Side-by-side refrigerators compared by fit and door clearance

Buying guide: side-by-side refrigerators compared by fit and door clearance

Side-by-side refrigerators place the freezer and fresh-food sections next to each other behind two tall, narrow doors. Because each door is narrow, they need little swing space in front, which suits galley kitchens and spots facing an island.

The trade-off is width. Most side-by-side models sit in the 33- or 36-inch classes and their compartments are narrow, so wide platters may not fit inside. Compare the actual width plus the side clearance with your opening rather than the nominal size.

Side-by-side doors often carry ice and water dispensers, and the hinges sit on top of the cabinet. Check the height including the hinges against any overhead cabinet, and leave room behind the unit for the water line when you measure the depth of the space.

What the verified measurements show

These 158 reviewed models come from 20 brands; the most represented are Whirlpool (41), GE (23), KitchenAid (17). The opening width they need ranges from 33 in for the GE GSE23GGPBB to 48 in for the KitchenAid KBSN748TPA, with half needing 36 in or less. The cabinet-only depth runs from 21 7/16 in (Forno FFRBI1805-33SB) to 32 1/8 in (LG LS27T3230S). The depth with the doors closed, handles included runs from 24 in (KitchenAid KBSN742TPA) to 36 5/16 in (LG LS27T3230S). The height including the hinges runs from 66 1/4 in (Amana ASI2175GRB) to 84 in (Sub-Zero CL4850SD). With a door open at 90 degrees, 158 of these models have a verified depth; the typical one needs 49 3/8 in from the back wall, and the deepest, the Sub-Zero CL4850SD, needs 53 7/8 in. 135 models have a verified hinge-side wall clearance for the door to open 90 degrees: from 3/8 in to 4 3/4 in, typically 2 in.