Refrigerator / freezer alarm recommendations

Henry Tubbs - July 28, 2022

Gear

I want to get a fridge/freezer alarm for the two units I have and to get some kind of warning if the power were to be out and temperatures were heating up. That way I could have a little notice to do something about it like hook it up to a generator or pack it in ice to save the food I have in there.

While browsing through Amazon for such a product, I quickly noticed that many have all these fangled settings, displays, functions, and phone apps. I want a simple alarm to go off if the temperature rises above a certain amount, not some 12″X12″ display on my wall that tells the weather and a daily joke.

This one was promising and simple but but reading the reviews it says that the alarm is not very loud and only chirps for a few seconds before turning off. This is a deal breaker for me because I want a constant loud alarm to get my attention as soon as I come home from work and not risk missing it.

Does anyone have an alarm that they recommend?

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We have four of these little units going and have been using them for years.  Two freezers and a fridge are in the pump house and are loud enough to hear when walking by.  The visual display was critical in a 7 day power outage last year.  It chimes intermittently, doesn’t seem to turn off until the temp goes low enough again. fridge alarm

 

I’m glad that I asked and found someone who has tried the one I was wanting to buy. So that is good that it chimes intermittently and not just once and then stops. 

One more question that I have for you, in some of the reviews it says that the cable is too thick and causes leaking when placed in the closed door and it is shut which allows moisture to get in and causes frost and ice buildup. Have you noticed any issues with that?

 

We have the odd seal leak anyway (came from the factory that way).  I don’t believe the alarm cords contribute to that.    Our newer freezer has one of these and it does not cause a problem.

 

I’ve had a variety of small temp alarms (I stock insulin) but have never been happy with the alarms. There have long been autodialers that call a number when a given limit is crossed but they are very expensive.

There are some new WiFi enable versions I’m looking at that send a notification to your phone over wifi via text or email. This seems to have a web portal

 

If you are looking for recommendations for a refrigerator/freezer alarm, here are a few options to consider:

AcuRite 00986M Refrigerator/Freezer Wireless Digital Thermometer: This wireless thermometer includes a display unit that can be placed outside of the refrigerator/freezer and a temperature sensor that can be placed inside. It alerts you if the temperature inside the unit goes above or below your preset range.
La Crosse Technology 302-604R Indoor/Outdoor Digital Thermometer: This thermometer includes a wired temperature sensor that can be placed inside the refrigerator/freezer and a display unit that can be placed outside. It alerts you if the temperature inside the unit goes above or below your preset range.
SensorPush Wireless Thermometer/Hygrometer: This wireless thermometer and hygrometer can be placed inside the refrigerator/freezer and connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. It alerts you if the temperature or humidity inside the unit goes above or below your preset range.
Refrigerator and Freezer Thermometer with Alarm by Home Acoustics: This thermometer includes a display unit that can be placed outside of the refrigerator/freezer and a temperature sensor that can be placed inside. It alerts you if the temperature inside the unit goes above or below your preset range and also includes an audible alarm.
Taylor Precision Products Digital Refrigerator/Freezer Thermometer: This thermometer includes a display unit that can be placed outside of the refrigerator/freezer and a temperature sensor that can be placed inside. It alerts you if the temperature inside the unit goes above or below your preset range and also includes an audible alarm. So now, I also want to know if this facility is also available for the camping refrigerator as well.

 

I have had great luck with products from SensorPush.  They are temp/humidity sensors and you can hook up a “gateway” so they can talk to the internet (hence, I can check them on my phone).  You can set alarms, and your phone will ping if things get out of range (high or low, etc).  They make a few versions of them, and you probably only need the Ht1 (the basic one, which is cheaper than the others).  I have one in my freezer, and one in my fridge (and one in my attic, and one in the garage, etc etc).  

They are nice because you can track temp over time.  So they will answer the question of “how long do I REALLY have when the power goes out till things get warm in the freezer” or “how much does opening the door actually matter” or whatever.

 

Do they work when the power/internet is down?  

 

Yes. They will connect to your phone directly via Bluetooth so no need for power. Also, they record temp no matter what (as long as there is battery, of course) so if the power goes out for a day, you always get that history regardless. The part that wouldn’t work is the gateway, of course. So you obviously couldn’t read the fridge temp from across town on the internet if the power was off. 

 

Thanks.  I’ve been considering a Govee since I have their room sensors and therefore their app already which shows the history.  Their bluetooth only version is much cheaper but can add a gateway if I later decide to do that. I also like that their batteries are standard AAAs (which makes them a bit larger, though).   

 

I just ordered the Govee bluetooth ones and will let you know how well they work for me.  There was a $5 coupon so they ended up as $35 for 3.  Sweet!

 

Results of my experience with the Govee Micro.  They weren’t as large as I expected because they use only a single AAA battery.  Other versions with the wifi connection use 3 AAAs. 

• All three connected to the app easily – the instructions said what model number to search for.  They have the ability to set both an upper and lower alarm.  And it does trip the alarm and continue to alert especially if you don’t get any further signal to your phone when the temp returns to the acceptible zone.
• Of the two I placed in the top and bottom of a commercial freezer, one stopped working nearly immediately, the other is still going.  This freezer is stainless steel inside and out – so basically a faraday cage.  I can get the bluetooth from outside if I put my phone on the door or when the door is open so no timely alerts on my phone.   It does store the data for a few days so still get the temperature history once I connect.
• The one I placed in the freezer of my residential frig/freezer unit in my kitchen got better signal.  It would connect from several feet away.  
• By chance, we had a 6 hour power outage the day after I installed these.  I got to see that the commercial freezer didn’t hold temperature as well as the residential one even though it was cooler in the garage (by about 5 degrees) and neither were opened.  It raised to 27F while the kitchen freezer only raised to 10F over the 6hr period. Both started around 0F.

 

I understand you want an alarm system for your fridge/freezer units. Some great options are available that will sound an alarm if the temperature rises above a certain amount. These systems usually feature a remote sensor so you can monitor multiple units from one place and many come with simple control interfaces and adjustable settings.