In a small kitchen, start by choosing a fridge that leaves enough room for ventilation, the door to open and the drawers to come out. A table-top fridge may suit someone who shops little and often and keeps few frozen foods. If you regularly freeze food, compare the fridge and freezer capacities of compact fridge-freezers instead. A built-in model also needs a suitable cabinet space, ventilation and door fitting, as specified in the model’s instructions.
If you shop little and often and don’t store many frozen foods, a table-top fridge could meet your needs while taking up less floor space. UFC-Que Choisir gives 100–150 L as a general guide for one person; check the fridge capacity and the space you actually have available.
Whether you choose a freestanding or built-in model depends on the cabinet’s internal dimensions, ventilation and door fitting. Measure the delivery route too before settling on a model.
If your shopping needs to last several days and regularly includes frozen food, consider a fridge-freezer with separate fridge and freezer capacities rather than a small integrated freezer compartment.
Start with where the fridge will go and how you store food, then check the noise level and delivery arrangements for the model you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and freezing | Compare the fridge and freezer capacities, check whether there’s a separate freezer compartment and look at the interior layout. UFC-Que Choisir gives 100–150 L as a general guide for one person. | I shop little and often, or I need to store several days’ worth of food and frozen items: these needs call for different amounts of storage space. |
| Where it will go | Measure the available width, height and depth, then check how far the door opens and whether the drawers can be removed. For a built-in model, compare the cabinet’s internal dimensions and door fitting with the exact instructions. | The door needs to open without hitting a wall or unit, and I need to be able to remove the drawers. |
| Ventilation | Follow the manufacturer’s clearance requirements rather than relying on the appliance’s dimensions alone. Bosch recommends at least 200 cm² of ventilation space behind and beneath its built-in fridges. | If the appliance is going in a cabinet space or under a worktop, I need to keep the ventilation openings required for that model clear. |
| Noise | Compare the stated noise levels of similar models and look for acoustic test results if quiet operation is important. UFC-Que Choisir points out that the figure shown isn’t enough on its own to predict how noticeable the noise will be. | My kitchen is open-plan or close to where I sleep, so operating noise matters as much as the space the fridge takes up. |
| Delivery | Measure doorways, corridors and stairs; confirm where the appliance will be left, whether installation is included and what collection options are available for your order. | I need to be able to get the appliance into my home and arrange for the old one to be taken away if I’m replacing it. |
An appliance may fit in its space but still lack enough ventilation, or its door may not open far enough to let you remove the drawers.
Measure the cabinet space, ventilation openings and clearance in front of the appliance, then check them against the model’s instructions.
If it won’t fit properly, you may need to modify the unit or choose a different appliance.
A table-top fridge may be enough if you often buy fresh food, but it may not offer enough freezer space for a weekly shop.
Work out how much frozen food you need to store and compare the compartment’s capacity with that of a compact fridge-freezer.
The location needs to allow the airflow specified by the manufacturer. UFC-Que Choisir advises against placing a fridge near an oven, radiator or hob.
Check the model’s instructions and allow for the required clearances before deciding where it will go in your kitchen.
Leaving the appliance at your home, carrying it into the room, setting it up and taking away your old one are separate services to check when ordering.
Confirm what’s included for your address and check the route through every doorway, stairwell and lift.
Bosch models let you compare a freestanding table-top fridge with the requirements of a built-in installation.
The ETS3LE16S is a useful example of the dimensions to check when your kitchen already has a cabinet space.
Two Liebherr table-top fridges offer useful points of comparison for overall size, capacity and stated noise level.
This selection includes two fridge-freezers, which keep fresh and frozen food separate, and a smaller-capacity fridge with one door. Compare their full dimensions and ventilation requirements with the space you have available before choosing.
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Worth considering if you want to keep fresh and frozen food separate in a narrow kitchen. The product description lists a 187 L fridge capacity and a 75 L freezer capacity, with a width of 54 cm and a height of 176 cm. The stated noise level is 39 dB; also check the depth, door opening and clearances specified in the instructions.
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This fridge-freezer offers separate storage for fresh and frozen food. The product description lists capacities of 153 L and 74 L for the two compartments, a width of 54 cm, Low Frost technology and a reversible door. Check the height, depth and ventilation clearances for your space; the stated 39 dB doesn’t on its own tell you how noticeable the noise will be.
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Worth comparing if space is tight and you shop little and often: the product description lists a width of 47 cm and a capacity of 92 L. UFC-Que Choisir gives 100–150 L as a general guide for one person, so consider whether this capacity suits your habits. A freezer section is mentioned; check its capacity and temperatures if you store frozen food, as well as the appliance’s height and depth.
UFC-Que Choisir gives 100–150 L as a general guide for one person. Choose a capacity to suit how often you shop and how much frozen food you want to store.
No. Measure the internal dimensions and check the ventilation and door fitting requirements for the model. For example, Electrolux specifies a cabinet space of 1 580 × 560 × 550 mm for the ETS3LE16S, so width alone isn’t enough.
Follow the instructions for the fridge you choose. Bosch recommends at least 200 cm² of ventilation space behind and beneath its built-in models; also check the specific clearance requirements for a freestanding model.
No. The stated noise level can help you make an initial shortlist, but UFC-Que Choisir points out that how noise is perceived is subjective. If your kitchen is open-plan or close to where you sleep, also look for any acoustic tests available for the model you’re considering.
Check the model’s instructions first. Electrolux recommends waiting at least four hours before plugging it in; follow the instructions from the manufacturer of the appliance you’ve received.