Should I buy an appliance size I can see or risk one online?
Struggling to find an appliance that fits a unique space forces buyers to choose between purchasing an accessible model in the wrong size or buying the correct size sight unseen. This dilemma leads to difficult compromises and costly mistakes, such as having to modify tilework or kitchen structures just by a fraction of an inch to make a replacement fit.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1filling the resulting gap with custom wood trimDid this help you?
- 2looking at pictures online to confirm decisions when units are unavailable in storeDid this help you?
- 3Using a plywood shim or spacer behind the mounting bracket to clear the tile depthDid this help you?
- 4Using an oscillating tool with a diamond tip blade instead of an angle grinder if cutting is strictly necessaryDid this help you?
- 5hand washing dishesDid this help you?
- 6using a portable or countertop dishwasher that connects to the faucetDid this help you?
- 7modifying existing cabinets or cutting down edges to fit a narrow 18-inch unitDid this help you?
- 8relocating appliances like the washing machine or refrigeratorDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Long story short, I bought an over stove microwave 1/2 inch taller than my previous one. This threw off the whole replacement because the bracket is as low as it can go sitting just above the backsplash tile. I’m brainstorming ideas to get that 1/2 inch space and was thinking of using an angle grinder to cut some tile.”source ↗
“I’m torn to get something a similar size (but I can’t see it IRL) or buy something smaller (that I *can visit)”source ↗
“all of these cabinet bays are of unusual width.”source ↗
“The bay to the left of the sink is 17" wide and the one right of the sink is 30" wide.”source ↗
“I REALLY don't want to get a countertop dishwasher, considering how little counter space I already have, but that's starting to look more and more likely.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 7Single bowl vs double bowl kitchen sink: which should I get?
- 2Reliable 36-inch gas range with knobs under $4000