In years past, home owners loved to show off their kitchen appliances. Believe it or not, that is a true statement! There were certain bragging rights that went along with having the biggest and best appliances. Times have certainly changed, and the statement that opened this article could not be further from the truth. Nowadays, people want to create a style theme that flows uninterrupted around their kitchen. This is the perfect situation for an integrated fridge.

In general, an integrated fridge is more expensive than a traditional stand alone unit. But, the people who have taken the plunge and invested in these appliances say the price was well worth it! So the question is, why choose an integrated fridge? The biggest reason is so you can create a kitchen that has a look of comfort and style while still maintaining the functionality that is needed in the room. A kitchen that is built so appliances are not seen gives the appearance of the kitchen being part of the surrounding living spaces. this is especially true in open floor plans, which are gaining in popularity.

When you are planning a kitchen with integrated appliances, you have to know which exact brand and model you are purchasing before the rest of the room can be completed. Cabinets have to be made to exact measurements around the appliances. And just like the stand alone versions, there are different sizes of integrated fridges and integrated fridge freezers. Not all manufacturers have jumped on the integrated bandwagon yet, so you might have to go with an unfamiliar brand of appliance. Not to worry though because there are plenty of options from which to choose.

The key thing to remember is that if you do want to go down the integrated fridge route, you’ll have to buy a particular fridge that has been designed for the task. In other words, not just any old fridge will do. And because not all fridge manufacturers offer an ‘integrated’ model – although more and more are coming to the party – it will also mean buying a particular brand of fridge.

There are other considerations when planning an integrated kitchen. Ventilation and wiring for integrated fridges must be planned properly, and the cabinets have to be made in a way which accommodates that wiring as well as the receptacles. These are some of the reasons why the cabinets in an integrated kitchen are made to order only after the exact appliances you want have been chosen.

When it comes to the cost of integrated appliances, plan in spending twice what you would for a similarly equipped traditional model. This will price some people out of the integrated idea, but as more manufacturers get into the integrated appliance game these products will become affordable to more and more people.