Putting things on top of your refrigerator is a common thought many have. The options for using this space include extra storage space for appliances or other objects or for decorating your kitchen.
Before you start placing your crockpot, plants, TV, or anything else on top of your refrigerator, you probably need to know if it’s ok to put things on top of your refrigerator.
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Is It Harmful to Put Things on Top of Your Refrigerator?
Yes, it can be harmful to put things on top of your refrigerator. Putting things such as other appliances on top of your refrigerator can prevent heat from escaping, causing its compressor to work harder than it needs to. This will result in a higher electricity bill.
On the other hand, you may be able to place lighter items and non-appliances on your refrigerator for storage or decoration purposes. This still isn’t without risk, though.
Safety Measures to Consider
If you’ve read through the manual for your refrigerator and have decided to place things on top, there are a few safety measures you’ll want to keep in mind.
The first thing is that if you’re putting heavier or bulky items on top of your fridge, you’ll want to secure them so they don’t fall. You may think that this won’t happen to you, but it will shake the items on top every time you open and close the doors, even if you’re gentle.
If you’re planning to store smaller items on top of your fridge, you may want to rethink this. Things will fall in between the sides of the refrigerator or behind it if you’re not careful.
Objects falling behind or on the sides of your fridge can cause a severe fire hazard. The best way to prevent a fire is to avoid putting flammable items up top.
Not only are objects falling a fire hazard, but the heat from the appliance also needs to escape the fridge, which happens from the top. If too many items are blocking the flow of heat, the potential for fire is there. Putting anything on top of your fridge isn’t worth a possible fire.
If you’re dead set on adding decorations or other items to the top of your fridge, you’ll want to make sure that you’re not blocking the heat flow in the back.
What Does the Fridge Manual Say?
Before you do anything, the best thing you can do is check with your specific refrigerator’s manual. Usually, the manufacturers will disclose if you can or cannot put something on top of your fridge.
They will be blunt when telling you that you should avoid putting things on top of the fridge, or they’ll let you know how much weight your fridge can handle. Regardless of the outcome, following what the manual says can prevent unnecessary injury or harm.
What Are the Dangers of Putting Things on Top of Your Fridge?
While putting things on top of your fridge seems harmless enough, doing so can be dangerous. The main dangers from doing this are:
- Heat won’t be able to escape
- It can be a fire hazard
- You or someone else could be injured
How Much Weight Can You Put on Top of a Freezer?
It depends on your product. Some manufacturers won’t recommend you putting anything on top of the freezer due to the potential hazards.
Generally speaking, most of these appliances can withstand a weight of about 60 pounds. Just because it can hold 60 pounds doesn’t mean you should pile on the weight.
Is it Safe to Store a Microwave on Top of the Fridge?
Even if your fridge’s manual says you can place items on top of the fridge, putting a microwave on top isn’t the best idea. Even though it’s well under the general weight limit, it poses a safety issue.
Technically you can put a microwave on top of the fridge, but you run the risk of the microwave falling and hurting someone, as well as overloading the power outlet. The biggest thing is to secure the microwave so it doesn’t fall down when you open and close the fridge.
Can You Put a Toaster on Top of the Fridge?
This kind of goes hand in hand with whether you can put a microwave on top of the fridge. There’s no one stopping you from putting a toaster on top of the fridge.
If you are planning to store your toaster on top of the fridge to save space, you’ll want to secure it somehow so it doesn’t go flying if someone slams the door.
Now, if you’re storing the toaster on top of a standard fridge, you’re probably leaving it unplugged. This is great, so you don’t overload the power outlet.
Plus, it may be a little challenging to use the toaster while it’s plugged in on top of a fridge unless you’re very tall or using a mini-fridge.
Can a Fridge Affect the TV Signal if Placed Above it?
It was much more likely that placing a TV on the fridge would have signal interruptions back in the day. Now with digital TVs, it’s less likely that your signal will go out while you’re watching a show or movie.
Is it Possible to Stack Two Compact Refrigerators and Have Both of them Function at the Same Time?
It is possible, but not always recommended. The biggest thing to remember if you plan on stacking compact refrigerators on each other is to make sure that the bottom one can hold the weight of the top one. This helps to ensure the fridges won’t fall over.
Speaking of falling over, you’ll want to make sure you line them up appropriately so that the weight distribution doesn’t cause an issue. If you’re able to, you’ll want to place something in between the bottom and top fridge to ensure the top fridge has a flat surface to sit on.
If you plan on stacking fridges, you’ll want to plug them into separate power outlets. This can cause a power surge and cause the power to go out.
Lastly, you’ll want to make sure there’s still room for heat to escape from the bottom fridge. As we know, when the heat can’t escape, it can pose a fire hazard or drive your electric bill through the roof.
What Can I Put on Top of my Refrigerator for Decoration?
There are plenty of things you can place on top of your refrigerator for decoration that are safer than other appliances. The main thing here is to keep the decorations lightweight and large enough that they can’t fall behind or on the sides of the fridge.
Plants, real or artificial, are great decorations on top of fridges. Usually, you won’t be putting an artificial plant in a ceramic pot, but you may want to avoid ceramic pots because they tend to weigh more than other materials.
If you have a collection of cookbooks you don’t want to hide, lining them on top of your fridge for everyone to see is a nice touch. You can even pair these books with a small plant to add some greenery.
A lot of fridges have smaller cabinets above them. You can always remove the doors and use that as extra shelf space above your fridge.
You can still put almost whatever you want in them, but they won’t be directly on top of the fridge, preventing the items from falling or fire from happening.
Can I Put Things on Top of My Mini Fridge?
Just as you need to be wary about putting things on top of your standard fridge, you need to be about your mini fridge too.
You probably see people putting things on top of mini-fridges to save space in offices or dorm rooms, but you need to read the manual first to make sure it can handle the weight of whatever you’re considering putting on top of it.
If you are going to place things on top of the mini-fridge, you’ll want to leave enough space for the heat to escape and ensure that nothing can topple over.
Can You Put an Oven Above a Fridge?
In theory, you can. While you can, you probably shouldn’t. If you’re considering putting an oven above a standard fridge, you run the risk of spilling hot food onto you or someone else.
As for mini-fridges, the height is more appropriate, but you’ll want to be sure that your mini fridge can handle the weight and that it’s stable enough not to fall over. It’s probably safer to avoid putting an oven above your fridge.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to putting stuff on top of your refrigerator, you’ll want to use caution. Most manufacturers will encourage people not to store anything or place decorations on top of the fridge due to fall risks and potential fire hazards.
If you are going to set things above your fridge, you’ll want to place lightweight objects and find a way to secure them, avoid smaller objects that can fall behind or on the sides of the appliance, and avoid having other appliances plugged in while on top of your fridge.
