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I have a light switch on wall next to a fridge.

Replaced the fridge with a larger one. Now the fridge door slams into it. It's a normal toggle switch, not the wide kind.

enter image description here

When pushing the fridge in, it really smashes that switch into the wall which happens to destroy the faceplate as well. After installation, hard to reach that switch with fingers to turn it on, first knuckle can't go in so barely can't reach the switch. It's a side by side so have to open the freezer door to toggle the switch LOL.

enter image description here

Is it possible to recess a switch entirely into the wall? Other ideas come to mind?

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    If you have a puppy or young child, go for the spring type door stops. Hours of fun. A spring type would give you an excuse to get a puppy/young child, if do not have one right now. youtube.com/shorts/DZOP3NBqfEI
    – crip659
    Commented Sep 3 at 20:28
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    If it's a single-door fridge, you can usually swap the hinge side.
    – Andrew Morton
    Commented Sep 4 at 16:00
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    Recessed boxes are not-uncommonly used for garbage disposal switches, to minimize the possibility of someone accidentally leaning against it or experimentally flipping it while you've got your hand thrust way down inside the thing. (Though I guess the state of the art today is countertop pushbutton switches.)
    – FeRD
    Commented Sep 5 at 7:16
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    "hard to reach that switch" -- It's clearly not in a good location, so... move it?
    – Dan Mašek
    Commented Sep 5 at 17:02
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    @Brian.Johnson In the USA, it appears to be not uncommon to have double-door fridges, hence my comment starting If it's a single-door fridge. Many participants here are in the USA.
    – Andrew Morton
    Commented Sep 6 at 18:01

6 Answers 6

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you can replace it with a rocker/paddle switch. Those don't have the bit sticking out.

image of rocker-style light switch (pic from random amazon listing)

Another option is to add a door stopper to prevent the fridge from hitting the switch or the wall.

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    TBH I'd probably do both because there's quite a chance it will still hit this switch just not as badly. But if adding a door stop do make sure it doesn't prevent anything you need to do, like removing shelves for cleaning
    – Chris H
    Commented Sep 4 at 10:39
  • Alternatively, affix a rubber "bumper" to the door.
    – Phil Freedenberg
    Commented Sep 4 at 20:21
  • @ChrisH If you want to go even flatter then there are also touch-sensitive switches that have no protruding parts whatsoever. They are rather more expensive though, and vulnerable to lightning strikes.
    – Perkins
    Commented Sep 4 at 22:44
  • @Perkins true, but I'm not keen on them having found them prone to failure. The ones I've seen have normally been touch dimmers which are annoying to use as well
    – Chris H
    Commented Sep 5 at 5:32
  • @ChrisH I've found it depends a lot on the house too. Like, my grandmother's house eats LED bulbs for some reason. They last about two weeks on average. Any electronics you don't want to die need a decent surge suppressor or they won't last long either.
    – Perkins
    Commented Sep 6 at 21:21
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Original answer below, as it may help others in the future. But not really applicable now that I see the actual situation.

The best solution in terms of the final result is, unfortunately, not the easiest. But it isn't all that hard:

  • Determine stud location on the wall facing the kitchen (i.e., right angles to the existing switch. Most likely there will be just one stud in the corner but sometimes there are more.
  • Cut a box hole in the drywall immediately to the left of the stud(s), at the same level as the existing switch.
  • Remove the existing switch from the existing box.
  • Remove the existing wires or cables from the existing box. If there are multiple cables or more than 2 individual wires (not counting ground) then make sure you know where each wire/cable connects.
  • Remove the old box. You should have access from the new drywall hole.
  • Install a new metal box.
  • Route the cable or conduit/wires into the new box. Should be easy with cables, might get tricky with conduit. If you're not sure exactly how to proceed, post pictures before putting in a new box.
  • Install the switch (old is OK if it is in good condition, but I'd recommend a new good quality (the $2 boxed switch rather than the $1 bulk switch) switch. Wires connect as they did to the old switch (including white neutrals together if applicable. Ground(s) to the metal box. Switch automagically gets ground from the metal box.
  • Patch the old switch box opening. Because you are moving the wires/cables/connections to a new box, the old one (which you are removing anyway) doesn't have to be accessible. You don't have to do a perfect job of painting because the refrigerator is preventing anyone from looking at the old switch area anyway.

