What Part of the Fridge Is The Coldest? 

When you organise your fridge, do you pay attention to where you place each item, or do you just try to make everything fit, like in a good old fashioned game of Tetris?

Do you always put your veggies in the crisper drawers, or do they sometimes end up on the top shelf, when there is no room elsewhere? 

Do you know which part of the fridge is the coldest? Let’s answer that question, and more importantly, show you why you should care in the first place.

What Part of the Fridge Is The Coldest? 

The back and bottom of the fridge is typically the coldest part, as warm air rises to the top, while cold air sinks to the bottom. This area is also the farthest from the door, where warm air enters the fridge. 

Fridges that have ice makers on the top will have colder high shelves, although the bottom will still tend to be the coldest part. If you have a fridge with French doors, the coldest part will be the crisper drawers. If you have a side-by-side fridge, with a freezer on the left, the coldest shelf will be the bottom one, just above the crisper drawers. The drawers themselves will be colder still. 

If you would like me to get more specific, here are the temperatures you can expect from different areas of your fridge:

• The crisper drawers will be at 2 degrees Celsius
• The bottom shelf will be at 1 degree Celsius
• The upper shelves will be at 2 or 3 degrees Celsius
• The door will be at 3 or 4 degrees Celsius

Even though these differences are small, they can impact food quality and longevity. Make sure to select the right fridge temperature to keep your items fresh. Don’t just put it on the coldest setting, as that’s not usually what is needed to keep your items safe to consume. 

Which Part of the Fridge Is the Warmest?

The warmest part of the fridge is the door, and this is also where the most temperature fluctuation will occur. As you open and close it, you let warm air in, and the area nearest to the warmth naturally gets hit by it the most.

The warmest shelf, in case you were wondering, is the top one, unless you have an ice maker at the top of the fridge. In that case, a middle shelf will be the least cold.

Where To Put Which Items

The reason you should care about the coldest part of your fridge is because this knowledge can help you determine where you put which item. Here’s a little blueprint for you:

The Top Shelf

The top shelf in your fridge will be the least cold, but it will tend to retain a steady temperature. 

This is a great place for your drinks or for any leftovers. You can place any well-preserved item here that has a long shelf life too, like sauces or jams. 

This is not a good place for fresh meat or fish, or for dairy products. 

The Middle Shelves 

The middle shelves are also an area of consistent, cool temperatures. 

They are great for storing eggs. You can also place all of your dairy products, including your milk, on the lower middle drawers (yes, milk should not be stored in the door!). 

The Bottom Shelf 

The bottom shelf is the coldest one, as you now know.

This is an ideal spot for any meat or fish. Eggs will also do well here, if you have room, but they will be fine a storey higher too. 

Anything perishable or temperature-sensitive can be stored here. If there is a power outage, these items will have the best chance of surviving, unless they are highly perishable. 

The Drawers 

The drawers are a great place for all of your fruits and veggies. This is where most moisture will be contained, so fresh produce should survive here the longest. 

Make sure to organise the drawers so nothing gets squished, and that different products are separated in their own bags or containers. 

The Door 

The door is the warmest part of the fridge, so you don’t want anything perishable there, including your milk.

This is a good place for drinks like juices or water. You can also keep alcohol here. Condiments, sauces and dips can also go in the door. You can place any well-preserved items here too, like jams or marmalades.  

A Note On Front vs. Back 

The back of the fridge will be colder than the front, which is also something you want to consider when organising.

Place items you want to keep cooler to the back of the shelf. Make sure nothing touches the actual back wall, as items can freeze that way. Also make sure you don’t block the air vents, as that will prevent cold air from circulating properly.

Wrapping Up 

Now that you know what parts of your fridge are colder than others, you can organise your storage space more effectively. Plus, you can ensure things last longer and that you rarely have to throw anything out because it’s expired or gone off before its time.