Kitchen Appliances · Buying Guide
Appliance Dimensions and Delivery Access: Measuring Up Before You Buy
Buying a large appliance is not just about whether it fits where it will live. It also has to get there, through the front door, along the hall, round the turn at the bottom of the stairs and into the kitchen. Every appliance retailer has seen the same disappointment: a perfect fridge or range cooker that will not come through the door. A few minutes measuring both the final space and the route in saves that, and it is the simplest pre-purchase check there is.
Before buying a large appliance, measure two things. First, the space it will occupy: the height, width and depth of the gap, plus room to open doors and for ventilation. Second, the delivery route into that space: the width of external and internal doorways, the hall, any tight turns, and stairs or lifts, remembering the appliance arrives boxed and is slightly larger than its finished size. Compare the appliance's dimensions against the narrowest point on the route, not just the final gap. Checking access before you buy avoids the appliance fitting its space but not getting through the door.
This guide covers measuring up before you buy a large appliance: the appliance's own dimensions and the space it needs, and just as importantly, the delivery access, the doorways, halls and stairs it has to pass through to get in.
Measure the space it will live in
Start with where the appliance will go. Measure the height, width and depth of the space, and allow for a little clearance so the appliance is not jammed in, plus room for doors to open and for ventilation where the appliance needs it. For a freestanding appliance sitting in a gap between units, such as a freestanding fridge freezer, measure the gap accurately, and remember that things like door hinges, handles and rear pipework or plugs add to the space actually needed. This is the measurement most people do remember to take, but it is only half the job.
Then measure the route in
The measurement people forget is the delivery route, and it is the one that causes the most grief. The appliance has to travel from the delivery vehicle to its final position, and the narrowest point on that journey decides whether it can. Check:
- External doors: the clear opening width of the front or back door it will come through, with the door open.
- Internal doorways: every doorway between the entrance and the kitchen, as internal doors are often narrower.
- Halls and turns: the width of hallways and, critically, any tight corner or turn where a tall appliance, such as an American fridge freezer, has to be angled round.
- Stairs and lifts: for upstairs deliveries, the stairwell, landings and any lift dimensions and weight limit.
- Thresholds and steps: steps up to a door, or a tight porch, that could obstruct a large item.
Measure the narrowest point on the whole route, because that is the true limit, not the final space the appliance is heading for.
Measure the space it will live in
Height, width and depth of the gap, plus a little clearance, room for doors to open and ventilation. Door hinges, handles and rear pipework or plugs all add to the space actually needed.
Measure the route in
External doors, internal doorways, halls and tight turns, stairs and lifts, thresholds and steps. The narrowest point on the whole route is the true limit, not the final space.
Remember the packaging and the weight
Two practical points catch people out. First, an appliance is delivered boxed, and the packaged dimensions are larger than the finished appliance, so if the route is tight, factor in the extra size of the packaging, or check whether it can be unboxed before the tightest point. Second, large appliances are heavy, so a realistic route also means one that the delivery can physically manage, particularly upstairs or through awkward turns. Knowing the appliance's dimensions and weight in advance lets everyone plan the delivery properly.
The narrowest point wins. It does not matter that the appliance fits its final space if it cannot get through a doorway or round a turn to reach it. Always compare the appliance's dimensions, including packaging where relevant, against the narrowest point on the delivery route. That single check prevents the most common and most frustrating delivery-day problem.
Buy with delivery in mind
Measuring both the space and the route before you buy means your new appliance not only fits where it is going but actually gets there. Brennan's Electrical delivers large appliances across Wicklow, Wexford and nationwide, and our Arklow team can help you check dimensions and plan a delivery that works. If you are unsure about access, tell us the tight spots when you order. Browse our large appliances, and call the Arklow store on 0402 32870.
Frequently asked
What should I measure before buying a large appliance?
Why does delivery access matter when buying an appliance?
Do I need to allow for the packaging when measuring access?
Does Brennan's Electrical deliver large appliances?
Measuring up for a new appliance?
Brennan's Electrical delivers across Wicklow, Wexford and nationwide. Tell us the tight spots when you order, or call the Arklow store on 0402 32870. For your consumer rights on delivery, see the CCPC on delivery of goods.