Whirlpool Puts Nugget Ice Inside Two 36-Inch French-Door Refrigerators

Whirlpool has introduced two 36-inch true counter-depth French-door refrigerators with a nugget ice maker built into the door: the three-door WRFC7436T and four-door WRMC7436T. The company announced the models on September 23, 2026, positioning the format as a way to get soft, chewable ice without giving up counter space to a separate appliance.

Whirlpool describes the system as an in-door nugget ice maker, a manufacturer claim that distinguishes it from refrigerators that rely on an internal bin or a separate countertop machine. The unit compresses thin sheets of ice into small nuggets and dispenses them through the exterior door.

The published specifications say the nugget system can produce up to three cups per hour or 15 pounds in 24 hours and can store 2.4 pounds at a time. Those figures describe production under specified conditions, not a guarantee that every household will see the same output; incoming water temperature, use patterns and environmental conditions can affect real-world performance.

Both models also retain a traditional cubed-ice maker in the freezer. That dual arrangement is more than a novelty: nugget ice can serve drinks and casual snacking, while the lower freezer supply can provide conventional cubes when a larger batch or a different ice texture is needed.

The WRFC7436T uses a three-door layout and adds an EasyReach Zone plus a flexible-temperature drawer. The WRMC7436T adds a fourth door and a Freezer-to-Fridge Zone that Whirlpool says can switch between frozen and refrigerated storage, giving households another way to rebalance capacity as shopping and meal plans change.

The three-door WRFC7436T is listed at 23.4 cubic feet. Whirlpool's training materials give dimensions of about 69.9 inches high, 35.6 inches wide and 31.4 inches deep, so buyers still need to measure the full opening, door swing, ventilation clearance and path into the kitchen rather than relying on the “counter-depth” label alone.

Installation and ownership requirements remain important. An automatic ice system needs a suitable water connection and filter maintenance, and ice-making components add surfaces that require cleaning. Buyers comparing this appliance with a separate nugget-ice machine should weigh the integrated footprint and exterior dispensing against servicing complexity and the fixed 2.4-pound storage capacity.

This article is based on Whirlpool's published specifications and announcement, not independent hands-on testing. The practical advance is integration: two ice formats and flexible cold-storage features are being combined in one full-size refrigerator. The value will depend on local availability, final retail pricing, kitchen fit and whether a household uses enough nugget ice to justify choosing the feature at replacement time.