Quick Answer: How Long Does It Take A Fridge To Cool Down

How Long Does It Take A Fridge To Cool Down
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Quick Answer: How Long Does It Take A Fridge To Cool Down

It takes about 4 to 24 hours for a new refrigerator to cool down to the right temperature after you plug it in. Most fridges are safe to start putting food into after about 4 hours, but it’s best to wait a full 24 hours for the temperature to truly settle and become stable. This waiting period ensures your food stays safe from the start.

The Path to Coolness: Initial Chilling Time

When you get a new fridge, or even move your old one, you must let it sit upright for a few hours before plugging it in. This lets the special oils and liquids inside settle. Once plugged in, the fridge starts working to make the inside cold. This new refrigerator initial cool down time is longer than just cooling down after the door was open.

For the first time using a new refrigerator, the cooling system has to work hard. It must pull out all the heat that is trapped inside the insulated box. This is why the fridge cooling time after plugging in takes a while.

Most fridges need at least 4 hours to feel cold inside. This is often enough time for the freezer part to get cold too. However, to reach the very best and most steady cold inside the whole fridge, it can take up to a full day. This full 24 hours is important for the fridge to reach and hold the ideal refrigerator temperature range.

Factors Affecting Refrigerator Cool Down Speed

Many things can make a fridge cool down faster or slower. Knowing these can help you understand why your fridge might be taking more or less time. These are the main refrigerator cool down speed factors.

How Warm the Room Is: A fridge in a very hot room will take longer to cool than one in a cool room.
The Size of the Fridge: Bigger fridges have more space to cool, so they can take more time than small ones.
How Empty or Full It Is: An empty fridge cools faster initially. But once cold, a full fridge (with cold items) holds the cold better than an empty one. Do not put warm food in right away.
Door Opening: Every time you open the door, cold air escapes and warm air gets in. This makes the fridge work harder and take longer to cool down fully. Try not to open the door often during the first few hours.
Where It Is Placed: The fridge needs space around it for air to move. If it’s too close to walls or cabinets, it can’t cool properly and takes longer. Check the manual for how much space it needs.
The Fridge Model: Different fridges have different cooling systems. Some are faster than others. High-end models might cool faster than basic ones.
The State of the Fridge: Is it brand new? Was it just moved? A brand new fridge needs its first big cool down. A moved fridge needs its liquids to settle first.
Setting the Temperature: If you set the temperature very low right away, the fridge will work harder. It’s often best to set it to the normal suggested temperature first.

Let’s look closer at some of these points.

The Impact of Room Temperature

Think of the fridge like a bubble of cold air. It’s trying to keep the inside much colder than the air outside. If the air outside (the room temperature) is very hot, the heat tries harder to get into the cold bubble. The fridge’s cooling system has to constantly fight this heat trying to get in.

In a cool room, say 65°F (18°C), the fridge doesn’t have to fight as hard as in a hot room, say 85°F (29°C) or more. This means the fridge can reach its cold target temperature faster in a cooler place. Putting a new fridge in a hot garage or a sunny spot in the kitchen will slow down its first cool down a lot.

How Size Matters

A fridge’s job is to make a certain amount of space cold. A small mini-fridge has less space inside than a large side-by-side or French door fridge. It’s like filling a small cup with water versus filling a big bucket. The big bucket takes more water and more time.

So, expect a bigger fridge to need a longer fridge cooling time after plugging in than a smaller one. This is just because there is more air and more inside surfaces that need to lose their heat.

Emptiness vs. Fullness (Initial Stage)

When you first plug in a new fridge, it’s full of warm air. The cooling system’s first job is to cool this air and the inner walls. An empty fridge has less ‘stuff’ to cool than one with things inside right away. This is why you wait before adding food.

Once the fridge is cold, adding cold food helps keep it cold. The cold items hold the cold air. But adding warm items early on makes the fridge work much, much harder and slows everything down. We will talk more about adding food later.

The Cost of Opening the Door

Every time you open the fridge door, warm air rushes in, and cold air spills out. This is a big loss of cold. For a fridge that is still trying to cool down for the first time, this is a major setback.

