If you have a small kitchen or don’t require a large fridge freezer, picking the best under-counter fridge will not only save you space but help you save on your energy bills too. These refrigerators fit under your kitchen worktop and can hold up to eight shopping bags. So, if you are moving into a small property or need a secondary fridge for your kitchen, these appliances will come in handy and are affordable too.
To spare you some time, we have selected the best under-counter fridges to accommodate your kitchen needs. We have picked out fridge freezers with iceboxes and freezers, larder fridges, and fridges with sleek designs to keep your kitchen looking nice and modern. We've got a buyer's guide for a handy wine fridge, too.
Best Under-Counter Fridge At A Glance
• Best value under counter fridge: Candy CHTL552WKN Amazon Exclusive Freestanding 55cm Undercounter Fridge - View on Amazon UK
• Best budget under-counter fridge with icebox: Fridgemaster MUR4894MFS Fridge with Ice Box – View on Appliances Direct
• Best budget under-counter fridge freezer: Cookology UCFF87 47cm Freestanding Undercounter Small Fridge Freezer - View on Amazon UK
Perhaps, you're pondering: are under-counter fridges any good? Well, under-counter refrigerators are a great option when it comes to saving space, if you are looking for a second fridge to accompany your handy 50/50 fridge freezer or a refrigerator for a small house or flat, these types of models will come in handy. Plus they are more energy-efficient and will save you money on energy bills. That's more than ideal since we're all finding ways to save.
With this in mind, we've found the best under-counter storage for your food, drinks and more. A Modern Kitchen has picked integrated fridge freezers as well as freestanding models. Whatever your space or lifestyle, we've got a handy space-saving under-counter fridge for you.
Best Under-Counter Fridges
Best budget under-counter fridge freezer
If you are on the hunt for an under-the-counter fridge freezer at a low price, then this Cookology UCFF87 Under Counter 2 Door Fridge is an excellent choice. This two-door fridge freezer fits underneath your worktop in the kitchen and has reversible doors to fit perfectly in your kitchen.
Customer Review: "This little fridge freezer does wonders. Easy to install. I was surprised to see how big the freezer/ice side is. Yes, I recommend them! I am happy from order to delivery and having my fridge at home. Thank you."
Pros
- Separate door for an ice box
- Easy to install
- Sleek, looks good
Cons
- Smaller fridge capacity compared to others
- Not that quiet running
Best budget under-counter fridge with icebox
www.appliancesdirect.co.uk
The Fridgemaster MUR4894MFS Fridge with Ice Box has a 94-litre capacity, which gives you enough space for five bags of food shopping. It is on the smaller side, but it is very compact at just 48cm in width, making it excellent for smaller kitchens. The two shelves will help you organise your food, an icebox, and a salad crisper drawer, and the door is reversible to fit into all kitchen spaces.
Customer Review: "Great fridge, fits under a worktop with ease, just enough room, nice Ice box compartment."
Pros
- More slimline compared to other models,
- Good value for money
- Practical shelf layout
Cons
- Some reviewers found the ice box a bit weak
Best value under counter fridge
The Candy CHTL552BK Under Counter Fridge has all the classic features you'd want from an under-counter fridge and has a generous amount of space. With a 125L capacity, it can fit around six bags of shopping.
Customer Review: "Love my new fridge and matching freezer, fast delivery, friendly delivery men, and all of the packaging was taken away for £3 over the appliance, no complaints apart from my kitten can see her reflection in the high gloss door, and now thinks we have a rogue kitty living in the fridge trying to muscle in on her turf!"
Pros
- Great value
- Adjustable shelving to meet your needs
- High gloss finish
Cons
- No ice box
Best integrated under-counter fridge
www.appliancesdirect.co.uk
An integrated under counter fridge with a large capacity is difficult to find, but this Indesit 146 Litre Integrated Under Counter Fridge ticks all the boxes with its 146 litre space. There are two fruit and vegetable bins, two adjustable glass shelves and two door shelves. Customers praise the internal light and spaciousness.
Customer review: "Excellent value for money. I was surprised how large the inside of the fridge is."
Pros
- Large capacity
- Value for money
- Great internal lighting
Cons
- Some customers felt the internal shelving could have been better designed
Recommended
www.ebay.co.uk
If you are looking for something that is cheap and cheerful, then look no further than Curry's Essential range under-the-counter fridge. Store your dairy, meat, fish, and vegetables with ease with adjustable shelves and transparent front drawers. The Essentials CUL55W20 Undercounter Fridge has a decent capacity of 131 litres and a reversible door to fit most kitchens.
Customer Review: "Good capacity. Lots of shelving in the door. The salad tray is a good shape and size. Chills effectively. The door can be switched to open from the other side."
