How much kitchen space do I need for my new major appliance?

When you’re redoing your kitchen (or planning a new one altogether), it’s important to make sure you plan enough kitchen space for any new appliance you plan on bringing home. Not all major appliances are made equal in size, so if you’re designing a new space or refreshing the one that you have, you need to make sure that the one you’ve chosen will fit. A mis-sized appliance can add extra time to your home renovation project, but when you find just the right one, the results are worth it.

The Best Buy website offers sorting and filtering functions by size, which makes it easy to find your ideal appliance. This function is available for most appliance categories, and may include dimensions such as width, depth, and height.

Growing up, the appliances in my house didn’t always fit the way you’d expect them to. My mother once made the mistake of replacing a counter depth fridge with a non-returnable extra-deep one, and our fridge ended up sticking out a few awkward inches until I was out of high school. When she got the chance to redo her kitchen, she made sure to measure once, twice, and thrice before asking her brother to come quadruple-check!

How much kitchen space do you need for the average refrigerator?

Refrigerators are measured in two standard ways: total capacity (measured in cubic feet) and footprint (measured for both width and depth, with a separate height measurement). But two fridges with the same standard capacity won’t necessarily be the same width or depth, so it’s important to make sure you’re looking at both of the figures when you purchase a new one.

Note: Most “counter depth” refrigerators are 28-31 inches in depth, while most non-counter depth refrigerators are upwards of 35 inches deep.

The cubic capacity of your refrigerator or freezer tells you how much your appliance will be able to hold, while its footprint tells you how much space it’ll take up in your kitchen. Different categories of fridges often take up similar amounts of space; for instance, your average side-by-side refrigerator will be wider than your average top freezer refrigerator, no matter the brand.

How much kitchen space do you need for the average stove?

In most kitchen makeovers,  stoves and ranges will be the easiest appliance for you to size and select. That’s because they’re almost all 28-30 inches wide, save for a few luxury models! However, the interior capacity of each appliance can vary greatly.

While one 30″ oven from KitchenAid may feature a 7.1 Cu. Ft. interior, a similar 30″ oven from the same brand may be just 5.8 Cu. Ft. inside. Different technologies, installation designs, and oven layouts can make a big impact on the inner workings of your appliance.

But wait! When you’re looking at how much kitchen space you should plan for your stove, make sure to measure the space above it, too. While many ranges are similar in size, you’ll also need to account for a range hood above your stove. These differ greatly in size, style, and orientation, and include everything from tall canopy range hoods to slim under-the-cabinet range hoods.

How much kitchen space do you need for the average dishwasher?

Dishwashers are one of my favourite appliances to highlight during a kitchen renovation, because they’re where things get tricky! Not only are there different sizes of dishwashers, there are also different types to account for. There are large dishwashers (a traditional “built-in”), medium dishwashers (“apartment sized” for small spaces), and small dishwashers (“portable”), which are great for rental homes. Measuring for a dishwasher at home is a simple, achievable way to make sure that you get just the right fit with your new appliance.

A standard dishwasher is 24″ wide, but different household models can vary greatly, from 18″ to 28″. Furthermore, they’re not limited by type: many of the slimmest dishwashers on the market are now built-in, offering the luxury of a great dishwasher in a small condo or basement bar. With their different sizes, types, and interior configurations, dishwashers offer plenty of ways for you to select something that feels truly customized to your needs.

Get ready for your new major appliance

There are many different sizes for each major kitchen appliance, and while not all of them vary as widely as dishwashers do, sizing isn’t something to scoff at. Remember to measure carefully, and keep appliance depth and ease of installation in mind when you check your sizing.

If you’re beginning a kitchen renovation project, be sure to read some of the other appliance articles available to you. The Best Buy blog offers plenty of great resources, including tips on how to shop for an appliance like a pro and how to manage installation, delivery, and appliance recycling once your new one arrives.

These articles are perfect for figuring out what you need to do before making your purchase, so you can focus on the important stuff—like what great features you want your new major appliance to have.