To store frozen foods at best quality, keep the freezer set to maintain zero (0 °F or -17.8 °C). Some combination refrigerator-freezers cannot keep the freezer air that cold.
The recommended freezer temperature to keep food safe is at or below 0°F (-18°C), making higher temperatures less reliable for long-term freezer storage.
It is recommended that a 4-star freezer needs to operate at -18 degrees Celsius as a minimum. This will prevent bacteria from growing and will keep your frozen food fresher for longer. Whilst it is recommended to keep your freezer below -18 degrees Celsius, it is important to not drop the temperature too low.
This ensures any bacteria present in the food will not grow and multiply, keeping the food safe to eat for longer periods of time. However, most freezer manufacturers recommend keeping the appliance between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal performance.
What's the Right Deep Freezer Temperature? 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower is the ideal deep freezer temperature for most foods. Food items stored at this temperature are safe and can be used indefinitely, although the taste and quality of some items may decrease if stored too long before you use them.
The temperature of a freezer should be set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit so everything stays very cold. A freezer should be cold enough to keep food frozen and preserve it until they are ready to be cooked or reheated.
To store frozen foods at best quality, keep the freezer set to maintain zero (0 °F or -17.8 °C).
So on a refrigerator what setting is coldest (1 to 5)?
On every fridge the rules for the coldest settings are always the following: The numbers on the fridge's temperature dial indicate refrigerant power. The higher the number goes the colder the fridge will maintain. Setting it to 5 will make your fridge the coldest.
You can always err on the safe side and lower the temperature below 0°F—your freezer can never be too cold. “Most recommendations are for a range of temperatures but in reality, there is no temperature that is too low for freezers,” says Tetro. “Most freezers do have a lower limit of around -10°F (-23°C).”
A freezer that's too cold shouldn't impact the quality of your food, but it can cause an uptick in your electricity bill.
For refrigerators with electronic controls (most Side-by-Side and French-Door refrigerators) – Fresh food compartment should be set for 37 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer should be set for 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
For the fridge compartment, we recommend maintaining a temperature between 3°C to 5°C to slow bacterial growth and preserve perishable items effectively. Similarly, for the freezer compartment, it is best to set the temperature at -18°C or lower to freeze food solid and maintain its quality over longer periods.
It is important to set the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer so that you can preserve your food for optimum freshness and longevity. The recommended temperature setting for food storage is: Fridge: +3 °C. Freezer: -18 °C.
What's the best temperature for your fridge freezer? The ideal fridge temperature is between 37°F (3°C) and 40°F (5°C). And your freezer temperature should be at 0°F (-18°C).
Echoing this recommendation by appliance manufacturer Whirlpool, the representative told us, “75-80% full as a best operating condition seems reasonable, though it'd really depend on the air flow and spacing.” That is, in order to keep your freezer working properly, you need to keep food from blocking the air vents, ...
Turn knobs to lower numbers for warmer temperatures and to higher numbers for colder temperatures. The setting of 5 for both the fresh food and freezer section is the recommended setting for most environments.
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.
“A”-rated fridge freezers are the most efficient models, and “G”-rated fridge freezers are the least efficient models, which could use more energy and drive your utility bills up.
Freezer temperatures should be set at 0ºF (-18ºC) to conserve the quality of your frozen food. A range of -1ºF- 1ºF is still acceptable, though to help minimize freezer burn, it's better to have your freezer on the colder end of the spectrum.
The ideal fridge temperature is 3-5 °C (37-41 °F) while freezers should be -18 °C (0 °F) or colder. These temperatures keep your food safe and help to maximise its shelf life. UK food businesses are legally required to keep their fridges below 8 °C (46 °F) and their freezers below -18 °C (0 °F).
The temperature selection on a Chest Freezer is made by setting the dial from ONE to SEVEN, with SEVEN being the coldest. The normal safe freezing level is obtained by setting the control on FOUR. Turning the temperature control all the way to the left to the OFF position will turn the power off to the compressor.
While -18°C is the ideal, a freezer can still function effectively within a small range. The appropriate freezer temperature range is generally between -16°C to -22°C (3°F to -7°F). However, it's best to aim for -18°C for optimal food preservation and energy efficiency.
Your freezer indicator lights may not be working because the indicator light may have burned out. Check for disconnected or broken wires to the indicator light before replacing it. The user control and display board might be faulty. However, this is not always the case.
Frost or ice build-up on freezer walls can be one of the signs your freezer is too cold. First, check the temperature setting to make sure it's within a degree of 0ºF (-18ºC) and adjust accordingly. If you notice ice crystals on frozen food, these items may be freezer burned due to colder or fluctuating temps.