What Temperature Should My Fridge Freezer Be?

In the height of summer, we probably rely more on our refrigeration appliances than we realise, as when it’s hot outside, they have to work harder to keep things cool to stop our food from spoiling.

According to the consumer champion site WHICH? if the temperature in your kitchen rises to 30°C or above, then many fridge freezers simply fail to keep the food chilled at a safe temperature, (that’s between 3 - 4°C for fridges and -18°C for freezers) - and this gives bacteria an opportunity to grow.

Fortunately, some refrigeration appliances do have handy gauges to help you to monitor the temperature of your fridge freezer. However, if your fridge-freezer hasn’t got this handy feature, then here are a few top tips to ensure your fridge freezer stays cool this summer.

Tips to Keep Your Refrigerator Cool During the Summer

Check your ‘Climate Class’ - this refers to the room temperature that the fridge was designed to work in. Some fridges are only designed for rooms that reach 10°, but as the weather in the UK is quite varied throughout the year, we’d recommend speaking to one of our in-store experts who can guide you on how to find the perfect fridge for your home, with this in mind.

Adjustable shelves - this allows your appliance to distribute airflow evenly. If your food is too tightly packed together in your fridge, then air may struggle to circulate. Packing your fridge full may also block the vent which circulates this cool air, without which, food would quickly spoil. Plus, separate shelves also help to prevent contamination between raw and cooked foods and some appliances are even specially designed so that the temperature of the fridge varies slightly shelf-to-shelf, meaning that if you put raw meat on the meat shelf it will be at the perfect temperature for raw meat, but on another shelf, may affect the quality of the meat and cause it to go bad quicker.

Check the thermostat - most refrigeration appliances have a manual temperature gauge, which is often a dial with numbers 0-5. However, it's important to remember that these numbers refer to power, not temperature and often, to decrease the temperature you would turn up the thermostat which increases the power, making it run colder. That said, every fridge-freezer is different so, if unsure, always check how the thermostat works upon installation of any refrigeration appliance.

Check the Seal - if there are gaps in the seal that is designed to make the door airtight then the temperature of the fridge will be compromised. A good way to test this is to place a piece of paper between the door and the fridge, close the door and try to pull the paper out. If the paper slips out easily then your fridge is not working optimally and it’s time to get the seal replaced. Book a fridge repair.

Check the Condenser Coils - located at the back of the fridge are the condenser coils and these are a vital part of the fridge cooling process. However, over time they can become blocked with dirt or dust causing them to work inefficiently. This can be quickly rectified however by using a vacuum attachment, or you can purchase a special coil brush.

Change Out the Water Filter - if you have a water filter in your fridge/fridge-freezer, then make sure you replace this regularly. Fortunately, most appliances nowadays have a water filter indicator that will tell you when it needs changing. However, if your fridge doesn’t have this feature then we’d suggest you replace your water filter twice each year, consult the appliance manual or speak with us as we’d be happy to advise you further.

Keep doors closed - it may seem obvious but every time you open the door to your fridge-freezer you’re letting in heat. Some easy ways to reduce the time with the doors spent open are;

1. Use space wisely so there’s no need to rummage through everything you have, to find what you want. Transparent freezer draws can also be really helpful here, as they allow you to see what you have in your freezer quickly and using your salad draw to stock all your fruits and veggies is also helpful as again, you’ll know directly where to find them.

2. Limit time spent with the doors open while unloading groceries or cooking, especially on particularly hot days as having the fridge open for just a few minutes can alter its internal temperature so best to close that door in-between.

Our Top ‘Keep Cool’ Refrigeration Picks

If your fridge-freezer isn’t working as it should, then perhaps it's time to upgrade. If so, here are just some of our top recommendations for cooling efficiency;

- Bosch Fridge Freezer (White) KGN34NWEAG Cooling features include - NoFrost: so you’ll never have to defrost your fridge-freezer again, and SuperFreezing: Protects frozen food from defrosting.

- Bosch Fridge Freezer (Grey) KGN27NLFAG Cooling features include -NoFrost technology; FreshSense sensors constantly monitor and control the ambient, fridge and freezer temperature; Multi Airflow System: even air distribution for longer freshness.

- Hotpoint Fridge Freezer (White) HMCB 70301 Features ActiveFresh™ technology that constantly monitors the temperature inside your fridge freezer and food stays fresher for longer with the FreshZone™ crisper drawer.

- Hotpoint SH6 A1Q GRD 1 Fridge - Graphite Fresh Technology uses a combination of innovation including Precision Temperature Control and an Ultra Fresh Crisper to deliver superior results in food preservation.

- Neff KA3923IE0G, American Style Fridge Freezer Grand in design. Great for cooling. Temperature control for cooling and freezing. MultiAirFlow™ cooling - improves circulation of air around the fridge. In-door electronic LCD display of fridge and freezer temperatures. SuperCooling™ and SuperFreeze™ function with automatic deactivation + ice and water dispenser to keep you cool on tap

Need Advice when it comes to your fridge-freezer?

At Joe Graham & Son, we stock a range of refrigeration appliances, from stand-alone fridges to chest freezers, American-style fridge freezers and wine coolers, so if you need an appliance upgrade, pop down to our Luton showroom where you can view our wide range of kitchen appliances currently in stock, and where our experienced and friendly staff are always on hand to help with any enquiries you may have.

But before you jump to buying new, if you find a fault with your refrigeration appliances then you may just simply need a repair.

But if you do decide to upgrade, then we offer a speedy delivery and installation service, and we can even recycle your old appliances too!

Find your perfect fridge-freezer upgrade today!

Contact Us.

Written by Alexandria Campbell for Joe Graham and Son Ltd (June 2023)