Get expert tips on standard cabinet and appliances sizes to help plan your next kitchen remodel.
A Guide To Standard Kitchen Cabinet Dimensions
Updated on Sep. 05, 2024
When designing a kitchen remodel, it’s crucial to understand standard cabinet and appliance dimensions. I’ve remodeled several kitchens, and it can sometimes feel like a jigsaw puzzle getting everything to fit neatly into a pre-existing space.
For this guide to standard kitchen cabinet dimensions, I spoke with Brenda Chicoine from Design House 413 and Stephanie Pierce from MasterBrand Cabinets for expert tips and insights.
Start with room dimensions
Measure the length and height of your kitchen walls and any windows. Then use standard appliance and cabinet sizes to plug in different combinations to create your ultimate kitchen layout.
“Make sure your measurements are accurate,” Chicoine says.
Chicoine encourages DIYers to bring their finished design to a professional to check for accuracy and feasibility before moving forward.
“It might cost you $50,” she says. “But just one mistake in your plans can cost you thousands, so it’s money well spent.”
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Standard Appliance Sizes
Appliances are the foundation of any kitchen design.”Decide where the appliances are going to go first and which ones you’re going to use,” Chicoine says. It’s easier to adjust cabinets around the appliances than vice versa.
Says Pierce: “Think practically about how you’ll use a kitchen space before making any appliance choices.” Here are some standard kitchen appliance sizes.
Dishwashers
Residential dishwashers are 18 or 24 inches wide, 24 inches deep and 35 inches tall. Dishwashers are usually installed next to the sink and share a water supply and drain.
Stoves
Standard residential stoves will be typically 30 inches wide, 25 to 27 inches deep and 36 inches tall.
Refrigerators
Refrigerators offer the most variety in standard sizing. They can come in small, medium and large sizes.
Typical dimensions range from 24 to 40 inches wide, 62 to 72 inches tall and 29 to 36 inches deep. There are also counter-depth refrigerators 24 to 30 inches deep.
When designing, make sure to leave room to fully open any appliance doors. This is especially true for French door refrigerators. “These should come with a warning,” Chicoine says. “You need about 18 inches of clearance [on either side] to fully open the doors.”
Consider this and other door clearances when deciding where your appliances will go.
Microwaves
Over-the-range microwaves are usually 30 inches wide, 15 to 17 inches deep and 17 inches tall. Each manufacturer will have specific clearance heights over the stove, but this is usually 18 to 24 inches.
Standard Cabinet Sizes
Base cabinets
Base cabinets sit on the floor and come in standard widths of 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 30, 33 and 36 inches. The standard depth is 24 inches. The standard height is 34-1/2-inches, or 36 inches with the countertop installed.
Sink base cabinets
Sink base cabinets are built a little differently than a standard base. “Because a sink drops down into the interior of a base cabinet along with its plumbing, a false drawer front panel or full height doors are required to accommodate a sink,” Pierce says.
Sink bases are also 24 inches deep and 34 1/2 inches tall, but are usually only offered in 30-, 33- and 36-inch widths.
Wall cabinets
Standard wall cabinet heights are 30, 36 and 42 inches. They’re typically installed 54 inches from the floor or 18 inches above the countertop.
Depending on your ceiling height, you can add crown molding, leave space above your cabinets or have them touch the ceiling. “Once you’ve made these decisions, you can play with the cabinet height,” Pierce says. “[This] is the area where you have the most design freedom.”
Standard widths are nine, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 30, 33 and 36 inches. Wall cabinets have a standard depth of 12 inches.
Bridge wall cabinets
Bridge cabinets are installed where a standard cabinet may not fit, like over a stove or refrigerator. “These can be functional or non-functional cabinets that help fill a space between standard cabinets,” Pierce says.
Standard heights are 12, 14, 18, 21 and 24 inches. Standard widths are 24, 30, 33 or 36 inches. The typical depth is 12 inches, but a 24-inch depth is also available for installation over a refrigerator.
Tall cabinets
One type is a pantry or utility cabinet. They usually measure 84 to 96 inches tall, 12 to 24 inches deep and 12, 18, 24 or 36 inches wide. Often placed next to or near the refrigerator, these cabinets offer great storage space.
Another tall cabinet option is a refrigerator cabinet surround. These frame the refrigerator and integrate it into the surrounding cabinetry for a built-in look. Make sure to measure carefully if you include one in your design.
“When using a refrigerator surround cabinet, always check the appliance manufacturer specifications to make sure the doors, when open, clear the adjacent cabinets, and be sure all interior refrigerator parts can fully function,” Pierce says.
About the Experts
Brenda Chicoine co-owns Design House 413, a full-service design and build remodeling company in Easthampton, Massachusetts. She has been a kitchen designer for twelve years.
Stephanie Pierce is the director of design and trends at MasterBrand Cabinets, where she’s worked for more than 20 years. Pierce holds a bachelor’s degree in interior design and is a member of the Color Marketing Group.
