Refrigerator Selection Guide

Bosch French Door GE Top Freezer

(B21CL780SNS) (GTE16GSHSS)

Frigidaire Side-By-Side Fischer and Paykel Built-In

(FPSC2277RF) (RS36W80RJ1)

Determining what refrigerator best suits your needs can be confusing at first, but with this guide, you
can turn a painful and time-consuming process into a simple selection. The following guide will give
you everything you need to know to make a well informed refrigerator purchase. We will take a look
at typical refrigerator sizes, configurations and features to choose the best refrigerator that fits your
needs and budget.
 Sizing & Capacity

Refrigerators are less standardized than most other appliances. Before looking at any refrigerator
you need to measure the exact width, height, and depth of the location housing your refrigerator.
Current refrigerator standards fit housings of 24, 27, 30, 33,36, 42, and 48. The unit itself will
be a bout a less wide than the housing fits. The below illustration will give you a good idea of
different refrigerator configurations, sizes and their capacities.

Refrigerator Sizing Chart

Product Height Width Depth Capacity

Top Mount 57-68" 27-33" 30-33" 15-18 cu. Ft.

Bottom Mount 65-69" 27-33" 30-34" 15-18 cu. Ft.
Side by Side 66-70" 33-36" 32-35" 21-26 cu. Ft.
Counter Depth 67-70" 33-36" 24" 22-25 cu. Ft.
French Door 65-69" 30-36" 30-34" 22-29 cu. Ft.
Built In 82-84" 21-48" 24" 18-28 cu. Ft.
Under Counter 34" 15, 18, 24" 24" varies

Storage Capacity
2 person households who frequently cook at home should
consider refrigerators in the 16-21.6 cubic foot range.
From there, add approximately 1.5 cubic feet for each additional
person in the household.
 Installation Options

Freestanding
These refrigerators require no special installation. They simply need to be plugged in and have the
water line attached (if applicable) and moved back into an empty housing. This makes freestanding
units less expensive to purchase and install compared to comparable products.

Bosch French Door GE Top Freezer

(B21CL80SNS) (GIE18GCHSA)
 Installation Options

Under counter
Under counter units install under a standard-height kitchen counter (34).
These are typically compact/bar refrigerators: wine storage units, combo beverage centers, ice
makers, bar taps, miniature refrigerators and so on. Most refrigerator types are offered in under
counter configurations. This is covered in more detail in the following pages.

Thermador Wine Reserve Marvel Refrigerator/Beverage Center Viking Refrigerated Drawers

(T24UW800RP) (MPRO6ARMBS) (VRDI5240DSS)
 Configurations

Top Freezer
Top Freezer or top mount models have recently declined in popularity due to more appealing models
such as French Door Refrigerators closing the pricing gap to the less expensive top mount units.
Regardless, top freezer refrigerators are the most affordable units available. They are also slightly
more energy efficient, but only around $40 annually which is not worth basing your decision on that
alone.
The disadvantage to these units is mostly accessibility, but also perceived aesthetic appearance. The
shelves that are used more often are at waist level or below, forcing you to bend over and reach for
commonly used items. This inefficiency usually causes consumers to consider other options.
Top Freezer units are great for rental properties and small families. Even though they have become
less popular, they tend to be readily available in most brands, making them easy to purchase/receive,
many times same-day.

Frigidaire Top Freezer (Top Mount)

(FFHT2131QS)
 Configurations
Side-By-Side
Side-by-side refrigerators are typically either 33 or 36 wide.
Side-by-side refrigerators solve the key design inefficiency of top and bottom mount units. In both
the refrigerator and freezer sections of these units, you can store the most commonly used items at
eye level for easy access.
The biggest disadvantage for the side-by-side configuration, due to the refrigerator only occupying
half of the width, is the lack of ability to store large platters and serving trays in the unit. If you host a
lot of parties, bake cakes, or make casseroles and desire to save leftovers in the original containers,
you might find yourself missing full-width shelves. More practical configurations for the above are
detailed in the following sections.

