The quick answer
Keep the fridge upright if you can. Some makers allow a short trip on its side, but others say never, and the rules depend on the type. If it does go on its side, stand it upright afterward and wait before you plug it in. Waits in the manufacturer pages we checked ranged from 15 minutes to 24 hours. If you don't have your model's manual, 24 hours is the safest choice.
A fridge is heavy, awkward and expensive, and a van or truck bed rarely has room to carry it standing up. So the question comes up on almost every move. The risk isn't that it will tip over in a moment. It's what happens inside the cooling system when you tilt it, and what happens if you switch it on too soon afterward.
The old advice online says the gas settles on one side. That's not what the makers say. Their concern is compressor oil, and in some cases damage from vibration. The manufacturers' own support pages say this.
Why Upright Is Preferred
A fridge's compressor holds a small amount of oil. Samsung's support page explains that moving, tilting or vibrating the fridge can push that oil out of its reservoir and into the piping. Running the compressor with too little oil can damage it. That's why every maker tells you to let the fridge stand before you switch it on.
LG adds a second risk. Its support page says that lying a fridge down can cause the compressor to detach or the gas pipe to break from vibration. It also says that if you must tilt the unit, it's safer to do so at a slight angle than to lay it fully flat, and to avoid a position with the compressor facing down.
What the Manufacturers Say
The rules differ by brand and by fridge type, so there's no single answer. This table covers what we could confirm from the makers' own pages.
| Maker | Lying down | Wait before plugging in |
|---|---|---|
| GE | Upright is best. Top freezer: on the side opposite the hinges. Side by side: on the freezer side. French door, bottom freezer and compact: always upright. | Stand it upright as long as it lay down. If it lay down more than a day, 24 hours. |
| Whirlpool (bottom-freezer page) | Upright or on its back (prone) is allowed. | Newer refrigerant (R-134A): at least 15 minutes. Older refrigerant (R-12): at least 24 hours. |
| Maytag | Upright at all times. Do not lay it on its side. | Follow the Use and Care guide. |
| LG | Avoid. Keep upright when possible. | One LG page says at least 2 hours after any time on its side. Another says 24 hours if it couldn't stay upright. |
| Samsung | Keep upright. If not possible, tilt back as little as possible. | At least 1 hour, and up to 24 hours depending on how it was positioned and for how long. |
Two takeaways. First, the same fridge can get a 15-minute answer from one maker and a 24-hour answer from another. Second, a compact or mini fridge falls into GE's "must stay upright" group. GE adds that if a compact unit must lie on its side, you should turn it off a day in advance so it can drain.
The Whirlpool page says the refrigerant type is on the model and serial number tab. If you can't find it, treat the unit as the older kind and wait 24 hours. That's our judgment, not a Whirlpool rule.
Preparing the Fridge
- Unplug it and defrost. GE says to turn it off a couple of hours before the move so the evaporator can defrost. Maytag says to let the freezer thaw fully with the doors open, with towels on the floor to catch the water. Allow longer if the freezer is heavily iced.
- Empty it and clean the inside. Remove all food. Wipe the interior and let it dry so it doesn't grow mold in the closed box.
- Secure loose parts. GE says to protect covers and removable parts with tape. Maytag says to remove, label and pack shelves, bins and glass parts separately where possible.
- Tape the doors shut and tape the cord to the cabinet. Maytag and Whirlpool both give this step. It stops the doors swinging open and keeps the cord from dragging.
Moving It Safely
- Get help. Whirlpool's undercounter page says to use two or more people if the fridge is heavy. Even a small fridge can be heavy: one 4.4 cubic foot model is listed at 64 pounds.
- Use a proper dolly. GE says to truck the fridge from the side. Maytag says to use a dolly rated for the appliance's weight and strap the fridge to it.
- Don't walk it. Whirlpool says to pull an undercounter fridge straight out and not to wiggle it, to avoid floor damage.
- Secure it in the vehicle. LG says to keep it upright and strapped firmly to limit vibration. If the fridge has to lie down, check the table above for which side your type allows. Don't improvise.
- Doorways. LG's page says that if you need a brief tilt to get through a narrow door, move slowly and carefully to avoid impact. It still counts as time on its side for the wait.
Before You Plug It In
Set the fridge upright in its final spot, level it as the manual says, and give it the wait. Pick the number like this:
- It stayed upright the whole way: LG says you can plug it in as soon as vibration has stopped. Samsung's minimum is still one hour.
- It was tilted or on its side briefly: LG says at least 2 hours, even after about 10 minutes. GE says stand it as long as it lay down.
- It lay down for a long trip, or you don't know the brand's rule: wait 24 hours. It costs a day of cooling, and it's the longest wait any of the maker pages ask for.
If you only unplugged it and moved it within the home, LG says to plug it back in after 5 minutes. While you wait, wipe down the inside and put shelves back, but leave the fridge off.
The same upright wait applies to small units. For sizes and weights of compact models, see our guide to the dimensions of a mini fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you lay a fridge on its side to move it?
Sometimes, but upright is the safest choice. GE allows some top-freezer and side-by-side models to lie down on a specific side, while Maytag says never. Check your manual for your model.
How long should you wait to plug in a fridge after moving it?
It depends on the maker. Whirlpool says at least 15 minutes for newer refrigerant and 24 hours for older, LG says at least 2 hours after time on its side, and GE says as long as it lay down. If you don't know, wait 24 hours.
Can a mini fridge be moved on its side?
GE says compact fridges must stay upright, and if one has to lie down, to turn it off a day beforehand so it can drain. Keep it upright if you can.
What happens if you plug in a fridge too soon?
The compressor may run with its oil out of place, which can damage it. Samsung says low oil can damage the compressor, and Whirlpool warns that not following its waits may damage it.
Do you need to empty a fridge before moving it?
Yes. GE and Maytag both say to remove all food, clean the inside and defrost the freezer before the move.
Sources
- Samsung: How to transport the side by side refrigerator (compressor oil, upright, wait time)
- LG: Can I move my LG refrigerator on its side? (2 hour wait, slight angle, securing)
- LG: How to transport an LG refrigerator (vibration damage, 24 hour wait, 5 minute rule)
- Whirlpool: Proper moving care, refrigerator (upright or prone, waits by refrigerant)
- Whirlpool: What to do when moving an undercounter refrigerator (tape doors, two people, pull straight out)
- GE Appliances: Refrigerator moving instructions (which types may lie down, which side, wait times, dolly)
- Maytag: Preparing for vacation or moving (defrost, shelves, taping, dolly)
- The Brick: Danby 4.4 cu ft refrigerator (example weight of a compact fridge)
Makers disagree, and rules vary by model. Your owner's manual is the final word, and you can find it with the model number on the label inside the fridge.