If your current freezer compartment is no longer enough for your meals and bulk shopping, it may be worth considering a separate appliance. An upright freezer makes it easier to organise portions, while a chest freezer offers open space for bulky containers; an under-counter model is better suited to topping up your existing storage. If you also need to replace your fridge, compare the freezer capacity of a fridge-freezer rather than its total capacity before adding a second appliance.
If you prepare several meals in advance, think about how you’ll find your containers and ingredients. The compartments in an upright freezer can make it easier to organise everything, as long as they’re the right size for your containers.
A chest freezer provides open space for bags and containers of different shapes and sizes. However, check how much floor space it needs, how easy it is to reach food at the bottom, and the temperature of the room where it will be installed.
A top-mounted or under-counter freezer can provide extra space for portions without taking up the full height of a large upright model. Before choosing one for bulk shopping, compare its freezer capacity with your actual needs.
First decide whether you need extra freezer space or whether replacing your fridge could be enough. Then compare each format with your containers and the space available.
Consider it: if you regularly need to find portions and ingredients stored in separate compartments.
Bear in mind: you’ll need enough clearance to open the door and access the drawers.
Consider it: for batches and containers of different shapes and sizes, if you have a room with enough floor space.
Bear in mind: you may need to rearrange the contents to reach food at the bottom.
Consider it: as extra storage when there’s no room for a larger appliance.
Bear in mind: check the capacity carefully if you often freeze large batches.
Consider it: if you also need to replace your fridge and would prefer to keep just one appliance.
Bear in mind: the total capacity includes the fridge section, so check the capacity of the freezer compartment alone.
| Factor | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and storage | Compare the usable freezer capacity, then check the size of the drawers or open storage space against your containers. If you freeze lots of fresh food at once, also check the freezing capacity in kg/24 h. | I want to store more meals without having to move everything around to find a portion. |
| Installation | Measure the space, access route and clearance needed to open the appliance. Check that the model’s ambient temperature range covers the temperature of the room; according to Bosch, climate class SN-T covers 10 to 43 °C, but that doesn’t mean it’s suitable for a colder room. | I may put the appliance in a cellar or utility room, so it needs to work at the temperatures that room actually reaches. |
| Energy use and noise | For the relevant household appliances in the European Union, the European Commission says the label in use since 1 March 2021 shows an A to G rating, annual energy consumption, capacity and noise. Compare these details across appliances suited to the same purpose. | Extra storage will be running all year round. I want to compare its energy use without losing sight of how much capacity I need. |
| Power cuts and food storage | Check the stated storage time in the event of a power cut and whether the model you’re considering has an alarm. For household food storage, the Ministry of Agriculture recommends setting the temperature to -18 °C. | If I’m storing several weeks’ worth of meals, I want to know the model’s stated storage time and be able to monitor its temperature. |
An unheated cellar or garage may fall outside the ambient temperature range the appliance is designed for. A climate class doesn’t automatically mean it can be installed in a cold room.
Record the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures throughout the year, then compare them with the range stated for the exact model.
A chest freezer offers open storage, but food at the bottom may be harder to reach. An upright freezer organises the contents into compartments, which need to be the right size for your containers.
Measure your usual containers, the available space and the clearance needed to access the appliance.
The European Commission says that, since 1 March 2021, the labels on relevant domestic refrigeration appliances have used an A to G scale. So an old rating letter on its own isn’t enough to compare two models.
Look at the current rating, annual kWh consumption, freezer capacity and noise level together on the label.
Anses explains that household freezing at -18 °C stops microorganisms from multiplying, but most survive. A larger capacity doesn’t remove the need to handle food properly.
Maintain the cold chain and monitor the appliance’s temperature; the Ministry of Agriculture recommends setting it to -18 °C.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a large upright freezer, provided its specifications suit the space available.
Worth considering if the ambient temperature is an important factor because you’re installing the appliance in a utility room or other outbuilding.
The brand offers chest and table-top formats to consider depending on the space available and where the appliance will be installed.
These options include separate freezers in chest and upright formats, as well as two fridge-freezers to consider if you’re also replacing your fridge. Compare the capacity available for frozen food rather than treating all the stated capacities as equivalent.
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Worth considering if you also need to replace your fridge. The 360 L is the total capacity of this E-rated No Frost fridge-freezer; check the space available for frozen food separately, along with the ambient temperature range suitable for your room.
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This 70/30 fridge-freezer, measuring 54 cm wide, is worth considering if you need one appliance to handle both chilling and freezing. The 262 L refers to the total capacity, so check the freezer compartment capacity before relying on it for batch-cooked meals.
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This 291 L chest freezer has open storage space and a removable basket to help organise food. It can switch between freezer and fridge modes. Confirm which mode you need, allow enough room to open the lid, and check the ambient temperature range if you plan to install it in an outbuilding.
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Its three drawers let you keep small stocks of portions separate in an upright format. With a capacity of 60 L, consider how it compares with the amount of food you plan to store regularly; the door is reversible.
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This 161 L model has drawers and storage compartments to keep frozen food separate. It features No Frost and has a C energy rating; check its dimensions and the annual energy consumption shown on its label before planning where to install it.
Choose a model with an operating range that covers the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures. Bosch lists SN as 10 to 32 °C and SN-T as 10 to 43 °C, for example. If your cellar drops below 10 °C, you’ll need model-specific guidance rather than relying on the SN-T rating alone.
It may be enough if its freezer compartment has the capacity you need and you also need to replace your fridge. Compare the freezer compartment separately: the total capacity of a fridge-freezer includes the fridge section too.
The Ministry of Agriculture recommends setting it to -18 °C. Anses explains that this temperature stops bacteria multiplying during household freezing, but most microorganisms survive, so you still need to maintain the cold chain.
For appliances that meet the same need, compare the A to G rating, annual energy consumption in kWh, freezer capacity and noise level. The European Commission says this information has appeared on the labels of relevant domestic refrigeration appliances since 1 March 2021.
In France, ADEME says you can hand your old appliance to the retailer or delivery driver when it’s replaced, or take it to a recycling centre and leave it in the area for electrical and electronic equipment.