Make Your Freezer Work Better in 4 Simple Steps

Every freezer has at least one vent, and these vents are critical for keeping the inside of your freezer actually cold. They shield the evaporator fan, which is responsible for pumping cold air into the freezer and keeping temperatures low enough so your food will stay frozen, explains writer Rachel Wharton, who covers large kitchen appliances at Wirecutter.

When you block that vent by placing, say, a box of pizza or a pint of ice cream directly against it, cold air can’t move freely around your freezer, and that leads to uneven temperatures throughout.

Plus, when you place foods right in front of a vent, you’ll subject them to temperature fluctuations from the evaporator itself, which heats up periodically to eliminate any frost that’s accumulated, said Andy Spanyer, executive director in refrigeration at GE Appliances, in a phone interview. At worst, it means your food is being heated up and cooled down over and over, which can ultimately lead to freezer burn.

So the first thing you should do is locate the vents in your freezer. They’re usually along the back or side walls, and they often look like a section of slim, parallel slots. Some higher-end freezers may integrate the vent design into the freezer’s aesthetic, said Spanyer, so if you’re not sure where your freezer’s vent is, check your manual.

Then, make sure you’re not blocking them. A good rule of thumb is to leave at least a quarter inch of space around the vent on all sides.