Imagine trying to cool a room with the door wide open. It’s hard! For the first 4 to 24 hours, try to open the fridge door as little as possible. Let it do its job without letting the cold escape.

Giving the Fridge Breathing Room

Fridges work by moving heat from the inside to the outside. They have coils, often on the back or bottom, where this heat is released into the room air. If these coils are blocked or don’t have enough air moving around them, the fridge can’t get rid of the heat well.

This makes the cooling process much slower and less effective. Always follow the manual’s guide for how much space to leave around the sides, back, and top of the fridge. Proper airflow is key for fast and proper cooling.

Different Fridges Cool Differently

Just like cars, different models of fridges have different engines (cooling systems). Some might have stronger compressors or better insulation. These can cool down faster. Energy-efficient models are designed to hold cold well once they reach the right temperature, but their initial cool down might not be super fast compared to older, less efficient designs.

Checking the specific manual for your fridge model can sometimes give you a more exact idea of the expected new refrigerator initial cool down time.

The Settling Period After Moving

If your fridge was just moved, especially if it was laid on its side, you must let it stand upright and unplugged for a few hours (usually 3-4 hours, sometimes longer) before plugging it in. This allows the compressor’s oil to flow back to where it should be. Plugging it in too soon can damage the compressor.

After this settling time, the cool-down process begins. It’s similar to the first-time cool down for a new fridge, taking several hours to reach the right temperature. This is part of the refrigerator setup and wait time.

Temperature Settings Matter

Most fridges have a control for how cold you want them. When you first plug in a new fridge, setting it to the normal recommended temperature (usually around 37°F or 3°C for the fridge part) is best. Setting it to the coldest possible setting right away can make the compressor work too hard for too long, which isn’t good for its long-term health. It might not even cool down faster than setting it to normal.

Let it reach the standard cold first, then adjust if needed after 24 hours.

The Ideal Cold: Setting the Right Temperature

Knowing the ideal refrigerator temperature range is important for keeping food safe. Food kept too warm can grow harmful bacteria.

Fridge Section: The best temperature for the fridge section is between 35°F (1.7°C) and 40°F (4.4°C). Many experts recommend aiming for 37°F (3°C). Temperatures below 35°F are too cold for some foods and can cause them to freeze.
Freezer Section: The best temperature for the freezer section is 0°F (-18°C) or colder. This temperature stops most bacteria growth and keeps food safely frozen for long periods.

Most fridges come with numbers or settings like “Cold,” “Colder,” or numbers from 1 to 5 or 1 to 7. Higher numbers usually mean colder settings. To know what these numbers mean in degrees, check your fridge’s manual. It’s a good idea to use a fridge thermometer to check the actual temperature inside, just to be sure.

During the initial cool-down, the fridge is working towards these temperatures. It won’t hit them instantly. It slowly drops the temperature over several hours.

Freezer Cool Down Time

While the whole unit cools at the same time, the freezer cool down time can sometimes feel faster because the target temperature (0°F or colder) is much lower than the fridge side. You might feel the freezer getting cold within an hour or two, but it still needs several hours to reach and stabilize at the deep freeze temperature required for food safety.

Just like the fridge, the freezer section benefits from the full 24-hour waiting period before adding large amounts of food. Adding warm food to the freezer too soon can cause the temperature to rise too much, partly thawing things that were already frozen and making the freezer work extra hard.

In general, if the fridge section is cold (below 40°F), the freezer section is likely at a safe freezing temperature (0°F or below). But checking both with a thermometer is the most reliable way to know for sure.

How Long Before Adding Food to New Fridge?

This is a key question for impatient new fridge owners! You should wait until the fridge and freezer have reached their safe target temperatures and stayed there for a little while.

The Quick Answer: Wait at least 4 hours. After 4 hours, the fridge should feel cold inside, and the freezer should be getting frosty. You can likely add a few items that are already cold or frozen.
The Best Answer: Wait 24 hours. This full day allows the fridge’s cooling system to settle, reach the ideal refrigerator temperature range, and build up a reserve of cold. Adding food after 24 hours puts less stress on the system and ensures a stable cold environment from the start.

