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Fridge not cold enough? Here are 7 ways to keep your fridge cool in hot weather
The weather can have a huge impact on your appliances, including your fridge.
Sadly, not all models will remain cold during hot summer weather. But we are here to help.
Below, we've shared details on ideal fridge temperatures and how to deal with a warm fridge.
Plus, we've quizzed Which? Trusted Trader Gary Harris, who runs Harris Refrigeration Service in Kent, on steps you can take to ensure your fridge copes with warm summer temperatures.
Best fridges – our rigorous lab tests show which fridges can take hot weather in their stride. Sign in or join Which? to get access to all our reviews.
How cold should my fridge be?
The ideal temperature for your fridge is between 0°C and 5°C. At anything over 8°C, harmful bacteria can grow rapidly on your food.
As warm weather arrives, you'll need to check the thermostat dial to ensure it remains steady. Your fridge will also specify an ambient temperature, which is the temperature of the surrounding environment in which it operates best.
Most fridge freezers in the UK are designed to work in temperatures of up to 32°C, although Gary told us many fridges operate more efficiently when the temperature is between 18°C and 25°C. As part of our in-depth fridge reviews, we check which models can cope with 35°C heat.
Gary said: 'Anything higher than [32°C] could mean your fridge has to start working hard to keep its internal temperature constant. If your fridge was struggling a little in normal conditions, it'll have to work even harder during hot weather.'
He added this could be a particular problem with integrated models because they might lack the ventilation space around them that you get with freestanding models.
For more on how to organise your food, see our guide: What temperature should a fridge be?
Do fridge freezers cost more to run in hot weather?
Your fridge freezer works harder to stay cool in hot weather. Our research confirms that, as you would expect, this affects energy use and running costs for all types of fridge freezer. They’re not all affected at the same rate, though, as shown here:
| Room temperature (23°C) | Peak summer temperature (35°C) | |
| Freestanding/integrated | £3.44 | £5.85 |
| American-style | £6.72 | £11.20 |
* Standard two-door models only. Figures show monthly running costs.
Fixing a warm fridge
1. Make space around your fridge
'The best thing you can do is give your fridge a bit of a gap at the back,' said Gary.
'Make sure you have some air circulating around the coils at the back of your fridge. That should help keep your fridge cool, even when the weather gets warm.'
Some manufacturers specify how much of a gap to leave – the typical recommendation is 25mm around the fridge. But manufacturers are innovating with new designs and materials to make better use of space, so check your manual to see what they recommend for your model.
2. Keep your fridge clean inside and out
It's worth tackling the grime attached your fridge before a heatwave. In other words, you should consider adding appliance maintenance to your spring-cleaning to-do list.
Gary said: 'Unplug your fridge and pull it out from the wall so you can clean the back as well as the front.
'Make sure you give the compressor vents at the bottom a gentle brush and vacuum – you can use an old toothbrush or the brush from a dustpan and brush for this task. If these vents get blocked, it can change the temperature inside your fridge. Keeping them clean will help the air flow into your fridge.'
Discover how to deep-clean your fridge and leave your shelves and drawers sparkling.
3. Don’t overfill your shelves
People tend to cram their fridges to the point where the appliance struggles to do its job, according to Gary.
He explained: 'You need to have gaps around your trays and drawers. Never fill your fridge right up to the very top with food, either – you need to have a gap at the top to keep the air flowing.
'Fridges that are jam-packed prevent the cold air from circulating, which can result in the internal temperature becoming too warm.'
4. Think about where to locate your fridge
If your kitchen design allows it, try to keep your fridge away from radiators, ovens and boilers – the warmer parts of your kitchen.
Gary told us: 'I've seen a lot of fridges positioned next to boilers and it means your fridge will have to work harder to keep cool.'
If you're designing a fitted kitchen, check in with our guide on kitchen planning and layout ideas.
5. Don’t leave the door open
When you're taking food out of the fridge, you want to get in and out as quickly as you can – especially during warm weather.
Every time the fridge door is opened, cold air escapes and warmer air enters. This exchange pushes up the temperature inside and the appliance has to work harder, using more energy, to get back down to the set temperature.
6. Check the seals
Damage to the seals around your appliance's doors allows warm air inside, forcing your fridge or freezer to work harder to maintain the set temperature.
When you have a moment, check the seals for any tears, warping in the corners or even spots where the seals have hardened.
Note that you can replace appliance seals yourself and the job is sometimes as simple as pulling out the old ones. In other cases, you might have to loosen some screws that keep them in place. New seals are available online for £30 to £100.
If you're struggling with a problematic appliance, work through our guide on common fridge freezer faults and how to deal with them.
7. Try adding ice
If you're worried about your fridge breaking during hot weather, Gary suggests placing ice on the top shelf to cool the inside of the appliance.
Defrosting frozen food in your fridge will also help, plus it’s the safest method of thawing your food and helps to cool the inside of your machine. This means the compressor will have less work to do and the amount of energy required to keep your fridge chilled will be reduced.
We've rounded up food storage tips to help keep your groceries fresh. See our guide: Food storage tips to help make your food last longer.
Our expert fridge tests
As part of our in-depth fridge tests, we check each model's ability to keep contents chilled in a hot room. Our experts raise the temperature in our test chamber to 35°C, replicating a heatwave, to find out whether the gel packs inside the fridge remain safely chilled.
During our mission to uncover fridges genuinely worth their price, we also measure usable volume so you know exactly how much storage space you're getting compared to what the manufacturer says you're getting. The worst will give you 34% less storage space than you'd been led to believe.
Below, we've shared three fridges designed to maintain a stable temperature. But to find out how well they did in our tests (and whether they're worthy of Best Buy status), you’ll have to read our full reviews.
Bosch KTR15NWECG
This undercounter fridge from Bosch is 85cm tall and fits around five and a half shopping bags' worth of food, which you can organise across the three shelves, veg drawer and three door racks.
The door hinge is reversible, so while it’s set to hinge on the right, you can easily have this switched over.
To see how this fridge got on in our test lab, consult our Bosch KTR15NWECG review.
Grundig GLNEP5686VPZ
A tall freestanding fridge with six shelves, a veg drawer and four door racks (that feature an egg tray for good measure). The doors are reversible, making it easier to fit into most kitchens.
This Grundig has a touch-control display that lets you choose between various settings, including a holiday mode and quick cooling.
Check in with our Grundig GLNEP5686VPZ review to see if this fridge impressed during testing.
Beko CNG7603VPX
A freestanding fridge freezer with a range of functions, including fast-freeze, supercool and holiday mode. It also has audible alerts for both fridge and freezer as well as a high temperature visual alert for the freezer.
This model has four shelves in total, one of which is moveable. You also get a bottle shelf plus two drawers at the base – one for veg and the other one for keeping meat and fish fresh. The freezer has three drawers.
To see if this Beko fridge freezer can effectively cool your food in sizzling hot weather, read our Beko CNG7603VPX review.
Consulting our expert fridge reviews will help you pick a model that scored top marks in our lab tests.
