What’s the difference between side by side and French door fridges? A side by side fridge splits the fridge and freezer vertically, with two tall doors next to each other, while a French door fridge has fridge doors on top and a freezer drawer underneath, giving you wider, more usable shelves.
Picking a new fridge is a bigger decision than it looks like at first. It sits in your kitchen for a decade or more, and the configuration you choose changes how you shop, how you pack the fridge, and even how your kitchen feels day to day. Side by side and French door fridges are two of the most popular layouts in Australian homes, and both have genuine strengths. Here is how they stack up.
We sell both configurations every week in store, and honestly, most people arrive with a preference already in mind based on what they grew up with or what a friend recommended. That is a fine starting point, but it is worth actually comparing the two properly, since your kitchen and your shopping habits might suit the other layout better than you think.
Quick verdict
- Want narrow shelves that suit tall bottles and platters: go side by side.
- Want wide shelves for party trays, pizza boxes, and big dishes: go French door.
- Tight kitchen with limited door swing space: side by side is usually easier to fit.
- Want the freezer at a more convenient height: side by side puts it eye level, French door puts it down low.
- Bigger household, lots of fresh food: French door fridges generally offer more usable capacity.
Side by side fridges explained
A side by side fridge has the freezer on one side and the fridge on the other, both running the full height of the unit, with two doors opening outward like a cupboard. This layout has been around for decades and is still a solid choice for a lot of Aussie kitchens.
The main advantage is the freezer. Because it runs the full height of the fridge, you get generous vertical freezer space at a convenient height, which makes it easy to organise and find things without bending down. Both doors are narrower than a full fridge door, so side by sides tend to suit kitchens with less swing space, like galley kitchens or fridges next to a wall.
The trade off is shelf width. Because the fridge section is narrower, wide items like large platters, pizza boxes, or oven trays can be a squeeze. If you regularly cook and store big dishes, this is worth thinking about before you buy.
On the plus side, the narrower doors are lighter to open and close, and the vertical split means you never have to bend down to grab something from the freezer. For households that live out of the freezer, this layout genuinely makes daily life easier.
French door fridges explained
A French door fridge has two narrower doors up top opening outward to reveal the fresh food section, and a freezer drawer that pulls out at the bottom. This is now one of the most popular layouts in Australia, and for good reason.
The fresh food section runs the full width of the fridge, giving you wide, uninterrupted shelves. This makes it much easier to fit big platters, trays, and awkward shaped containers. Many models also include flexible internal storage, like adjustable shelves and dedicated drawers for fruit, veg, and deli items.
The freezer sits at the bottom as a drawer, which means less frequently used items are easy to store but require bending down to reach. Some higher end French door models add a middle drawer as well, giving you a third temperature zone for extra flexibility.
The wide doors do need a bit more clearance to swing open fully, so it is worth measuring your kitchen before you buy, especially if the fridge sits close to an island bench or a wall. Most models can still be opened to a usable angle even in tighter spots, but it is a good idea to check the door swing spec listed on the product page.
Capacity, space & features compared
| Feature | Side by side | French door |
| Shelf width | Narrower | Wide, full width |
| Freezer position | Full height, side | Bottom drawer |
| Door swing space | Less needed | More needed for wide doors |
| Best for | Tight kitchens, frequent freezer use | Bigger households, wide items |
| Water / ice dispenser | Common | Common, often larger |
| Typical capacity | Slightly less usable space | Slightly more usable space |
Both configurations commonly include a water and ice dispenser built into the door, so that feature alone should not be the deciding factor. What matters more is how you actually use your fridge day to day.
Energy use is fairly similar across both layouts these days, since it comes down more to the specific model and its energy star rating than the door configuration itself. When comparing two fridges, check the star rating sticker rather than assuming one layout is automatically more efficient than the other.
Which suits your kitchen
Think about three things before you decide: your kitchen layout, your household size, and what you actually store.
If your kitchen has a narrow gap for the fridge, or cabinetry close by that limits how far doors can swing open, a side by side is often the easier fit. The narrower doors need less clearance, which matters more than people expect in smaller Perth kitchens and units.
If you regularly cook for a crowd, store big trays, or just want more flexible fresh food space, a French door fridge will serve you better. The wide shelves make a real difference once you start stacking platters for a birthday party or Sunday roast.
Households that use the freezer constantly, for meal prepping or bulk buying, often prefer the side by side layout, simply because everything sits at eye level instead of in a drawer at floor level.
There is no wrong choice here, just a better fit for your habits. If you are still unsure, think back to the last few times your current fridge frustrated you, whether that was a squeezed platter or an awkward bend into the freezer, and let that guide the decision.
FAQ
What’s the difference between side by side and French door fridges?
Side by side fridges split fridge and freezer vertically with two full height doors, while French door fridges have wide fridge doors on top and a freezer drawer underneath.
Which holds more food?
French door fridges generally offer more usable fresh food capacity, thanks to wider, uninterrupted shelves, though total capacity depends on the specific model.
Which is more energy efficient?
Efficiency depends more on the individual model’s energy star rating than the door layout itself, so always compare the star rating rather than assuming one configuration wins.
At WA White Goods, we stock a strong range of both side by side and French door fridges from trusted brands like LG and Samsung, plus French door models from Haier and Fisher & Paykel. Have a browse of our side by side fridges or our French door fridges online, or come into the Perth store and our team will help you find the right fit for your kitchen and household.
Getting the layout right now means one less thing to think about for the next ten years, so take a bit of time to picture how you actually use your fridge before you commit to a configuration. A quick trip in store to open a few doors and feel the shelf widths for yourself often settles the decision faster than any comparison chart.
