PURPOSE: To provide a thawing chamber which can thaw in a short time without thawing irregularity in a refrigerator by waiting energization of a defrost heater until thawing is finished even if a defrost timer integrates to complete the operation of a compressor for a predetermined time during thawing, further stopping energization of a heater, forcible opening of a damper thermo and continuous operation control of a blower during thawing at the time of non-thawing, and maintaining the thawing chamber at a third temperature zone between the cold storage temperature and a refrigerating temperature.

CONSTITUTION: A thawing chamber 15 at the time of non-thawing is controlled by judging whether the temperature of the chamber 15 is higher than a set temperature, i.e., a partially freezing temperature of about -3°C or not if a thawing switch 53 is OFF, outputting a HIGH signal to damper thermo driving means from thawing chamber temperature detecting means 31 if it is high, releasing a damper thermo 20, outputting a LOW signal to the damper thermo driving means if it is low and closing the themo 20. Thus, even at the time of non-thawing, the chamber 15 is temperature-regulated to be maintained in a third temperature zone between a refrigerating temperature adapted for preserving perishable foods and cold storage temperature, i.e., a partially freezing temperature zone of about -3°C. Even if the period of defrosting of a cooler 17 is superposed during thawing, the energization of a defrost heater is waited, and thawing is preferentially conducted. Thus, stable thawing can be always obtained.