Does a fridge run better if full?

MakingUpGround

Our fridge is never very full. Partly because I'm working 6 days a week presently and hubby and son eat from the freezer. 

Should I add some bottles of water into our fridge to keep it fuller? Would that help it run better? 

Presently it has a milk, a tub of marg, some cheese, plus veg and salad in the trays. It's very empty on the shelves 

Aylesbury_Duck

I doubt doing that would make any appreciable difference.  It will consume energy to initially cool the water, so any gain you might have from the bottles acting as a 'coolness capacitor' has to make up for that initial consumption.

You'll see better efficiency by making sure the door seals are intact and kept clean so they seal well, that you have the correct clearance around the appliance, that the drain plug is kept clear and that the back isn't covered in a load of dust and fluff.

victor2

Don't have any hard evidence to prove it, but it does make sense that a full fridge will run more efficiently. If you're essentially just keeping the air in it cool, it will not retain the cold like other refrigerated products. More cold air gets replaced by room temperature air every time you open it than the food you take out! 

MakingUpGround

Thank you both. I'll have a play with some bottles and see what happens.

Verdigris

Would it not be more sensible to fill it with beer?

I keep gin, Campari, red vermouth and tonic in the fridge, because all ingredients in a negroni or a G&T must be chilled as well as having lashings of ice.

k_man

If you fill the fridge very full, that can block cold air flow from the back, meaning items towards the front and top (warmest place is top of the door), aren't cooled as much, and may well be well above the recommended max of 5C.

MakingUpGround

Verdigris said:

Would it not be more sensible to fill it with beer?

I keep gin, Campari, red vermouth and tonic in the fridge, because all ingredients in a negroni or a G&T must be chilled as well as having lashings of ice.

lol, if only I had time to drink! 

MattMattMattUK

MakingUpGround said:

Verdigris said:

Would it not be more sensible to fill it with beer?

I keep gin, Campari, red vermouth and tonic in the fridge, because all ingredients in a negroni or a G&T must be chilled as well as having lashings of ice.

lol, if only I had time to drink! 

If you don't have time, make time!

cx6

The specific heat of air (the amount of energy required to change its temperature)  is quite low so even when you open the door and warm air goes in the amount of energy to chill that air is small so I would not worry.

Xbigman

I had this exact problem and ended up buying a smaller (tabletop) fridge. I don't mean a beer cooler type thing but a proper fridge. It will pay for itself in about 15 months.


Darren


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coffeehound

One thing worth doing at this time of year if poss is to leave things outdoors to cool overnight before putting them in.  I sometmes do this with bottles of water, cans of soft drinks and beer.  Needs a secure outdoor place though!