Says who? Why would you want to look at big 1 1/2"+ gaps? I have a Kitche naid counterdepth 36" model, it's made to fit a 36" wide or larger opening, it's about 35 1/2" wide. Not only does it not have big ugly gaps at the si de, it's counterdepth, so the fridge doesn't stick out into the kitchen. Only the door thickness sticks out and it looks almost built-in. I think if you look at the specs, the 36" models today are made to fit in a 36" min op ening, which makes sense. Cabinets come in 36" width, 39" isn't a standard width.