There are different fridge sizes to accommodate living spaces of all sizes. From tiny homes to mansions, before you buy a refrigerator you need to know if it will fit in your kitchen. But how can I decide what refrigerator size I need?

To answer the question, we need to figure out how to measure for a fridge.

The main categories of refrigerator sizes can be divided into mini fridges, small size fridges, standard refrigerators, large fridges, and compact refrigerators.

Mini-fridges are generally meant for single-person homes where only one person is using that fridge. They’re under 5 cubic feet and less than 2 feet wide. Small refrigerators are perfect for couples and single people who want a normal fridge, measuring 24 inches by height and 30 inches by width. They are somewhere between 10 and 20 cubic feet. The large Fridge is over 25 cubic feet and wider than 35 inches. They are quite large and take up a lot of space but are necessary for large families. Compact refrigerators have a total volume of less than 7.75 cubic feet which offers ample storage space for tiny homes and dorm rooms.

Now that you know a bit about refrigerator sizes and types, how do you go about figuring out which one is the right fit for your home? For that, you’ll need to measure. So get a measuring tape, some paper, and a pencil, and get to work.

Step #1: Measure the width of the space.

To decide where your fridge is going to go, you need to find out how much space you have to spare from countertop to countertop, or countertop to wall. (It’s important to measure at the countertop, not the cabinet base since the tops tend to extend out a little bit further.) If your refrigerator is going to have a wall on one side, make sure to leave 2″ to 2 ½” of free space so you have room to swing the door open.  

Step #2: Measure the height of the space.

Chances are your room or kitchen is tall enough to accommodate any size of a refrigerator, but if you have cabinets above the area where the fridge is going to go then you’ll need to measure, starting at the floor and going to the base of the cabinets.

Step #3: Measure the depth of your countertops.

Whether you’re going to go with a counter depth refrigerator or a standard depth refrigerator, you’ll still want to measure the depth of your counters to ensure that the fridge will line up correctly.

Step #4：Measure your door frame.

At last, please don’t forget the door. You need to take not only the front door but every door you need to go through to get the refrigerator to the kitchen into consideration. If your fridge is wider than your front door frame, you won’t be able to install your new fridge.

You can remove the door frame, but this option would cost much more than expected and only provide a few extra inches. Removing the doors from the fridge would help, but again, that would only provide a few extra inches.

Making sure your fridge is narrower than your smallest door to your kitchen is a must.

Buying a new refrigerator might seem hard, but it shouldn’t discourage you. There are many things to consider, beside the size, you also need to consider things like how much capacity you want to have and the design of a refrigerator before purchasing any type of refrigerator. It does take much effort to make a wise decision, but your fridge stores the food your family needs to stay alive, so you must be extra careful and meet all the demands.