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Measuring the niche sizes of a built in fridge: how do you do it?

Luuk10 NOVEMBER 2025
Hands measure a brown wooden surface with a yellow measuring tape. A wrist with a black watch is visible.

When you buy a new built in fridge, it’s important that it fits your kitchen. To check this, always measure the niche sizes in your kitchen carefully and then choose a built in fridge that fits. Read on this page exactly how to do that.

What is the niche size of a built in fridge?

Hands measure a stainless steel fridge with a yellow tape measure. Magnets and notes are on the fridge.

The niche size of a built‑in fridge is the space you need to place the fridge in the kitchen cabinet. This size consists of the height, width and depth of the niche. If the niche size of a fridge is, for example, 178 cm high, 56 cm wide and 55 cm deep, then the space in your kitchen must have these dimensions. It’s important to know the correct niche size so that the fridge fits and the door opens properly. Always check the niche size before buying a built‑in fridge. How best to do this also depends on the type of fridge.

The niche sizes of your built in appliances

Niche sizes for a fridge‑freezer

A fridge‑freezer is a fridge with a freezer underneath. In most cases you’re dealing with 2 doors: one for the fridge and one for the freezer. Do you have a built‑in fridge‑freezer in mind? Then find out its niche sizes on the installation diagram of your fridge‑freezer. Next, check whether the fridge fits in your kitchen. To do this, measure the niche height, niche depth and niche width.

A person in a denim shirt opens a refrigerator in a kitchen with wooden shelves and blue tiles.

Measure the niche height (including the lower door panel)

When measuring the niche height of a fridge‑freezer, also take into account the dimensions of the door panels for the fridge and freezer compartments. Do this as follows:

  1. Use a tape measure and keep it taut.
  2. Measure from the bottom to the top of the niche.
  3. Separately measure the lower door panel from the bottom to the top of that panel.
  4. Note the heights in centimetres.

A woman smiles, touching a stainless steel refrigerator in an appliance store.

Measure the niche depth

The standard niche depth of a fridge‑freezer is 55 centimetres. There are exceptions, so always check your niche depth:

  1. Place the tape measure against the back of the niche.
  2. Measure straight to the front of the niche.
  3. Note the depth in centimetres.

Measure the niche width

Measuring the niche width is also important. Most fridge‑freezers have a niche width of 60 centimetres, but check this carefully:

  1. Measure from one side of the niche to the other.
  2. Make sure the tape measure is level.
  3. Note the width in centimetres along with the niche height and niche depth.

Niche sizes for a single‑door fridge

Does your kitchen have a niche that fits a single‑door fridge? The niche size of a built‑in single‑door fridge consists of a niche height, niche depth and niche width. Do you have a new single‑door fridge in mind? Check the dimensions on the installation diagram and make sure the fridge fits your kitchen.

Measure the niche height

Many single‑door fridges have a standard niche height of 88, 102, 122 or 178 centimetres. There are also models with a slightly different niche height, so always check carefully.

  1. Use a tape measure.
  2. Measure from the bottom to the top of the niche.
  3. Note the height in centimetres.

Measure the niche depth

Most single‑door fridges have a niche depth of 55 centimetres, although there are exceptions. Measure this to be sure.

  1. Place the tape measure at the back of the niche.
  2. Measure to the front of the niche.
  3. Note the depth.

Measure the niche width

Finally, measure the width of your niche. Do this as follows:

  1. Measure from one side to the other.
  2. Keep the tape measure taut and level.
  3. Write down the width.

An American‑style fridge is a large double‑door fridge that lets you store plenty of products. To determine the niche sizes for the built‑in version of this fridge, you also need the niche height, niche depth and niche width.

Measure the niche height

The niche height of an American‑style fridge varies roughly between 150 and 190 centimetres. Determine the niche height in your kitchen:

  1. Use a tape measure of at least 2 metres.
  2. Keep the tape taut and measure from the bottom to the top of the niche.
  3. Note the height in centimetres.

