You know what my Hotpoint refrigerator did?
It turned my favorite Philly Steak & Cheese Hot Pocket into soggy mush.
Worst. Day. Ever.
The reason?
My Hotpoint fridge wasn’t getting cold!
So I gave it a hard reset. And it didn’t even take 30 seconds.
Want to learn how?
Read on to find out:
- The Wally West method to reset your fridge in a flash.
- How to reset your Hotpoint’s fridge compressor safely.
- Whether you can reset your Hotpoint refrigerator with a reset button.
- If you should reset a Hotpoint refrigerator once a month or once a year.
- The 15-minute rule mistake most homeowners make when resetting their fridge.
- 2 tools you can easily find at home to test if your thermostat is working accurately.
- When to call a professional technician/manufacturer to assess your fridge’s condition.
- And a lot more…
How to reset a Hotpoint refrigerator?
You can reset your Hotpoint refrigerator by turning off your fridge/freezer control knobs first. Then, by unplugging your Hotpoint fridge from the wall socket.
5 steps to reset a Hotpoint refrigerator
#1: Turn the control knobs off
Time spent: 3 to 5 seconds
It only takes 5 steps to reset a Hotpoint refrigerator. We call it the Wally West method because doing a hard reset can be done in a flash!
Turn all your control knobs to “0” or to the lowest setting possible. Some Hotpoint models have control knobs located inside the freezer or fridge.
Other Hotpoint fridge models have control knobs just above the freezer door.
Fast Fact: Some Hotpoint models are sly little devils. You have to open your freezer door to access the control knob.
#2: Unplug your Hotpoint fridge
Time spent: 2 seconds
Easy as pie.
Unplug the cord of your Hotpoint fridge from the dedicated wall socket.
And hey, be gentle.
#3: Make sure the power indicator light isn’t blinking
Time spent: 5 seconds
For safety reasons, make sure your power indicator light isn’t blinking. Your power indicator light is right above or next to your control knob.
If your power indicator light is off, it means you were able to shut down your Hotpoint fridge.
#4: Plug your Hotpoint fridge (don’t forget the 15-minute rule!)
Time spent: 5 seconds
Pshhh. Plugging is easy.
Sure, go ahead and plug it back in…if you want to destroy your compressor.
So wait, I shouldn’t plug it back in? But my Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey will melt!
Relax, friend.
Before you plug your Hotpoint fridge, wait at least 15 minutes. Trust me. 15 minutes isn’t going to turn your Chunky Monkey into slush.
What’s the point of waiting 15 minutes?
First off, those 15 minutes is going to save your fridge’s life. Second, unplugging and plugging a fridge immediately damages the compressor.
A damaged compressor leads to a thermal overload. And a thermal overload means damaging your fridge.
You might also like: 15 Best Ways to Maintain Your Refrigerator (Checklist)
Goodbye, Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey. Goodbye, Hot Pockets.
Goodbye, blueberry-cheesecake-I-was-saving-for-my-Inventing-Anna-weekend-binge.
Nobody wants their precious treats harmed, right? So, again, 15-minute rule. Don’t forget.
You should hear a low humming sound after you’ve plugged your Hotpoint fridge back in.
Don’t be alarmed.
It just means your compressor is doing its work. Yes – all your precious treats are cooling it off. Get it?
Finally, make sure to set your control knobs back to your desired temperature.
#5: Test your thermostat (optional)
Consider this as a bonus step to ensure your Hotpoint fridge is working properly.
You only need 2 tools for this step:
- A thermometer.
- Glass of water.
Testing your thermostat is the best way to make sure your fridge is in tip-top shape. Think of this as an extra precautionary step after you’ve done a hard reset.
Here’s how it’s done:
- Place the thermometer in the glass of water.
- Leave your glass of water inside your fridge for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, get a reading of your thermometer.
- If the temperature reading is similar to the thermostat temperature, you’re in the clear.
Now, what if your thermostat temperature isn’t measured in Fahrenheit or Celsius?
Simple.
Just make sure the thermometer temperature is cold enough to ensure your food is kept cool.
