how full should a freezer be

Is it better to fill your freezer full or empty?

When your freezer is full, there is less room for warmer air to take up, and the items that are in there help to cool down any air that does sneak in. So keeping it full means less energy used.

How long can you keep frozen food in the freezer?

In fact, your frozen food should be safe to eat indefinitely if your freezer stays at or below 0°F (-18°C). Keep in mind that if you store food for a long time, it may be susceptible to freezer burn or have a different look and taste. Storage tip: Keep your freezer full, but not packed. Keeping your freezer around 75–80% full helps retain cold air.

How much space should be between refrigerator and freezer?

The energy-efficient trick is to attempt to keep both your refrigerator and freezer around 3/4 full at all times.

Does freezer use a lot of energy?

The majority of the energy your freezer uses goes towards cooling down the air that comes in when you open the freezer door. When your freezer is full, there is less room for warmer air to take up, and the items that are in there help to cool down any air that does sneak in. So keeping it full means less energy used.

Can freezer be too full?

Overfilling the Freezer It's true that a full freezer works more efficiently than an empty one. But there can be too much of a good thing. Overfilling the freezer can block air vents, restrict the flow of cold air, and overtax your refrigerator's condenser, which could lead to a burn out.

Does a freezer work harder when full?

Keeping the freezer nearly empty A full freezer retains cold better than an empty one. When you open the door, the mass of frozen food will help keep in the cold, and the unit won't have to work as hard to cool empty space. But don't jam pack the freezer either; you need air to circulate.

Can you fill a chest freezer too full?

Yes, a freezer can be too full. If there's no room for air to circulate, then the air (and food) at the very back will be cold, but the food by the front could start to warm up or thaw. The poor air circulation might also mean the temperature in the refrigerator goes up a little bit too.

Is it OK to leave freezer empty?

The answer to, “Is it OK to run a freezer empty?” is, yes, you can with no problem. In fact, a lot of freezers start off their life of service that way. You don't want to transfer frozen food into a warm freezer so you get the freezer down to temperature before loading it up.

Can too much food in freezer cause frost?

Too little (or too much) food can lead to frost in the freezer. Once food items freeze, they help keep the air inside the freezer cold. So when you open the door on a full freezer, letting in warm air, the air will cool quickly when you shut the door again, reducing the risk of new frost in the freezer.

What does an overfilled freezer look like?

You may notice freezer burn on some foods, which appears as a white or a grey-brown discolouration. This is where the food hasn't been sealed properly and the air has dried out the surface. Again, this won't hurt you, but it will affect the taste and texture.

How do you know if your freezer is going out?

One of the most obvious signs of how to tell if your freezer is going out is when it's so frozen that the door sticks or ice starts forming on the side where you'd have to literally chisel it off. If this happens you can defrost the freezer by un-plugging it.

What is the best way to load a freezer?

1:021:55How to Pack Food Into a Freezer - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPlace the freshest food in the back and the older food toward the front that way use the items thatMorePlace the freshest food in the back and the older food toward the front that way use the items that have been frozen longest. First the freezer door doesn't get as cold as the interior.

Does a full freezer use less energy?

The majority of the energy your freezer uses goes towards cooling down the air that comes in when you open the freezer door. When your freezer is full, there is less room for warmer air to take up, and the items that are in there help to cool down any air that does sneak in. So keeping it full means less energy used.

Do refrigerators work harder when full?

“A full refrigerator doesn't decrease energy use,” says researcher Jacob Talbot of the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Your fridge's foodstuffs most likely don't displace enough space to reduce the amount of energy needed to keep it chilled, he explains.

Why does a fairly full freezer work best?

Keeping your freezer around 75–80% full helps retain cold air. If the freezer is fully filled, food may block the internal air vents, making it harder to distribute cold air throughout the freezer.

Why is my freezer not getting cold enough?

If your freezer is not cold, the problem may be caused by a broken condenser fan motor. The condenser fan draws cool air through the condenser and over your freezer's coils. If this fan is broken, your freezer's inner temperature will rise, and the compressor will overheat.

