What is the coldest you can set your refrigerator?

Author: Rebeca Emard V  |  Last update: Thursday, May 29, 2025

To keep food cold and fresh but not frozen, it should be set somewhere between 3-5°C (37-40°F). Some fridges have a temperature reading, but most have a numbered dial. This usually goes from 1 to 5, with 5 being the coldest.

Is 37 degrees too cold for a refrigerator?

Your refrigerator should be set at or below 40°F (4°C) to keep food safe and prevent bacterial growth. Ideally, the temperature for the refrigerator is around 37°F (3°C). For the freezer, the temperature should be 0°F (-18°C) or lower.

What is the lowest temperature a refrigerator can be?

FDA Refrigerator Temperature Recommendation

Most people understand that your refrigerator should not be set at or below 32 degrees, as you don't want your food to freeze. The reason why we keep food cold is to minimize the opportunity for potentially dangerous bacteria to grow and infest your food.

Is 1 or 7 the coldest on a refrigerator?

On a refrigerator with settings numbered from 0 to 7, 7 is the coldest setting. Setting the dial to 7 will lower the temperature, making it colder, ideal for preserving food safely and extending its freshness, especially in warmer conditions or when the fridge is fully stocked.

Is 35 too cold for a fridge?

Most experts recommend that the ideal temperature setting for a refrigerator is between 35-38°F (1.6-3.3°C). This temp ensures food safety by giving a 2-5 degree buffer in case the temperature gauge isn't wholly accurate.

What temperatures should I keep my refrigerator and freezer set at?

Is it OK if my fridge is 45 degrees?

The proper refrigerator temperature for fresh food. The ideal refrigerator temperature is about 37°F (3°C). However, a range of 33–40°F (0–4°C) is generally accepted as safe for most purposes.

Is 36 degrees too low for fridge?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that your refrigerator temperature should be at or below 40°F, and your freezer temperature at or below 0°F. However, the ideal refrigerator temperature is actually lower. Aim to stay between 35° and 38°F (or 1.7 to 3.3°C).

What should a fridge be set at in the summer?

You should keep your fridge temperature set at 3°C/37.4F and your freezer set at -19°C/-2.2F (or -18°C/-0.4F, depending on your model) all year-round.

Is 7 OK for a fridge?

The ideal fridge temperature is between 0°C and 5°C.

However, the average temperature of fridges in the UK is 7°C!

Should a fridge be on 1 or 5?

To keep food cold and fresh but not frozen, it should be set somewhere between 3-5°C (37-40°F). Some fridges have a temperature reading, but most have a numbered dial. This usually goes from 1 to 5, with 5 being the coldest.

Can my fridge be too cold?

If your fridge is too cold, it may be that there is internal damage. A build-up of frost inside a fridge/freezer is caused by an interaction between warm and cold air. A crack in the door seals will also cause your appliance to overcompensate, producing more cold air to keep to fridge temperature stable.

What is the lowest temperature of refrigeration?

The following is a timeline of low-temperature technology and cryogenic technology (refrigeration down to close to absolute zero, i.e. –273.15 °C, −459.67 °F or 0 K).

Do eggs need to be refrigerated?

To reduce Salmonella growth, eggs gathered from laying hens should be refrigerated as soon as possible. After eggs are refrigerated, they need to stay that way. A cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the movement of bacteria into the egg.

What is the lowest safe temperature for a refrigerator?

Chilling foods to proper temperatures is one of the best ways to slow the growth of these bacteria. To ensure that your refrigerator is doing its job, it's important to keep its temperature at 40 °F or below; the freezer should be at 0 °F.

What number should I put my fridge on?

Based on these two factors here's the number your fridge should be set on: If you're always storing plenty of food you need the colder settings (3 to 4). If you're not storing as much choose between 2 and 3. If the temperature is very low, ice will form and it may prevent air circulation.

What is the best setting for a refrigerator?

Fridge temperature settings are generally numbered from 1 to 5, with 5 being the coldest. A fully stocked fridge may need to be set to a higher setting (around 3 or 4), whereas one with more space is best suited to temperature setting 2 or 3.

Is 8 degrees ok for a fridge?

The Food Standards Agency advises household fridges to be set at 5 degrees Celsius or below. This is because harmful bacteria grow best in what is known as the 'danger zone' between 8 degrees and 63 degrees. Fridge design has come a long way.

Is a 20 year old fridge safe?

If your 20-year-old fridge has been running well, and only needs minor repairs once in a while, then it is worth keeping it, instead of replacing it. Though, if it ends up needing a major repair, then you should think about replacing the fridge.

Is 9 the coldest on a fridge?

These internal controls show temperature ranges with the numerical ranking of 1-9 with 9 being the coldest.

What is the best temperature for a refrigerator to keep food fresh?

Keep your appliances at the proper temperatures.

Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 40° F (4° C).

Is the salad drawer the coldest part of the fridge?

Typically, the back and bottom of the fridge is the coldest part. This is because cold air sinks down, and the back of the fridge is farthest from the door. It's different for fridges with ice-making compartments at the top, which make the top colder.

What is the best cooling number for a refrigerator?

The recommended temperature for the refrigerator is 3°C (37.4°F), while for the freezer, it's -18°C (-0.4°F) in Celsius.

Is my fridge ok at 7 degrees?

It makes sense to keep the fridge temperature at the recommended 4 °C and avoid cutting corners by storing food at a higher temperature. By storing at 7 °C, households will save on their energy bill but likely will throw away more food and have a higher risk of getting foodborne illnesses.

Which shelf in the fridge is coldest?

The biggest source of heat in a fridge is the warm air that rushes in every time you open the door. Cold air sinks, so it collects at the bottom and, in a fridge freezer, the bottom shelves will be coldest.

How do I know if my fridge is cold enough?

When working properly, the refrigerator temperature should be 40° F (4.4 °C) or below; the freezer, 0° F (-17.8 °C) or lower. After the power comes back on, if you're not sure a particular food is cold enough, take its temperature with a food thermometer.

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