I'm embarrassed tosed to admit that until a week ago I had no idea what the right temperature for a fridge was. That was until I started testing out a dedicated fridge purifier that confirmed that I'd been getting it wrong for the last 10 years.
Over the last couple of weeks, I've been putting the Shelfy from Vitesy, available on Amazon, to the test. Vitesy specialises in air purifiers, but the Shelfy is a little unusual in that is designed to go in the fridge to keep food fresher for longer and minimise fridge odours and food contamination. It also comes connected to an app that tracks your fridge temperature, and door openings and counts down to your next big fridge clean.
Usually priced at £149, but currently discounted to £99 on Amazon, after testing I can say this little gadget is worth snapping up while it's on offer for Amazon Prime Big Deals Day. After two weeks of testing the benefits have been so significant I've made it a permanent feature in my tiny under-counter fridge.
Let's start with my fridge temperature epiphany. In less than an hour of putting the Shelfy in the fridge, it had already changed my habits, flagging that my fridge was too cold. The app fucntion of the purifier essentially turned my fridge into a smart fridge tracking the average temperature which should sit between 4 and 5 degrees. Immediately, I was sent a prompt notification to adjust the temperature.
Up until that point, I'd been keeping my fridge at a chilly 0 to 2 degrees. While this isn't wrong exactly, according to the FSA anywhere between 0 to 5 degrees is safe for a fridge, Shelfy has worked out the average range to minimise the cost to run a fridge whilst preserving food. I shudder to think of the energy I've been wasting all these years.
However, I wouldn't suggest that you shelled out over £100 on a glorified thermometer, the Shelfy can do so much more. Its main purpose is to purify the air inside the fridge and make my fresh products last longer. I'm happy to report that I've had it in my fridge for about two weeks now and my kale, apples and plums have all outlasted their usual shelf life.
However, the biggest difference I've noticed in my fridge is the smell. There is none! Nothing, not even a whiff of cheese. It took me a while to realise I was no longer holding my breath every time I opened the fridge. It is the most effective odour neutraliser I've ever used, with the bonus that the filter never needs replacing, just cleaning now and again.
The Shelfy is battery-powered and will need recharging every month which it flags on the app along with when you'll need to clean the filter. I only have the one Shelfy in my tiny fridge set to eco to optimise the battery life, however, if you have a particularly pongy fridge, or want to keep your salad drawer extra crispy you can opt for the Crisper or Performance setting.
Should you buy the Shelfy?
When I first clocked the Shelfy I did think it was an unnecessary indulgence to have an air purifier in a fridge. However, I'm a complete convert. Yes, there is the upfront cost, but it's already helping me to save on energy bills and food bills, so I have a feeling I'll be making that money back pretty fast.
