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A used fridge is a good deal if it cools properly, the door seals close tight and it fits your space. Built-in fridges must match your kitchen niche to the centimetre, and very old fridges can cost more in electricity than you save on the price.
Freestanding fridges (vrijstaand) just need a socket and some room for air at the back. Built-in fridges (inbouw) go into a kitchen cabinet with the cabinet door fixed to the fridge door. Their niche heights are standard: about 88 cm (under the counter), 102, 122, 140, 158 and 178 cm. Measure your niche height and check how the door is fixed: sliding door (sleepdeur) or fixed hinge door (deur-op-deur). The new fridge must match the system, or you'll need different mounting hardware.
American fridges (Amerikaanse koelkast) are about 90 cm wide and very deep. Check your door frames and the stairs before you buy one, since many Dutch houses have narrow stairwells.
A fridge runs day and night, so energy use matters more than for most appliances. Fridges from the last 10 years are much more efficient than those from the early 2000s. The energy label scale changed in 2021, so an old 'A+' and a new 'E' can mean similar use; compare the kWh per year printed on the label instead. A big old American fridge or a chest freezer from the 1990s can use several hundred kWh per year.
Look up the model number on the type plate inside the fridge to find its age.
Ask the seller to keep the fridge running until you arrive. Bring a simple thermometer or put your hand inside: the fridge should be cold, around 4 degrees, and the freezer frozen solid.
Move fridges upright when you can. If it had to lie down, let it stand upright before switching it on so the compressor oil can flow back. A common rule is to wait at least as long as it was lying down, and a few hours at minimum. Tape the doors shut and take out glass shelves. Defrost and dry a freezer before moving it, or water ends up in your car.
Clean the inside with warm water and a bit of soda or vinegar, including the door seals and the small drain hole at the back wall of the fridge, which can block and cause water under the vegetable drawers. Leave the doors open for a while to air out. Let it run empty for a few hours to reach temperature before you put food in.
Chest freezers (vrieskist or diepvrieskist) are cheap second hand and simple, but check the lid seal and the lid hinge, which tends to sag. Upright freezers with drawers are easier to use. Tabletop fridges (tafelmodel) are popular for student rooms. For a Smeg retro fridge, prices stay high because of the look; check for rust under the seal and on the door hinges.
If you need a specific size, like a built-in fridge for a 122 cm niche with a sleepdeur, vindje.com lets you describe exactly that with a price and distance, instead of reading every listing for measurements.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| Tabletop fridge (tafelmodel) | EUR 40-100 |
| Fridge-freezer combination, about 180 cm | EUR 100-250 |
| Built-in fridge, 178 cm niche | EUR 150-300 |
| American side-by-side fridge | EUR 250-600 |
| Chest freezer | EUR 50-150 |
| Smeg retro fridge | EUR 300-600 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
Built-in fridge for a 122 cm niche with sleepdeur system, less than 8 years old, working, under 200 euro, within 15 km of AmersfoortSearch Marktplaats like this
If it was transported upright, a short wait is enough. If it lay down, wait at least as long as it was lying, and a few hours minimum.
Only if it's in good shape and not too old. A fridge from before around 2010 can use a lot more electricity, eating up the savings.
Standard niche heights are about 88, 102, 122, 140, 158 and 178 cm. Measure yours and check the door mounting system.
Ask the seller to keep it running, then check that the fridge is cold and the freezer is frozen. A thermometer gives you a clear answer.