Smaller kitchens leave little wiggle room for appliance placement. And some appliances shouldn’t be next to each other, so you’re smart for asking whether your fridge can be next to your stove.
A fridge can be next to a stove, although it’s not the best idea. The heat from the stove makes the fridge’s compressor work in an intensive mode. The refrigerant circuits are found on its side. This increases the power consumption, making the fridge wear out faster and prone to failing.
The rest of this article will show you how to minimize the risks of placing your fridge next to your stove. I’ll also cover some of the safer ways in which you can place your fridge in the kitchen.
Why Having Your Fridge Next to the Stove Is a Bad Idea
The stove and refrigerator are bad neighbors. As a matter of fact, the two appliances should be stored as far from each other as possible.
Aside from the damage caused by the heat from the stove, there are two other reasons you should are avoid placing them next to each other:
- The refrigerator will be smeared with oil splashes and grease as you cook.
- Having the fridge next to the stove prevents large pots and pans with big handles from fitting inside the stove.
However, if you’re set on keeping the two appliances together, there’s an important question you need to ask:
What should the minimum distance between the fridge and the stove be?
Well, it depends. Different models have different specifications, and you should always look out for this information from the fridge’s manual.
Zanussi, an Italian electronic company, recommends that the minimum distance between a refrigerator and a gas stove is 50cm. For hobs and electric stoves, the minimum distance should be 5 cm.
What to Do if You Have a Small Kitchen
It might be impossible to keep your fridge and stove apart if you have a small kitchen.
Therefore, many homeowners are left with no other option but to have the two kitchen appliances closer to each other than recommended.
If your kitchen can’t accommodate the minimum recommended distance, there are some alternatives that will allow you to position these appliances without collateral damage:
Install A Separating Material
To protect the fridge from the stove’s heat, attach a heat-insulating material to the wall of the refrigerator.
This is the easiest, quickest, and most budget-friendly method of solving the problem.
The insulating material acts as a wall between the stove and fridge. As far as the heat is concerned, the two appliances may as well be in different rooms.
I recommend using Double Bubble Reflective Foil Insulation if you want to try this. It’s an inexpensive, commercial-grade insulation option that will be easy to tape or glue to the side of your fridge.
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Install A Kitchen Hood
A hood is a mechanical fan that hangs above the stove to evacuate smoke, heat, and combustion from the air.
This might be exactly what you need to make your fridge and stove play nice. It will capture most of the heat from the stove and reduce the heat that radiates to the fridge.
A kitchen hood will cool the upper part of the refrigerator if it’s heated by the separating material.
Make an Embedded Refrigerator
Another creative method is to embed your fridge inside a box.
The frame of the box acts as a barrier and absorbs the heat strokes from the stove. It also protects your fridge from oil splashes, dirt, and grease.
If you do this, I still recommend adding a layer of foil insulation for optimal results.
Add a Screen or Partition Between the Two Appliances
The purpose of adding a screen or partition between the fridge and stove is pretty much the same as the others- to create a barrier against heat and protect your fridge from dirt and oil splashes.
This screen or partition can be made of tempered glass, drywall, MDF panels, and plywood.
Replace Your Full-Size Appliances
Since you can’t increase your kitchen size, how about you make other kitchen appliances smaller?
You can replace your full-size kitchen appliances with smaller versions to create more space. For example, you can exchange your standard stove for a mini one with two stoves.You can also opt to go for a smaller sink.
Also, I recommend removing any tables or stools that may be in the kitchen. Doing this will provide you with ample space to comfortably store your fridge far enough from the stove.
Where to Place Your Fridge
Damaging your fridge because you placed it next to the stove is one thing. Failing to receive your warranty is another.
Most manufacturing companies will deny you warranty services because you failed to comply with the fridge’s installation conditions.
You, therefore, lose your fridge and the right to claim for a warranty. It is a lose-lose situation for you. To avoid all this trouble, I’ll share with you some of the best ways to store your fridge in the kitchen.
Inside the Kitchen Shelves
The modern interior design allows you to have your refrigerator customized. It will fit in and blend with the decorum without being too overwhelming. You can integrate the fridge into your kitchen anywhere and in any way that you want.
This method is classy, clean, and allows you to have multiple cabinets around the fridge.
Under the Kitchen Cabinets
Installing your fridge under the kitchen cabinets would save you lots of space. If you have a studio apartment without a separate kitchen, this will be the best method.
On top of making your apartment look spacious, organized, and clean, it will also keep all your kitchen and refrigeration needs in one place.
Refrigerator Drawers
Refrigerator drawers are massively gaining popularity due to their convenience. They are innovative and will go a long way to save you space.
Refrigerator drawers entail having your freezers installed as pull-out drawers.
These freezers are non-flashy and easy to use and maintain. Moreover, you can install as many as you wish, depending on your kitchen needs.
The best part is that picking items is easy. None will go unnoticed and end up thawing.
Bedroom or Living Room
When everything doesn’t seem to work out, there is no harm in storing your fridge in the living room or bedroom. It will function equally well and save you lots of space in the kitchen.
On the bright side, you’ll no longer have to walk into the kitchen for a midnight snack.
Conclusion
Storing your fridge next to the stove isn’t the best idea. It insulates heat from the stove, making it wear out faster and prone to failing. Moreover, you are exposing your fridge to oil splashes and grease from the stove.
The recommended distance between your stove and fridge should be 50 cm. However, if your kitchen space isn’t large enough, there are alternatives to this:
- Insert an insulating material between your fridge and stove. It acts as a barrier between the two.
- Have a powerful hood on top of the stove to evacuate any heat, smoke, or combustion produced.
- Embed your fridge inside a box. The box insulates all heat being produced as well as protecting the fridge from dirt and oil splashes.
- Add a screen or partition to protect the fridge from excess heat and dirt.
- Replace your full-size appliances with smaller ones to save on space.