There are recessed boxes designed for receptacles, such as this Arlington Industries box from Electric Supplies Online:

Recessed box

If you use the "GFCI faceplate" then you should be able to use any Decora device, including a standard Decora switch.

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Another option may be a remote switch like this: https://dewenwils.com/products/indoor-wireless-remote-control-outlet-hrls1e

enter image description here

You can put the control module in the switch box and put a blank cover plate (metal, to reduce damage potential) on it. Then mount the switch module to wherever is convenient for you to reach.

(No idea if this particular model is UL/ETL certified.)

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    "put a blank cover plate (metal, to reduce damage potential) on it" I mean... with the tradeoff that you increase damage potential to your refrigerator door, if it's whapping against a metal cover plate.
    – FeRD
    Commented Sep 5 at 7:12
  • I'd rather swap cover plates than fridge doors.
    – Mołot
    Commented Sep 5 at 10:09
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    It wasn't clear what the damage is from. Anyway, if it's the door bashing into the cover plate, obviously you use a nylon cover plate.
    – Huesmann
    Commented Sep 5 at 13:57
  • Oh nice so this effectively rewires the light to "remote controlled" then I can move the switch itself to somewhere else (and hard wire it in the old switch box). Good one! Maybe there's some kind of smart switch equivalent if that floats anyones boat...
    – rogerdpack
    Commented Sep 5 at 16:20
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    Yep, pretty much. I would think this would solve both your problems—bashing and reaching.
    – Huesmann
    Commented Sep 6 at 14:51
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Another option to consider is using surface-mount raceway to relocate the switch. It's not as aesthetic, but it would afford you the ability to move the switch and, if you decide you dislike the setup later, to remove it and go back to the original box.

The gist of the setup would be (with the breaker off)

  1. Put an extension ring on the light switch. Can put a metal blank over it to limit damage from the fridge hitting it.
  2. Add raceway with THHN wires inside to where you want the switch to live. You probably have 14 gauge wires, but check first (or just use 12 which covers all uses). You probably have three - hot, switched hot and ground - you need to run. I would suggest black (hot), red (switched hot), and green (ground) wires. Your local big box may sell these by the foot. You might need a fourth wire if there's a neutral in the box (modern code).
  3. Add a surface-mount box to the end of the raceway and put your switch here
  4. Attach the wires from step 2 to your existing switch wires (can twist and nut them together)

This removes the damage possibility and makes the switch easier to use.

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  • That actually could be a nice long-term win. For some reason I was thinking the only way to move the switch would be moving the gang box within the wall, never thought of this way, nice! :)
    – rogerdpack
    Commented Sep 6 at 21:01
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There are also touch sensitive switches with no mechanical part on the outside at all. The hard part is finding one that meets code requirements; I don't know if there is currently one on the book seller's page which does.

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    Think touch sensitive is OP's problem.
    – crip659
    Commented Sep 3 at 21:29
  • Oh nice. I did find one on Amazon ("touch light switch") that fits in a gang box. Also ran into "digital switch" which are basically a flat button touch to toggle. Both seem lower profile than a normal paddle switch, win! :)
    – rogerdpack
    Commented Sep 5 at 16:22
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OK thankfully there was some low hanging fruit. If you bend off the mickey mouse ears on the switch, and there is a gap between the edge of the gang box and the edge of the drywall, you can screw it in extra (requires some creativity for the cover plate). Another similar option would have been to keep the mickey mouse ears and remove the drywall that they rest against.

Also you can edge the switch slightly left and right when you tighten the switch in, it's adjustable just barely.

Combining these things plus getting a lower profile (and wider) paddle switch (from RatchetFreak's answer) and opening the counter gap a tiny bit, I was able to get the switch just past the front of the body section of the fridge and to the left of the door, so the fridge wouldn't knock into it and turn the light off. And also closer so fingers can reach it. So nothing too crazy was needed in my case.

Another thing that would have helped is actually to raise the left front leg of the fridge (but not the right leg) (possibly adding a wedge at the back left) so the fridge tilted toward the front right (and slightly away from the wall). Because the switch was above counter-top level it bought a little space.

If I had needed more aggressive measures some more options may have been: grind down the front of the gang box a little (while still leaving some screw threads), and moving the gang box "in" a little (more recessed), by leveraging it out slightly from the 2x4 it's connected to, cutting the nail currently holding the box to that 2x4 (snips or hacksaw blade), moving the box, then re-attach it by screwing it from inside the box.

Thanks everybody, great ideas!

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