New Fridge Being Delivered? Sort These Six Things First
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The most common new-fridge problem isn't the fridge — it's the doorway. People measure the alcove carefully and never measure the route to it. Here are the six things to sort before delivery day.
1. Measure the route, not just the space
The alcove is the easy part. Measure:
- Every doorway on the path from the front door to the kitchen — the narrowest one is your real constraint
- Hallway width, especially where it turns
- Stairs, including the width at the landing and ceiling height above
- Lift internal dimensions and door height, for apartments
A fridge can usually have its doors removed to gain a few centimetres, but not everyone's delivery driver will do that. Ask when you order.
2. Check the alcove properly — including clearances
Fridges need ventilation. Manufacturers specify minimum clearances — typically some space at the back, sides and top — and jamming a fridge into a tight cabinet without them makes it run hotter, work harder and use more power.
Also check the door swing. A French-door or wide single-door fridge needs room to open fully, and in a galley kitchen it can collide with an island or the opposite bench. Check whether the model's doors are reversible if that's a problem.
3. Decide the old fridge's fate before delivery day
This is the one that determines whether you have an old fridge in the garage for the next three years.
Once the new fridge is in and cold, the old one becomes invisible — it stops being urgent and starts being furniture. Book its removal for the same day or the day after, while it's still in the middle of the kitchen annoying you.
Options: some retailers take it on delivery (usually for a fee, usually only like-for-like, and only if it's emptied, defrosted and disconnected first). Otherwise book a pickup — from $80 ($150 for a large fridge), collected from the kerbside within 24–48 hours, degassed under licence and recycled. Please arrange for the fridge to be safely placed outside at the kerbside before pickup; our team does not carry items from inside homes or on stairs.
4. Empty and defrost the old one the day before
- Run down the contents in the preceding week
- Empty it completely, remove or secure shelves
- Defrost the freezer a full day ahead — a frost-caked freezer holds litres of water
- Mop up before delivery day, or it leaks across your floor on the way out
- Unplug it and coil the cord
Delivery drivers won't wait for a fridge to defrost, and many won't take a wet one.
5. Check the power point and the water line
Two things people discover at the worst moment:
- Is there a power point in the alcove, and will it be reachable once the fridge is in? Fridges should be on their own outlet, not on an extension lead.
- Plumbed ice and water models need a water connection. If you don't have one, that's a plumber, and it needs booking before delivery, not after.
6. Know the 24-hour rule
If the new fridge is delivered lying down — which happens in vans and up tight stairwells — don't plug it in immediately. Stand it upright and wait.
Compressor oil migrates into the refrigerant lines when a fridge is tipped. Switching it on before that oil drains back can damage the compressor. Transported upright, a couple of hours is generally fine. Laid flat, leave it standing 24 hours.
Then allow several more hours for it to reach temperature before you load it up. More on transporting fridges.
While you're at it: the garage fridge
If the old kitchen fridge is heading to the garage as a second unit, do the sums first. An old fridge in a hot Sydney garage can cost $200–$400 a year to run — often more than the value it provides. Full breakdown.
Two units in one pickup are simply priced per unit ($80 small–medium, $150 large), same trip.
Frequently asked questions
Can you collect the old fridge on delivery day?
Yes, Monday to Friday, 6am–4pm, subject to availability — name the date when you book. Very common request.
Do I need to remove the doors?
Not for us. That's a council collection requirement.
Will you take it if it still works?
Yes. Most of what we collect still runs.
What about the old chest freezer as well?
Same trip, priced like a fridge ($80 small–medium, $150 large) — just defrost it a full day ahead.