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What Temperature Should a Refrigerator Be?

man adjusting fridge in warehouse

Set your fridge up for success with the right temperature settings!

Your refrigerator might be giving you shivers, while your neighbor’s fridge just feels chill. Which refrigerator temperature is better? And for that matter, how cold should your freezer be? The answers are simpler than you think. Read on to learn what temperature a refrigerator and freezer should be and how to keep your goods at the right temperature.

What Temperature Should a Refrigerator Be?

A refrigerator keeps perishable provisions as cold as possible without making them freeze. Your milk and juice should not turn into a block of ice. Therefore, the temperature in your fridge should be over 32 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the FDA (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration), the temperature should be below 40 degrees, as this temperature allows bacteria to flourish. The best temperature is somewhere in the middle, at about 36 degrees.

What Temperature Should a Freezer Be?

For your freezer to truly be a freezer, its internal temperature must be below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The overall recommended temperature for a freezer is 0 degrees. It ensures that your food will definitely freeze, not be half-frozen. It is acceptable if the freezer is below 0 degrees.

What Temperature Should the Crisper Drawers Be?

The crisper drawers are at the bottom of your fridge and control humidity, not temperature. You can create a low-humidity environment to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables. Meanwhile, the high humidity drawer keeps leafy greens fresh and supple. Naturally, these drawers are the coldest part of the fridge since they are at the lowest point, which is also why they are good for storing raw meat.

Setting Your Fridge’s Temperatures

If you are not sure if your fridge’s temperature settings are accurate, set the fridge and freezer to the desired temperatures and place a standing thermometer inside it to gauge its accuracy. Adjust as needed. If it is way off, then it might be worth it to call a professional to look at it.

How to Keep Your Refrigerator Cold

Good habits maintain your refrigerator’s internal temperatures. Keep the doors open as little as possible, and keep the fridge relatively full. Keep the inside and the condenser coils at the back or bottom clean to help it function well. Now you know!

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