# Why is there a light in the refrigerator but not in the freezer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764 "2008-04-24T23:53:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/1 "2008-04-24T23:53:25Z")
šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/2 "2008-04-24T23:59:16Z")
Correction: not in _your_ freezer. Mine has one. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/3 "2008-04-25T00:00:54Z")
Yup, false premise. My freezer has one too. We bought the fridge in 1993. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/4 "2008-04-25T00:07:13Z")
[QUOTE=Scarlett67] Yup, false premise. My freezer has one too. We bought the fridge in 1993. [/QUOTE] The premise isnā€™t false, itā€™s faulty. The OP just didnā€™t specify _what_ refridgerator. My 15 yr/old Hotpoint doesnā€™t have a light in the freezer, but it does in the fridge. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/5 "2008-04-25T00:07:36Z")
Okay, okay. But all my life, growing up there was light in the fridge but not the freezer. I wanna know too now. Note: Our new fridge does have a light in the freezer, but the freezer runs down the entire left side of the whole gizmo taking up a third of the whole unit. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/6 "2008-04-25T00:15:42Z")
Until I opened this thread, I was happy because, even though my freezer has no light in it, nobody elseā€™s does either - or so I thought. But now I am bitter and envious instead :mad: ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/7 "2008-04-25T00:17:17Z")
Side by sides typically are lit in both compartments. From what Iā€™ve observed, bottom compt freezers are lit, too. Other than that, some top freezers are lit, but most arenā€™t. ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/8 "2008-04-25T01:31:03Z")
[QUOTE=danceswithcats] Side by sides typically are lit in both compartments. From what Iā€™ve observed, bottom compt freezers are lit, too. Other than that, some top freezers are lit, but most arenā€™t. [/QUOTE] Really? I would have expected bottom compartment freezers to not be lit. The one we have pulls out like a drawer, exposing the contents to the light of the kitchen ā€“ no need for any other light. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/9 "2008-04-25T01:42:50Z")
Side by side freezer and fridge here, both lit. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/10 "2008-04-25T01:58:26Z")
Cheapness. A cheap fridge doesnā€™t have a freezer light. A good one does. Guess which kind I have. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/11 "2008-04-25T02:07:49Z")
Growing up, my grandparents had an ancient Fridge-adaire (sp?) with a light in the freezer. I think they bought it new in the 40-50s and it was still running in the late 90s. Other than that, Iā€™ve never had one. Taking a wild guess, could it be because the fridge is low and has nooks and crannies that are hidden by food items while the freezer is eye level and has no ā€œdark cornersā€? That, and cheapness. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/12 "2008-04-25T02:09:28Z")
Sorry people but even cheap ones sometimes have freezer lights. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/13 "2008-04-25T02:29:49Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] Sorry people but even cheap ones sometimes have freezer lights. [/QUOTE] All good refrigerators have freezer lights. Some refrigerators do not have freezer lights. Therefore, refrigerators which do not have freezer lights are cheap. QED. šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/14 "2008-04-25T02:59:12Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] All good refrigerators have freezer lights. Some refrigerators do not have freezer lights. Therefore, refrigerators which do not have freezer lights are cheap. QED. šŸ˜› [/QUOTE] Invalid. An expensive, but not good, refrigerator might not have a freezer light. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/15 "2008-04-25T03:13:49Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] Invalid. An expensive, but not good, refrigerator might not have a freezer light. [/QUOTE] Then it is not good. I run rings around you logically. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/16 "2008-04-25T03:17:17Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] Therefore, refrigerators which do not have freezer lights are cheap. [/QUOTE] My side by side, lights in both, twelve year old refrigerator came with a trailer. It must be cheap by definition. I burning your Frigidaire. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/17 "2008-04-25T04:26:19Z")
I always assumed it was because the temperature differential between the element and the ambient were more extreme in the freezer, hence likely to shatter. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Them](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Them](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Them)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/18 "2008-04-25T05:42:24Z")
A WAG Iā€™d _almost_ be willing to bet $1 on: until whenever, freezers frosted up like craaazy. When not crazy, they still frosted up. Ever put an ice cube on a light bulb (my inner-scientist-child did)? So, lights in feezers didnā€™t become part of standard manufacturing. Eventually, people started asking for them, and by then the technical problems were not an issue. Doublechecking, **lissener** already got it. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/19 "2008-04-25T16:40:26Z")
Non-serious answer: Because the stuff in the refrigerator might still be alive and moving, so you need a light to be able to catch it. The stuff in the freezer isnā€™t going anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764/20 "2008-04-25T19:50:28Z")
[QUOTE=Chimera] Non-serious answer: Because the stuff in the refrigerator might still be alive and moving, so you need a light to be able to catch it. The stuff in the freezer isnā€™t going anywhere. [/QUOTE] Oh yeah? Ask someone who knows about catfish. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-light-in-the-refrigerator-but-not-in-the-freezer/446764.md?page=2)