Evaporator Coil
The heat-exchange coil where refrigerant absorbs heat from the cooled space.
Definition
The evaporator coil is the cold heat exchanger inside a refrigerator, freezer, or air conditioner where low-pressure refrigerant absorbs heat from the surrounding air, evaporating from liquid to vapor in the process. In a refrigerator, the evaporator sits behind the back panel of the freezer compartment. In a central air conditioner, the evaporator is mounted in the air handler or above the furnace. Frost on the evaporator is normal and is removed during the defrost cycle; persistent ice buildup indicates a defrost system failure.
Where this term appears
Evaporator Coil comes up in product spec sheets, service reports, and troubleshooting documentation across most major appliance brands. If you encountered it in a manual or a service description and want context for how it fits into the larger picture, the related articles in the sidebar drill into the practical details. The glossary as a whole is intended as a quick lookup reference; for a deep dive on any specific topic, jump to the related buying guide or troubleshooting article.