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Read MoreOwn a fridge? Sure. Know how to get the best out of your fridge’s coldest spots? Maybe you’re not so sure. Appliance Analysts is here to help you figure this one out.
We’ll be providing you with a handy table for food storage later on in this article, but first let’s look at the 2 most common types of fridges and find out where their coldest spots are.
A French Door Fridge has two fridge doors that open outwards towards you, like a French window. The freezer compartment (often pull – out) is at the bottom. So, your fridge compartments are at the top, and your freezer area is at the bottom.
Now, where do you find the coldest areas in a French door fridge?
In a French door fridge, your coldest areas are going to be your middle level shelf, your lower level shelf, and your crisper drawer(s). In fact, the crisper drawers are the coldest area in this type of fridge. In a French door fridge the top shelves and the door compartments run the hottest, also we have a tendency to forget stuff at the back of the top shelf, so it’s best not to store food with a short shelf life in those areas.
For the coldest spots in a side by side fridge, you’ll also be looking at the middle shelves, the lower shelves and the crisper drawer(s). In fact, the coldest spot in this type of fridge is the drawer or shelf directly above your crisper area.
A Side by Side fridge doesn’t maintain a consistent level of cooling as effectively as the French door type because of its shape. Warm air is less dense, so it rises more towards the top shelves, and there’s simply more room for warm air to rise in a vertically shaped fridge.
The colder the air in your fridge is, the denser it is. The denser it is, the more it sinks towards the bottom of the fridge. That is why, on average, the lower sections of your fridge will always be colder than the upper shelves or the doors.
Absolutely! The crisper drawer and the area directly above it is the coldest area of the fridge, so you should always store your most perishable items there.
If you have a fridge that doesn’t show digital display temperature settings but rather has a dial with the numbers 1 to 5 on it, we’ve got you covered.
On your temperature control dial, the numbers indicate the refrigerating power. So, the higher the number, the higher the coldness! On a dial like that, 5 is your highest number, so it’s your coldest setting for your fridge. As a precautionary measure, always refer to your fridge’s manufacturer’s manual, they’ll give you more information about proper temperature control for your specific fridge.
On some models of fridges, you can have a temperature control dial that shows the numbers 1 to say 7 or even 9.
This is nothing to stress about.
The higher the number on the dial, the colder the setting for the fridge. So, if your highest number is 7, that is the coldest your fridge can get. If your highest number is 9, the same will apply.
Remember, check your owner’s manual for the fridge if you’re ever unsure or just need to ‘double check’ for your own peace of mind!
A cold refrigerator is a happy refrigerator.
It means that your appliance is working properly, it isn’t experiencing mechanical or electrical issues, and it’s doing its job.
Fridges are truly marvels of modern day engineering, an absolute essential in today’s home, and here are some tips to keep YOURS in tip top shape!
As promised, here’s a handy table below to show you exactly where in the fridge you should put different foods for maximum preservation.
Remember our basic principle – the colder areas of the fridge are always near the bottom, because cold air sinks, so put your most fragile food stuffs there!
Food Stuff | Where to Store in Fridge |
• Leftovers/cooked food | → Top shelf |
• Herbs | → Top shelf |
• Drinks | → Top shelf |
• Raw Meat, Poultry & Fish | → Lower shelf |
• Dairy products | → Lower shelf |
• Eggs | → Lower shelf |
• Fruits & Veg | → Sealed/Crisper drawer OR lowest shelf if no crisper area |
• Condiments & Sauces | → Either in the door shelves or on the lower shelf |
Hopefully this article has been of great help to you in getting the most out of your fridge’s cooling.
Do check out the rest of the website for other informative content on fridges – maintenance, trouble shooting, tips and tricks and more.
Thank you for joining us!