Temperature Range

• Food in the compact refrigerator is safe to eat if the temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Food freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, so the temperature should stay at least a few degrees above this to prevent items in the fridge from freezing.
  
  

Ideal Temperature

• Ideally, a compact refrigerator should be kept around 38 degrees Fahrenheit. This maintains a buffer in case temperature within the fridge is not exactly constant and helps the fridge return to a low enough temperature quickly after the door is opened. The temperature is also high enough to not waste energy unnecessarily.
  
  

Bottom Line

• The USDA recommends that food be refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. If food requiring refrigeration is over 40 degrees for two hours or more, it may spoil. If your compact refrigerator does not have a built-in thermometer, install an appliance thermometer to help set the temperature.