Kitchen Tips: What's the Right Temperature for Refrigerator? - as part of the expert series by GeoBeats. A lot of cooks ask me 'what is the right temperature for the refridgerator'. And the best rule of thumb is under 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Obviously you do not want to go down to 32 degrees because then everythings going to start freezing especially in the back of the refridgerator. But if you can keep it to around 38 degrees to 40 degrees at the most. It will ensure fresh poultry, meat and fish. If you do not have a special thermometer for your refrigerator and there is no reason why you should simply take one of these. Most cooks have this. It is a typical thermometer that you use for roast for almost any type of cooking. This particular thermometer starts at 0 degrees Fahrenheit and goes up to 220. You do not need that but make sure whatever thermometer you have is going down to around zero to above 40. When you put it in your fridge, make sure you leave this protective plastic sleeve on. Because here is how the thermometer works: this little tiny tip, this is what really registers the temp. If this is hitting a piece of metal or a metal bowel in the fridge, it can make the air seem cooler than it really is, and that really can throw things off and accelerate spoilage. So keep this on, pop it in your fridge for half hour, see what the temp is and then adjust accordingly.