What Is a French Door Refrigerator?
All you need to know about this refrigerator design.
With a sleek design, wide shelving, and functional features, French door refrigerators are a popular pick for kitchens. The convenience of eye-level shelves helps you see ingredients clearly and the spacious storage compartments provide organizational opportunities, both of which save you time and money. Our guide covers everything you need to know about this type of refrigerator. Keep reading to learn what a french door refrigerator is and how it compares to a side-by-side fridge silhouette.
What Is a French Door Refrigerator?
French Door vs. Side-by-Side Fridge Design
French Door Refrigerator Sizes
French Door Refrigerator Features
What Is a French Door Refrigerator?
French door refrigerators have two vertical half-doors that open in the center to reveal one interior refrigerator compartment and a bottom-mounted freezer that slides out like a drawer. Because the two doors open to a spacious refrigerator compartment, French door refrigerators are an excellent choice for households that require plenty of room for ingredients, leftovers, or oversized dishes. The wide interior shelves allow for flexible refrigerator organization so you can find a system that works for you. Plus, the crisper drawers are at mid-height, which makes it easy to access fresh fruits or veggies and prevent produce from going bad.
French door refrigerators are similar in design to side-by-side models, but they each have their own benefits and design features. Review French Door vs. Side-by-Side Fridge: Which One Is Right for Your Kitchen? to compare your options.
Like most refrigerators, there are standard sizes for French door refrigerators to ensure they fit with standard-size cabinets. Standard-size French door refrigerators typically measure 29½"–36" wide, 68½"–70⅛" tall, and 29⅜"–34⅜" deep.
Tip!
Check out our guide Refrigerator Dimensions: What is the Standard Size of a Refrigerator? to learn more about refrigerator sizes.
French Door Refrigerator Features
From ice dispensers to Wi-Fi-enabled convenience, there are plenty of additional features to consider.
Door-Ajar Alarm: This alarm alerts you if the refrigerator door is left open after a few minutes, which helps prevent food spoilage, wasted energy, and the interior temperature from rising.
Door-Within-Door: A door-within-door is a compartment inside the refrigerator door that allows you access items without opening the refrigerator fully. Simply press the button on the exterior part of the door to reveal the door-within-door feature.
ADA-Compliant: These refrigerators are designed with accessibility in mind. Key design features include doors that are easy to open with one hand, controls that are below the height of 54", and doors or drawers that can be opened without using more than 5 lbs. of force.
Smudge-Resistant Finish: Because the refrigerator is one of the most-used appliances, a smudge-resistant finish adds an extra layer of protection that keeps maintenance to a minimum and improves the longevity.
Wi-Fi-Enabled: These refrigerators connect to your home's Wi-Fi so that you can have remote control from your smartphone. You can adjust the temperature settings, monitor energy use, and connect the refrigerator to other smart devices.
Water Dispenser: A water dispenser adds more convenience to your kitchen. With an internal filter, a water dispenser provides fresh water whenever you need a glass.
Ice Maker: Say goodbye to ice cube trays (and refilling them!) with an ice maker. These ice makers are located in the freezer and can automatically sensor when to make more ice.
Ice Dispenser: An ice dispenser is located in the same spot as the water dispenser so you can easily fill a glass with ice and water. Plus, many ice dispensers have multiple settings for cubed or crushed ice.
Tip!
Find more information about refrigerators by reading our guides The Ultimate Refrigerator Buying Guide, How Much Does a Refrigerator Cost?, and How to Organize a Fridge.
