How Much Weight Can You Put on Top of Your Refrigerator?

Refrigerators are devices that every modern home has, and they allow us to store food safely. In many homes, the top of the refrigerator often serves as extra space for small household appliances or additional space for extra food. Therefore, knowing how much additional weight you can put on top of the refrigerator is important. In this article, we’ll talk about that. So, let’s start!

How Much Weight Can You Put on Top of Your Refrigerator? The top of a refrigerator should not be loaded with items weighing more than 60 pounds (25 kg). Most newer models can withstand items such as small microwaves or food. However, for the refrigerator to cool better and release excess heat, it is recommended that you do not put anything on it.

Using the top of the refrigerator is something that many people do to store additional things. However, you need to be careful when placing heavy items on top. Refrigerators have a certain limit to which they can withstand the additional weight. In the rest of the text, find out what items are suitable to place on the top and which should be avoided.

Should You Store Items on Top of the Fridge?

If you have a small kitchen that is filled with food and household appliances, it must be a big challenge not to use the large area on top of the fridge as additional storage. However, be sure first to inform yourself whether you can do this in the owner manual that came with the device.

Also, I can tell you right away that most manufacturers note that the upper surface of the refrigerator should remain free. Why is this so when most refrigerators, especially newer ones, do not directly transmit heat through the entire top surface? Let’s look together.

Owner’s Manual Instructions

When buying a refrigerator, read the owner’s manual that comes with it and pay attention to the part that refers to the maximum load that can go on the top of the device. You will usually find one of two warnings: a complete ban on placing any objects on the fridge or a limit on the weight the refrigerator can be loaded with.

Related article to this topic: How Much Electricity Does a Mini Fridge Use?

Reasons To Avoid Placing Heavy Items on Top of The Fridge

It is advised not to place heavy objects such as microwave ovens or multi-functional blenders on top of the refrigerator, regardless of their total weight, especially if they exceed 60 pounds (25 kg). This is especially important if your refrigerator has wheels on the bottom. These wheels are designed to withstand only the total weight of your fridge and not the additional load on top of it.

However, considering that the maximum load of the fridge always includes the average weight of the food that is expected to be stored in it, technically, the refrigerator can still take in on the top some smaller and lighter items such as pasta, cereal boxes, or spices. Of course, if you are not in the habit of keeping the fridge at full stock most of the time.

Dangers Of Placing Heavy Items On Top Of The Refrigerator

It is important to note that the general recommendation is not to store anything on the top part of the refrigerator. There are several reasons for this, and we will go through them:

1. Heat From Fridge Needs To Be Released

Although you don’t feel like your refrigerator is directly releasing heat through its top surface, it usually does. This means that if you put one or more objects on the refrigerator, you will reduce its ability to cool itself during operation.  When the refrigerator cannot release extra heat during operation as the manufacturer concluded that it should, the device increases the compressor’s work mode, increasing the device’s power consumption.

However, in addition to the fact that this way, you can end up with a higher electricity bill, it can also happen that the refrigerator simply stops cooling since the compressor has reached its maximum limit. This is especially common when it comes to older refrigerators.

2. Heat From Fridge Can Damage the Items

Placing heavy items on the refrigerator isn’t only a bad choice for the fridge but also for the items you put in the fridge. The heat released by the refrigerator can affect the food, as well as disrupt the operation of small household appliances. Therefore, it is a bad idea to keep plants or a glass bowl with your goldfish in the fridge. No matter how convenient or cut it is.

3. Potential Injuries

When you put items on the fridge, you must remember that each item on the top can end up on your head. If you haven’t noticed, every fridge vibrates when it is turned on. Vibrations cause the movement of objects on top of the refrigerator.

Also, the fridge shakes slightly when the door is opened. That especially happens if you keep bottles in the fridge door. Any movement causes a change in the position of the object on top of the fridge. The combination of these two factors will eventually lead to an unexpected fall of objects from the top of the refrigerator onto the person who opens it at the crucial moment.

4. Potential Fire Hazard

Never place flammable items such as kitchen textiles on top of the refrigerator. Especially if you have a low ceiling in the room or your refrigerator model is higher than the standard maximum. The heat released by the refrigerator in the small space between the device and the ceiling can potentially cause a fire if it is in long-term contact with flammable material.

Related Article: What Is The Use of An Oven Toaster Griller (OTG)?

Can A TV Or A Microwave Be Placed On Top Of A Fridge?

When the owner’s manual that came with your refrigerator does not explicitly prohibit the use of the upper surface for storage but instead indicates the maximum additional load that the refrigerator can handle, you can put a microwave oven or a TV on top of a fridge.

If you can choose between a microwave and a TV, the TV is definitely the safer option. But note to be careful and not place it directly above the ventilation opening that can be located on the top of the refrigerator. Do not hold it too close to the edge, and check whether it has regularly moved from its place.

On the other hand, several dangers lurking in the microwave that sits on top of the fridge. In addition to the fact that the microwave itself can end up on someone’s head and cause serious injuries when the microwave oven is on top of the refrigerator, it can also cause injuries during use. Just imagine the situation if a hot pizza or a bowl of lasagna ends up on your face!

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Consider Where the Refrigerator Is Placed

If the empty space on top of the fridge looks too tempting not to be used, before you place something on it, carefully assess how much space you will have left up to the ceiling or upper kitchen cabinet after this move. Mentioned space must not be too small because then it represents a fire risk. You must leave room for the release of heat from the fridge.

Best Items to Store on Top of a Fridge

Now that you are familiar with what items you should avoid placing on top of your fridge, you must be wondering if some items can be stored on top of the fridge. Items such as pasta, tea, or snacks can be stored on top of the fridge. You can also store smaller objects like keys or empty food boxes.

Adding a Floating Shelf On The Fridge

A floating shelf is a great choice when there is a lack of space in the kitchen for placing additional things. In that case, it is advised that instead of using the top of the refrigerator as a shelf, you should actually buy a floating shelf and install it on the top of your refrigerator. That way, you won’t have problems with what you put on it. The lower part of the shelf must be at least one inch away from the upper surface of the refrigerator.

For those who want to learn more, be sure to read Is It Good To Have A Ceiling Fan In The Kitchen?

FAQ: People Also Ask

Can you put a wine rack above the fridge?

Never place a wine rack above the fridge! This is not a smart thing either for the wine rack or for the wine in it because of the heat released by the refrigerator in a small space. There is also a high risk of injury when retrieving bottles of wine from the rack.

Can I place an electric oven on top of the refrigerator?

The prescribed distance between the oven and the gas stove from the refrigerator is a minimum of 20 inches, and the distance between the oven and the electric stove is a minimum of 2 inches. Be sure to respect these prescribed distances.

Final Thoughts

Although the space on top of the fridge in a cluttered kitchen looks like a great solution, using that surface for storage is not a good idea and is not recommended. Items stored on top of the refrigerator can be damaged due to the heat released by the device during operation.

In addition, any object that is on the refrigerator at some point can end up on someone’s head and cause injuries. Keeping objects on top of the fridge, especially heavier ones like microwave ovens, is only acceptable if you have a fridge up to the waistline. I hope that this article has helped you, and for any additional questions, feel free to comment below.