Thor Kitchen Refrigerator Buying Guide: Columns, French Door and Built-In

A Thor Kitchen refrigerator comes in five formats: freestanding French door models, a compact 30-inch bottom freezer, X Series built-ins that sit flush with your cabinets, single-purpose refrigerator and freezer columns, and indoor/outdoor undercounter drawers. The right one depends on three things you can measure today: the width of the opening, whether you want the fridge flush with your cabinets, and whether you need the freezer in the same box. This Thor Kitchen refrigerator buying guide walks through each format with the capacities and cutouts Thor publishes, so you can narrow it down to one or two models.

Thor Kitchen Refrigerator Types at a Glance

Thor's refrigerators fall into five groups. Freestanding French door models are the classic 36-inch kitchen refrigerator, in full-depth and counter-depth versions. The 30-inch bottom freezer is built for condos and smaller kitchens. X Series built-in refrigerators mount flush with cabinetry, with stainless steel panels or panel-ready doors. Refrigerator and freezer columns are all-fridge or all-freezer units you pair to build a refrigeration wall. Undercounter drawers rated for indoor and outdoor use add cold storage to an island, bar or outdoor kitchen. You can see every model side by side in our Thor Kitchen refrigerators collection.

Capacities are Thor's published figures. The stainless steel (-SS) built-ins are the same refrigerators as their panel-ready versions, supplied with Thor's stainless door panel and handle kit.

Thor French Door Refrigerators: Full Depth vs Counter Depth

The first choice in a 36-inch Thor French door refrigerator is depth. A full-depth model gives you the most storage. A counter-depth model sits nearly flush with standard 24-inch-deep cabinets, so it looks built in without custom installation, at the cost of some capacity.

Full depth: the TRF3628FFD is Thor's big-household refrigerator at 28.9 cu. ft., split between an 18.5 cu. ft. refrigerator and a 10.4 cu. ft. freezer with two soft-closing drawers. The door dispenser serves filtered water and cubed or crushed ice, and a second ice maker inside the freezer brings total production to 6.8 lbs per day. Dual evaporators keep fridge and freezer air separate, and Super Cool (34°F) and Super Freeze (-7°F) modes chill a big grocery run fast.

Counter depth with a door dispenser: the TRF3601FD holds 21.6 cu. ft. and keeps the in-door ice and water dispenser. Its Flex Drawer can be set from 24°F to 41°F, so the same drawer can hold meat, produce, drinks or wine at the right temperature. Its replacement water filter is the WF200.

Counter depth with clean doors: the TRF3603FD holds 20.2 cu. ft. (13.7 cu. ft. refrigerator, 6.5 cu. ft. freezer) and moves water to an interior dispenser, so the doors stay flat and uninterrupted. A Precision Chiller Zone holds 30°F to 37°F for fresh meat and fish, and Total No Frost dual cooling keeps odors from crossing between compartments.

Thor 30-Inch Refrigerator Options

If your opening is 30 inches wide, Thor gives you three paths. The freestanding TRF3017BF fits 17.9 cu. ft. into 30 inches (12.7 cu. ft. refrigerator, 5.27 cu. ft. bottom freezer drawer) with an inverter compressor and automatic ice maker. It is the practical pick for condos, smaller kitchens and second kitchens.

For a flush, built-in look at the same width, the X Series XRF3016BBP-SS holds 16.1 cu. ft. (11.6 cu. ft. refrigerator, 4.5 cu. ft. freezer). It is Energy Star rated at 551 kWh per year and needs an 84" H × 30" W × 25" D cutout. Its doors are field-reversible, and Thor notes two units can be paired side by side for a 60-inch refrigeration wall. The panel-ready XRF3016BBP takes your own cabinet panels instead.

The third path is a 30-inch all-refrigerator column, covered below.

Thor Built-In Refrigerators: X Series Flush Installation

Thor's X Series built-in refrigerators use flush hinges, so the doors sit in line with your cabinetry instead of standing proud of it. The 36-inch XRF3619BFP-SS holds 19.6 cu. ft. (14 cu. ft. refrigerator, 5.6 cu. ft. freezer) with an interior water dispenser and filter, LED lighting, a digital display and Sabbath, Holiday and ECO modes. It is Energy Star rated at 589 kWh per year and needs a 36" × 25" × 84" cutout.

Stainless or panel-ready? Choose the -SS version if you want a finished stainless look out of the box. Choose the panel-ready XRF3619BFP if your cabinet maker will build matching door panels, so the refrigerator disappears into the run of cabinets. Panel-ready models do not include the panels.

Thor Refrigerator and Freezer Columns: Building a 48-Inch Wall

Columns are single-purpose units: a refrigerator column has no freezer, and a freezer column has no fresh-food section. Paired side by side, they give you more of each than a single combination unit, and you can place them in different spots if your layout needs it. All of Thor's X Series columns use flush hinges, Total No Frost and soft-close drawers, and Thor rates them at 43 dB(A). Each needs a 25-inch-deep, 84-inch-tall cutout and a standard 120V, 15A outlet.

30 + 18 = 48 inches: the 30-inch XRF30CRF refrigerator column (16.6 cu. ft.) pairs with the 18-inch XRF18CFZ freezer column (8.6 cu. ft.). This split puts more space into fresh food, which suits households that shop often and freeze little.

