The Best Counter-Depth Fridges in 2023 | by Simply Recipes

The 6 Best Counter-Depth Fridges in 2022 — Simply Recipes / Chloe Jeong

If you want a streamlined look in your kitchen, consider a counter-depth refrigerator. These appliances generally do not extend out more than an inch or two past the kitchen counters and cabinets. Counter-depth refrigerators are usually under 30 inches deep but can be up to 36 inches deep. They are larger, wider, and more compact than a standard model but do not necessarily offer less capacity.

There are many options for counter-depth refrigerators. When selecting the best counter-depth fridge for your kitchen, it’s essential to consider your space, capacity, doors, freezer arrangement, and style. For example, our top choice, the Frigidaire Gallery 4-Door French Door, has a central flexible door above the freezer that can be adjusted to any temperature you like between 6 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

To help you narrow down the choices, we’ve rounded up our best counter-depth refrigerators.

The Rundown

Best Overall, French Door:

Frigidaire Gallery 4-Door French Door at Amazon

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Best Overall, Side-by-Side:

Frigidaire Gallery 33-Inch 22.3-Cu. Ft. Side-by-Side Refrigerator at Home Depot

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Best Budget, French-Door:

Samsung Smart Counter Depth Refrigerator at Amazon

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Best Budget, Side-by-Side:

Samsung 22.6 Cu. Ft. Smart Side-By-Side Refrigerator at Home Depot

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Best Door-in-Door:

LG French Door Smart Refrigerator with InstaView at Home Depot

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Courtesy of Best Buy

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What We Love: Temperature-customizable drawer, organized storage space, quick-freeze feature, extra-tall ice/water dispenser

What We Don't Love: Icemaker takes up fridge space

The Frigidaire Gallery 4-Door French Door is a versatile appliance with many features, making it an excellent counter-depth fridge option. It has a French-door top fridge with two drawers, a center pull-out flexible drawer, and a large freezer at the bottom. This 21.8-cubic-foot counter-depth fridge has a smudge-free stainless steel finish, which means fewer fingerprints and marks will appear on the surface.

The star feature in this refrigerator is its center Custom-Flex Temp Drawer. It will refrigerate or freeze your favorites, depending on your needs. The drawer’s temperature range is minus 6 to 45 degrees, one of the broadest ranges in temperature settings on the market. Also impressive is the refrigerator’s SpaceWise Organization System, which allows you to easily access your most-used items with adjustable storage, including a flip-up shelf to fit taller items and an expandable door bin. Additional features include an extra-tall water dispenser/ice maker that’s perfect for water bottles and pitchers, a crisper drawer that automatically regulates its humidity to keep fruits and veggies fresh, LED lighting, and a quick-freeze option to chill your frozen goods faster.

With all its impressive features and about $81 per year Energy Star certification, the Frigidaire Gallery 4-Door French Door refrigerator can help you save money on energy usage throughout the year, keeps your food fresh, and looks terrific in your kitchen.

Price at time of publish: $2,970

Dimensions (DxWxH): 32 x 36 x 70 inches | Total Capacity: 21.8 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 13.4 cubic feet | Freezer Capacity: 5.8 cubic feet

Courtesy of ABT

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What We Love: Advanced crisper drawer air filter, multi-level lighting, flexible organization, affordable, ADA compliant

What We Don't Love: Vertical space in freezer might not be useful to some

If you are looking for a stylish counter-depth refrigerator but need some flexibility in price, this Frigidaire Gallery 33-Inch Side-by-Side refrigerator is an excellent economical choice. This side-by-side counter-depth appliance features a smudge-proof stainless steel finish with a protective coating that reduces fingerprints and smudges, so it's easy to clean. With 22.3 cubic feet, it also has plenty of space to serve the needs of an average family.

This fridge has a few new bells and whistles over the older Frigidaire FGSS2335TF budget-friendly model I previously recommended. First, it comes with humidity-controlled crisper drawers that feature air filtration and seals to block out fridge air. This keeps your produce fresher for longer. In the freezer, there's now a vertical storage space next to the icemaker, perfect for frozen pizzas, and freezer bins have been replaced with clear plastic drawers. There's still a lot to love from the previous model like adjustable shelves designed to prevent spills, bright interior LED multi-level lighting, and a deli drawer.

There's also a Pure Source filtration for great-tasting, clean water and ice with an LED door display that features multiple buttons to select custom options. This is perfect for those who need a large-capacity refrigerator for an affordable price.

Price at time of publish: $1,949

Dimensions (DxWxH): 31 x 36.1 x 68.6 inches | Total Capacity: 22.3 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 14.3 cubic feet | Freezer Capacity: 8 cubic feet

Best Buy

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What We Love: Independent cooling, LED lighting, smart technology, ADA compliant

What We Don't Love: Lacks adjustable shelves and door bins

Since counter-depth refrigerators need to be wider to make up for being shallow, they can be more expensive than their standard-depth counterparts. This doesn’t mean you have to settle for a bad fridge when on a budget. This Samsung counter-depth French-door refrigerator has what you need—independent cooling systems, an icemaker, sliding freezer drawer—but you do have to give up a few things.

Inside the 11.7-cubic-foot refrigerator, you’ll find LED lighting, six door bins, three full-width glass shelves, and two bottom crisper drawers. All of the shelves are spill-proof, and the middle one is adjustable. Unfortunately, the door bins aren’t adjustable, but two are gallon-sized and all can be removed for cleaning. All of the digital controls are also toward the bottom, right inside the doors, which makes this fridge ADA compliant.

