What temperature should my fridge/freezer be?

Ginger DaddyGinger Daddy Posts: 8,507
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Today I took delivery of my new fantastic American fridge freezer - ice machine (crushed and cubed), digital display, water dispenser - the lot.

Quick question though. You can set the temperature of the freezer from -25 to -14 degrees C, and the fridge from 1 to 7 degrees C. What are the optimum temperatures you should set them as? Think I saw somewhere a freezer should be -18 but could be wrong!

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  • dee-recdee-rec Posts: 2,403
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    The maximum temperature for a freezer should be minus 18 and a fridge should be between 1 and 4 degrees. Just renewed my Food Hygiene certificate which is why i know!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 149
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    We have

    Fridge 3 degrees

    Freezer -20 degrees

    Think these are pretty much recommended temps.
  • Ginger DaddyGinger Daddy Posts: 8,507
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    dee-rec wrote: »
    The minimum temperature for a freezer should be minus 18 and a fridge should be between 1 and 4 degrees. Just renewed my Food Hygiene certificate which is why i know!

    Well I automatically set the freezer to -20 and the fridge to 1. Maybe I will turn the fridge up a degree in case it starts freezing things!!
  • dee-recdee-rec Posts: 2,403
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    I meant to say it should be maximum minus 18 ie that or colder sorry.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 405
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    Fridge should always be <5°C - ideal, imo, is around 2°C to 3°C.

    Freezer should be 'maximum' -18°C - running it colder costs more, but may result in 'better' quality for the stored items - commercial cold stores usually work to a target of -25°C.
  • SyqoSyqo Posts: 1,188
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    Well I automatically set the freezer to -20 and the fridge to 1. Maybe I will turn the fridge up a degree in case it starts freezing things!!

    Yes, 1 degrees is a bit low and can easily ruin food. It happened to me. The knob inside the fridge got accidentally moved down to 1C. :( I now have it at 3 degrees and it's fine. :)
  • FlyinBrickFlyinBrick Posts: 1,571
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    Freezer optimum setting is -18 for efficiancy etc. Turn it to -24 for 2 hours previous to stocking up on fresh food, then reset back to -18 after another couple of hours. (Keeps the fresh food vitamins and taste better if they're frozen quicker).

    Fridge temp is pretty much what you prefer, but I'd say that 1 degree is too cold for most. Fridges have temperature ranges (especially the larger ones). They tend to be around about 3 degrees at the bottom in the crispers, up to 8 degrees at the top of the door (hence why the butter and egg tray is always there).
    I'd set the fridge to 4 degrees, then adjust it either way depending on what your preferences are.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,146
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    Syqo wrote: »
    The knob inside the fridge got accidentally moved down to 1C.

    Did you end up with your penis fused to the fridge interior by the frost? :p
  • SyqoSyqo Posts: 1,188
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    Geordiesi wrote: »
    Did you end up with your penis fused to the fridge interior by the frost? :p

    The knob not my knob.....

    I knew whilst typing that post some smartass would make a comment on the word 'knob'. :D
  • scorpio manscorpio man Posts: 4,960
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    Today I took delivery of my new fantastic American fridge freezer - ice machine (crushed and cubed), digital display, water dispenser - the lot.

    Quick question though. You can set the temperature of the freezer from -25 to -14 degrees C, and the fridge from 1 to 7 degrees C. What are the optimum temperatures you should set them as? Think I saw somewhere a freezer should be -18 but could be wrong!

    What make is it ?

    I have Beko one but without the Ice maker (to much freezer space lost with that) My freezer is set at -18 and the fridge at 6 and everything inside is as it should be.
    If you want to be 100% sure of the temperatures get youself a freezer thermometer and a fridge thermometer and leave them inside.
    I have one of those battery operated weather stations with the "outdoor" sensor inside the fridge section and the main unit outside on the top giving me a constant readout without opening the door.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 336
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    We have recently had a samsung fridge/freezer delivered and set it at - 20 and 3
  • Ginger DaddyGinger Daddy Posts: 8,507
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    What make is it ?

    I have Beko one but without the Ice maker (to much freezer space lost with that) My freezer is set at -18 and the fridge at 6 and everything inside is as it should be.
    If you want to be 100% sure of the temperatures get youself a freezer thermometer and a fridge thermometer and leave them inside.
    I have one of those battery operated weather stations with the "outdoor" sensor inside the fridge section and the main unit outside on the top giving me a constant readout without opening the door.

    Its one of these bad boys:

    http://www.dixons.co.uk/gbuk/samsung-rsh1dbmh-manhattan-american-style-fridge-freezer-00939793-pdt.html

    Have since changed the freezer to -19 and put the freezer up to 2 - if the food shows any ill effects I will put it up to 3!
  • wemblycatwemblycat Posts: 698
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    My fridge is set at 5, freezer at -19
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,146
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    Syqo wrote: »
    The knob not my knob.....

    I knew whilst typing that post some smartass would make a comment on the word 'knob'. :D

    *takes a smartass bow*

    :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6
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    My American fridge/freezer was set at -18 and 4.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 8,916
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    The optimum for both cooling performance and energy efficiency is +5 for a fridge and -18 for a freezer, however I keep my fridge at +3 as it gets the beers that little bit colder.
  • bobcarbobcar Posts: 19,424
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    however I keep my fridge at +3 as it gets the beers that little bit colder.

    I find the fridge is too cold for beers so I put them in there for about an hour before drinking. I suppose it depends what beer you like as well as personal preference.

    If I'm late then in the freezer for 5 minutes or so does okay.
  • Ginger DaddyGinger Daddy Posts: 8,507
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    Wowzers, bit surprised to see one of my old threads pop up :D

    I still have the fridge in question :D
  • scorpio manscorpio man Posts: 4,960
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    Anodyne wrote: »
    My American fridge/freezer was set at -18 and 4.

    Mine is set at -18 for the freezer ...and 2 for the fridge during this warm weather.
  • michael37michael37 Posts: 2,622
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    Food Standards Agency advice calls for fridges to be between 1 and 4c. Freezer should be -18 or below.

    Personally I set the freezer to -24 and the fridge to 2.

    5c is too high for a fridge as some types of harmful bateria can grow well at 5c and above.
  • John RobinsonJohn Robinson Posts: 2,718
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    I wouldn't take too much notice of what the appliance display says. Some are notoriously inaccurate. Buy a good quality fridge thermometer.
  • gulliverfoylegulliverfoyle Posts: 6,318
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    youre aiming for -273.15C
  • John RobinsonJohn Robinson Posts: 2,718
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    With all the trouble I'm having with my (Samsung) fridge, I think perhaps if I set it to -273.15 degrees C I might achieve some reasonable cooling in the fridge compartment!
  • Rubby_WilliamRubby_William Posts: 50
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    the optimum temperature of a fridge is 3ºC and the freezer temperature is -18ºC.
  • roddydogsroddydogs Posts: 10,293
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    Ive only got one knob, how do I set different temperatures?
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