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What temperature is your fridge at right now? Do you know what it’s meant to be at? What happens if the power goes out and you need to set the temperature when it comes back on, or you get a new fridge and you’re trying to set it all up? What should a fridge temperature be? Why don’t we dive right in and find out?
What Should a Fridge Temperature Be UK?
A fridge should have a temperature of no higher than 5˚ C.
Any hotter than 5°C and food inside the fridge is no longer safe to eat.
Once food in the fridge reaches 8°C, it’s in what is known as the “danger zone,” which is where bacteria and other organisms reproduce the quickest and easiest. The upper level of this danger zone is 63°C. Food between those temperatures is not safe for longer periods because of the potential for high levels of harmful bacteria, which can make you very unwell if consumed.
A fridge shouldn’t get any colder than 2 or 3°C.
If the fridge gets any colder than 2°C or 3°C, food will start to frost and/or properly freeze – especially in the crisper drawers and other colder spots.
How Long Does It Take for My Fridge to Reach the Right Temperature?
Experts have a few different answers when it comes to how long a fridge takes to cool down or warm up, depending on what you’ve set.
It’s generally thought that most temperature changes in a fridge take up to 24 hours to complete.
This does depend on the difference in before and after temps. A two-degree increase or reduction will take a shorter time to complete than a ten-degree change.
How Long Should a Fridge Last?
On average, a fridge will typically last for anywhere from 5 to 20 years.
This will depend on countless factors, of course. These include:
- Brand
- Quality
- Usage
- Maintenance and care
The more you take care of a good-quality, well-built fridge (or fridge-freezer), the longer it will last. Ignoring it when it comes to cleaning, usage, and maintenance will lead to costly repairs or a replacement fridge/fridge-freezer.
If you’re interested in learning how to maintain your fridge to ensure it lasts for as long as possible, keep reading…
Tips for Keeping Your Fridge Cold and Working Properly
To keep your fridge or fridge-freezer in tip-top conditions and working efficiently, here are some tips:
1) Clean the coils regularly.
Coils, also known as condenser coils, are usually situated in the back or bottom of the fridge or fridge freezer. Over time, these coils will accumulate dust and debris, which in turn prevents them from working properly. My last fridge stopped cooling because of a buildup of dust on the coils. My freezer was working fine, and the fridge was still lit up and appearing to work fine – but it was room temperature rather than chilly. A quick clean of the coils (and a quick defrost of the freezer) made everything work perfectly fine again.
You can (and should) clean these coils on a regular basis, around once or month, or more frequently if necessary. You can use a brush to gently clean the debris away. Alternatively, a vacuum cleaner will achieve the same results.
2) Maintain fridge temperature.
Although you might have a thermometer on the outside (or inside) or your fridge, I personally recommend getting a fridge-safe one to double-check. Placing this on the inside of your fridge will give you an insight into the actual temperature, giving the opportunity to alter it if needed.
If your fridge doesn’t have a built-in thermometer for you to check, you can pick them up for a decent price online.
3) Don’t leave the door open.
Leaving the fridge open let’s all the cool air out, which means the appliance needs to work harder to reach and then maintain whatever fridge temperature you have set. Instead, take food or drink items out as you need them, ensuring the door has been properly shut every time. It’ll keep your appliance working longer and save you energy bill money at the same time!
For more information on how to properly care for and maintain your fridge or fridge-freezer, I recommend taking a look at this post on Buzzy Kitchen:
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