To provide a refrigerator in which a refrigeration compartment and a freezing compartment can be cooled alternately by controlling the cooling capacity such that an undue load is not applied to a refrigeration cycle at the time of turn on power.

A compressor 15, a condenser 21 and a changeover valve 22 are coupled sequentially. An R evaporator 10 and an F evaporator 12 are coupled in parallel with the changeover valve 22 through throttle mechanisms 23 and 24, respectively. The evaporators 10 and 12 are provided, respectively, with a refrigeration compartment cooling fan 11 and a freezing compartment cooling fan 13 for circulating chill through the compartment. A refrigeration mode for cooling the refrigeration compartment and a freezing mode for cooling the freezing compartment are performed alternately by switching refrigerant channels alternately by means of the changeover valve 22. Freezing mode is performed upon turn on power and switching is made alternately between freezing mode and refrigeration mode every time when the temperature of the freezing compartment and the refrigeration compartment drops by a specified level. In this regard, control operation is performed from uncooled state where the temperature of the refrigeration compartment is ended at a level higher than the temperature of the freezing compartment.