GE Side-By-Side
(GSE23GSKSS)
 Configurations
French Door
French Door refrigerators are the leading current trend in mid to high end personal kitchens. The
reasons are evident with the bottom slide out freezer drawer being accessible from above, so you do
not need to stoop down. The top section is a side-by-side configuration style, but with full-width
shelving. The shelves accommodate large serving platters and the interior is perfect for larger
families or consumers who entertain frequently and use the refrigerator more often than most.
Other benefits include the half-width doors which take up much less room in tight spaces, giving
consumers more room to maneuver when the unit is opened. This door configuration also allows just
opening half of the unit, keeping more chilled air in the refrigerator, making it more efficient in
re-stabilizing its internal temperature.

DCS French Door

(RF201ACJSX1)
 Configurations
Counter Depth
At just 24 deep, counter-depth refrigerators are designed to maximize floor space in your kitchen.
They also give the appearance of a semi-integrated look without the price of a truly built in
refrigerator. The body of the unit sits flush with your countertops with only the door protruding into
the kitchen space allowing the doors to open freely without bumping into your cabinets or walls.
Counter depth refrigerators compensate for their narrow profile by relocating their compressor to the
top of the unit from the back of the unit where typical compressors are located. As a result, a counter
depth refrigerator is typically taller than standard units. This should be considered if you are placing
your refrigerator underneath a cabinet. The taller units do increase the size of the unit, but the
capacity is still typically smaller than standard depth units. Also, because of this unique configuration,
counter depth models are often more expensive than standard depth versions. These units are
becoming more and more popular with the need to maximize usable kitchen space, specifically in
smaller kitchens that you might find in an apartment, condominium or town home.

Frigidaire French Door Counter-Depth

(FPBC2277RF)
 Configurations
Built In
Professional kitchens with custom designed cabinetry often feature refrigerators built directly into the
cabinets for a clean, streamline, and flush appearance. Thermador, Bosch and Liebherr are among
the industry leaders in built in refrigeration space. These units often come with Grill accessories to
trim out the top or bottom, and sometimes the sides of the refrigerator. These pieces are mostly
decoration or just used to hide the refrigerator components.

Integrated
Integrated refrigerators are installed exactly like built-in units, then outfitted with a cabinet panel to
integrate with your kitchen design. When an integrated refrigerator is closed, it looks exactly like the
rest of your kitchen cabinets. Consumers who desire to break away from the stainless steel look often
install integrated units for total customization and versatility. Integrated units represent the top of
the line as far as performance, reliability and appearance but come at a much higher price than other
options. Also, note that in addition to the refrigerator, the panels must be ordered and designed with
the exact specifications of the unit. Any cabinet company is familiar with producing cabinet panels for
appliances and all the information about the specifications is easily found in the installation literature
provided with each appliance. The same luxury brands mentioned above with Built In refrigeration
also excel in integrated appliances.

Fhiaba Built In Liebherr Integrated

(FM36BFILS) (HCB2062)
 Compact Solutions
Compact refrigerators come in two configurations: under-counter (for your bar) or freestanding (for
your outdoor grill/office/living space if desired, as some of these are under-counter as well).

Wine Refrigerators
For dedicated wine storage, wine refrigerators are highly recommended. The biggest advantage of a
wine refrigerator is more precise climate control. Wine refrigerators maintain a stabilized
temperature and humidity, auto adjusting when the door opens and heat escapes. Specialized
narrow racks also allow for more efficient usage of space compare to multi-purpose beverage centers.
There can be significant difference in the costs from unit to unit; the major factor is the number of
temperature zones available. More expensive units will have more than one temperature zone,
meaning you can keep different wines at different temperatures, such and red versus white wine.