Pros
- Plenty of space for the price
- Easy to install, noticeably quiet
Cons
- The handle on the salad drawer is a little awkward to pull out
Best under counter fridge for more shelving
ao.com
The annual energy cost of this under counter fridge is just £18.33. It features auto defrost, so you don't have to worry about defrosting ever again. Additionally, the Liebherr T1710 Fridge boasts 149 litre capacity that's the equivalent of eight bags of food shopping. It has four shelves, which is a unique selling point of this under counter fridge.
Customer review: "An excellent under counter fridge. Plenty of capacity with four shelves, and very quiet in operation. Would thoroughly recommend."
Pros
- Great capacity
- Quiet
- More shelves than others
Cons
- Shelves are quite close together
Best high-end under-counter fridge with retro design
www.bootskitchenappliances.com
If you are looking for a stylish and retro fridge, you have probably heard of Smeg. This bold Smeg Left Hand Hinge FAB10LRD5 Fridge with Ice Box can hold 104 litres of shopping and doesn't need defrosting. There is a special drawer to keep fruit and vegetables organised, a frozen food compartment, door shelving, and an E energy rating (the best on this list). Of course, we have to talk about the design. Retro on the outside yet advanced inside - this fridge will transform any kitchen into a 50s diner. One thing to note is that it has a left-hand hinge.
Customer Review: "This Smeg product is excellent quality. This is our second fridge/freezer of the same model as we needed to change to a left-hand door model; our other one is a few years old now and operates faultlessly. Smeg has made a few changes; the freezer door now has a more user-friendly user door latch. Also, there is now a fast freezer function for the freezer compartment, then there is a small change to one of the door shelves, and I believe it is not as noisy as our other one when the motor is running. All in all very pleased with this purchase."
Pros
- Stylish and unique design
- More energy-efficient
- Great quality
Cons
- May be too tall to fit beneath most kitchen counters
- Left hinge door only
Best black under counter fridge
www.appliancesdirect.co.uk
This sleek Hotpoint 134 Litre Under Counter Freestanding Larder Fridge - Black has a recessed handle for a streamlined look. It's a freestanding appliance with a reversible door, so it's ideal if you have a small kitchen and need it to fit in a particular place. The door has three shelves that can fit bottles, jars and eggs. The interior has two shelves and a salad drawer which is ample for a small household.
Customer review: "Very happy with this under the counter fridge. The layout inside is very good for keeping all types of foodstuff. Extremely quiet operation and externally very slick looking."
Pros
- Sleek exterior
- Inexpensive to run
- Automatic defrost
Cons
- It's quite small
OUR VERDICT: What Is The Best Under-Counter Fridge?
Our top pick is the Cookology UCFF87 Under Counter 2 Door Fridge. Not only does it combine some very nice features and a contemporary look, but it also has an excellent capacity with its 61-litre fridge and 26-litre ice box compartment.
FAQs
What to consider when buying a new fridge freezer
Capacity
Size is an essential factor to consider. We have listed fridges with a capacity of 87 to 149 litres to fit every household and preference.
Design
Whether you want something retro or small and ergonomic, it is good to think about what design would best suit your kitchen.
Icebox
Although many people may like the convenience that an icebox brings, the advantage of a larder fridge means you have more space for chilled food and they're more energy-efficient too.
Noise level
Anything quieter than 40 dB is considered a quiet fridge. If your kitchen is in a separate room, then this aspect won’t matter so much, however, it is something to consider if you're buying an under-counter fridge for an open-plan flat or have a bedroom right next to the kitchen.
Energy efficiency
For a clear indicator of how energy-efficient your fridge freezer is, look for its energy rating. The higher, the better. The energy ratings were revised in 2021 to ensure there was space left on the scale for improvement. On the old energy efficiency scale, appliances were rated between A+++ to D. But with modern technology, most appliances were maxing out the scale. The new energy ratings now go from A to G and are much less confusing.
You’ll find now that there are much fewer A and B-rated appliances. Those that were previously A+++ may now be an F. This is to give the opportunity for higher ratings in the future and encourage manufacturers to make their machines even more sustainable.
Freestanding or integrated
If you prefer your kitchen appliances to blend in, then an integrated fridge is a good choice; if you don’t mind, then freestanding models tend to be cheaper.
Are all under-counter fridges the same size?
Just like regular fridge freezers, under-counter fridges tend to be similar in size. But, they can still vary in their dimensions - much like the difference between an American fridge freezer to a wine fridge.
As for under-counter models, there are particularly compact appliances, such as the Fridgemaster MUR4894MFS, and others can be quite large, such as the Smeg FAB10LRD5 Fridge.
What’s the difference between a fridge and a larder fridge?
A larder fridge is essentially a fridge without an icebox. As mentioned before, an icebox or freezer can be useful but the advantage of a larder fridge is that you will have much more capacity for your fresh food.
What size fridge fits under a counter?
Generally speaking, anywhere between 50-61 cm in width, 45-66 cm in depth, and 87cm in height will fit under a kitchen worktop.
Ellen Kinsey is a Senior Health & Wellness Product Writer for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in sustainable living and healthy cooking. She lives and breathes all things food, travel and wellness.