24 + 24 = 48 inches: the 24-inch XRF24CRF refrigerator column (12.5 cu. ft.) pairs with the 24-inch XRF24CFZ freezer column (12.4 cu. ft.). This even split suits families who buy in bulk and freeze a lot.

The refrigerator columns hold +35°F to +46°F with a chiller zone from +30°F to +41°F for meats, cheeses and quick-chilling drinks. The freezer columns hold +5°F to -11°F and make up to 4 lbs of ice per day. Every column comes panel-ready or with Thor's stainless panel kit, such as the XRF30CRF-SS and XRF18CFZ-SS.

Undercounter and Outdoor Thor Refrigeration

For an island, wet bar or outdoor kitchen, Thor's 24-inch drawers add cold storage below the counter. The TRF24U is a 5.4 cu. ft. double-drawer refrigerator, and the TRZ24U is a 3.36 cu. ft. freezer drawer. Both are rated for indoor and outdoor use. For drinks and wine, see our Thor wine coolers, beverage centers and ice makers and our wine cooler buying guide. Planning a full outdoor setup? Our outdoor kitchen appliances guide covers layout and fuel.

Thor Kitchen Refrigerator Features Explained

Thor's spec sheets use a handful of feature names repeatedly. Here is what they mean in practice.

Total No Frost prevents ice and moisture from building up, so you never defrost by hand. Thor lists it on the X Series refrigerator and freezer columns and on the TRF3603FD.

Dual evaporators give the refrigerator and freezer separate cooling, which keeps humidity right for produce and stops freezer odors from reaching the fresh-food side. The TRF3628FFD and the TRF3603FD's Total No Frost dual cooling both work this way.

Chiller zones run a few degrees colder than the main compartment for meat, fish and cheese: 30°F to 37°F on the TRF3603FD's Precision Chiller Zone and +30°F to +41°F on the refrigerator columns. The TRF3601FD's Flex Drawer goes further, from 24°F to 41°F.

Sabbath, Holiday and ECO modes on the X Series built-ins and columns adjust lighting and operation for religious observance, a long trip away or lower energy use.

Energy use is published on the built-ins: 551 kWh per year for the XRF3016BBP-SS and 589 kWh per year for the XRF3619BFP-SS, both Energy Star rated. The TRF3017BF uses an inverter compressor, which Thor notes saves energy and reduces noise.

Thor Kitchen Refrigerator FAQ

Can two Thor columns sit side by side?

Yes, that is what they are designed for. Thor pairs the 30-inch XRF30CRF with the 18-inch XRF18CFZ, or the 24-inch XRF24CRF with the 24-inch XRF24CFZ, for a 48-inch refrigeration wall. Each column still needs its own cutout and outlet.

Do panel-ready Thor refrigerators include the door panels?

No. Panel-ready models take custom panels made by your cabinet maker. If you want a finished look without custom work, choose the -SS version, which ships with Thor's stainless steel panel and handle kit.

Which Thor refrigerators have ice and water in the door?

The full-depth TRF3628FFD (with cubed or crushed ice) and the counter-depth TRF3601FD. The TRF3603FD, the X Series built-ins and the refrigerator columns use interior water dispensers instead.

How to Choose the Right Thor Kitchen Refrigerator

Measure the opening first. Width decides most of the list. A 30-inch opening means the TRF3017BF, the XRF3016BBP built-in or a 30-inch column. A 36-inch opening opens up the French door models. A 48-inch opening is where columns make sense.

Check the depth you want. If the fridge should line up with your counters, choose counter depth (TRF3601FD or TRF3603FD) or an X Series built-in. If storage matters more than the line, the full-depth TRF3628FFD holds the most.

Decide on the dispenser. If you want ice and water in the door, look at the TRF3628FFD and TRF3601FD. If you want flat, clean doors, the TRF3603FD, the X Series built-ins and the refrigerator columns use interior water dispensers.

Plan the built-in cutout before you order. Built-ins and columns need an 84-inch-tall, 25-inch-deep cutout, and panel-ready models need panels made to Thor's specifications. Confirm both against the installation guide before the cabinets are built.

Know what the warranty covers. Thor's standard 2-year parts and labor warranty covers its refrigerators, and for a sealed system failure Thor will replace the unit with a new or refurbished model with equal or similar features, at Thor's discretion. Our Thor Kitchen brand guide covers the full warranty terms.

Shop Thor Kitchen Refrigerators at Urban Supply Inc

Urban Supply Inc is an authorized Thor Kitchen dealer, so every refrigerator ships new with Thor's full manufacturer warranty. Compare every model in our Thor refrigerators, columns and freezers collection, and complete the kitchen with a Thor range, a Thor dishwasher or anything else on our Thor Kitchen brand page. Free shipping on orders over $299 (certain exclusions apply), and our US-based team at 917-540-6070 can check your opening and cutout before you order.

Related reading: Is Thor Kitchen a Good Brand? · Thor Kitchen Range Series Compared · Wine Cooler and Beverage Center Buying Guide · Luxury Outdoor Kitchen Appliances Guide · Thor Outdoor Kitchen Guide · Thor Dishwasher and Microwave Guide