A:AnswerI have purchased this refrigerator. I can not give you an expert's advice. I have considerably less than 7 inches on each side (but a bit more than 1/2 inch). It seems like a very efficient appliance. What I mean by that...... is that there is not a lot of heat generated by the unit. What you need to know is that when you first plug it in it can get fairly hot on the exterior. This condition only lasts the initial period of time it takes to bring the temperature down inside your new unit. You might want to keep the refrigerator pulled forward from the back wall and into the kitchen space a bit during the initial phase - until the refrigerator reaches the appropriate temperature inside. It might be fine after that.
