Refrigerator question...

[betarhoalphadelta]

So, my fermentation fridge is on the way out. It's still not dead, but close to. After 10 years of faithful service to me (and who knows how long it was around before I acquired it), it's barely able to hold temps in the 60s right now.

So that leaves me with a conundrum. I actually want to replace my kitchen fridge, and I could roll that out to the garage as my overflow fridge and use my current spare for fermenting. But I'm thinking I'll be moving within the next year. Normally I'd buy the biggest fridge that will fit in the opening I've got, but I don't want to buy a fridge that then won't fit in the next place.

What is the largest fridge I should look for with an expectation that it won't be *too* large for an average single family home? Not sure if I will buy or rent, but even if I buy I don't want to do major kitchen remodeling immediately just to fit a fridge, so I want something that will fit just about anywhere.

Right now I have an opening of 37" wide and 72" tall. How much smaller should I go to have a high likelihood of the new fridge fitting in the next house?

If it means anything, I live in Southern California, so in general space is at a major premium. Not sure if that matters to typical fridges in the area, though...

 

[kh54s10]

I don't think there is a foolproof answer. My last house had a space that was 35 inches wide MAX. That left no room for cooling around the sides. Plus the space was not deep so my smallish refrigerator stuck out into the doorway going into the next room. That house was built in 1950 in Rhode Island.

The place I am staying now has nothing to one side so width is not nearly as critical. 36 W 32 D here.

 

[Transamguy77]

^^what he said, and I think time period makes a difference. I noticed most of the houses in my area of California were built in the 70's and 80's and all have a pretty standard size opening, when I lived in Pa there was no specific size especially if the house was built in the early to mid 1900's

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Interesting. I expect most of the areas we'd be moving next will be similar age (70s/80s construction)...

Wondering if I should just pull the trigger.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, if I had to pick a capacity that would maximize the typical opening I'd go with a 22 cubic foot model.
The last four kitchens I've lived with (going back to 1976) all could fit that size and still have the doors open.

That said...I have two 17cf top-freezer units and a 22cf top-freezer unit in my brewery and the larger unit only fits one more corny keg than the other two (6 vs 5) and still only fits two of my 6.5g carboys. Surprised me, actually. Apparently most of the 5 cf difference is in the vegetable/fruit compartments below the main deck, and in the freezer...

Cheers!