The 5.8-cubic-foot freezer is separated into two levels, with the sliding top drawer holding the ice compartment. Since this is a budget option, the drawers are made of plastic but aren’t simply basket-style. The fridge does have quick freezing and cooling options and is Wi-Fi-enabled so you can easily connect to it through Samsung’s proprietary app.

Price at time of publish: $1,699

Dimensions (DxWxH): 28.1 x 32.1 x 70 inches | Total Capacity: 17.5 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 11.7 cubic feet | Freezer Capacity: 5.8 cubic feet

Related: The Best Refrigerators

ABT

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What We Love: LED lighting, smart technology, multiple air vents in fridge, ADA compliant

What We Don't Love: Lacks adjustable shelves and door bins

If your household is looking for an affordable side-by-side model, this Samsung 22.6-cubic-foot option is a great choice. The 14.6-cubic-foot fridge includes four glass shelves, six door bins, and two humidity-controlled crisper drawers, all lit up by LED lighting. Changing the controls is simple and easy for everyone since the panel is right inside the fridge door. This model does have independent cooling systems, with multiple vents through the fridge, and it has Power Freeze and Power Cool.

The 8-cubic-foot freezer features its own lighting with five shelves, four door bins, a bottom drawer, and an icemaker with a bucket that holds up to four pounds of ice. There is a water filter so you have nothing but fresh, clean ice. And, while you’re on a budget, you can still get something with smart technology. This is Wi-Fi-enabled so you can check on your fridge through your smartphone.

Price at time of publish: $1,610

Dimensions (DxWxH): 28.6 x 35.8 x 70 inches | Total Capacity: 22.6 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 14.6 cubic feet | Freezer Capacity: 8 cubic feet

Related: The Best Side-by-Side Fridges

ABT

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What We Love: Large capacity, Wi-Fi capability, multi-flow air vents, can view interior without fully opening door

What We Don't Love: Pricey, limited configurations in fridge

A door-in-door is great for households where it seems like someone is always looking in the fridge. To cut down on wasted cooling, this allows you to simply open part of the fridge and get what you need. LG’s Instaview makes sure your groceries aren’t always on display though. You simply get a peek inside by knocking twice on the glass.

Of course, you can still access what’s in the door bins once you open up the 14.6-cubic-foot fridge. You’ll see the multiple vents for filtered air, one of which is located at the top front of the fridge to prevent warm spots. There are three door bins in front of the space-saving ice machine, adjustable shelving, two humidity-controlled drawers for produce, and a full-width deli drawer.

The freezer’s 7.3 cubic feet are separated into a bottom basket with an adjustable divider and a sliding top drawer. All in all, you’ll be getting 27 cubic feet of storage, which is on par with standard-depth fridges. This fridge is Wi-Fi-enabled so you can sync it with smart home assistants and with LG’s proprietary apps. If you want more fridge space, no in-door dispenser, and don’t need the smart tech, take a look at the LG LFCC23596S.

Price at time of publish: $3,499

Dimensions (DxWxH): 31.25 x 35.75 x 69.75 inches | Total Capacity: 22.1 cubic feet | Refrigerator Capacity: 14.6 cubic feet | Freezer Capacity: 7.3 cubic feet

Final Verdict

The flex drawer, large freezer, and broad temperature range make the Frigidaire Gallery 4-Door French Door Refrigerator (view at Amazon) our top counter-depth pick. If you'd rather have an affordable side-by-side refrigerator with some advanced features, I recommend the Frigidaire GRSS2352AF Gallery 33-Inch 22.3-Cu. Ft. Side-by-Side Refrigerator (view at Home Depot).

What to Look for When Buying a Side-by-Side Refrigerator

Counter-Depth vs. Standard-Depth

The biggest difference between a counter-depth fridge and a standard-depth fridge involves how the fridge fits into the kitchen. A standard-depth fridge will typically protrude slightly from the kitchen counters, which can interrupt the seamless flow of the room’s lines. A counter-depth fridge is specifically designed to line up with the kitchen counters, so you won’t have to deal with a fridge that’s sticking out farther than the counters.

Special Features

The counter-depth fridges on our list include a wide range of special features, and the most important ones will depend on your lifestyle and your refrigerator-related needs. Some examples are in-door icemakers and water dispensers, stainless steel finishes, flexible-temperature drawers, crisper drawers that regulate humidity, LED lighting, spill-proof shelves, showcase doors, built-in wine racks, interior cameras, and smart technology elements.

FAQs

Do counter-depth fridges hold less food than standard-depth fridges?

Due to their design, counter-depth fridges have a few cubic inches less interior space than standard-depth fridges. However, many counter-depth fridges feature organizational systems that help buyers make the most of their space, like dedicated compartments for produce, meats, cheeses, and other items. So although standard-depth fridges technically have more space than their counter-depth equivalents, you may ultimately be able to fit more food in a counter-depth fridge (or, at least, in a more efficient and user-friendly way).

How often should you clean your fridge?

In order to get the longest possible life out of your refrigerator, regular cleaning is essential. The exact timing of your cleanings depends on your household’s size and the amount of usage that your fridge gets. Generally speaking, the larger the household (and the more people using the fridge), the more frequent the cleanings should be. For a small household of one to two people, cleaning the fridge once every four to six months should suffice, while a family (or roommate group) of three or more should try to clean once every three to four months.

Why Trust Simply Recipes?

Debbie Wolfe is a freelance writer and online shopping expert who spends hours researching and comparing household items so you don't have to. She is the proud owner of countless appliances and can help you choose the right one, regardless of your needs.

This list was updated by Siobhan Wallace, our commerce editor. She has a special penchant for fridges and longs to have a flex drawer.

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