Sticking magnets on the refrigerator door is a practice that transcends generations and boundaries. Whether it’s the letters of the alphabet or a souvenir bought while on vacation a few years ago, this is something that is commonly found in many homes. However, in recent years we have seen warnings appear explaining the reasons why you should remove this type of food from the refrigerator. But are the consequences as serious as some say?
While both blogs and videos on YouTube and TikTok claim that such practices can be harmful either due to increased consumption or due to electromagnetic fields, the results provided by the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) revealed a completely opposite reality. According to their research, magnets don’t affect your fridge at all..
No, fridge magnets won’t make it use more energy.
That electric currents and magnetic fields have the ability to interact with each other is an undeniable reality. However, how dramatic is the connection between the magnet and your refrigerator? The truth is not enough according to research.
According to the OCU, the magnetic field created by the magnets is too small to affect the electrical flow of your refrigerator.. For this reason, having five or none of these on your refrigerator door will not change its energy consumption at all, so you can rest easy the next time your energy bill comes up.
Besides, Fridge magnets don’t affect the condition of your food either.. The magnetic field is so weak that it cannot pass through the door, so it will never reach the food inside.
The only reason to keep an eye on fridge magnets
While magnets have been proven to have no effect on your refrigerator’s power consumption, there is reason to keep an eye on them. According to the OCU, magnetic elements may adversely affect those refrigerators that have a touch screen at the door.
As it was with old TVs and monitors, A magnet can distort the image on your refrigerator’s touch screen.. Of course, since they are less powerful decorative items, it is difficult to permanently affect them, so it is enough to move them a sufficient distance to avoid problems.
What is really important when measuring consumption?

While magnets aren’t much of a force when measuring your refrigerator’s consumption, there’s something that does matter: its energy rating.
energy classes They are measured from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient).. This means that if your refrigerator is closer to the first letter, its consumption will be much less than if it was located near the second. In addition to affecting how much you pay for electricity, it also affects your carbon footprint.
In addition to the class there are some practices that also affect electricity consumption your refrigerator, much more than magnets. Among them are the following:
- Keep your refrigerator close to hot spots. If your refrigerator is located very close to a stove, oven, radiators, or any other heat source, this will raise the temperature of the appliance, so the compressor will have to work extra to compensate.
- close the door tightly. Newer refrigerators make a sound if you leave the door open for too long, and that’s good for you. If the refrigerator door is left open for too long, hot air will be sucked in, so the compressor will have to work harder to cool it down again.
- very low temperatures. The ideal way to keep food in good condition is to set the thermostat in your refrigerator to between 4°C and 6°C. A lower value can cause frost to form on the inside walls, as well as much higher fuel consumption.
Source: Hiper Textual