Why wait?

Food Safety: Putting food into a fridge that is still too warm allows bacteria to grow quickly. The “danger zone” for bacteria growth is between 40°F (4.4°C) and 140°F (60°C). You want your fridge to be below 40°F before adding food, especially items like meat, dairy, and leftovers.
Fridge Efficiency: Adding a lot of warm food to a fridge that isn’t fully cold yet makes the fridge work overtime. This uses more energy and can make the cool-down process even longer.
System Stability: Waiting 24 hours lets the cooling system run through cycles and settle at a steady temperature. This is better for the long-term health of the fridge.

So, while 4 hours might be okay for a few pre-chilled items, waiting the full 24 hours before loading it up is the safest and best practice for your new fridge and your food. This is a crucial part of the refrigerator setup and wait time.

Grasping the Cooling Process Simply

How does a fridge actually make things cold? It doesn’t make cold; it removes heat. Think of it like a heat pump.

Special Liquid: Inside the fridge are tubes filled with a special liquid (refrigerant).
Evaporation (Gets Cold): This liquid flows through coils inside the fridge and freezer compartments. In these coils, the liquid changes into a gas. When a liquid changes to a gas, it absorbs heat from its surroundings. This makes the inside of the fridge and freezer cold.
Compressor (Pushes Gas): The gas then flows to the compressor, a pump usually at the back or bottom. The compressor squeezes the gas. This makes the gas hot and increases its pressure.
Condenser (Releases Heat): The hot, high-pressure gas flows through coils, often on the back of the fridge. Here, the heat that was absorbed from inside is released into the room air. As it cools down, the gas changes back into a liquid.
Expansion Valve (Lowers Pressure): The liquid flows through a small valve that lowers its pressure.
Cycle Repeats: The low-pressure liquid then goes back into the inside coils to absorb more heat, starting the cycle over.

This constant cycling of the refrigerant moving from liquid to gas and back again, driven by the compressor, is how heat is moved out of the fridge, making the inside cold. During the initial cool down, this cycle runs almost constantly until the target temperature is reached.

Refrigerator Setup and Wait Time: Step-by-Step

Let’s lay out the steps from delivery to adding food. This is your refrigerator setup and wait time guide.

Choose the Spot: Pick a place for the fridge. Make sure it’s on a level floor and near a proper electrical outlet.
Give It Space: Make sure there is enough room around the fridge for air circulation. Check your manual for exact distances, but usually a few inches on the sides, back, and top is needed. Avoid placing it in direct sunlight or next to hot appliances like an oven.
Let It Settle (If Moved): If the fridge was not kept upright during transport (especially if it was on its side), stand it upright in its spot and wait. Wait about 3-4 hours at least, or even longer (up to 24 hours for some models, check manual). This allows the compressor oils to settle correctly. Skip this step if the fridge was upright the whole time.
Clean Inside: While waiting for it to settle (or before plugging in a new, never-moved fridge), you can clean the inside. Use mild soap and water or a baking soda solution. Rinse and dry well. This removes any factory smells or dust.
Plug It In: Connect the fridge to a dedicated electrical outlet. Do not use extension cords.
Set Temperature: Set the temperature controls to the recommended settings (usually mid-range or a specific number given in the manual for around 37°F fridge, 0°F freezer).
Wait for Cool Down: Let the fridge run empty. This is the new refrigerator initial cool down time. As discussed, this takes 4 to 24 hours. Avoid opening the door during this time unless absolutely necessary.
Check Temperature: After several hours (e.g., 4-6 hours), you can briefly open the door to feel if it’s getting cold. After 24 hours, use a thermometer to check if the fridge is below 40°F and the freezer is at or below 0°F.
Add Food (Carefully):
- After 4 hours: You can add a few already cold or frozen items if needed.
- After 24 hours: The fridge should be fully cold and stable. You can now load it with food. Try not to load it with too much warm food all at once, as this will raise the temperature temporarily.

Following these steps helps ensure your fridge starts its life correctly and cools down properly for safe food storage.

