If you have a small kitchen, you are probably having a difficult time figuring out where to put everything. There are plenty of creative ways to create storage space, but what about the top of a fridge.
Is it a good idea to put another appliance on top of it? A microwave shouldn’t cause any damage to it, right? What about a toaster oven or coffee maker?
Can other appliances go on top of the fridge? Yes, for the most part, you can make use of the space and place appliances on top of your refrigerator.
However, there are some guidelines that you should follow.
When It’s Okay to Put Stuff on Top of Your Refrigerator
You can put appliances and other stuff on top of your refrigerator, provided that they are stable enough. Remember that you often go to the fridge several times a day, and opening and closing the door will shake the whole unit.
If you put something unstable on top, there is a chance that it will move around when you open and close your fridge. Even when it’s a microwave oven or a toaster, you should make sure that you place a rubberized mat in between the refrigerator surface and the appliance that you put on it.
This mat serves a dual purpose. One, it insulates the heat that these two appliances give off and another. Two, it makes sure that your microwave or toaster does not move around too much.
But Wouldn’t It Trap the Heat in?
This is a gray area. Some sources advise you not to put anything on top of the fridge. They argue that doing so will trap the excess heat that is released through the top area. (source)
According to these sources, if the heat gets trapped, the motor will have to work double-time to cool up the inside of the refrigerator. And this can seriously damage your unit in the long run. Plus, you also have to pay more for your electricity bills because your refrigerator will have to work harder than necessary.
However, most refrigerators do not work that way. Coolants get pressurized, heat up, and cool down as they go through several pipes inside your refrigerator. But it is the compressor that does the job of heating up and pressurizing the coolant, so most of the heat is concentrated in this area. (source)
For most refrigerator models, compressors are found at the back and near the bottom of your refrigerator. As such, the heat escapes through the back of the refrigerator instead of the top. Whatever heat escapes through the top, it’s very minimal, and even if you cover it up, it will most likely not damage your fridge.
But if you’re still not convinced and want to be on the safe side, then get a rack that will stay on your refrigerator top without covering a lot of its surface. For instance, this mug and cup stand allows you to put eight mugs on your unit plus everything you need to make coffee or tea.
The stand has a hollow middle, and the bottom rung is raised, thus minimizing the parts of the stand that covers the top surface of the refrigerator. A similar rack holder that you can get is perfect for those who have lots of pans and pot lids.
And for those who want to put a microwave or two on top of the fridge, then this rack might help ensure that the top of your fridge has adequate airflow.
So Is That a Yes, I Can Put a Microwave on Top of a Refrigerator?
There is no reason that should prevent you from doing so. A microwave oven or a toaster does not get hot enough to pose a risk to your refrigerator. You only use these appliances for a few minutes at a time, for the most part. Conversely, most refrigerators available right now have the coils that dissipate heat at the back.
So if you want to save countertop space and put a microwave on top of your fridge, you can. But there are some practical considerations before you decide to hoist a microwave on your fridge.
Don’t Overload the Circuits
For one, you will need to find another power outlet for your microwave. It is probably not a good idea to have both your microwave oven and your fridge plugged in the same power outlets as they both can easily consume at least 1,000 watts.
A microwave can eat up anywhere from 850 to 1,800 watts. On average, it consumers 1,200 watts of power. Meanwhile, a refrigerator is rated to use only from 100 to 400 watts, but a compressor getting kickstarted can easily take up to 1,200 watts.
Plugging both your microwave oven and refrigerator into the same power source means that they are using the same circuits, and this can be a bad idea. Statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission show that overloaded outlets and circuits are the reason for at least 5,000 fires in American homes every year.
What’s more, it’s the heat-producing appliances that are more likely to cause an overload. In this instance, the refrigerator, microwave oven, and toaster oven can all overload the circuit and possibly cause a fire.
Is Your Refrigerator Too High?
What’s more, you should consider how tall your refrigerator is. If it’s too tall, you might risk spilling hot drinks and food onto yourself when you take it out of the microwave oven.
If you have one of those mini-fridge and freezer units that people have in their dorms, you can probably comfortably put a toaster or microwave oven on top of it and still reach the top of the fridge or look inside the oven to see if the food is getting cooked properly.
If you have to tiptoe to be able to put inside the microwave oven or put bread into your toaster, then you might want to put these appliances on some countertop where they are more accessible.
Is Your Microwave or Toaster Oven Too Heavy?
Apart from making sure that the toaster or microwave oven you put on top of the refrigerator doesn’t move around and fall, you will also need to think about safety when it does fall off. If the toaster oven on top of the fridge does fall on your head while you’re trying to get the bread out, you might need a trip to the emergency room.
The general rule is that if it’s too heavy for you to put on top of the refrigerator, then you might want to find some other space for your smaller appliance.
When You Shouldn’t Put Things on Top of the Fridge
There are some things that you should avoid putting on top of your refrigerator. For one, explosive or flammable items such as gas canisters. You should be storing these canisters outside of your house, in a secure area that has a lot of ventilation.
While appliances such as a microwave oven or a small TV are often stable, some items such as a tall ceramic figurine, a stack of books, and other similar items might tip over, especially if you open or close the refrigerator door often.
You should also take note of how wide your appliance is. If it takes up too much room at the top that some parts of it protrude, and you can’t open or close the refrigerator door properly, then it probably belongs somewhere else. Further, make sure that you don’t obstruct the back of the fridge where the heat dissipates when you have it on.
Additionally, don’t store food that is affected by heat on top of your refrigerator. One of the most common mistakes people make is to store wine on top of their fridge.
Not only is it dangerous because it might fall off, but according to this site, you’re also wasting a perfectly good bottle of wine. Both the heat and the vibrations will age the wine prematurely and will negatively affect its taste.
Fun to Know
While it’s okay to put other appliances on your refrigerator, you might want to know that it’s bad feng shui to do so. If you’re looking to score some karma points for your health and wealth, you might want to keep the top clear.
Can You Put a Toaster Oven on Top of a Fridge? Yes, But…
For the most part, you can put other appliances on top of the refrigerator, but you might want to be practical about it. To be safe, you should make sure that you don’t overload the circuits by plugging both the refrigerator and the smaller appliance into the same outlets.
You should also make sure that it’s not going to be inconvenient to reach up and use the appliance while keeping it steady and stable on top of the fridge. This helps prevent scenarios where it falls on your head. And it should not be too heavy to put up there.
Plus, you should take into consideration that whatever you put on top of the fridge will not stay in its original place because the ref moves every time you open or close its doors.
Should you put a toaster oven on top of your fridge? The choice is up to you, but always be mindful of your safety.