What happens if you put hot in the refrigerator

Most people cool it down before putting it in the refrigerator. However, there are situations when there is simply no time for this. In order to understand why you cannot put hot food in the refrigerator, it is important to find out how the unit works and what will happen in the chamber if you place hot products in it.

can i put hot stuff in the fridge — The problem of putting hot food in the refrigerator is a perennial headache for housewives.

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Why hot foods are dangerous for the refrigerator
When to put hot food in the refrigerator
How to quickly chill food for placing in the refrigerator
Video: you can or can not put hot in the refrigerator

Why hot foods are dangerous for the refrigerator

Some people mistakenly think that the refrigerator produces cold, but this is not at all the case. The unit removes heat energy, so that its interior is cooled. If hot food is placed in the device, the consequences can be dire.

hot in the fridge — When considering whether you can put hot soup in the refrigerator, decide for yourself which is more important: a well-functioning technique or an instant result.

Excessive consumption of electricity

Each refrigerator is equipped with a temperature sensor. It is necessary for the regular switching on and off of the compressor, it is also responsible for the intensity of its work. If you put hot food into the chamber, the temperature in it will begin to rise, which will cause intensive engine operation.

refrigerator temperature sensor — The thermostat sensor may freeze up - the refrigerator will soon burn out.

If the refrigerator has an inverter-type compressor, the engine speed increases significantly. It turns out that the unit works without stopping, and this increases the power consumption, which is necessary in order to cool the air to the required temperature.

inverter compressor — You cannot put hot food in the refrigerator if there is no desire to urgently repair the compressor, which may become unusable due to overheating.

For example, if you need to cool 3 liters of hot liquid, then 74-99 W will be spent more than usual. If you send pots of hot food to the refrigerator every day, then the costs for a month will be significant.

saucepan in the refrigerator — Placing a hot steaming product in the refrigerator leads to an increase in humidity and intensification of the formation of frost and ice on the walls of the device.

Rapid wear

The most expensive element of the unit is the compressor. In inverter devices, it works non-stop, but at different speeds. In other models, the motor stops regularly, this is necessary so that the desired microclimate remains in the chambers.

put the hot stuff in the fridge — To summarize, to the question of whether it is possible to put hot food in the refrigerator, the only correct answer can be given: it is categorically not recommended.

Excessive loading can cause:

rupture of the tube through which freon is supplied;
burnout of a light bulb;
fan breakdowns in refrigerators with the No Frost system;
deterioration in the quality of food cooling.

The increased temperature in the refrigerator compartment leads to increased compressor operation. Because of this, the unit can operate continuously for 1 to 3 hours. This load leads to rapid engine wear, which shortens its service life.

refrigerator repair — When thinking about whether you can put hot pots in the refrigerator, you should remember all the possible disadvantages.

Attention! It is believed that in the case of continuous operation of the motor for an entire hour, the total operating life of the refrigerator is reduced by 6-8 hours.

Damage to dishes and refrigerator parts

If the temperature regime is not observed, microcracks (enameled) may appear on the dishes, and in some cases it may burst altogether (this applies to ceramics and glass). If small cracks appear on the enamel, then further use of such utensils can be harmful to health. Of course, the "marketable" appearance will also be lost.

pots in the refrigerator — There is an extremely high probability not only to get a damaged product at the exit, but also to clean the refrigerator chamber from the spilled or scattered product later.

In addition, the shelves of the refrigerator themselves can suffer from contact with hot dishes, since the contrast in temperatures can lead to the formation of cracks.

cracked shelf in the fridge — Hot dishes are dangerous for the internal filling of the refrigerator: shelves, partitions and others.

If the hot metal cookware comes into contact with the plastic parts of the unit, they may deform. Most often this happens with economy-class devices, since low-quality material is used in their production.

the shelf in the refrigerator is broken — The plastic used in refrigeration equipment is, of course, durable, but you should not test it again with hot pans or pots.

Attention! If the shelf or cover is damaged, do not count on a warranty repair. The specialist will immediately determine the cause of the malfunction and void the warranty card.

Deterioration of the taste of food

Some dishes require a gradual decrease in temperature to reach readiness. All ingredients used must gradually reach the required condition in order to end up with a complete flavor composition. If you quickly chill, for example, pilaf or borscht, the taste of these dishes will be spoiled.

borscht in a saucepan — To cool the hot, the refrigerator is forced to work more intensively due to the formation of ice on the back wall.

All of the above explains why hot food should not be put in the refrigerator.

When to put hot food in the refrigerator

There are such models of refrigerators in which it is allowed to put hot dishes. For this, the device has special sealed chambers or compartments for instant freezing.

freezer compartment — The technique does not stand still, new models are constantly being invented, and there are refrigerators in which you can put hot dishes.

Important! Separately located chambers keep warm air out of the main compartment. This solves the problem of the appearance of various negative consequences.

In such fast freezers, food quickly cools and becomes cold. However, it should be borne in mind that the compressor will work much more intensively. This will cause increased power consumption and faster engine wear.

compartment for freezing in the refrigerator — Modern models have a special compartment called HotBox.

Thus, there are refrigerators in which it is strictly forbidden to put hot stuff, there are models in which it is allowed to put a plate of warm soup on the shelf, and you can also purchase a unit that can withstand contact with a hot saucepan. It is very important to read the instructions before using the refrigerator.

food in the fridge — The manufacturers have taken care of energy saving as well; a special regulation is built into the device.

How to quickly chill food for placing in the refrigerator

There are situations when freshly cooked food needs to be chilled quickly. You can use the following guidelines:

if it is a warm season outside, then the pan can be wrapped with a towel pre-moistened with water and taken out into the open air (for at least 15 minutes). Due to the evaporation of the liquid, the food will gradually cool down;
the pan can be lowered into a container with cold water, just remember that glass and enamel dishes can become covered with microcracks;
the pan can simply be left under running cold water, only periodically the tap must be turned off in order to be able to interfere with the contents.

There are many other interesting ways, including an ice spatula. More often it can be found in catering establishments. In appearance, it looks like an ordinary spatula, only filled with water. Typically, it is frozen for later use. However, it is important to observe safety measures and take it in your hands only with gloves, this will help to exclude the moment of frostbite.

ice blade — Soup or borscht can be used with such a spatula.

Microbiologists agree that the answer to the question that worries many, whether it is possible to put a hot pot in the refrigerator, will be negative. However, they remind you that products that spoil quite quickly should not be cooled slowly. Freshly prepared food contains microorganisms that are not yet active, but they awaken with a decrease in temperature. Therefore, food should be refrigerated as soon as possible.

hot soup — For uniform and smooth cooling, a constant supply of water with low temperatures should be ensured into a large container.

Obviously, if a special fast freezing system with a separate chamber is not provided in the refrigerator, then such actions can lead to its rapid breakdown. When buying a new refrigerator, you should inquire in advance about the availability of the required function. This is the only way to be sure that hot food and drinks will not harm the unit.