Average Time for Fridge to Get Cold: Summing It Up

Based on all the factors, what is the average time for fridge to get cold?

Initial feeling of cold: You should feel a noticeable coolness inside within 1-3 hours.
Safe for some pre-chilled food: Around 4-6 hours, the temperature is usually low enough for some items, but not ideal for full loading.
Reached target temperatures (approximate): The fridge will likely reach its target temperatures (below 40°F and 0°F) within 8-12 hours, but the temperature might still be fluctuating slightly as the system balances.
Fully stable and ready for full load: 24 hours is the standard recommendation for the fridge to be completely settled, stable, and ready for normal use and a full load of food.

So, while you might get some cold fairly quickly, the average time for fridge to get cold and ready for safe, full food storage is about one full day.

Troubleshooting Fridge Not Cooling Quickly

What if your fridge seems to be taking much longer than 24 hours to get cold, or doesn’t seem to be cooling at all? There could be a problem. This is when you need to start troubleshooting fridge not cooling quickly.

Here are some common reasons and what to check:

Is It Plugged In? Is the Outlet Working? This sounds simple, but double-check the plug is fully in the wall. Check if the outlet has power (plug something else simple like a lamp into it).
Is the Power Switch On? Some fridges have a main power switch inside or on the control panel. Make sure it’s on.
Is the Temperature Set Correctly? Make sure you set a cold temperature (not “off,” “vacation mode,” or a high number that means warmer).
Is the Door Closed Fully? Check that nothing is blocking the door from closing all the way. A slightly open door lets all the cold out.
Is the Door Seal Good? The rubber seal around the door keeps the cold in. If it’s dirty, damaged, or not sealing right, cold air escapes. Clean the seal. If it looks broken, it might need replacing.
Is There Enough Airflow Around the Fridge? Revisit the placement. Is it too close to walls? Are the back or bottom coils blocked by dust or items? Pull the fridge out and check. Clean dusty coils (unplug fridge first!).
Was It Moved Recently? Did You Wait Long Enough Before Plugging In? If you just moved it and didn’t wait for the oils to settle, the compressor might be damaged. This often requires professional help.
Are the Inside Vents Blocked? Inside the fridge and freezer are vents that blow cold air. Make sure items inside aren’t blocking these vents.
Is the Fridge Overloaded (Especially with Warm Food)? If you added a lot of warm food too soon, it will take much longer to cool down. Remove some items if needed, or let the fridge catch up over time.
Is the Compressor Running? The compressor makes a humming noise when it’s working. Listen to the back of the fridge. If you hear nothing, the compressor might not be starting, or there’s an electrical problem. Be careful around the back of the fridge; parts can be hot.
Are the Condenser Coils Dirty? The coils on the back or bottom that release heat can get covered in dust and pet hair. This makes it hard for the fridge to cool. Unplug the fridge and gently vacuum or brush the coils clean.
Is the Evaporator Fan Working? Inside the freezer, there is a fan that blows cold air into both the freezer and fridge sections. If this fan is frozen over (often due to a defrost system problem) or broken, cold air won’t circulate. You might hear the compressor running, but the fridge and freezer aren’t getting cold. This usually requires a technician.
Is the Compressor Faulty? If the compressor tries to start but quickly stops, or makes clicking noises, it might be failing. This requires a technician.

If you’ve checked the simple things (plug, settings, door, airflow, cleanliness) and the fridge still isn’t getting cold after more than 24-48 hours, it’s likely a problem with the cooling system components (compressor, fan, sealed system). At this point, it’s best to call a qualified appliance repair technician. Trying to fix cooling system problems yourself is often complex and can be dangerous.