Measure the niche depth

Measure the niche depth of an American‑style fridge as follows:

  1. Place the tape at the back of the niche.
  2. Measure to the front of the niche, keeping it level.
  3. Note the depth.

Measure the niche width

An American‑style fridge often has 2 doors. You don’t need to account for this when determining the niche width. You only measure the width of the niche, as follows:

  1. Measure from the left side to the right side.
  2. Keep the tape measure straight and taut.
  3. Note the niche width.

Niche sizes for an under‑counter fridge

An under‑counter fridge is a smaller‑sized fridge that is often placed under the worktop. To install an under‑counter fridge, first check the dimensions of the fridge you have in mind. Then check whether it fits in your kitchen niche as follows.

Measure the niche height

A standard under‑counter fridge is 82 centimetres high, but there are exceptions. Measure carefully:

  1. Measure from the bottom of the niche to the underside of the worktop.
  2. Note the height in centimetres.

Is your niche higher than 82 centimetres? You can always place the under‑counter fridge on special feet, so it lines up neatly with the worktop.

Measure the niche depth

The niche depth of your kitchen is the distance between the back and the front of the niche. Measure it as follows:

  1. Place a tape measure at the back of the niche.
  2. Keep the tape taut and measure to the front of the niche.
  3. Note the niche depth alongside the niche height.

Measure the niche width

Most under‑counter fridges have a niche width between 55 and 60 centimetres. To be sure such an under‑counter fridge fits your kitchen, measure the niche width as follows:

  1. Measure from left to right.
  2. Keep the tape measure level.
  3. Note the niche width in centimetres as well.

Which door system does your built in fridge have?

An open Bosch fridge with hinge mechanism, visible food items and a sturdy build, perfect for modern kitchens.

After checking the niche sizes, it’s important to look at your fridge’s door system. There are 2 types: door‑on‑door and sliding‑door systems. With a door‑on‑door system, the fridge door is attached directly to the kitchen front panel. With a sliding‑door system, the fridge door is attached to the furniture door with guides. When you open the furniture door, the fridge door moves along the guides and opens too. The doors essentially move separately.

Door system for your built in fridge

Built in fridge in an IKEA kitchen

An open Bosch fridge is built into a modern, bright kitchen; it’s filled with vegetables, drinks and food, with sturdy hinges.

Do you have an IKEA kitchen? Then there are a few things to consider when choosing a built‑in fridge. With an IKEA kitchen you always have a sliding‑door system. In addition, IKEA kitchens have cabinets with fixed heights, depending on the kitchen type. A METOD kitchen (purchased after 2 June 2014) has cabinets 140, 200, 220 or 240 centimetres high. An older FAKTUM kitchen (from before 2 June 2014) has cabinets with heights of 125, 195 or 217 centimetres. Carefully check whether your new built‑in fridge fits these.

Which built in fridges fit an IKEA kitchen?

Our installation service for your fridge

A woman in a red shirt points inside an open refrigerator, with a man looking up in the foreground and more refrigerators behind.

Would you rather have a professional install your fridge? Then use our installation service. Select this option when ordering your built‑in fridge, which will then be neatly built in and installed. Our technicians will take your old fridge away immediately. This service does not apply to fridges from the Marketplace.

More about our services

Our advice for measuring the niche sizes of a built‑in fridge

When purchasing a new built‑in fridge, the niche sizes in your kitchen are very important for the possible dimensions of your fridge. The new fridge must, of course, fit properly. You measure the niche size of each type of fridge in a slightly different way, although you always need to know the niche height, niche width and niche depth. In addition, the door system of your built‑in fridge is important. Will you mount it with the door‑on‑door system or the sliding‑door system? With an IKEA kitchen, take into account the fixed cabinet heights and choose a built‑in fridge that definitely fits. Also learn how to do this for your built‑in dishwasher, built‑in oven, built‑in hob and built‑in freezer.

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