The 5 worst things you can do to your fridge – these will drive up energy costs and result in pricey and regrettable repairs

Your fridge is an essential part of your kitchen, but did you know doing certain things to it can supercharge the need for costly repairs, replacements and shorten its lifespan?

From over-filling to ignoring your condenser coils, here electricians and appliance experts share the five worst things you can do to your fridge, what to avoid, and how to swerve damaging your expensive, best refrigerator.

The 5 worst things you can do to your fridge

1. Overfill it

According to Adam Bushell, director of AB Electrical & Communications, one of the worst refrigerator organizing mistakes to avoid can compromise its function.

He explains, 'When you jam your fridge full, the airflow inside becomes restricted which prevents it from cooling evenly.' This overfilling may also be thwarting any attempts to maintain how cold a refrigerator should be.

'This can cause your fridge to work harder, leading to higher energy consumption,' ultimately resulting in a costly mistake and reducing the lifespan of your appliance.

'To avoid this, make sure there is enough space for air to circulate around the items inside. If you fill your fridge excessively, it’s going to have to work harder than it should.'

Using storage bins, such as the Vtopmart Set of 8 Refrigerator Organizer Bins available at Walmart, will make organizing a refrigerator far easier, while avoiding any overfilling or over-stuffing.

2. Putting hot items in right away

We're all guilty of impatiently ignoring advice to let food cool down before putting it in the fridge, but David Miloshev, electrician and home improvement specialist at Fantastic Services, warns that this is something best avoided.

'If you put food on the glass shelves of the fridge when it's still hot, the shelves can break,' he says. 'The hot items can also raise the temperature inside the appliance, which can put additional strain on the compressor, and it'll have to run longer to bring the temperatures low,' which certainly won't help to cut energy bills.

'On the other hand, if you leave food out at room temperature for too long, there’s the risk of bacteria growing on it. You’ll need to make sure you don’t leave it out of the fridge for over two hours before it cools off, and, if the room temperature is above 32°C, don’t leave it outside for more than one hour.'

David advises that you can help the food cool down quicker by dividing it into smaller portions, using food containers such as the Anchor Hocking Glass Food Storage Containers with Lids available at Walmart, or putting it in shallower containers before you put it into the fridge.

3. Leave the door open

Glenn Lewis, president of Mr. Appliance, a Neighborly company, explains, 'When the door is open, the refrigerator will start to run, and then it will have to run longer to get the refrigerator back down to temperature once you close the door.

'This not only wastes energy, but depending on how long the door is open, you could lose food to spoilage.'

If you do need to leave the door open, say to defrost a fridge, pop any food items in a cool box, such as the Coleman 316 Series 120QT Hard Chest Cooler available at Walmart, which features a fully insulated lid and body, and chamfered corners for optimal insulation, to keep food and drinks colder for longer.

4. Not leaving a suitable gap between the fridge and its surroundings

Do you know where a refrigerator should be placed? Whether you choose to hide your kitchen fridge or where you put it matters, says appliance expert David.

'If you don't leave space between the fridge and the walls and objects that surround it, the hot air coming out of it won't have room to circulate and the appliance will overheat,' he warns.

5. Ignoring the condenser coils

Finally, neglecting to clean the condenser coils is a fridge cleaning mistake to avoid.

'People often forget to clean them,' says electrician Adam. 'Over time, dust and debris build up, which makes it harder for the fridge to cool properly. This is something I have seen in both residential and commercial settings. It's an easy fix, though.

'Just pull out the vacuum once every six months, and gently clean the coils at the back or underneath the fridge. Keeping these clean can improve efficiency and help to save money at home on energy bills.'

Our expert-approved guide on how to clean a refrigerator details everything you need to know about getting the job done properly, and, if you're wondering how often you should clean a fridge, aim for a quick clean once a week, and a deeper clean every two to four months.

What to shop

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

Meet our experts

Glenn Lewis

Mr. Appliance is North America's leading appliance repair franchise. Glenn became president in 2024, after joining Neighborly in 2013 and holding various positions across the company. Before Neighborly, Glenn served as executive vice president at The Décor Group in Lubbock, Texas

David Miloshev

David is a licensed electrician, with expert knowledge on the worst things you can do to your fridge, and the costly consequences of doing them.

Adam Bushell

Adam has worked in the energy sector for over a decade, with a background in electrical work and renewable energy.

'Keep the fridge organized without overpacking,' recommends Glenn. 'Think about what you want out of the refrigerator before you open it and close the door quickly. Also, clean the coils in your refrigerator at least annually.'

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