With the arrival of hot weather, the fridge becomes one of the household appliances that consumes the most energy, as the compressor has to work much harder to compensate for the difference between the kitchen temperature and the temperature inside the appliance. The recommended temperatures are simple to remember: 4 \u00baC for the fridge and -18 \u00baC for the freezer, all year round. However, there are some important differences depending on the model you have and whether the control dial displays actual degrees or simply a numbered setting. In this article, we explain what temperature to set your fridge to in summer and how to interpret the controls correctly to avoid consuming more energy than necessary.<\/p>\n
According to food safety authorities, the ideal fridge temperature in summer is between 1 \u00baC and 4 \u00baC in the main compartment, where dairy products, cold meats and cooked leftovers are stored, with 4 \u00baC as the general reference point. Above 5 \u00baC, and particularly from 7 \u00baC onwards, bacteria such as Listeria and Salmonella begin to multiply more easily, significantly reducing the shelf life of fresh food, even if the fridge appears to be working normally.<\/p>\n
The freezer, meanwhile, should remain at -18 \u00baC throughout the year, with no need to lower the temperature further unless you are planning to freeze large quantities of fresh food, as excessive cooling simply increases electricity consumption without improving food preservation. On particularly hot days, when the kitchen temperature exceeds 28 to 30 \u00baC, it may make sense to lower the fridge temperature by one degree to 3 \u00baC, especially if the appliance is relatively old and does not automatically adjust its cooling power according to the ambient temperature, something that most fridges manufactured in recent years can do.<\/p>\n
This is where much of the confusion comes from, including common questions such as whether setting 2 or 5 is colder, or whether 2 or 8 provides more cooling. In many fridges, particularly models with a mechanical dial or wheel, the number you select is not a temperature in degrees but a cooling power setting. On this scale, which usually ranges from 1 to 5 or 1 to 7 depending on the manufacturer, the lowest number corresponds to less cooling power, meaning a slightly warmer fridge, while the highest number corresponds to more cooling power, meaning a colder fridge. Therefore, between settings 2 and 5, setting 5 provides more cooling; and between 2 and 8, setting 8 provides more cooling, because in both cases the higher number requires the compressor to generate more cold air.<\/p>\n
Things are different if your fridge displays the temperature directly on a digital screen, an increasingly common feature on models manufactured in recent years. In this case, you are seeing actual degrees Celsius, so the logic is reversed because, on a temperature scale, a lower number means a colder temperature than a higher number. For example, 3 \u00baC is colder than 5 \u00baC, just as with any thermometer. The most reliable way to identify which scale your fridge uses is to check the instruction manual or look at the range. If it runs from approximately 1 to 7, it is likely to represent a cooling power setting. If the number shown corresponds to the typical range of 1 to 8 degrees recommended for the main fridge compartment, it is probably displaying the actual temperature.<\/p>\n
Fridge electricity consumption during the warmer months can increase by between 15% and 25% compared with winter, as the compressor needs to run for longer periods to maintain the same temperature difference against a warmer environment. In addition, we tend to open the fridge door more frequently in summer, for example to take out cold drinks. This allows warm air to enter, forcing the compressor to start again to restore the set temperature.<\/p>\n
It is also one of the few household appliances that remains switched on 24 hours a day throughout the year. As a result, small inefficiencies, such as a door seal that does not close properly, dust accumulated around the rear motor or insufficient ventilation space, lead to additional costs that become clearly noticeable on the annual electricity bill, much more so than with appliances that are only used occasionally.<\/p>\n
Since the reform of European energy labelling in 2021, the efficiency scale has been reorganised and now runs from A to G, with A being the most efficient. Very few new fridges currently achieve an A rating, so finding a model in class B or C already represents a very good choice in today’s market. The following table provides an approximate summary of how much electricity a fridge freezer can consume annually according to its energy rating, helping you understand the real difference between buying an efficient model and a less efficient one.<\/p>\n
Energy rating<\/strong><\/td>\n| Approximate annual consumption (fridge freezer)<\/strong><\/td>\n | What it represents<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | A<\/td>\n | From 110 kWh\/year<\/td>\n | The most efficient models on the current market<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | B<\/td>\n | 110 to 150 kWh\/year<\/td>\n | Very efficient, common in recent premium models<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | C<\/td>\n | 150 to 200 kWh\/year<\/td>\n | Medium to high efficiency, the most common rating among new models<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | D to G<\/td>\n | More than 200 kWh\/year<\/td>\n | Older models or basic range appliances<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n | As shown in the table, the difference between a class A fridge and one rated D or lower can easily exceed 100 kWh per year. Over the typical 10 to 15 year lifespan of this appliance, that difference can result in considerable savings on the total electricity bill, beyond the initial purchase price.<\/p>\n When choosing a fridge, it is also worth considering the capacity you actually need. A fridge that is too large for the number of people in the household consumes more energy than necessary, while one that is too small encourages overfilling and makes it difficult for cold air to circulate inside, which also reduces efficiency over time.<\/p>\n Tips for reducing electricity consumption without compromising food preservation<\/h2>\nThese adjustments may seem small individually, but together they can make a real difference to your electricity bill, especially if you apply similar measures to the other household appliances in your home. If you want to go a step further and review your household’s overall energy consumption, our article on how to save energy at home<\/a> brings together more practical measures that you can implement immediately, beyond just your fridge.<\/p>\n |