Many people love large kitchen space, as it allows them to store as many appliances as they want. If you have a smaller kitchen, you might have a hard time fitting in some of your kitchen appliances. When it comes to the placement of appliances, you might already know that it is not good to keep some appliances close to each other. This is probably why you asked if you could keep your fridge next to your stove.
You can place your refrigerator next to your stove. However, this is not the best practice. Keeping your fridge next to your stove will reduce the efficiency of the fridge. The heat from the stove will make the compressor of the fridge work intensively. If this happens, the fridge will consume more power, which will definitely increase your electricity bill. It will not only increase your electricity bill but also reduce the lifespan of your refrigerator and make it susceptible to failing.
However, there is a way you could place your refrigerator close to your stove and still manage the risks associated with it, and we will show you how to do that in this article. We will also show you some safer methods of placing your refrigerator in the kitchen.
Those with smaller kitchen spaces are often faced with the challenge of placing their appliances and doing it the right way. Fortunately, there are ways you can better utilize your kitchen space and more things in it, including positioning things the right way.
Read on to see the best way you can keep your fridge close to your stove without the risks associated with it.
Why a Stove Next to Fridge Is a Bad Idea
Two items that should not be next to each other in the kitchen are the fridge and stove; this is because they are bad neighbors. In fact, you should place these two kitchen appliances as far away from each other as possible.
Asides from the damage your refrigerator could suffer because of the heat from the stove, there are two other major reasons why you should not place your refrigerator next to your stove.
Those reasons are:
- When you place your refrigerator next to your stove, you will not be able to use large pans and pots with big handles comfortably. The protruded handle will have no space to stay, and this will limit you in the kitchen.
- While cooking or frying, the grease and oil splashes will be on your fridge. This means you would have to clean your refrigerator every time you finish cooking, which would be a very daunting task. This will also affect the look and beauty of your refrigerator. It will wear out the color very fast, as you would need to clean with detergent or soap whenever there are oil splashes or grease on the fridge.
Nevertheless, if you must keep your fridge next to your stove because of the limited space you have in your kitchen, there a vital question you need to ask – “What should be the minimum space between the stove and the refrigerator?”
As we have pointed out, it is a bad idea to keep a stove next to a refrigerator. However, if you must keep your stove next to your refrigerator, then you should make sure there is space between them.
The minimum space you should keep between both appliances depends on the refrigerator. We have different models of refrigerators and they come with different specs. You should go through the manual for your fridge to see the recommended space for the model of your fridge.
An Italian electronic company – Zanussi – recommended that you should keep a minimum of 50cm distance between a gas stove and a fridge. For electric stoves and hobs, you should keep a minimum distance of 5cm. When a refrigerator is functioning, it generates heat externally. The heat it generates needs to be dissipated.
It is even wrong to keep a fridge on the edge or very close to the wall. When the heat it generates is not dissipated or the heat from the stove surrounds the fridge, the cooling capacity of the fridge will be affected and the compressor would have to do more work to keep the fridge cool.
This would only result in more energy consumption.
How Do I Create a Distance between My Fridge and Stove in My Small Kitchen?
A smaller kitchen often poses the issue of accommodating more kitchen appliances. If you have a smaller kitchen, you might find yourself doing a lot of logical reasoning just to get one or two appliances to fit in the kitchen. It might also be impossible to place your stove far apart from your refrigerator if your kitchen is small.
Hence, many people do not have any other option than to place these two appliances next to each other without maintaining the recommended distance between them. If you fall into this category of people, there is a better way of solving this issue.
If you cannot maintain the recommended distance between your fridge and stove in your kitchen, we will show you some useful alternatives to place these two kitchen appliances without the risks associated with doing so. Here are a couple of tips for positioning your fridge and stove next to each other without collateral damage:
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Install a Material to Separate Both Appliances
One of the best ways to prevent this issue is to install the material in between the fridge and the stove. This will helps to protect your refrigerator from the heat of the stove. The separating material should be heat-insulated, which means heat should not be able to pass through the material.
You should add the material to the wall of the fridge. This approach is one of the simplest and quickest to solving this issue. It is also a budget-friendly solution, as you would not need to spend much on the heat-insulating material. The material used to separate the appliances will act as a wall between them.
Provided the heat cannot pass through the material, it would be as if both appliances are in two different rooms because of the material used to separate them.
