What Is The Perfect Temperature For Your Refrigerator?

Refrigerators are here to keep your food cold, right? But can it be too cold? If your fridge temperature is set too low, those celery sticks will soon become celery popsicles. And if the temperature isn’t set low enough, your food can spoil and the risk of food related illness will greatly increase. The key, like most things in life, is finding the right balance. So what is the  ideal temperature for your refrigerator to be set to? Let us help!

What’s The Right Temperature?

When thinking of the ideal fridge temp, it helps to think in terms of Goldilocks’ principle: not too hot, yet not too cold. Bacteria growth starts to triple around the 40°F mark, yet freeze around 32°F, making the ideal temperature range between 35 to 38°F.

How Do I know If It’s At The Right Temperature?

A refrigerator thermometer is the most accurate way to get a temperature reading. Some newer fridge models come with a digital temperature display, but for older ones, a freestanding thermometer is crucial. Older models come equipped with a dial, but the numbers don’t translate to actual temperature, and are typically not too helpful.

**Added bonus of the freestanding thermometer--if the power goes out, you’ll still have an accurate gauge on if your food is safe to eat or not!

What Are Some Ways To Keep The Right Temperature?

We’re glad you asked! If you’re having trouble keeping your refrigerator's temperature consistent, these could be to blame:

• You open the door too often: Opening the door multiple times in a row can affect your fridge’s temperature. If you’re planning a recipe, try to grab all of your ingredients at once to avoid keeping the door open for a prolonged period of time.
• Your seal could be broken: The seal on your door should be airtight. Even the slightest opening can change the temperature. Check to make sure your gasket doesn’t need to be replaced.
• Your food is too hot to handle: Making sure your food is cooled down prior to putting it into the fridge will not only expand the life of the food, but will avoid heating up the fridge, making it unsafe for all of the other foods in there.

Worried that your refrigerator is too warm or too cold? The refrigeration experts at Speedy SubZero are here to help! Serving Long Island and New York City for more than 75 years, there is no make or model of refrigerator, freezer, ice maker, or wine cooler that we can’t fix. We guarantee one-hour service to Nassau County and Suffolk County, call us today at 866-782-9376 to schedule an appointment with one of our licensed technicians.

What You Need to Know About Safe Food Storage

Do you often find your food expiring well before the printed date? It could have something to do with the way you are storing it. Whether you're using the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer, your food is susceptible to bacteria and spoiling.

To keep your food as fresh for as long as possible and avoid foodborne illnesses, keep the following things in mind:

• Set your appliances to the proper temperature. Your refrigerator should be kept between 35-38° F. Any colder and your orange juice might turn into an orange slushie; any warmer and bacteria growth rates begin to spike. Freezers should ideally be kept at around 0° F.
• Refrigerate items as soon as possible. Whether you're leaving the grocery store or a restaurant with leftovers, make an effort to get home as fast as possible to refrigerate your food. After two hours out of the refrigerator (one hour in hot conditions), refrigerated items such as meat and dairy generally become unsafe to eat.
• Check labels for storage directions. More items than you realize may call for refrigeration, especially after opening. If you neglected to refrigerate something that needed it, it is best to just throw it out.
• Eat your leftovers within 72 hours. Most leftovers, especially those with some kind of meat in them, are only good for 3-4 days after cooking. If you suspect your food may have spoiled, smell it – many foods give off an unappetizing scent after they expire. And remember: when in doubt, throw it out.

If your food won't stay fresh no matter what you do, your refrigerator may be malfunctioning. If you live in New York, Speedy Subzero can repair your refrigerator for a fraction of the cost of replacing it. We offer 24/7 service and same-day appointments, so call us today at 866-782-9376.

What is the right temperature setting for your refrigerator?

Every refrigerator was designed with one goal in mind; keep your food cold. Just exactly how cold is up to you; most refrigerators allow you to adjust the internal thermometer to keep your contents at the exact temperature that you prefer. Programming your fridge to the right temperature seems like an easy task, but in fact it can be difficult to perfect. Turning the thermostat down too low results in frozen milk and icy watermelon chunks. On the other hand, open the door to a refrigerator with its temperature even just slightly too high and you might see (or smell) a dozen rotten eggs or a bag of spoiled oranges.

Speedy Subzero is here to help solve this dilemma and keep your fridge at the temperature that is best for you.

What temperature should my refrigerator be?

The professionals at Speedy Subzero say that the ideal temperature of a refrigerator is between 35 and 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Water freezes at 32 degrees, so it is recommended to keep your fridge at least a few degrees above the freezing point to avoid turning your orange juice into an orange slushy. 40 degrees and above is what is referred to by many experts as “The Danger Zone” because, as The Kitchn reports, this is where bacteria growth rates begin to triple.

Many newer models have a digital programmable thermostat which allows you to choose a precise temperature to maintain. However, many of us do not have this luxury, and instead have a manual dial you must adjust without knowing the actual temperature. If this sounds like your fridge, Speedy Subzero (with some help from Lifehacker) has put together a list of tips and tricks to help you figure out the temperature of your refrigerator and maintain a constant cold.

 

• Invest in a refrigerator thermometer. This is the only way to be absolutely certain that your fridge is at the exact temperature you want it to be.
• Keeping your fridge well stocked will help it better hold its temperature when you open the door. This will also result in lower energy consumption.
• If you pack your refrigerator too much, however, you can restrict airflow, which causes uneven cooling and a higher electricity bill.
• Store the items you want to keep coldest in the back or the bottom of your fridge. The cooling element is located in the back, and the bottom naturally stays cold because warm air rises.
• Do not put food that is susceptible to spoiling on the door. It is not uncommon for items on the door to reach temperatures above 50 degrees.
• Minimize the opening of your refrigerator. Know what you want to take out before you open the door and when getting multiple items, take them all out in one go-around.
• Let hot food cool down before putting it in the fridge. Putting those steaming hot lasagna leftovers in the refrigerator warms up the space around it and can affect the temperature of other foods.

Speedy Subzero has been servicing refrigerators in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey for over 60 years. We stock 99% of our parts in our “warehouse on wheels” which allows us to be at your door within an hour of your phone call. Visit our website for more information and be sure to like us on Facebook for more refrigerator-related advice!