigerators will keep your food fresh and organized within easy line of sight. This style has a width that can range from 30 to 36 inches, 67 to 70 inches in height, and 29 to 35 inches in depth. You can also shop KitchenAid® French Door Counter-Depth Refrigerators that offer a more seamless and elevated look to your kitchen.

Built-In Refrigerator

Similar to counter-depth refrigerators, this style is designed to offer you plenty of storage capacity while also providing clean lines and more of a designer feel to your space. These models can be quite large, with widths generally ranging from 36 to 48 inches, height topping upwards of 83 inches, and a depth of about 28 inches. KitchenAid® Built-In Refrigerators are the perfect addition to your kitchen, storing all your items at the perfect temperature, so when inspiration strikes, you can count on having fresh ingredients. Learn more about what a built-in refrigerator is and the benefits it can bring to your kitchen.

Counter-Depth Refrigerator

Like built-in fridges, you can find counter-depth refrigerators in several styles, including side-by-side, and French door. Their depth is around 24 to 25 inches—the standard for most kitchen counters. These refrigerators are meant to sit flush with counters and cabinets for a more seamless and custom design to your kitchen. They may also be slightly taller and wider to make up for the shallower depth.

Undercounter Refrigerator

Undercounter fridges usually top at around 34 inches in height, 20 to 24 inches in width, and a depth of around 18 to 26 inches. If you love entertaining as much as you love creating in the kitchen, you can find a selection of undercounter refrigerators by KitchenAid that offers more space to keep all your favorite beverages and other ingredients perfectly chilled for you and your guests.

Top Freezer Refrigerator

As the name suggests, this type of refrigerator will have the freezer compartment on top, and standard dimensions for this fridge range from 28 to 33 inches in width, 61 to 66 inches in height and 28 to 35 inches in depth.

Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

Bottom freezers refrigerators, which are designed to keep food within easy reach, can range from 24 to 33 inches in width, 65 to 69 inches in height and 24 to 33 inches in depth. Select KitchenAid® Bottom Freezer Refrigerators feature a metal wine rack which provides a durable storage solution for up to four bottles of wine or 2-liter containers.

How to Measure Standard Refrigerator Dimensions

Find out what refrigerator dimensions will best fit your kitchen space with these instructions. Remember that you will need to find the measurements for both the cabinet cut-outs of where the refrigerator will go as well as the surrounding space, so you can bring home the refrigerator that’s perfect fit.   

What You’ll Need

• Measuring tape 

• Pen 

• Paper 

• This guide as a reference

1. Measure the Width

With your measuring tape, find the distance from wall to counter, from cabinet to cabinet, or whatever will be on either side of the fridge space.

2. Measure Space Clearance

You’ll want to measure the space in front of the fridge to make sure there’s enough room for the refrigerator doors and cabinet drawers to open fully. 

NOTE: If your fridge is going next to a wall, ensure you have anywhere from 2½ to 4 inches between the wall and the refrigerator so the doors can swing open without obstruction.

3. Measure the Height

If you have cabinets above where your refrigerator will go, measure from the floor to the bottom of the cabinets. You’ll want to do this twice as some older houses may have settled over the years, leading to imperfect angles. First, measure from the floor to the front of the cabinets and again from the back of the space, top to bottom. If the measurements are different, use the shorter of the two.

4. Measure the Depth

Since refrigerators come in two different depths, you’ll first have to decide if you want a standard-depth or counter-depth refrigerator. Once you've selected the style you want: 

Standard-Depth Refrigerator - Measure from the wall to the front edge of your cabinets. Standard-depth refrigerators typically extend about six additional inches past standard kitchen cabinetry.

Counter-Depth Refrigerator - Measure from the wall to the front edge of your cabinets. The cabinet of your counter-depth fridge should be flush with the rest of the kitchen cabinetry. Keep in mind that the door will still protrude past the front of your cabinets by about 3 inches.

If you have an island in front of your refrigerator location, you’ll also need to measure the distance from the front of the fridge to the island so that the doors and cabinet drawers can open without obstructing each other. This is true for anything you plan to permanently place in front of your refrigerator like a kitchen cart or standalone cabinet.

5. Measure for Clearance and Ventilation

There should also be enough room for clearance and proper ventilation so that your new fridge can run properly. A minimum clearance of one to two inches will be needed from the wall to the back of the refrigerator, as well as an additional ½ inch to one inch on either side and top of the fridge.

6. Measure the Path to Install the Refrigerator

Refrigerators aren’t necessarily small, so to make sure that you can get your new fridge inside your kitchen, map out and measure the path from the front of the house to its installation spot. Make sure to note the width of every hallway and doorway of the delivery path. If the spaces are narrow and a tight squeeze, removing the refrigerator doors can give you some extra room to work with.

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What is the Difference Between Counter-Depth and Standard Depth Refrigerator Sizes?

The biggest difference is that counter-depth refrigerators are typically shallower than standard-depth refrigerators. Because counter-depth fridges are meant to provide a seamless look to your kitchen, they will stand nearly flush with your cabinetry and counters. They may also have a slightly smaller footprint, giving you more room to move freely and comfortably around your kitchen.

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How to Measure for an Undercounter Refrigerator

Since undercounter fridges usually go in between kitchen cabinets, measure the height, width and depth of the cabinet cut-out of where the fridge will go. Add half an inch of space for ventilation on each side as well as the back for ventilation.

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