Glass bowls and jars
This category of items should also be included on the falling hazard list. Glass bowls, casseroles or Mason jars are all heavy items. If placed on top of the fridge, they might shift and fall on you or someone else. Imagine the pain!
In addition, bowls and kitchenware have all sorts of crannies and nooks that might gather dust and grease. This, according to Edwards, can also become a fire hazard.
TV trays and platters
The fridge top seems like the perfect spot for large, flat, household items like TV trays. After all, where else can you put them, right? Wrong. Whatever you do, don’t store such items on the top of the fridge. They can be extremely unstable, especially if you stack them, risking them to fall behind the fridge or on your head. Not to mention that they can block ventilation.
Edwards advises against putting anything on top of the appliance, but if you really have no other option, you should at least use a heatproof rubber mat to prevent items from shifting and moving around.
Best storage space? The pantry or cupboard.
52 Responses
thanks for the info. I have made a quick change.
I have never seen a refrigerator with any vents on the top of the refrigerator. They are in the back.
Yes they are in the back. But the things you put in the top of the refrigerator obstruct the flow of air going from the back up and then out. The air then has another obstacle not considered by designer engineers for the air flow to find, if you put articles in the top of the refrigerator.
Yes, the vents are at the back, but without proper air circulation around all sides of the fridge, those vents can’t work properly, which leads to a buildup of heat – all that heat does two very undesirable things: 1, it heats up your kitchen even though you don’t want it to, and 2, it can start a fire if it gets too hot or if combustible materials are nearby. Refrigerators are already somewhat landlocked on at least one side by the kitchen counter, and if you have counters on both sides, it’s absolutely critical to keep the top of the fridge free of clutter because that’s the only outlet for all that heat.
You’re right, Tammy!!!
That’s very true. None of the refrigerators I’ve owned never had vents on the top. As you said they are in the back. Interesting. I’ll have to look more into this. I don’t have a lot of room in my kitchen so I put things on top of my refrigerator but nothing heavy.
Agreed
I was thinking the same way, but maybe some of the newest models have vents in the back closer to the top now, maybe with the air flow going up. Idk, just my thoughts.
Probably meant the top of the back. With that said, heat rises so there’s the problem with heat spoiling food.
It said “condensers placed on top.” This isn’t new info. I quit storing things on top of the fridge about forty years ago. Feel the top. Or feel the things that you have stored up there.
Agree. No vents are on top. Real answer is you shouldn’t store anything because it can fall!! (Misleading Article).
I’ve never seen a vent on any fridge…
But the Airflow comes up the back and over. So if something is on top, right against the wall, the air can’t come up through.
I think it’s just a warning for some people. The fridge does sneak under the cabinets anyway. You are correct airflow comes from underneath to the back vents. If anybody doubts that, simply move your fridge and you will find massive dust balls under and behind the fridge.
Agreed. Better to have proper clearance in the back between the fridge and wall.
Same with me. Never seen such a thing as vents on the top.
First off… there were supposedly 11 things to read about. Didnt see the rest of the story. Second off…most New home builds have no space above the fridge. There are cabinets. I’m 72 and and have always had decorations or something on the fridge. As did my parents. Nothing happened to the fridges. We pull them out 1-2 times a year to dust the coils.
Yeah every refrigerator I’ve ever had I don’t see any vents up there. Some of these items I’m like who the hell would store there’s things on top of the fridge unless they’re like over 6 ft tall but still fruit?
Heat from the refrigerant coils (usually covered, in the back) is vented and rises above the refrigerator and escapes along the top and sides of the unit. The refrigerator runs more efficiently when the side and top access is not blocked to allow the heat to escape.
That’s what I know too !!!
I agree…nothing appears to be happening on top of the fridge…behind and underneath, yes…
I’ve never seen vents on top. In the back and underneath. I clean mine on a regular basis.
Good advice! We have been keeping reusable paper bags there! Guess it’s a bad idea!
All my fridges and freezers have had back vents. I’ve never even seen a fridge or freezer vents on the top
We are guilty of putting bread and cereal on the top of our refrigerator. And yes, bread will get moldy there, whether or not you have vents on top. Ours are in the back. Our bread is now in bread boxes and we will move the cereal. Thanks for the information!
Who puts cookbooks in the fridge, or small appliances? Stupid!
Pretty much all this is common sense.
It would be good to list all items separately- that don’t go on top of the refrigerator.
My refrigerator has no vents on the top either. They are in the back as well. In fact, I have never owned a refrigerator that had vents on top.
Okay helpful suggestions albeit obvious…but why must we scroll another page of ads to get to the next one! I guess I should be asking myself that…why did I do it? I want the last 10 minutes of my life back….I quite out of boredom after number 7.
I keep my jar of Peanut butter up there…..makes it softer for spreading.
Thanks for the info. Most of the information sensible. However one caveat is I have yet to find a fridge with top vents.
I agree. I see no vents on top. However, I do wonder if
storage on top compromises vent in back since we have cupboards above the frig. So, deserves a closer look.
Thanks,
I have some cook books on mine!
I plan to remove them…
I have a large cabinet over the fridge up to the end off the refrigerator from ikea kitchen love it.
They show a picture of a Frig. from the 50’s. In most houses today (in the USA) there are cabinets above the Frig. and if you try to put something on the top of the Frig that is available, you cannot open the cabinet doors. Plus most of the items listed is common sense, nothing new.
This is good information. I do keep glass items on top of my refrigerator. Christmas platters mainly .
I have and older fridge with cooling pieces on the back that I keep about a foot away from the wall and vacuum them at least once a month and underneath too. My fridge was purchased in 2002 still works 100% even the ice maker
I have had a fridge for 60 years and have never seem a vent on the top. How about the cabinet above? Mine always vented on the back.
Most modern refrigerators have the condenser on the bottom, those with top condensers are almost always built in. But many of those things shouldn’t be up there anyway. Also be sure to clean your condenser on a regular basis. Try reading the owners manual first.
I store bread in the freezer. I do have my large crock pot and a ceramic casserole dish on top. As mentioned above by Tammy, there are no vents on top–only in the back so all is well.
What are the 11 items?
I have a Maytag, French doors, bottom freezer with top vent. Not blocking it is “Common Sense”.
As mentioned from a reader. There are no vents on top. So how does putting stuff on top effect it?
omg GOOD TO KNOW. Thank you
Most refrigerators are Tucked in with cabinets above and all around, thereby Restricting all the Air flow So I don’t see where that is a problem.
Hogwash, if you are concerned with placing things on the top of your fridge…go to the manufacturers website and look at the parts diagrams for the location of its condensing coils. Typically they are within the sidewals and/or back wall. As for a fire hazard, these same coils were exposed in year gone by, and never generated enough heat for a fire hazard. Fear mongering and misinformation is not a good thing. I could see certain items on the fridge aiding in heat dissapation.
Still waiting to see the 11 things not to store on top of your refrigerator. ???????????
There has never been vents on top of my refrigerator. 🤷♀️
I am guilty of putting stuff on the top Shelf.
What where is list of 11 items?
Bs they don’t ever. Have top vents and coils are on the bottom vacuum that makes more sense