A refrigerator having a compressor and a control unit for selectively activating and deactivating the compressor in response to the temperature inside the refrigerator. The selective activation and deactivation of the compressor being carried out at predetermined cut-on and cut-off temperatures. The control unit being adapted to detect how the actual temperature inside the refrigerator increases above the cut-on value due to a special event, and to adjust the cut-off temperature of the refrigerator accordingly, in order to keep the temperature of stored food substantially constant.