Your fridge’s temperature should be at least 40°F (4°C) or below. As for your freezer, it obviously has to be at 0°F(-18°C).
So, if your thermometer reads 40°F (4°C) or close to this reading, then you’re all set!
How to reset your Hotpoint fridge’s compressor
To reset your Hotpoint fridge’s compressor, follow the same steps you did when you reset your fridge:
- Turn off your Hotpoint fridge/freezer control knobs. Set it to “0” or the lowest possible setting.
- Unlpug your Hotpoint fridge.
- Make sure the power indicator light is turned off or not blinking.
- Plug your Hotpoint fridge back in (Wait 15 minutes before plugging it back in).
- Set your control knobs to your desired temperature.
Resetting your fridge also resets your compressor. However, there is one difference between resetting your compressor and resetting your fridge.
After resetting your compressor, wait at least 1 day for your fridge to stabilize.
Simply put, your compressor needs to recharge and adjust to the temperature you set it at.
Frequently asked questions:
Is there a reset button on a Hotpoint refrigerator?
A Hotpoint refrigerator doesn’t have a reset button.
Some refrigerator brands like Kenmore and Whirlpool have reset buttons. That doesn’t make these brands necessarily better.
It simply adds an extra soft reset function.
However, not having soft reset functions isn’t a bad thing. Just because your refrigerator only allows a hard reset, that’s totally fine.
As long as you don’t treat your Hotpoint refrigerator like a punching bag, you won’t encounter any issues.
When should you reset a Hotpoint refrigerator?
You should only reset your Hotpoint refrigerator as needed. That means you don’t need to reset it at all if your Hotpoint fridge is working fine.
Performing a hard reset once a month is more likely to damage your fridge long-term. If you want to take extra steps, grab your Hotpoint user manual to see what’s specified there.
Let me guess, though.
You either threw away your manual or…you lost it.
Fortunately, there is a way to get it back! All you need is the first 3 digits of your Hotpoint model number.
Then, you can download your manual by inputting your model number on Hotpoint’s site.
Okay so…there’s another problem.
Where do you find your model number? It’s usually located beside your salad compartment inside your fridge.
You have to remove the compartment to get a clear look at your model number. If it’s not there, try removing the other compartments.
It’s usually located in your fridge’s walls or in some cases, inside your freezer.
When should you defrost a Hotpoint fridge/freezer?
You should defrost your Hotpoint fridge at least once a year or if you notice a lot of ice build-up.
Okay, okay. I admit.
Resetting your Hotpoint fridge does happen once a year. But only because you have to unplug your fridge to defrost it.
Technically, once you unplug your Hotpoint fridge, that counts as a hard reset.
But why is it important to defrost your fridge once a year?
Significant ice build-up causes freezer burn. The result? the quality of your food stored in your fridge suffers.
Thankfully, defrosting a Hotpoint fridge is easy. Hotpoint even has a complete tutorial video on how it’s done:
When should you call a professional?
You should call a professional when your Hotpoint refrigerator starts making weird noises. Or if your fridge isn’t keeping your food cold.
Why call a professional? Well, what happens when after performing a hard reset, your fridge still isn’t cold enough?
Or worse – there’s a funky smell that’s obviously not from the leftover burrito you left in your fridge.
Sometimes, it’s because you didn’t take care of your fridge in the first place. Like, for example, leaving your fridge door open for too long.
Before calling a professional, it’s worth going over a list of refrigerator do’s and dont’s.
Now, are you a real class-A homeowner who treats their fridge like their firstborn child? Because if you take extra care of your fridge, it’s unlikely you’ll have problems early on.
In that case, an internal fridge component could be the issue. Or you were dealt a refrigerator with a defective product.
But how would you know it’s an internal component issue? Here are a few common signs it’s time to call a professional:
- Rancid or chemical-like odors.
- Your fridge isn’t keeping your food cold.
- Puddles start forming below or around your fridge.
- You hear knocking, rattling, or high-pitched noises.
- There’s too much freezer burn and it spread to your fridge’s walls and door.
Pro tip: If you notice a rattling noise, it might be your compressor that’s the problem.