How Do You Measure Refrigerator Liters?

Knowing how much your refrigerator can store is essential, but how do you measure the capacity of your fridge in liters? With a handy tape measure and a math formula (and a calculator if you need one), it's super easy to figure out. It's good to know the volume of a fridge to understand the capacity of food it can hold. Just because the exteriors may be the same when looking at two refrigerators, the volume capacity may be different inside, and it's good to be informed.

The first thing you should do when determining the liter volume of your refrigerator is to see if you can find the Serial Number Label on the inside or back of your fridge. It will list the total volume of your fridge. If there is no sticker, you can find the total by measuring the depth by height by the width of the interior of your refrigerator to get cubic feet measure. Then multiply this number by 28.3 to get the volume in liters. If you need the freezer as well, do the same thing, then add your two totals together.

So let's look at this a bit more closely and talk about why refrigerators are measured in this way.

Why Is The Capacity Of A Refrigerator Measured In Litres?

Refrigerators are unique because they are not just standard square boxes. They have inserts and shelves and cutouts that make the interior space a bit uneven. When we measure in liters, we can get the entire volume of the interior. That means everything open and capable of holding perishables is measured and accounted for.

How Do We Measure Our Refrigerator In Litres?

As we mentioned above, many refrigerators will come with a serial number sticker like the bottom one shown in this diagram. Though this brand doesn't give you the cubic volume, it does give you the dimensions taking away the need to measure yourself. Other brands give you the cubic volume in liters, so that's the first place to look.

If you can't find a sticker or it's worn down, then measure your fridge's depth, from the open door to the back wall. Then measure the interior height and interior width. Multiply the depth times the width times the height, and this will give you the cubic feet. One cubic foot is equivalent to 28.3 liters. So times you cubic feet x 28.3, and that will provide you with your refrigerator's volume in liters.

Why Do I Need To Know How Many Cubic Litres My Fridge Contains?

It may not matter to you unless you're shopping for a new fridge and want to maximize your storage space. Though refrigerators can have identical exterior dimensions, because of variations in design, they may be very different in internal storage capacity. That's why it's good to know how many liters your fridge can hold.

This Bosch 36" wide refrigerator holds 588.6 cubic liters in total capacity. Here it is on Amazon.

Here's a GE 36" wide refrigerator, yet it holds 786.84 total capacity in cubic liters. Here it is on Amazon.

However, keep in mind that sometimes the claims of manufacturers are not the usable consumer portions of the fridge, but the portions that will use energy. This is so all manufacturers will be in alignment with the labeling needed for the energy consumption of appliances.

How Many Litres Is A Standard Refrigerator?

Standard refrigerator dimensions range from 28 ¾ to 39 ¾" in width, 61 ¾ to 71 ¼" in height and 28 ¾ to 34 ⅝" in depth. So as you can see, there is some variation.

That being said, the standard measure in interior volume is typically around 367 cubic liters to 566 cubic liters. Those are the most common and available sizes at large appliance sellers.

What Size Refrigerator Do I Need For A Family Of 4?

The general rule of thumb for refrigerators is 4-6 cubic feet, or 113.2 to 170 cubic liters, per person in the household. So for a family of four (with kids eating solid food), you'd want to look at fridges that had a capacity of around 680 cubic liters or 24 cubic feet.

This size fridge is available in pretty much every configuration from the freezer on the top, to a french door with freezer on the bottom, to the side by side freezer and fridge models. You can even find counter depth varieties with this capacity though they may be a bit wider than some of their counterparts. (Curious about counter depth fridges? Check out our KitchenSeer post here: How Far Should A Fridge Stick Out Past The Counter?)

This classic GE bottom freezer model holds 24.9 cubic feet, which makes it a great size for a family of four. Click here for this on Amazon.

Related posts:

Does Refrigerator Depth Include Doors And Handles? How Big Is A Refrigerator? [Dimensions Explored] How Big Is The Typical Freezer? [4 Sizes Explained] What Are The Standard Counter Depth Refrigerator Dimensions? What Is The Average Volume Of A Standard Fridge? Can You Buy A Refrigerator Without A Freezer?