[jeff5may]

European appliances are always going to be smaller and more energy-efficient in general. The reason being is that 90% or better of european consumers prefer the minimalist style of design. A big, American, cube refrigerator would look completely out of place, especially in some shade of beige or off-white. It would disrupt the sleek, almost tool box or medical look of the room. A typical euro-fridge-icebox would go in the same place as a dishwasher in America. Freezer down low, if it has one. It would look like just another cabinet.
For the lavish, built-in cabinet units are common. You wouldn't even know it was a refrigerator until you opened the door. Most are tall and narrow, like a pantry cabinet. They are smaller because the Europeans take pride in using fresh ingredients for meals and cooking from scratch in no time flat. In the time it would take me to make mac and cheese from a box and nuke some green giant vegetables, any self respecting Frenchman or Italian would have already made dinner for 4 and ate half of it. By the time I had sat down to eat my "30 minute meal", eurochef would be sipping on some alcoholic beverage I couldn't spell by listening to its name.