Integrated fridge freezer

Charlie747

We are buying a new build and to have an integrated fridge freezer it's an extra grand. Obviously a similar free standing one without being integrated is only around £300 and money is tight.

What I'm wondering is will it look silly compared to the rest of the integrated kitchen by just having a random fridge on the end? Will we regret not having the integrated one?0

Thanks x

AdrianC

Only you can decide what will make your kitchen "look silly", and what you may or may not "regret".

But remember that standalone gives you more interior space for the same exterior width.

FWIW, we're in the early stages of planning a kitchen refit, and are going with standalone.

comeandgo

I have an integrated and a stand alone fridge freezer in my kitchen and I much prefer the standalone. There is a lot more room in a stand alone. I don't think it stands out much but even if it did, I would not be without it now.

Mutton_Geoff

Is the kitchen open plan into dining/living room? If so, I would go for integrated so the kitchen looks nicer. I've just fitted integrated fridge freezer and washer dryer into a project I'm working on now as it's open plan to the lounge.


There is the added cost of the kitchen units/doors for the fitter as well as the appliance. I always use quality appliances and baulked at the added cost of an integrated Neff washer dryer vs freestanding but the finished effect is very important in my view for marketing the property later.

ripplyuk

I would go with the freestanding one. Integrated ones have less space, are more difficult to repair, cost far more to replace, and if you go with it now, you’re stuck with buying more integrated ones forever (unless you change the kitchen).

I have a freestanding fridge freezer at the end of my kitchen. It looks perfectly normal.

sal_III

Go for the free standing one, they are usually bigger internally for the same space. Besides if you don't like it you can put integrated later. The 1k seems a bit steep, so you might be able to get a local joiner to do it cheaper in the future, as long as you can secure matching panels

Silvertabby

Do you have a picture of the kitchen? If so, place a pic of a free standing fridge freezer over the picture of the integral one. Won't be exact, but will give you some idea of how it will look.

Our kitchen isn't massive, and we went the integral route when it was refitted. Although it's at the end of a run of cupboards, I think that a stand alone would look like an afterthought.

Cakeguts

Have a think about this. You are going to be the person who uses this kitchen. Your house is not a show home it doesn't need to look like an advert in a magazine selling kitchens. You are not (I hope) going to sit in the middle of the kitchen admiring the units for several hours a day. Plus in a couple of years time you kitchen will be out of fashion and for all you know free standing everything could be the in thing.

macman

If you really want an integrated one, fit your own. It won't cost you more than £500 fitted. They are applying a huge mark up, and will probably fit a budget fridge as well. The only difference is the door panel, worth maybe £30?
You'll love an integrated one until it needs replacing in a few years time and you have to pay for removal and refitting.

xylophone

I would not consider integrated appliances again.

The particular integrated fridge that I had (a double door version), went wrong and it was impossible to find another (from the original or any manufacturer) that would fit.

Back to stand alone and the double doors now conceal a space used for storage.

Silvertabby

macman wrote: »

If you really want an integrated one, fit your own. It won't cost you more than £500 fitted. They are applying a huge mark up, and will probably fit a budget fridge as well. The only difference is the door panel, worth maybe £30?
You'll love an integrated one until it needs replacing in a few years time and you have to pay for removal and refitting.

Our integrated Smeg FF is 12 years old and (fingers crossed!) still going strong.