Beverage Centers
Should you need storage for water, juice and beer alongside your wine racks, you could look into a
beverage center instead of a dedicated wine refrigerator. The cooling system is similar, but beverage
centers feature separate, dedicated temperature zones for different beverages. These are both
versatile and stylish, making them perfect for entertaining. Some units even come with automatic ice
makers accompanying beverage and wine storage. One last note for compact refrigeration is
consideration if you are placing your unit outside, say on your deck or installed in your outdoor
kitchen. Refrigeration that is placed outside must be outdoor rated to maintain proper consistent
operation. The difference is basically thicker construction and more protection for the components.
Units that are not outdoor rated may work for a period of time outside, but will inevitably fail.

ULine Wine Refrigerator Perlick Beverage Center

(U3036WCWCINT60B) (CL24BB33L)
 Compact Solutions
Under-counter Refrigerators
If your needs require a unit that is space saving, but you do not want to sacrifice features, under-
counter refrigerators offer both. They come equipped with shelves, crisper drawers, freezer space,
beverage storage and more. These units are ideal for offices or even in your living room next to your
entertainment system.

Ice Makers
Dedicated ice makers are typically installed adjacent to an under-counter beverage unit. These units
are becoming more and more popular with people using ice makers for all their ice needs as opposed
to using the ice made by your refrigerator. Most ice makers do not actually keep the produced ice
chilled, rather the units let the ice melt to preserve the freshness with the unit constantly producing
ice. You will need to understand where you drain is located in relation to your ice maker. If the unit
will be very close to a drain, you will not need a pump to force the water down the drain. However, if
the drain is not close to the unit, you will need an ice maker that is equipped with a pump. Some
models can be ordered with or without a pump and some are one or the other.

Beverage Dispenser with Tap (Tapper)

These units are obviously popular with home bars and refrigerate an internal keg. There are one or
more serving taps accessing the keg through a tower. You can use these units free-standing or install
them under a bar/counter. The latter will require precise measurements and modifications of the
countertop so the tower has exact access through the countertop and into the refrigerated unit.

Viking Under-counter Perlick Ice Maker Marvel Single Tap

(VRUO5240DLSS) (H50IMSADL) (ML24BSS2RB)
 How To Purchase
Now that you have a grasp of the refrigeration landscape, it is time to put it all together. Here are 3
things that you absolutely need to write down before buying your refrigerator:
1. Dimensions of the space for the unit (see chart on page 2)
2. Installation options (Freestanding, Built In, Under counter)
3. Configuration (Top-Freezer, Side-by-side, French Door, Counter Depth, Built In, Integrated)
To find your new refrigerator, click here for our refrigeration section of our website and search by
configuration. Then, you can use the left sidebar to filter by your dimensions, desired brand, price,
installation type, color, ice maker or not, dispenser or not, Sabbath mode or not. You can also select
multiple models to compare side by side until you find the perfect model for you. Should you prefer
to let us assist, you can give us a call at 513-533-0440 or visit us in person and one of our sales
associates would be happy to walk you through this process. We are conveniently located in the
heart of Oakley just North of downtown Cincinnati.
Thank you,
Reese Dorsey
General Manager, The Appliance Loft

Refrigerator Configuration Color

Bottom Freezer Built In Refrigerator Black
Bottom Freezer Freestanding Refrigerator Black Stainless Steel
Compact Refrigerator Custom Panel Ready
French Door Built In Refrigerator Red
French Door Freestanding Refrigerator Silver
No Freezer Built In Refrigerator Slate
No Freezer Freestanding Refrigerator Stainless Steel
Refrigerated Drawer White
Side By Side Built In Refrigerator Sort by
Side By Side Freestanding Refrigerator Price, Low to High
Specialty Refrigerator Alphabetically, A - Z
Top Freezer Built In Refrigerator Sabbath Mode
Top Freezer Freestanding Refrigerator Yes
Wine Coolers No
Number of Shelves Icemaker
2 Yes
3 No
4 Dispenser
5 Yes
6 No