diff --git a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp
index 114000401f..af4f652d8b 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "ethernet_component.h"
 #include "esphome/core/application.h"
+#include "esphome/core/helpers.h"
 #include "esphome/core/log.h"
 #include "esphome/core/util.h"
 
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@ namespace ethernet {
 
 static const char *const TAG = "ethernet";
 
+// PHY register size for hex logging
+static constexpr size_t PHY_REG_SIZE = 2;
+
 EthernetComponent *global_eth_component;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)
 
 void EthernetComponent::log_error_and_mark_failed_(esp_err_t err, const char *message) {
@@ -773,7 +777,10 @@ void EthernetComponent::ksz8081_set_clock_reference_(esp_eth_mac_t *mac) {
   uint32_t phy_control_2;
   err = mac->read_phy_reg(mac, this->phy_addr_, KSZ80XX_PC2R_REG_ADDR, &(phy_control_2));
   ESPHL_ERROR_CHECK(err, "Read PHY Control 2 failed");
-  ESP_LOGVV(TAG, "KSZ8081 PHY Control 2: %s", format_hex_pretty((u_int8_t *) &phy_control_2, 2).c_str());
+#if ESPHOME_LOG_LEVEL >= ESPHOME_LOG_LEVEL_VERY_VERBOSE
+  char hex_buf[format_hex_pretty_size(PHY_REG_SIZE)];
+#endif
+  ESP_LOGVV(TAG, "KSZ8081 PHY Control 2: %s", format_hex_pretty_to(hex_buf, (uint8_t *) &phy_control_2, PHY_REG_SIZE));
 
   /*
    * Bit 7 is `RMII Reference Clock Select`. Default is `0`.
@@ -790,7 +797,8 @@ void EthernetComponent::ksz8081_set_clock_reference_(esp_eth_mac_t *mac) {
     ESPHL_ERROR_CHECK(err, "Write PHY Control 2 failed");
     err = mac->read_phy_reg(mac, this->phy_addr_, KSZ80XX_PC2R_REG_ADDR, &(phy_control_2));
     ESPHL_ERROR_CHECK(err, "Read PHY Control 2 failed");
-    ESP_LOGVV(TAG, "KSZ8081 PHY Control 2: %s", format_hex_pretty((u_int8_t *) &phy_control_2, 2).c_str());
+    ESP_LOGVV(TAG, "KSZ8081 PHY Control 2: %s",
+              format_hex_pretty_to(hex_buf, (uint8_t *) &phy_control_2, PHY_REG_SIZE));
   }
 }
 #endif  // USE_ETHERNET_KSZ8081