I am building a small wet bar in my basement. The area I am using is about the size of a closet with a depth of 22 inches. My original intent was to place a beverage cooler under the counter that had a depth of 20 inches. However, when I went to buy the cooler I realized it wasn't built to be placed under the counter.

So, I have been researching alternatives. As I started researching, I have decided a refrigerator would be a better choice. However, as I started looking at the options I noticed two things about units that are created for under the counter. One is that they tend to be much more expensive. The second issue is that they have a much greater depth. The best I could find was a Summit refrigerator that has a depth of 22.75 inches for $800.

Do I really need a refrigerator that is specifically designed to be placed under the counter? Can I use a free standing one instead? Today I was in an appliance store were the salesman suggested a GE model that was less than a 22 inch depth and less than $300 that he insisted could go under the counter even though it didn't have a front vent. Will this cause issues?