Can You Put the Fridge Next to the Oven?

Small kitchens can be a nightmare to organise. If you want to have several appliances: fridge, oven, microwave oven, etc, you will need to play some professional Tetris. 

And while you can put the microwave on top of the fridge, where do you put the fridge? Can it go next to the oven, or do these two appliances need to be far apart? What if you don’t have space for that?

Can You Put the Fridge Next to an Oven?

Putting the fridge next to your oven can make it work overtime as it tries to attain the adequate temperature. This may shorten its lifespan, or rack up your electricity bill. There is no immediate danger to either appliance though. 

Older fridges do not have the quality of insulation modern ones do. This is why it was advised to keep them well away from each other. However, today’s appliances are well built, and the integrated cooling systems in modern refrigerators won’t have a hard time reaching the correct temperatures, even if you are cooking right next to them. 

If you throw in a vent or an extractor fan, and carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions, you should be just fine. If not stated otherwise, make sure there is 50 millimetres of space between the two.

It can of course be more practical to put a counter between the fridge and oven, where you can either place other appliances (like the toaster), or which can be used for food prep. Remember the kitchen layout trifecta: sink – fridge – stove all need to be easily reachable while you are making a meal. 

How Close Can a Refrigerator Be to the Oven or Stove?

You should keep at least 50 millimetres of space between your fridge and oven or stove. Electric ovens or stoves and modern refrigerators especially won’t mind being this close. You will need around 30 centimetres of space between a gas oven and fridge.

Of course, if you have the space, you can organise your kitchen much more efficiently, and separate them by a counter, or even the sink. 

Another important consideration will be where you will plug each appliance in. While you can plug a fridge into an extension cord, it would be better to use a wall outlet. The stove definitely needs its own outlet, so you may need to put them close together (or far apart), depending on how many outlets you have in the kitchen. If you are just moving in or remodelling, now might be the right time to get some extra outlets. 

What Happens If My Fridge is Too Close to the Oven or Stove?

If your fridge is too close to the oven or stove, you may end up getting a higher electricity bill, as the fridge needs to use more power to maintain its temperature. 

The fridge may also ultimately have a shorter lifespan, but a breakdown is highly unlikely, unless you use your stove extremely often.

Cleaning your kitchen may also be more difficult, as the splatter from the stove will drip down to those hard-to-reach places on your fridge’s side. 

Also, if you leave your fridge door open frequently or if you forget to close the freezer door, and the oven just happens to be on next to it, you can expect it to work overtime to keep the temperatures low. If you forget to close said door, some of your perishables may start to go off sooner than they would normally have. 

Why It Might Be a Bad Idea to Put the Fridge Next to the Oven 

Putting a modern fridge next to a modern electrical oven will likely be perfectly okay. Gas ovens can get hotter, but even then, your fridge should be perfectly fine. However, here is why you may still want to reconsider this kitchen layout: 

Inadequate Insulation 

Modern refrigerators are insulated much better than older ones, so they should be able to cope with the heat that is emitted by your oven or stove. However, it may still need to work harder to keep the temperatures down, especially if you have an older or cheaper model. This will mean you are using more electricity than expected.

Component Design 

Most of the components of a fridge were designed to work at room-ish temperature. If you place them next to the stove, they may start to overheat, which will make them less effective and efficient in the long run. It will also drive your energy bill up.

Cleaning Will Be More Difficult 

Anything you place around the stove will inevitably be exposed to a fair amount of splatter. If it’s the fridge, you can expect its sides to get fairly dirty and greasy, and you may not be able to reach all the way down to clean them, in those difficult to reach areas below the stove line. 

How to Protect Both the Fridge and the Oven 

If you have no choice but to put the fridge next to the oven, here are some basic steps to follow that will help improve the longevity and performance of both appliances:

Keep Some Space Between Them 

A lot of fridges need space around them. As they dissipate heat, they need to have plenty of space at the top, back and sides for said heat. 50 millimetres is the minimum distance you should keep between your two appliances, if you have an electric stove. You may need to take it up to 30 centimetres if you have a gas stove. 

Add a Layer of Insulation 

You can also add an extra layer of insulation between the oven and fridge, which will prevent the heat from damaging the latter. There are foils you can order online that are usually used to insulate your walls, but that will do a good job here as well. 

Install an Extractor Fan 

An extractor fan above the stove will help dissipate the heat and will make the temperatures in your kitchen that much more pleasant. It will also get rid of some of that cooking smell. 

Consider Your Pan Size 

Finally, you also want to consider how you will be cooking: you really don’t want to keep hitting the fridge with the handles of your pots and pans. If there seems to be no room, you may want to reconsider your kitchen layout. 

Where Should the Fridge Go in a Kitchen?

Where you put the fridge is all a matter of convenience. You need it close to a work surface, as you want to be able to load and unload it quickly. 

Ideally, you want the fridge to be close to where you prepare food, so you can quickly grab all of your ingredients, and that you don’t have to keep twisting and turning to reach something. Make sure to consider which way the door will be opening, and how far it can be opened. 

Also, don’t forget you can’t turn a fridge on right after you move it, as the compressor oil needs time to settle. You will have to wait to put food into it too. 

Wrapping It Up 

The oven and the fridge can be placed next to each other: provided that they are both fairly new, and insulated well. Open your fridge as infrequently as possible, especially while you are using the stove, and monitor your energy consumption. If your bills seem to be higher than expected, you may want to consider a different layout.