A refrigerator is one of the most important and necessary purchases in any household. At the same time, modern manufacturers offer a huge number of models and options for such a useful kitchen device - from tiny refrigerators, which will only include a few fresh fruits, cheese and a bottle of wine, to wonderful and convenient Side by Side appliances - two-door hinged beauties that can decorate any room. kitchen.
However, before purchasing the model you like, you should definitely decide whether the unit you like will fit into the existing room and how well it will fit into the space. Let's look at the basic requirements for the location of the refrigerator and where it is better to place such an important device if there are several places for its installation.
Basic rules for placing a refrigerator in the kitchen
In fact, there are not so many rules for installing a refrigerator, but following them will extend the life of the device and reduce the likelihood of its breakdown. At the same time, please note that our article will focus exclusively on free-standing refrigerators - they are subject to fairly strict requirements regarding placement.
There are practically no requirements for built-in models, since such devices initially require installation in a specialized cabinet, which will simultaneously perform both a decorative and protective function.
So, what is the popular device designed to keep food cool and fresh “afraid of”?
Proximity to heat sources
Alas, the principle of operation of the refrigerator involves the creation of cold temperatures inside the device due to (including) some heating of the surrounding air outside. Accordingly, placing the refrigerator in close proximity to the radiator or stove will not only prevent the high-quality dispersion of hot air, but will also create additional heating of the outer walls of the device, which will clearly not benefit its long-term and reliable operation.
Important! No matter how small the kitchen space is, try to place cabinets, tables or other pieces of furniture at least 20-30 cm wide between the refrigerator and such serious heat sources as a stove or radiator - this will significantly increase the life of kitchen appliances.
Tight fit
No pieces of furniture should be pressed too tightly against the refrigerator. The minimum permissible gap on the side walls of the device is 2–3 cm. The same requirement applies to the proximity of the device to a wall or window. In this case, you should maintain a decent distance between the back wall of the refrigerator and the kitchen wall. So, for modern models the minimum size of free space “at the back” is the same 2–3 cm, and for refrigerators with a radiator - 10 cm or more. This is also required for high-quality heat removal from the operating device.
Sun rays
As a rule, the front surface and doors of the refrigerator are well insulated, so exposure to direct sunlight for any, even long, period of time will not damage the appliance. The same cannot be said about the side walls of the device, where such insulation is usually not used, and solar heating is quite capable of causing malfunctions and rapid breakdown of the unit.
Therefore, if you plan to place the refrigerator in such a way that its side walls will be exposed to sunlight, you should take care of their additional protection.
Important! If you plan to place the refrigerator near a window, then the required gap between the wall of the appliance and the wall of the room should be 10 cm or more. This will not only prevent overheating of the refrigerator, but will also make it possible to open its door completely by 90 degrees or more. At the same time, kitchen curtains and drapes can be moved into the resulting gap between the wall and the appliance without creasing them, which will make the kitchen more cozy and comfortable.
Water
Many housewives prefer to place the refrigerator in close proximity to the sink, explaining this by ease of use: after all, meat or vegetables removed from the refrigerator can be immediately placed in the sink, without carrying them halfway across the kitchen.
Nevertheless, such a proximity also does not have a very favorable effect on the operation of the refrigeration chamber. Apart from the fact that electrical appliances, in principle, do not particularly like being near water, high humidity and splashes, which invariably occur when washing dishes, will quickly give the refrigerator an unsightly appearance and significantly reduce its operating potential. Therefore, it is worth remembering that the minimum recommended distance between the refrigerator and the sink should be 30 cm or more.
Other premises
In principle, placing a refrigerator in a room, corridor or even on an insulated loggia is not prohibited, provided that the requirements for ambient temperature and humidity specified in the instructions for the device are met. But still, installing a refrigerator away from the kitchen is recommended only if it is completely impossible to place it directly inside the room intended for cooking.
Important! As a rule, refrigerators presented on the Russian market operate fully at ambient temperatures from -5 to +30 °C. At lower temperatures, the refrigerator will simply fail and is unlikely to be repairable. But if the air temperature exceeds the maximum values for a long time, then it is worth considering “tropical” models of refrigerators, originally intended for use in very hot climates, which are not so widely represented on the Russian market, but are nevertheless found in the lines of manufacturers intended for southern regions. warm regions.
Freedom of access
One of the main rules is free access to the refrigerator and the ability to fully open the door. And this is precisely the rule that should not be neglected. Whatever the size of the kitchen, the number of steps between the refrigerator, table and work surface should not exceed 3-5, otherwise each trip to buy fresh food and back will be accompanied by slowly growing dissatisfaction from the non-ergonomic placement of the appliance.
And no matter how much you would like to gain at least another 5–10 cm of space, the refrigerator door must still open to the required 90 degrees or more, that is, the distance between the side wall of the refrigerator and the wall should allow its door to be fully opened.
What to look for when choosing?
A large refrigeration unit has its own characteristics that every savvy buyer needs to take into account before making an important purchase.
- The heat exchanger is located at the bottom of the unit, so it is strongly recommended not to install it on floors with any type of heating. Otherwise, the service life of the refrigerator will be reduced significantly.
- You should take measurements of the doorways in your home, because the refrigerator is of non-standard dimensions, and it may simply not be carried to its destination. However, removable unit doors can solve this problem.
- “Side by side” can have two no frost systems or a combined one.
If additional functions include ice making, then you need to consider the possibility of connecting the equipment to the water supply.
