What's the warmest your refrigerator should get, according to the CDC?

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The CDC puts the limit at 40°F (4°C) for the refrigerator and 0°F (-18°C) for the freezer. The USDA calls everything between 40°F and 140°F the danger zone, where bacteria can double in number in as little as 20 minutes. Most refrigerator dials show numbers rather than degrees, which is why the CDC tells you to keep a thermometer inside one.

Your refrigerator should never be warmer than 40°F. Above that, bacteria can double in number in as little as 20 minutes.

Source: CDC / USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service · checked Nov 2025