Many counterdepth fridges are 28" or more excluding the handle, so it may work fine depending on the make and model. Only true counterdepth fridges, which are mostly built-ins, are 24" -25.

I would think it needed to be deeper than 28 though to avoid hitting the corner of the wall. Am I not correct?

As long as the fridge door (w hinge above) on a new SxS CD is beyond your 28" deep wall, you should be able to open that side to 90 degree, as the FP said. To open past 90 degrees is another story.

If you needed to keep it pulled out slightly it still may be better than a full depth which can approach 36" in depth.

I know people make a huge deal about having 12" to 16" here on the hinge side in order to open the door fully and get the drawers out, but I live in an urban area with small kitchens and there is rarely the room to give counterspace up for this and the refrigerators are often right close to the wall. Fully opening the hinge side drawer is not always possible and I would not pick a fridge with a full width drawer.

However we are in a rental where the fridge is about 2'' from a wall and although the door hits the corner of the doorway, and only opens slightly past ninety degrees that hinge side drawer opens fully. The fridge may need to be pulled out slightly to get the drawer out to clean under it.

Looking in most people's fridges I think they do this probably once or twice a year, if that. Unless I know more than my share of slovenly people (which I may).

chrstnamarie, I have a rail next to my current full depth KA SxS which sets out 33 inches with handle. For my in progress remodel, I am determined to get a counter depth refrigerator for this same space, as you are seeking. I will have about 2 1/2" between the refrigerator door and the railing.

Side by sides seem to work a tad better in these situations due to single drawers being able to open and maneuvered up and out with a twist for cleaning: you cannot do that with a full width drawer.

There are a lot of nice stainless finishes on CD SxS. I've been impressed with the Electrolux stainless finish (which includes sides of doors until box itself) as well as the Samsung stainless finish. KA is more of a brush finish, but my current twelve year old KA has had minimal problems.

Here is a link to an Electrolux CD SxS that I bookmarked. I really understand your need for answers on the wall issue: regrettably most big manufacturers took single left or right swing door fridges out of production line when FD hit in popularity.If you go to 33" there is a nice Samsung CD.

I'm waiting until my remodel rough in is finished until I purchase, and trying to maximize right fridge door distance to railing by actively brainstorming on the rough in with the crew.

Good luck to you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Electrolux CD SxS

Thank you both for your responses. The space we have for the refrigerator in the new house is 28Dx38Wx70H. In our current home we have the Samsung CD SxS and we love it. I measured it today and it is just shy of 28D. So, if we got the same refrigerator we'd have to pull it out from the wall a bit and I am worried that things will fall behind it from the counter side.

I'd love to fill the space the best I can, but I am finding it hard to do so without spending a TON of money :) All the other appliances in the kitchen are brand new Kenmore, so I was looking at their CD SxS, which is basically the Samsung.

I looked at the way the door opened on the left side (on my current Samsung) and it looks like as long as I have the extra 2 inches of width on that side I will be okay. Especially since the doors don't really open that wide anyway.

Could you put a panel on the countertop side so the side of the new refrigerator didn't show, and the gap would be covered?

We probably could, but the builder had custom cabinets done so we'd have to go through them, which I'd rather not have to do (we are purchased an already built new home).

The refrigerator I think we are going to get is actually 28.63 D without the handle, so I think we are going to be fine.

Thank you for your help!