My suggestion is to buy a counter depth refrigerator instead of eliminating your pantry.....It will make a big difference........

Thanks for the suggestion but counter depth still sticks out in the walk way opening. it is a very small kitchen. we have to use the pantry space and build a pantry where the refrigerator was.

counter depth will still be better than what you have. the only other option is to go behind the fridge and push back the wall, if possible. you could also turn you studs(would require removing the drywall and reframing a bit) so the wider/flat side faces the fridge. you could buy an inch or tow that way. but if you could push back a few inches, and get the counter depth, that should be enough to work.

A built-in, side-by-side refrigerator/freezer would be a HUGE space saver compared to both what you already have AND a counter-depth fridge.

You are obviously reluctant to buy a counter depth fridge but I don't understand this. In terms of expense, that is a cheaper option than swapping the fridge and pantry. It doesn't require a carpenter, an electrician or a drywaller. Unless you have a large family and live quite a distance from a decent grocery store, a counter depth fridge would have sufficient capacity. A pantry cabinet won't look right unless you match the existing cabinet doors and that won't be cheap. The other option is to build a pantry like your existing space which requires framing and drywall so definitely not cheap either.

We have a similar problem. We just wait for the way to be clear.

You have to decide if moving the pantry and the expense is worth the trouble.

It's also important to distinguish between what some manufacturers call counter depth and true counter depth; i.e., 24". The latter makes a big difference. Many of these are European, and you may have to remove the cabinet above to accommodate the height, as that is how they achieve similar volume. As the others have said, this will be a cheaper, easier way to solve the problem.

The culprit is the kitchen design that someone attempted to ''update'' without doing anything that the space actually needed, like redesign it. Instead, they painted 40 year old cabinets, slapped some cheap granite on it, and then bought stainless steel appliances. You got the holy trinity, but you got a kitchen that doesn't work, even on a good day.

The solution to the numerous glaring multiple problems with the space is a real kitchen remodel. Gut it and start over. A counter depth is a sad bandaid that will not work.

fridges and cabinetry are expensive, patience is free. yes, its a bottle neck, but thats how it is right now and if everyone just slows down through the kitchen it will all be ok.