A counter depth refrigerator is more aesthetically pleasing because you won’t see the sides which also a benefit to have a shallower refrigerator in a galley kitchen or with an island design. There will be more room between the refrigerator and the island itself. Simply, counter depths look better. We will look at the different types and then the 5 best to consider.
Regular vs. Pro vs. Integrated Shallow Depth Refrigerators
We focus on the non-professional shallow depth products in this article. Professional refrigerators are taller at 84″, have the compressors on the top and have the “restaurant” or commercial look and price.
Integrated refrigerators fit totally inside the standard cabinet. They are seamless and indistinguishable from the cabinet itself. Only the doors protrude on the pro and regular counter depth.
Have a look at a professional and integrated refrigerator…
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| Professional counter depth refrigerator at Yale | Integrated counter depth refrigerator at Yale |
Regular Counter Depth vs. Counter Depth
Regular counter depths are basically shallower refrigerators. Have a look at some installations.
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| regular counter depth refrigerator from the front | regular counter depth refrigerator from the side |
Frigidaire FGHC2331PF – $1,049 after rebates
Frigidaire suffers from an identity crisis, but is actually one of the most reliable brands sold at Yale. I really like this refrigerator especially with the rebates.
This side by side is 23 cubic foot with an ice and water dispenser and the stainless is fingerprint proof. You could package this with other stainless appliances for less than $2,999.
Samsung RF18HFENBSR – $1,199
You buy a refrigerator based on the cabinet openings. 80% of the refrigerator openings are 30 or 33 inch, yet 90% of the counter depth products are 36 inch width. I like the Samsung, because it is the best counter depth french door refrigerator at 33 inches wide.
Frigidaire FDBG2250SS – $1,599 after rebates
This is the Gallery edition and is a limited time model. It is fully featured with an internal icemaker. It is also full size at 36″ wide.
KitchenAid KRFC300ESS – $1,749 after rebates
This KitchenAid is counter depth and won’t protrude past your cabinets. Includes ice maker, glide crispers and interior water dispenser.
Samsung RF23HCEDBSR – $2,049 after rebates
Samsung has a modern look with surprising good reliability. However, they are frequently unavailable and with few package options for whole kitchens.
Jenn-Air JFC2089BEM – $2,299
Jenn-Air was the first upscale counter depth French door on the market about 10 years ago. It is still a decent refrigerator with an interior icemaker. This refrigerator is also part of our best selling package. This model now has LED lights and concealed hinges.
Jenn-Air JFC2290VEM – $2,899
It is very similar to the preceding model just taller with three cubic feet more capacity.
Conclusion
One (very) small word of caution: You do sacrifice between 3-5 cubic footage and pay $200-$500 more for a counter depth refrigerator.
However, counter depth refrigerators are perhaps one of the best products to affordably design into a high-end kitchen.
