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Freezer Overview and Purchasing Tips
Home » Appliances » Freezers » Freezer Overview and Purchasing TipsMost homes contain a refrigerator that includes a small freezer, but many families also choose to purchase a large additional freezer for long-term food storage. If your family is considering purchasing a standalone freezer, here are some things you’ll want to consider:
First of all, you’ll need to choose between the two styles of freezers—chest freezers and upright freezers. In most cases, chest freezers seem the wiser choice; they are $50-$70 cheaper than uprights, they consume less energy, and they do a better job than uprights protecting your food during a power outage. Chest freezers also give you more space for your money, though it’s not organized space; as the name suggests, it is basically a large empty chest. A manual-defrost model (which most chest freezers are) might cost anywhere from $100 to $700, while a self-defrosting model ranges from $300 to $800.
On the other hand, upright freezers don’t offer as much free space, but they contain shelves and racks that make stored food more easily accessible than it would be in a chest freezer. Manual-defrost uprights cost $170 to $800, and self-defrosting models run from $300 to $800. If you want a self-defrosting freezer, remember that you’ll have a wider selection among uprights than you will among chest freezers.
Manual-defrost models are quieter and more energy efficient than are self-defrosting freezers, but self-defrosting freezers are easier to maintain. If you purchase a manual-defrost freezer, you will have to periodically defrost it, which means taking out all the food and turning off the freezer until the ice melts. If you don’t mind doing that work, though, manual-defrost models are the better choice.
Whichever model you choose, there is not much in the way of features to consider, as freezers are a pretty basic concept. You should look for easily accessible temperature control dials, however, and consider freezers with power-on lights. A power-on light lets you know that the freezer is receiving power (and thus remaining cool) without your needing to open the freezer door to check.
After choosing the style of freezer you want and whether you want a manual-defrost or self-defrost model, the only major decision left is a decision of size. Freezers are measured in terms of cubic feet: a compact freezer offers five cubic feet, a small freezer provides six to nine, a medium gives you twelve to eighteen, and a large freezer contains more than eighteen cubic feet. It saves you energy to have a full freezer, so avoid getting much more space than you will actually use. A cubic foot can hold up to thirty pounds of meat, so consider how much food you will normally store in your freezer and pick a size accordingly.
Consumer Reports (CR) reports that some models they tested actually did a poor job of keeping foods frozen, so it is a good idea to do a little research. CR named a Whirlpool chest model and a Maytag upright model as the top choices if you need plenty of storage, and both of those models were under $375. If you don’t need much storage, CR suggests a $175 Holiday freezer, while if you are looking for a self-defrosting model, CR recommends a Frigidaire model that costs $500.
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