Choose a built-in appliance only if the finished dimensions of its niche, its door and front panel, ventilation and connections all match the instructions for that specific model. A freestanding fridge is an option if the housing is unsuitable, provided you allow for its overall dimensions and required clearances. Ideally, position the dishwasher near the sink, avoid placing the fridge next to cooking appliances, and get any connections affected by the work checked.
If you’re keeping your cabinets or they’ve already been designed, measure the finished openings before choosing a model. You’ll also need to check how its door and front panel will open, along with the clearances specified in the instructions.
Moving the fridge, cooking or washing areas changes your day-to-day routes and access to connections. UFC-Que Choisir recommends, in particular, positioning the dishwasher near the sink and not placing the oven next to the fridge.
If you’re moving an oven, hob or dishwasher, get the available supply checked before settling on an appliance. Creating or modifying an indoor gas installation also means checking which procedures apply to the work, as explained by GRDF.
Start with the layout and connections: they determine which appliances can be installed. Then compare the features that matter to you across the models suited to your project.
| Priority | What to check | Depending on your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Niche and front panel | Compare the finished width, height and depth with the model’s diagram. Check the plinth, hinges, door clearance and specified gaps. | My cabinets are already planned: I want to know whether the appliance and its front panel will actually fit, rather than relying on the stated size alone. |
| Ventilation and positioning | Follow the clearances specified in the instructions for the fridge, whether built-in or freestanding. UFC-Que Choisir advises against installing it next to an oven, hob or radiator. | If the fridge housing isn’t suitable, I can consider a freestanding model, but I’ll need a space that also allows for its own clearances. |
| Water and electricity | For the dishwasher, locate the water inlet, waste outlet and electrical supply, and make sure they’ll be accessible. For the oven and hob, have the suitability of the circuits and protective devices checked for your project. | I want to position the dishwasher near the sink without blocking access to the connections. If I move the cooking area, I want to know what work will be needed before choosing appliances. |
| Everyday use | Once you’ve confirmed compatibility, compare the relevant information on the energy label and product details for the models you’re considering, including water consumption and noise where stated. | Noise matters to me in an open-plan kitchen. I also want to compare consumption figures on a like-for-like basis across the same appliance category. |
A product’s stated size doesn’t confirm the usable height and depth, or the space needed for the door, plinth or ventilation.
Take the finished measurements and compare them with the installation diagram for your chosen model, including its front panel. Bosch’s guides also direct you to the diagram for each specific appliance.
If the appliance doesn’t fit, you may need to adapt the cabinet, front panel or plinth.
An integrated fridge needs the ventilation openings specified for its housing. UFC-Que Choisir describes, in particular, airflow through the bottom and rear.
Check the model’s instructions and the position of the openings before closing off the housing. Don’t use ventilation measurements from a different appliance.
UFC-Que Choisir notes that it needs a water inlet, an electrical supply and a waste outlet. Their position matters just as much as the space taken up by the appliance.
Work out their route and make sure they’ll be accessible before finalising the cabinets. Positioning the dishwasher near the sink usually makes this easier.
Moving the appliance after the cabinets have been designed may mean altering the connections.
The electrical supply or indoor gas installation may need to be modified for the new position or appliance. Promotelec explains which dedicated circuits to check in the kitchen; GRDF outlines the procedures for modified gas installations in a home.
Get the scope of the work and any necessary checks confirmed before deciding on the type and position of your hob.
Manufacturers’ product ranges and documents can help you plan your project, but the dimensions and requirements for one appliance don’t necessarily apply to other models from the same brand.
In France, Bosch offers integrated fridges, built-in dishwashers and built-in ovens.
Siemens offers, among other products, integrated refrigeration appliances and built-in dishwashers in stated 45 and 60 cm formats.
In France, Electrolux offers built-in ovens and other built-in cooking appliances, as well as built-in dishwashers.
This selection includes a hob, an oven, a dishwasher and integrated fridges for the cooking, washing and refrigeration areas of a kitchen being renovated. It doesn’t replace checking each appliance’s instructions against the measurements and connections at your property.
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This hob could suit a built-in cooking area, with four zones and nine stated power levels. Before choosing it, compare the cut-out dimensions and clearances in its instructions with your worktop, and have the electrical circuit checked for suitability. Make sure you have cookware that works with induction.
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This built-in oven is worth considering if you already have a cabinet planned for cooking appliances. Compare the niche’s finished dimensions and available supply with the instructions. Before deciding, also confirm the oven configuration: the product title and detailed description don’t describe it in the same way.
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This model is designed for a built-in washing area. The stated 60 cm format doesn’t, by itself, confirm that it will fit the niche: check the installation diagram, front panel and door clearance. You’ll also need accessible water, waste and electrical connections.
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This integrated fridge freezer combines refrigeration and freezing in a cabinet. Check the finished dimensions, door-panel system and ventilation openings specified in its instructions. If capacity matters to your choice, confirm it in the model documentation: two different capacities are listed in the product information.
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This fridge freezer is another option for a refrigeration area built into your cabinets. Before choosing between models, compare their door-panel systems, niche dimensions and ventilation requirements in the respective instruction manuals. If compartment capacities will influence your decision, confirm them in the model documentation.
Measure the finished width, height and depth of the niche, then check the plinth, front panel, door clearance and required gaps. Compare everything with the installation diagram for the exact model: a stated commercial width of 45 or 60 cm isn’t enough to confirm that it will fit.
That’s the layout recommended by UFC-Que Choisir, particularly to make water and waste connections easier to access. However, the chosen position must work with the connections planned for your project. Also check the electrical supply and make sure the connections will be accessible.
Avoid placing them next to each other: UFC-Que Choisir advises against positioning a fridge near an oven, hob or radiator. Also follow the clearance and ventilation requirements for your chosen fridge, whether it’s built-in or freestanding.
Have the circuits and protective devices for the dishwasher, oven and hob checked before finalising the models and their positions. Promotelec describes the dedicated circuits for these appliances and notes that the NF C 15-100 standard applies, in particular, to new installations and to modifications and extensions of existing installations. The checks should cover the work actually planned.
For a new, modified or extended gas installation inside a home in France, GRDF says that a certificate of conformity must be issued, even if the installer isn’t a professional. Before choosing and installing a gas hob, check which procedures and inspections apply to your project.