What is the Ideal Freezer Temperature?

To maintain the quality of your frozen foods it's important to keep your freezer at the right temperature, but it can be tricky to know what the ideal temperature is. Does it vary from freezer to freezer? Or is there an industry standard? To help you answer these questions, we have put together a quick and easy guide on all-things freezers so that you can keep your frozen goods safe and fresh.

Freezer Food Storage Basics

To ensure safe food storage in your new freezer, it’s important to set the temperature to the correct setting. Follow along in your Use & Care Guide to find our recommended preset for your model. Before stocking your freezer with food, allow it to reach its maximum cooling power first and if necessary, adjust the temperature gradually in small increments, allowing the temperature to stabilize.

• Let it cool: Let hot foods cool to room temperature before placing them in your freezer. Overloading the appliance with hot foods forces the compressor to run longer. Foods that freeze too slowly may lose quality or spoil.
• Freezing items flat: Putting items in freezer bags and placing them flat in the freezer allows you to be able to stack or line them up in bins once they are completely frozen.
• Use bins: Bins can help keep your freezer organized, especially when you group food items together by type.
• Cut down on frost: Be sure to wrap foods properly and wipe containers dry before placing them in the freezer. This will cut down on frost build-up within your freezer.
• Label items: Adding labels to bins makes it easier for you to find what you need. Also, labels can help you easily and quickly identify what items you’re running low on!
• Ditch (recycle) the packaging: Boxes that food items are contained in are bulky and take up space. If possible, remove items from the packaging before storing them in the bins.
• Ensure cold air is circulating: Shelves and baskets should not be lined with aluminum foil, wax paper, or paper toweling. Liners interfere with cold air circulation, making the freezer less efficient.

How does a Frigidaire Freezer Keep the Temperature Consistent?

Our EvenTemp™ cooling system's variable speed compressor constantly circulates cold air throughout the freezer. This smart sensing technology adjusts airflow in order to maintain a uniform temperature throughout so that you can say goodbye to warm spots. 

What is a Variable Speed Compressor and What are the Benefits?

The compressor is the heart of a refrigerator or freezer’s cooling system. It is a pump that applies high pressure to the refrigerant which cools the system.

Traditional compressors consume a large amount of energy each time they start and run, but because our compressor runs continuously, less energy is consumed. An additional benefit of our refrigerators and freezers that have the variable speed compressor, is that it can run up to 5 dBA quieter, since the motor inside is running at slower speeds. Explore our lineup of Upright Freezers to learn more.

Fun Fact: 
In 1929, Frigidaire invented the first home freezer and our industry leadership continues today. We make two out of three upright freezers and remain the #1 brand in refrigeration awareness.