Siemens double door refrigerator
Double Door Refrigerator with Temperature Control
If the kitchen is large
A large kitchen is the dream of any housewife, because its large size allows you to realize all your kitchen ideas and use the maximum number of stylish and useful kitchen items.
Placing a refrigerator in a large kitchen has virtually no barriers, because it can be installed:
traditionally - in one of the corners, in which there are no radiators - such placement is not only familiar and convenient, but also meets the requirements for the ergonomics of the room, the convenience of being in it and even the instructions of Feng Shui, since it visually makes the kitchen “softer” and “rounder” ;
centralized - the design idea is quite capable of making this device the center of the entire kitchen, especially if the refrigerator itself has significant dimensions and rich functionality, such as, for example, a TV screen built into the front panel or buttons and compartments placed on the doors for serving drinks from the cooling chambers; in this case, the rest of the kitchen set is built around this device and matched to its “style”;
individually - if the room allows, then the refrigerator should be allocated its own individual part of the territory, not in contact with other kitchen appliances or kitchen furniture; at the same time, you can create a stylish and interesting design of wallpaper or wall coverings, against which the refrigeration unit will be placed.
Tips for organizing space
Use the built-in refrigerator
The built-in refrigerator looks quite impressive, saves a lot of space and completely fits into the modern trend of minimalism. The photo below shows the popular model Liebher ICUS 3314.
Less bulky furniture
Don’t chase a large number of compartments in the headset - leave the essentials in the project. Especially if you have a small family and you don’t need to store a large number of cutlery and dishes.
You can save a lot on square meters if you put the refrigerator on the cabinets. Thus, you free up space for your maneuvers in a tiny kitchen, but at the same time get convenient access to all the necessary items.
Lockers can also be placed on top. Thus, the unit is, as it were, placed in a compartment specially designed for it.
Roller blinds or blinds - instead of curtains
Ordinary curtains in the kitchen hide a lot of space, and even when next to a freezing unit they provoke discomfort. Therefore, try replacing them with roller blinds or blinds. At the same time, free the window sill - it can also be used. Both for practical purposes and for decorative ones.
If the kitchen is small
Unfortunately, most Russian kitchens are of such dimensions that do not allow much design thought to be developed. In “Khrushchev”, “Brezhnev” and even in apartments “with improved layouts” the size of the kitchen usually does not exceed 5–8 square meters. m, which significantly reduces the number of options for placing kitchen appliances.
Where to install the refrigerator if the kitchen has exactly this area?
Let's look at the most popular options:
at the entrance - more than half of the owners of small kitchens choose this particular placement of the cooling unit, which allows the device to successfully fit into the working triangle “refrigerator - sink - stove” and easily attach a standard corner kitchen unit to it;
by the window - the second most common option, more typical for slightly larger kitchens, in which the distance between the window and the gas pipe or socket for the electric stove is more than 60–80 cm, sufficient to place a standard refrigerator there; in this case, you should still remember that it is inadmissible to be close to the stove - you should place at least a 30-centimeter cabinet between these devices;
outside the kitchen is also a frequently encountered principle of placing a refrigerator, which, as a rule, causes the greatest number of complaints from its owners, because the device makes noise, hums, sometimes turns on abruptly and makes strange sounds, especially frightening and unpleasant at night, and the indicators that Many modern devices are equipped, which also do little to contribute to a comfortable stay in sufficient proximity to the refrigerator;
in niches, pantries, cabinets, including those formed as a result of redevelopment - this is perhaps the most successful location of the refrigerator, which has only one rather big drawback - often such niches and cabinets have rather non-standard sizes, which greatly limits the choice of device model;
in work cabinets, at the bottom of the dining table - not the most popular way to place a refrigerator, which also requires certain dimensions of the device, however, when selecting a suitable model or purchasing a separate small refrigerator and a separate freezer, this method of placement can be considered almost ideal - after all, it is a necessary and useful unit , built into a set or under a window sill, does not take up a single centimeter of such necessary and important kitchen space.
We can also advise owners of small kitchens:
- First of all, consider compact models of refrigerators with a width of 40–50 cm and a height of 140–160 cm, which will allow better use of every centimeter of a small kitchen;
- give preference to built-in models of refrigerators, which will visually look like part of a kitchen unit and will allow you to wisely use the space above the appliance (and for some models, under it) for storing kitchen utensils and other accessories;
- do not clutter the kitchen with too large and multifunctional devices, since it is very uncomfortable to dine, and just be in a room where it is difficult to fit even two people.
Of course, a refrigerator is one of the most popular kitchen appliances, and therefore I want to choose an option that will be as functional as possible and at the same time will not make too big a hole in the family budget. However, when choosing a model, you should not forget that the main requirement is ease of use and the absence of discomfort associated with a device that is too bulky or poorly placed.
Think about it, perhaps you should still give preference to compact and small appliances: after all, in this case, such healthy fresh products will appear on your table more often, and being in an uncluttered kitchen will allow you to get true pleasure and satisfaction from sharing lunches and dinners with your beloved household members and pleasant people. interlocutors.
Built-in option
A built-in refrigerator will help save space in the kitchen; it will also harmonize with all the furniture, which will visually enlarge the space and relieve the feeling of congestion. In addition, the interior becomes neater.
In addition, the built-in model is much easier to care for; you just need to wipe the front and interior parts.
Whereas a different arrangement requires care of the surfaces of the refrigerator from all sides, in some cases from three sides, from above and inside.