Tips to Help Your Fridge Cool Down

Want to help your new fridge get cold as fast as possible? Here are some simple tips:

Make Sure It’s Leveled: Use a level to check the top of the fridge. Adjust the feet at the bottom until it sits level. This helps the cooling system work right and the doors seal well.
Clean the Coils (When Needed): For any fridge (new or old), keeping the condenser coils clean helps it run better and cool more efficiently. Do this a few times a year for older fridges; a new fridge’s coils should be clean initially.
Keep Doors Closed: During the initial cool down (the first 24 hours), open the doors only if you absolutely must, and close them quickly.
Pre-Chill Food If Possible: If you have food that needs to go in the fridge, try to keep it cold in a cooler with ice packs until the fridge is ready.
Don’t Overload Initially: When you do add food after the wait time, don’t stuff it full all at once, especially with warm items. Add food gradually if you have a very large amount.
Check Room Temp: If possible, make sure the room where the fridge is located is not excessively hot.

By following these steps and giving your new fridge the proper refrigerator setup and wait time, you set it up for good performance and ensure your food will be stored safely from day one.

Table: Quick Look at Cool Down Times & Factors

Item	Average Time Frame	Notes
First feeling of cold	1-3 hours	Air starts to feel cool inside.
Safe for a few cold items	4-6 hours	Temperature likely below 40°F, but not fully stable.
Reaching target temp	8-12 hours	Temps close to 37°F fridge, 0°F freezer.
Fully stable, ready for full load	24 hours	Recommended wait time for best results & food safety.
Freezer cool down time	Similar to fridge (4-24h)	Might feel cold faster, but needs 24h to stabilize.

Factor	Effect on Cool Down Time	Explanation
Hot Room Temperature	Takes Longer	Fridge works harder to fight outside heat.
Large Fridge Size	Takes Longer	More space and mass to cool down.
Frequent Door Opening	Takes Much Longer	Warm air enters, cold air leaves.
No Airflow Around Unit	Takes Much Longer	Fridge can’t release heat properly.
Adding Warm Food Early	Takes Longer	Adds heat load that the fridge must remove.
Dirty Coils	Takes Longer	Reduces efficiency of heat removal.
Not Settling After Move	Can Cause Failure/Delay	Oils must return to compressor.

This table gives a quick summary of the average time for fridge to get cold and what can influence that time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I put frozen food into a new fridge’s freezer right away?
A: It’s best to wait at least 4-6 hours until the freezer feels very cold. Waiting the full 24 hours is even better, as the freezer will be fully at 0°F or colder and stable. Putting frozen food into a freezer that isn’t fully cold might cause the food to partly thaw, which affects quality and safety.

Q: My new fridge makes noises. Is that normal during cool down?
A: Yes, new fridges can make various noises as they cool down for the first time. You might hear humming (compressor), gurgling or bubbling (refrigerant moving), clicking (thermostat or defrost), or even crackling (materials expanding/contracting). These are usually normal during the initial phase and may lessen over time. If the noises are very loud, scraping, or seem wrong, check your manual or contact the maker.

Q: How often should I check the temperature?
A: You don’t need to check it constantly. Check it after about 4-6 hours to get a feel for if it’s cooling. The most important check is after 24 hours using a thermometer to confirm it has reached the safe range (below 40°F fridge, 0°F freezer). After that, checking monthly is a good idea.

Q: Does opening the door once briefly hurt the cool down much?
A: Opening it very briefly won’t ruin the whole process, but it does let some cold out and warm air in. During the critical initial 4-24 hours, try to keep door openings to a minimum to allow the fridge to get to its stable cold temperature faster.

Q: My old fridge got cold in just a few hours. Why is this new one taking longer?
A: An old fridge getting cold again after a power outage or brief defrost is different from a new fridge’s first cool down. A new fridge starts at room temperature throughout its structure. An old fridge might still have some residual coldness. Plus, factors like size, room temperature, and model differences play a role. The 24-hour wait is a standard recommendation for new units for safety and performance.

Q: What is the difference between “fridge cooling time after plugging in” and “new refrigerator initial cool down time”?
A: These phrases mean basically the same thing in this context. They both refer to the time it takes for a fridge that has just been connected to power to reach its target cold temperature for the first time or after a period of being off. The term “initial” highlights that it’s the very first time, which often takes the longest.

Getting a new fridge is exciting! By giving it the proper time to cool down and setting it up correctly, you make sure it starts its job right and keeps your food safe and fresh for years to come.