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Install a Kitchen Hood
This is another great idea to protect your fridge from the damage of excess heat from your stove. You can install a kitchen hood in your kitchen to take away all the heat from the stove. For those who do not know what a hood is, a hood is a mechanical fan that you can hang over your stove or gas cooker to get rid of heat, smoke, and combustion from the air.
This kitchen appliance is very useful, as it will not only protect your fridge from the heat of a stove but also ensure your kitchen is free from smoke and heat. With a kitchen hood, your stove and refrigerator can be next to each other without any issues. It will make both appliances play nice.
This device will capture the majority of the heat that the stove generates, which will help reduce the amount of heat that radiates to your refrigerator. The heat will also extract the heat generated by the refrigerator, ensuring it is always cool and working at its optimal capacity. This will help to reduce the workload of the compressor, which would help to reduce power consumption.
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Insert a Partition or Screen between the Fridge and Stove
Creating a barrier between the fridge and the stove is a great way of preventing the heat from the stove from getting to the fridge. One of the best ways to create this barrier is to add a partition or screen between the refrigerator and stove. This barrier will completely stop or significantly reduce the amount of heat that gets to the fridge from the stove.
The partition or screen will not only protect the fridge from the heat generated by the stove, but it will also protect the fridge from oil splashes and dirt. With the reduced oil splashes on your fridge, you will have less cleaning to do. This will also help to extend the lifespan of your fridge. It would also allow your fridge to maintain its color and beauty.
You can use different types of materials for the screen or partition. Some of the materials you can use include medium-density fiber panels, plywood, and tempered glass. The particle can also be drywall. All these materials do a great job of keeping heat out. They will protect your fridge from heat and ensure it is neat always.
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Embed Your Refrigerator Inside a Box
Making an embedded fridge is another great way of solving this issue. You can embed your refrigerator inside a box to protect it from the heat from your stove. The frame of the box used to embed the fridge will serve as a shield. It will absorb the heat from the stove, preventing it from getting to the fridge.
In addition to protecting the fridge from heat, the frame of the box will also protect the refrigerator from dirt, grease, and oil splashes. You can make this a DIY project or outsource it to a professional woodworker. The woodworker will know the best material to use for the project. If you want to handle the project yourself, you should make sure to use a durable and strong material. The materials should also be able to withstand heat.
For the best result, we recommend a layer of foil insulation to the box. This will increase the heat resistibility of the material. When making the box, ensure you take an accurate measurement of the fridge and the space you want to put the box in. There should also be little space between the walls of the box and the refrigerator.
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Reduce the Sizes of Other Appliances
Small kitchens come with many challenges, and limited space is just one that you have to deal with. In this situation, one thing is constant, which is the size of your kitchen, and you cannot do anything about that. However, there is another solution you can apply, which is to replace the full-size appliances in your kitchen.
You can make the appliances in your kitchen a bit smaller to accommodate other things and create more space. If you have full-size appliances, you should consider replacing them with smaller versions. This will help create sufficient space for other things. For instance, if you have a standard stove, you can replace it with a mini version with two stoves. You can also reduce the size of your sink and opt for smaller versions.
If you have stools or tables in your kitchen that are occupying space, you should consider removing them as well. This will provide you with more than enough space to place your refrigerator far away from your stove.
What Are the Best Places I Can Place My Refrigerator?
Wrongly positioning your refrigerator can cause a lot of damage. Remember, almost all refrigerators come with a warranty. However, warranties only cover the manufacturer’s defaults. This means if the damage comes from your end, you can kiss goodbye to your warranty. Hence, if your fridge is damaged due to heat from your stove, you will not receive your warranty, which is why you need to prevent this by all means possible.
Even failing to comply with the installation conditions of the fridge will cause you to lose your warranty. If you do not want to lose your refrigerator as well as the right to claim your warranty, you should protect your fridge from any collateral damage. The positioning of your fridge is very important, as it plays a key role in its functionality and durability.
In this section, we will share with you a few tips on how you can position your refrigerator in the kitchen. With these simple techniques, you will be able to protect your fridge from the heat of your stove. It will also protect your fridge from oil splashes, dirt, and grease. Here are the best ways to place your refrigerator in your kitchen:
Store the Fridge inside the Kitchen Shelves
One of the best ways to protect your refrigerator is to store it inside the kitchen shelves. Thanks to modern interior designs, you can now customize the storage space of your refrigerator. You can customize a shelf for your fridge. The fridge will fit in perfectly. You can use materials that complement the fridge so that it will blend in very well without being too overwhelming.