What temperature should a freezer be to store food?

Freezing your food stops most bacteria from growing. In fact, your frozen food should be safe to eat indefinitely if your freezer stays at or below 0°F (-18°C). Keep in mind that if you store food for a long time, it may be susceptible to freezer burn or have a different look and taste.

Is your freezer temperature set correctly?

Always start with the temperature recommended in your freezer manual. Wait for about 24 hours after any changes, then check inside. The temperature is right when:

Can your freezer be too cold?

You can set your freezer temperature too low. A too-cold freezer shouldn’t negatively affect your food, but it could raise your electricity bill. Lower temps matter most when you’re adding new food, since fast freezing helps reduce texture and taste changes.

When should you adjust the freezer temp?

The environment around your freezer can affect how cold you should set it. If it’s in a garage or basement, you may need to adjust the temperature to account for humidity or outside temperatures. Only make small changes and wait at least 24 hours between changes to allow your freezer to adjust.

Where are the freezer temperature controls?

On standalone freezers, the temperature controls are normally on the inner sides or at the top center. While some refrigerators have separate control panels for the refrigerator and freezer, most have a shared control panel. You may find it on the inner sides, on the door or at the top center of either compartment.

Question

All other things being equal, is it more efficient to keep the kitchen freezer packed to its limits or does it take less energy to keep it going if it’s empty?

Answer

Dave - Yeah, there's a couple of things which might affect the efficiency of your freezer, depending on how much it's got in there. I guess, first, if you put something warm in there, then you're going to take a load of energy to pump the heat out of it.

What Is a Compressor?

The reasoning behind your freezer running has to do with its compressor turning on and off. The more it turns on, the harder the compressor has to work.

Contributing Factors to Freezer Run Time

Although the average cycle for a freezer is about 30 minutes, the run time can fluctuate depending on certain factors. Here are five factors that contribute to a freezer’s run time:

How to Know if Your Freezer Is on the Fritz

Most of us have probably gotten used to the dull hum of our freezer by now, but paying attention to your freezer’s on, and off-cycle is an important first step in diagnosing an issue. It may be cause for concern if:

Reasons for Unusual Run Time (and How to Fix Them)

If your freezer is constantly running, running too often, or not running at all, something may be wrong with a part. Here is a list of possible causes for the issues in run time:

Defrosting Cycle

Between the normal on and off cycles of a freezer, there is a defrosting cycle. The purpose of this cycle is to melt any excess frost that has built up in your freezer.

Final Thoughts

Paying attention to the hum of your freezer is vitally important to its maintenance. You need to make sure that your freezer’s run time is normal, that it is cycling on and off about every 30 minutes, and is running about 80-90 percent of the time. This will not only extend the life of your freezer but will actually help to cut energy costs.

Why your freezer should be full (but not too full)

One of the most common freezer mistakes is keeping it too full, or too empty.

Benefits of having a full freezer

Besides having a stockpile of food, here are some other benefits of having a packed freezer.

Ideal temperature for your freezer

The USDA’s food safety guidelines say that your freezer should be kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17.8 degrees Celsius) or lower. Food kept at this temperature keeps indefinitely in theory, although that doesn’t mean you want to eat a pack of frozen steaks that’s say, 10 years old.

General freezer storage times for frozen foods

In an ideal world, there would be no food wastage. If your freezer is stuffed with too much food, consider using older foods first along with frozen foods with a shorter shelf life.

Can a freezer be too full: tips on getting the most out of your freezer

Avoid leaving the door open for too long: You know this already, but it’s best to note that every time you open the door to retrieve an item or two leads to loss of cool air. If you’re spending more than a minute getting food out, you could probably benefit from better organization which leads us to the next point…

Author: Josh Tesolin

Josh is co-founder of RusticWise. When he’s not tinkering in the garden, or fixing something around the house, you can find him working on a vast array of random side projects.