Your fridge is pretty high-maintenance: it needs to be at the perfect temperature or things'll start going askew. If it's too hot, you risk your food spoiling; if it's too cold, the stuff on the top and in the back will start to freeze. Neither of those is good. But, there is a solution to help your food stay fresh for longer. You need a refrigerator thermometer. These nifty contraptions are simple to install and easy to read. Once you get it in place, you leave it for a while. When you come back, you can see exactly what the temperature inside your fridge is. Then you can easily make adjustments with your fridge's temperature dial. To help you sort through all of the options, we took the time to review several different styles and brands of refrigerator thermometers. The few we've selected below are the ones we wholeheartedly recommend, so pick one up today and enjoy your food at the temperature you want it to be. Rubbermaid Refrigerator/ Freezer Thermometer Tough as NailsYou won't have to worry about this refrigerator thermometer shattering to pieces. Best OverallFind on Amazon You can’t go wrong with this simple refrigerator thermometer. It’s built from tough stainless steel with a shatter-proof lens cover, which means it can withstand a few drops without breaking. If you’ve got kids who can’t help themselves in the fridge, durability is an important feature. This thermometer is also a great size. You can use it in a mini-fridge or in a standard one. Since it has a good temperature range, you can also use it in your freezer. It measures from -20 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit – and Celsius degrees are also listed. The red needle is narrow enough that it’s easy to read this thermometer’s reading precisely. All of these great features mean that this is a solid, basic refrigerator thermometer that will last you for years. Pros Battery-free so you won’t have to worry about replacing batteries or having them run down Can hang or stand in your fridge or freezer, so you have installation options No mercury, so it’s a safer option for kids who might knock it over Cons It’s not digital, so it may take a little longer to read Oria Refrigerator Thermometer At First GlanceYou can tell what the temperature is at a glance with this digital refrigerator thermometer. Best DigitalFind on Amazon With these refrigerator thermometers, you can tell the temperature without even opening the fridge door. You place the sensors in your refrigerator or freezer, and they wirelessly transmit data to the host unit. This unit shows you the information you need in an easy-to-read format. You also have the option to set an alarm on this refrigerator thermometer. The alarm will notify you audibly if the temperature in your fridge or freezer drops too low or gets too high. This feature can really help prevent food waste. Pros Comes with two sensors that are easy to install so that you can monitor the temperature of two different spaces Clear, easy-to-read digital display so you can see the temperatures at a glance Host unit can be hung on the wall, placed on a shelf, or connected by magnets to something, making it possible to put it just about anywhere Good range, so your host unit doesn’t have to be in the same room as the sensors Cons Host unit and sensors require batteries, so you’ll need to purchase those separately The sensors take about thirty minutes to sync up with the main unit when you first install them, so you won’t get an instant reading at first Pecula Refrigerator Thermometer (2-Pack) Two-in-One and One for CheapYou can't beat two dependable refrigerator thermometers for one low price. Best Multi-PackFind on Amazon Are you looking for an economical way to monitor the temperature in your fridge and freezer? With this set from Pecula, you get two easy-to-read thermometers for a great price. Each one goes from -20 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which is a larger range than you’ll need for the fridge. They are very durable, too, so you don’t have to worry that you’re getting cheap junk. There’s a hook on each unit so that you can easily hang them up on a shelf. If you prefer, you also have the option of standing them up on a flat surface. You’ll have to experiment and see which configuration makes each unit easiest to read. Pros Set of two, so you can monitor the temperature of two different spaces without buying anything else Easy-to-read display that’s broken into four color-coded sections: Freeze, Freezing, Refrigerator, and Warm so you can tell at a glance if the temperature is in the right range Made from stainless steel, a product that is durable and easy to clean Cons The color on the different sections makes it easy to tell what range your fridge is in, but harder to read the exact temperature. You may need to pull it out for a closer look if you need to know exactly. CDN TA20 Audio Visual Refrigerator Freezer Alarm Beep BeepYou'll be able to hear if your refrigerator temperature is getting too high with this thermometer, since it has an alarm. Best with Alarm Find on Amazon Leaving the freezer door cracked open is an expensive mistake. If you don’t catch it in time, you’ll have to discard everything that’s inside. (Yes, even that delicious ice cream you bought last night, which has now turned into soup.) When your freezer is in the garage or the basement, though, checking the temperature of it isn’t always on your mind. If you tend to have more pressing things to think about during your day than your refrigerator’s thermometer, this one is for you. It comes with an alarm so that you can hear when there’s a problem. You simply place the sensor cable in the fridge or freezer. Then, you Velcro the unit onto the side or front of your appliance. If the temperature in your fridge rises above 46 degrees Fahrenheit, or your freezer gets to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll get an audible warning. It’s easy to use, and it can really help keep your food safe. Pros Simple to install, so you can get it up and running in no time Sounds an alarm and flashes an LED light on the panel when there’s a problem to help get your attention Great option for monitoring food safety during a power outage since you don’t have to open the door to get a reading Sounds for six seconds each minute until you manually shut it off Cons The alarm is set to go off at a certain temperature, which you can’t change. It’s not customizable. If your freezer is far away from where you typically spend your time, you may not hear the alarm. You can hear it about two rooms away, depending on the layout of everything. SensorPush Wireless Thermometer There's an App for ThatPair this refrigerator thermometer up with the designated app and you can easily check the temperature in your fridge. Most Technological Find on Amazon Once you get this refrigerator thermometer set up, you’ll never have to manually check it. It sends all of the readings to an app on your smartphone through a Bluetooth connection. If there’s a problem, you can get a push notification so that you’re aware of the situation. The app is easy to install on either an Android or an iOS-powered device. It’s user-friendly, too, and it gives you information about both the temperature and the humidity. If you’re using your fridge as a wine cooler or a cheese cave, knowing the humidity level is crucial. Regardless, no matter which fridge or freezer you place it in, you can count on this thermometer to give you an accurate reading. Pros Connects to your smartphone with an app, with a powerful Bluetooth connection that can read up to 325 feet away Simple to set up and install the app, making it a hassle-free process Small unit that won’t take up a lot of space in your fridge Gives plenty of data so you can check the temperature and humidity levels Cons If you want this to work over WiFi instead of Bluetooth so that you can check your temperatures from anywhere, you’ll need to purchase the WiFi Gateway, which adds to the cost. Frequently Asked Questions What temperature should my fridge and freezer be? You want to always make sure your fridge is at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Your freezer will need to be cooler. It should stay at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Why is food freezing in my fridge? If your fridge isn’t staying at the right temperature, you might notice your food beginning to freeze. Trying to crack a frozen egg is not a pleasant experience. To help avoid this, you’ll want to get a refrigerator thermometer so you know exactly what the temperature inside is. Then, you can begin to increase the temperature inside, using the dial that’s either in the fridge or freezer. You may need to check your owner’s manual if you aren’t sure how to set it. If the settings are right, frozen food in the fridge can be a result of another problem, such as dirty coils. If you can’t find anything obviously wrong, it may be time to call a technician to take a look. Related posts:Powered by SearchIQ The Best Pet Food Storage Containers Read more The Best Pet Food Containers Read more The Best Dog Tracking Collars Read more