With this approach, you can store the fridge in any part of your kitchen and in whichever way you want. It will also make your kitchen space look neater, classy, and clean. You can also add a couple of cabinets around the refrigerator.
Fridge Drawers
Fridge drawers are increasingly becoming popular because of the great level of convenience they provide. This innovative idea does more than just protecting your refrigerator from heat and dirt. It will also enhance the look and feel of your kitchen space. A fridge drawer will also help to save you a lot of space in your kitchen; space that you can use to store other useful kitchen appliances.
This innovation is very simple, as it entails having your refrigerator installed as a pullout drawer. The downside of this method is that it will cover the beauty of your refrigerator, especially when you have a refrigerator with an amazing design. However, covering your entire refrigerator means an additional level of protection. While you sacrifice the flashiness of your fridge, you are trading it for less maintenance and durability.
This will also make your fridge very easy to use. It will reduce the rate at which you clean and maintain the fridge, as it will be difficult for oil splashes, grease, and dirt to get to it. With this method, you can install more than one refrigerator in your kitchen.
Beneath the Kitchen Cabinets
Another great place you can store your refrigerator is beneath your kitchen cabinets. If you have a cabinet with free space beneath it, then you should install your refrigerator there. Installing your refrigerator beneath your cabinet will save you a lot of space.
This option is even better for those living in studio apartments that do not have a separate kitchen. You can store your fridge under the cabinet, provided it fits. This will make your kitchen or apartment look spacious. It will also help to keep your space more organized and clean. Your fridge will accumulate less dirt and grease when you install it beneath your cabinet. It will also reduce the need for frequent cleaning.
At the Intersection
This is another fancy idea of storing your fridge when you have limited space. If you do not want your fridge to be stored in a storage unit, you can place it at the intersection of your hallway, living room, or dining area. The fridge can serve as a separation from your hallway, living room, or dining area. This will reduce the amount of space it occupies in your kitchen while making it easily accessible also.
Keep Your Fridge in the Living Room or Bedroom
This is not the best idea, but it works too. When it seems like you are out of options, you might want to consider this option. You can store your refrigerator in your bedroom or living room, and there is no harm in that. The fridge might even add to the aesthetic of your bedroom or living room, depending on its design.
If you cannot implement the options listed above, you should consider this one. Storing your refrigerator in your bedroom or living room will not make it lose its functionality. It would still function as normal. It might even function better in most cases, as it would have enough space around it for proper dissipation of heat.
Again, this will leave you with a lot of free space in your kitchen. It will allow you to store other vital kitchen appliances that cannot be stored in any other part of the house. It would also make your fridge easily accessible for your regular midnight snacks. However, the only downside to this is that you will not be able to access your fridge easily when you are busy in the kitchen; you would have to walk down to the bedroom or living room.
Regardless of where you are storing your refrigerator, you should make sure it is stored away from direct sunlight. Placing the fridge in direct sunlight will yield the same result as placing it next to a stove. In addition to keeping the fridge away from the stove and direct sunlight, you should also keep it away from the oven and microwave because they generate a lot of heat.
If you have a spacious laundry room, you can store your fridge there. Many homeowners do it, especially those with very large refrigerators. If you have a big, double-door refrigerator, then this would be a great idea.
Final Thoughts
It is not a good idea to place your refrigerator next to your stove. The stove emits a lot of heat, which can affect the functionality of the fridge. It would place more demand on the compressor to do more work, which would in return increase your electricity bill. It would also wear out your refrigerator much faster and make it susceptible to failing.
Giving your fridge such exposure will also increase your cleaning tasks, as the fridge will accumulate more dirt, grease, and oil splashes. It is recommended that you keep a minimum distance of 50cm between the fridge and the stove. If your kitchen is too small to maintain such distance, you should consider using any of the fridge-storing techniques or solutions on this guide.
You can create a wall or barrier between your fridge and stove with an insulating material. You can also install a kitchen hood to evacuate the heat and smoke from the stove. Installing your fridge in a box is another great idea to consider.
