What temperature should a commercial freezer run at?

For most frozen food storage, your commercial freezer should keep stock at -18°C or colder, unless the product’s instructions specify otherwise. That applies whether you’re storing frozen pastries for your café or selling packaged meals from a shop freezer.

The important thing is whether your freezer keeps your products within their required storage conditions throughout trading hours. Here’s how to choose a setting and understand what the readings tell you. 

Why doesn’t the freezer display match the setting?

There are three temperatures to distinguish:

• The setpoint: the target you select on the controller.
• The displayed temperature: the reading from the cabinet’s sensor, depending on how the controller is configured.
• The product temperature: the internal temperature of the food itself.

These won’t always match. Air responds to an open door faster than a frozen product does, so a brief rise on the display doesn’t mean everything inside has warmed by the same amount.

Automatic defrost adds another consideration. On models with this feature, the freezer periodically removes ice from its cooling system. Depending on the controller, you may see a changing temperature, a held reading or a defrost indication.

Check your manual so you know what your display shows. You can then recognise normal operation and avoid adjusting the thermostat in response to every change.

Should you set your commercial freezer to -18°C or -20°C?

The Food Standards Agency’s freezing guidance recommends a freezer temperature around -18°C and advises following the instructions on food packaging.

Your cabinet may need a colder setting to keep all your stock within its required range. For example, a -20°C setting could provide some margin as the cooling system cycles and the doors open. However, it isn’t a universal recommendation: the right temperature setting depends on the freezer, its controls and how you use it.

In these cases, it’s best to start with the manufacturer’s recommended setting, then check the temperature throughout a normal working day. Include busy periods, when you’re opening the door more often. A reading taken before you open for business won’t tell you whether the freezer stays cold enough during service.

We’d also avoid selecting the coldest available setting without a reason. You want a setting that maintains the required conditions without using energy to cool stock down more than necessary.

Do ice cream freezers need a different temperature?

Ice cream storage freezers are generally kept at the standard -18°C or colder. If you sell packaged ice cream, follow its stated storage requirements. If you scoop ice cream into cones or tubs, you also need to consider its serving consistency.

A dedicated scooping cabinet may operate at a warmer temperature (often around -12°C to -14°C) than your reserve storage freezer. There isn’t one figure that suits every ice cream or gelato; it depends on the recipe and supplier’s guidance.

Keep that distinction in mind if your café uses one freezer for several products. Raising the temperature to soften a serving tub could leave your other stock outside its storage requirements, affecting its quality and safety.

What should you do if your freezer gets too warm?

If your freezer shows a higher temperature than expected, check whether it’s running a defrost cycle, the door has been left open or products are blocking the airflow. Follow your food safety procedures for when to check again and when to take action.

Check the temperature with a thermometer or probe that’s suitable for freezer use and has been checked for accuracy. Record how and where you took each measurement in a log, ideally kept on or near the freezer.

Also check where your freezer is positioned. Follow the manufacturer’s guidance on climate class, surrounding temperature and ventilation clearances. A space beside an oven or in direct sunlight may become too warm for the unit, even if the rest of the room stays within its operating limits. Check conditions around the freezer during service, when nearby equipment is running.

If the freezer stays too warm, follow your procedures for moving affected stock to a working freezer and arrange for an engineer to inspect the unit. Whether you can keep or sell the food depends on how warm it became and how long it stayed at that temperature. Cooling it down again doesn’t automatically make it safe.

Choose a commercial freezer for the job it needs to do

Finally, consider whether you’re holding already-frozen stock or freezing food you’ve prepared.

If your café, deli, shop or farm shop prepares batches for freezing, check the equipment’s freezing capacity. A TEFCOLD BLCB3X1 blast chiller/freezer provides dedicated programmes and a temperature probe for controlled chilling and freezing.

Whether you need a display freezer for your shop or storage equipment for your café, we’ll help you choose around your products, available space and daily use. Contact Fridgesmart or call 01792 677169 to chat with our friendly team.