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Buying guide

Measuring a niche for an integrated refrigerator

Measure the niche, not the old fridge. Take the internal width, height and depth of the cabinet opening, check the ventilation gap the appliance needs, and confirm whether you are buying a full-height column or a combined fridge-freezer.

The four measurements that decide it

An integrated refrigerator is fixed inside a housing, so the housing has to match the appliance rather than the other way round. Measure the opening itself, at the tightest point, with the cabinet doors open and any shelves or rails removed.

  • Width: internal width of the niche between the cabinet sides.
  • Height: from the base of the housing to the underside of the top panel.
  • Depth: from the front of the cabinet to the back panel, allowing for the appliance door and the service space behind.
  • Ventilation: the air gap the manufacturer requires at the top and rear, which is not optional on an integrated unit.

Column or combined

A column setup uses one full-height refrigerator and a separate freezer, which gives more capacity but needs two housings. A combined fridge-freezer fits a single tall housing and is the commoner choice in an apartment kitchen. Decide this before measuring, because it changes the height you need.

Door fixing and hinges

Integrated appliances take a cabinet door on the front, fixed with a sliding or fixed hinge system, and the door furniture has to be compatible with the kitchen's own hinges. Check the hinge type stated for the model, and check the door swing against the run of cabinets, because a tall door needs clearance to open past a handle or a wall.

What to send to Pro

Send the niche width, height and depth, whether the housing is a column or a combined unit, and the hinge direction you need. Pro can then match models in the catalogue to those dimensions instead of guessing from the visible size.

Integrated Refrigerators in the catalogue

100 products match this guide's recommendation, 44 of them in stock today. Showing 8, in-stock first.

See the full selection on Integrated Refrigerators or browse Built-in Refrigerators.

Measuring a niche for an integrated refrigerator: common questions

Can I replace a freestanding fridge with an integrated one?

Only if a matching cabinet housing exists or can be built, because an integrated appliance is fixed inside a housing. A freestanding fridge usually needs a taller, wider and deeper space than the housing of a comparable integrated unit.

Why is the ventilation gap so important?

An integrated refrigerator rejects heat through the front of the kitchen. Without the airflow the manufacturer specifies, the compressor works harder and the appliance uses more energy.

How much capacity fits in a standard tall housing?

It depends on the model and the housing height, and integrated units generally hold less than a freestanding fridge of the same external size. Compare the stated capacity on the product page.