What Temperature Should A Refrigerator Be Set To?

Refrigeration changed the entire world. It allowed us to keep foods fresh for much longer, helped combat food poisoning due to bacterial growth, and so much more. It’s amazing to think about what the humble refrigerator allows us to take for granted. With that being said, the only way your refrigerator can protect your food from premature spoilage and bacteria is by maintaining the proper temperature. If yours is not doing that, or you’re unsure what the proper temperature is for a refrigerator, then this guide will help.

What Is the Right Temperature for a Refrigerator?

The optimum temperature for a refrigerator is between 35 and 38 degrees. If yours is set higher than this, then you run a significant risk of not only having foods go bad early but of bacteria colonizing your food. Sitting between 35 and 38, your refrigerator can prevent spoilage and bacteria but also prevent foods from freezing, as ice crystals can compromise the taste, flavor, and texture of many things we eat and drink.

What Is the Unsafe Temperature Range?

If your refrigerator gets over 40 degrees, the risk of spoilage and bacterial growth grows. Forty degrees is the bottom end of the range for bacterial growth (40 to 140 degrees is the full range). However, you should also be wary of the temperature dropping below 35 degrees. Freezing occurs at 32 degrees, and because temperatures are not constant throughout the entire refrigerator (they’re colder at the back and warmer at the front), you may notice things at the back of the refrigerator beginning to freeze even if the digital readout shows 35 degrees.

What Happens If My Refrigerator Temperature Gets Too High?

If your refrigerator’s internal temperature rises to 40 degrees or higher, you may begin to notice the following:

• Food spoils more quickly
• Produce is not as crisp/appears wilted or dehydrated
• Stomach trouble due to E. coli or salmonella proliferation

How Do I Check My Refrigerator Temperature?

Most modern refrigerators have a digital readout that tells you the temperature. However, these may not be 100% accurate. Additionally, some models have digital readouts that tell what temperature the refrigerator is set for, rather than the actual temperature inside the refrigerator.

To get a more accurate idea of your refrigerator’s temperature:

1. Buy a freestanding appliance thermometer. You can find these at big box stores and DIY stores.
2. Place it in the refrigerator and leave it for at least 20 minutes.
3. Check the temperature reading and compare it to the refrigerator’s thermometer or temperature setting.

You may find that your refrigerator temperature gauge/setting says one thing, but your appliance thermometer says something else. For instance, the refrigerator may be set to 37 degrees, but your appliance thermometer may read 33 degrees, or it may read 40 degrees. This is not abnormal – many refrigerators’ temperature gauges are not entirely accurate. Use your appliance thermometer to determine what the fridge should be set to for proper food protection. For instance, if you see that your gauge says 35, but the appliance thermometer reads 39, you could bump the refrigerator control dial down by a degree or so. Close the door and wait for 30 minutes to an hour, then check the appliance thermometer. Repeat that process until the appliance thermometer shows the desired temperature.

My Refrigerator Does Not Have a Temp Gauge

While many refrigerators have a temperature gauge, if not a digital readout, some do not. Your refrigerator may have a dial that goes from 1 to 5 or from 1 to 10. There will usually be an arrow or triangular indentation at the position where the manufacturer indicates optimum cooling performance. You can use an appliance thermometer to determine what temperature that mark indicates and then adjust performance to ensure you have the right degree of cooling to protect your foods.

Note that even in properly operating refrigerators, temperatures fluctuate a great deal. The front of the fridge remains warmer, while the back of the refrigerator is colder. Drawers create microclimates better suited to specific types of foods.

What Temperature Should My Freezer Be?

While freezing occurs at 32 degrees, your freezer should be set significantly below that. Ideally, your freezer should be below 0 degrees. Many refrigerators today have a digital readout for the freezer temperature as well, but the same issues apply here as to refrigerator temperatures – the readouts are not always 100% accurate. Again, the solution is a standalone appliance thermometer.

Place the thermometer in the freezer and then close the door. Wait 20 minutes and check it. This will give you the actual freezer temp, allowing you to adjust it as needed to protect your foods. The same process applies if you have a dial without temps displayed. Start with the temperature indicator on the “optimum” or “preferred” mark, and adjust as necessary.

How to Use My Refrigerator Effectively

Once you’ve adjusted your refrigerator’s temperature correctly, it’s time to lay out the internal use to optimize those different temp regions mentioned above. Below is a quick guide to help you understand what foods will do best in each area of the fridge:

• Doors – Put your condiments in the doors. Anything that will spoil easily should go elsewhere, and that includes your milk and eggs. Yes, that goes against long-time habits and even refrigerator design.
• Top Shelves – The top shelves of your fridge maintain the most constant temperature and best suited to leftovers and anything that should be kept easily visible so you can eat it before it spoils.
• Deli Drawer – The deli drawer in the fridge is designed to be cooler than other areas of the fridge, which makes it a great spot for deli meats, but also raw meat.
• Lower Shelves – The lower shelves are the coldest in the refrigerator, so anything that would benefit from extra cooling should go here, including your milk and eggs.
• Veggie/Fruit Drawers – The crisper drawers can usually be set for either fruit or vegetables (more or less humidity). Use them for what they’re designed to hold.

My Fridge Keeps Warming, Help!

If you find that your refrigerator’s temperature continues to push that unsafe 40-degree boundary despite you setting it lower, there are things you can do to take control of the situation.

• Open the Door Less – This tip is pretty commonsense, but it bears mentioning. If you’re getting into the refrigerator frequently, it will struggle to maintain temperature.
• Full or Empty – Check the level of contents in your fridge. Is it pretty sparse? That could be part of the reason. The more items you have in the fridge, the better it will maintain temperature over time. However, don’t overcrowd the shelves. Cold air must be able to circulate, and if your fridge is overstocked, that won’t happen.
• Say No to Hot Foods – If you’re putting away leftovers, make sure you give them plenty of time to cool down before you stick them in the refrigerator. Even in a sealed glass or plastic container, they will still give off heat, which can quickly elevate the temperature inside a sealed refrigerator.
• Gasket Care – Your refrigerator door has a rubber gasket around the inside. This is designed to form an airtight seal when you close it. However, dirt, debris, and even damage can compromise that seal, allowing cooled air to leak out and raising the temperature inside the refrigerator. Go over the door seals carefully. Clean them and note any potential damage that might be causing problems.
• Refrigerant Loss – If you notice that your refrigerator isn’t cooling very well, check the cooling coils. You may notice ice buildup here, which can indicate low refrigerant. However, not seeing any ice does not necessarily mean that you don’t have a refrigerant leak. If you’ve tried everything else and you still can’t maintain a constant temperature, call for repairs.
• Clean the Coils – The coils on your refrigerator circulate refrigerant, helping to disperse heat. However, over time they can become covered with dust. If you have pets, pet hair can also collect in a thick layer over the coils. Clean your coils by:

1. Unplugging your refrigerator
2. Pulling it out from the wall
3. Locate the coils on the back, bottom, or top of the fridge
4. Use a duster to remove the dust from the coils
5. Vacuum up removed dust, plus dust/hair in the surrounding area
6. Plug the refrigerator back in
7. Push it back in place
8. Verify that the unit is cooling normally (use your appliance thermometer)
9. Repeat this process at least once per year (twice per year if you have pets)

Keep Your Cool

With the tips and tricks laid out in this guide, you should not only understand the right temperature for your refrigerator but how to organize the contents and even how to troubleshoot it if it’s not cooling as much as it should. If you encounter problems with cooling, whether from a suspected lack of coolant or simply because the unit is not working as it should AppliancePartsPros.com is always here to help.