Reasons You Should Get a Built-in Refrigerator

Introduction

When it comes to planning a kitchen, the refrigerator is one of the most important appliances that you should research before purchasing. There are lots of options to choose from among freestanding as well as built-in refrigerators and each has its pros and cons. If you are considering buying a new refrigerator because the old one is not working, you should at least try to repair it once, especially if it’s not that old. To do that, you can search “refrigerator repair near me” online and hire refrigerator repair technicians.

However, if you want to purchase a new refrigerator for your new home for a kitchen make-over, there are a lot of factors that you should consider. Let’s discuss why you should get built-in refrigerators and a few reasons why it may not be a good choice for your needs.

The Reasons

Reasons to consider built-in refrigerators

Built-in refrigerators are luxury products and are thus, more suited for high-end kitchens. They are perfect if you seek a sleek and luxurious lifestyle. Now, before you make up your mind let’s look at some of the pros and cons of choosing built-in refrigerators.

The advantages of getting a built-in refrigerator are as follows:

1. They blend seamlessly into kitchen cabinetry – For people who want to mix and match all the different items and electronic appliances in their home or kitchen, built-in refrigerators are perfect. Unlike freestanding refrigerators that stand out in their space, built-in refrigerators offer a more streamlined look since they blend in with the kitchen cabinetry.

Plus, since built-in refrigerators flush with the surrounding kitchen cabinetry instead of protruding, they look much sleeker and more elegant. And, if you want to take things to the next level, you can even add a matching wood panel that perfectly camouflages the appliance.

2. They are better for traffic flow – Nothing can be more annoying than a kitchen that is hard to navigate. Usually, it’s difficult to navigate small kitchens, and when you add a freestanding refrigerator, it can become a hindrance to the flow of traffic in and around the kitchen space. While it’s possible to shift the freestanding refrigerator to a corner of the kitchen, not everybody has the necessary space to shift the refrigerator and doing so can create other problems.

On the other hand, since built-in refrigerators are fitted inside the counter, they not only look good but also make it much easier to navigate the kitchen. If you frequently throw parties at your house or have multiple persons working in the kitchen at a given time, a built-in refrigerator can make your life much easier.

3. You have more space available – Built-in refrigerators can not only allow you to entertain more guests in the kitchen but also allow you to enjoy more volume space as well. For instance, you can install a modern low-height built-in refrigerator to gain more counter space. You might even consider moving your refrigerator into a lower kitchen cabinet to free up more space if you need it.

Most built-in refrigerators have a depth threshold of 24 inches since they have to fit inside cabinets. However, unlike freestanding refrigerators which are limited to 36 inches wide, built-in refrigerators can be up to 48 inches wide. Plus, you can also customize them to be taller than traditional refrigerators to ensure there is no gap between the top of the refrigerator and the cabinets.

4. They offer a more luxurious look – Unlike traditional freestanding refrigerators, built-in refrigerators ooze luxury. There are a lot of design options to choose from and you can even customize them to fit your kitchen decor and style. Typically, built-in refrigerators are built with steel or aluminum which not only improve their durability but also offer a smooth and stylish look. Plus, since these are made to match modern kitchens, they are built modern as well with lots of extra features.

5. They are environmentally friendly – Built-in refrigerators are modern technology and thus, environmentally friendly and energy start certified on most models. Thus, if you like to keep your energy bills down and save the environment as well, choosing a built-in refrigerator can be a good option.

Reasons to avoid built-in refrigerators

Now, although built-in refrigerators offer so many exciting benefits, there are a few drawbacks that you should keep in mind before making your final decision.

Here are a few disadvantages of getting a built-in refrigerator:

1. They are more expensive – Quality built-in refrigerators can be much more expensive than their freestanding counterparts. Typically, entry-level built-in refrigerators from a reputed brand start from around $5000 and can be as high as around $7000 to $9000 for the KitchenAid options. However, you have to spend only around $2000 to get a top-of-the-line freestanding refrigerator unit.

2. Requires professional installation – Built-in refrigerators often require support for professional installation in addition to delivery depending on the level of customization that you want. For instance, it could include installation help with plumbing, electricals, and also cabinetry. The bottom line is that you have to spend extra money out of your pocket.

3. Smaller deli and freezer compartments and crispers – Built-in refrigerators are shallower than freestanding refrigerators by an average of about 6 inches. That means it can be difficult or impossible to store longer items such as plastic containers or celery.

Additionally, they also have shorter freezer compartments regardless of whether they are located at the top of the bottom.

4. Not movable – Finally, the biggest disadvantage of built-in refrigerators is that they are not movable to a new location. Thus, if you are planning to shift to a new house after a few years or have a job that causes you to transfer frequently, it makes more sense to purchase a freestanding refrigerator.

Conclusion

With so many factors to consider and so many options to choose from, it can become quite daunting to finalize a new refrigerator. If you still want to repair your old refrigerator, it’s not too late! All you need to do is search for “refrigerator repair near me” online to find and hire refrigerator repair technicians that can solve problems related to refrigerators.