If you want to find prepared portions easily, choose an upright freezer with drawers. For storing larger quantities, consider a chest freezer if you have enough floor space. A large fridge freezer suits a different need: when you also need to replace your fridge. In every case, check the space set aside for frozen food, the route to the intended location and the stated storage time in the event of a power cut.
How your household uses its frozen food matters just as much as the stated capacity. Regularly taking out portions, buying in bulk and replacing your fridge all point to different choices.
If you often open the freezer to find a particular container or bag, an upright model’s drawers make it easier to organise and access everything. Check the drawer layout and make sure there’s enough room to open them.
If you shop in bulk or need to store bulky items, a chest freezer is worth considering. Que Choisir notes that this type can offer plenty of space, but you’ll need enough floor space and a way to organise food so you can reach items at the bottom.
A large fridge freezer combines both functions in one appliance. Before choosing one instead of a separate freezer, check the capacity of the freezer compartment, not just the total capacity.
Consider it: for portions and small packs that you want to identify and take out regularly.
Bear in mind: drawers make organising easier, but you’ll still need to check the usable capacity and the space needed to open the door.
Consider it: for a family stock-up, including bulk purchases or bulky food, if you have enough floor space.
Bear in mind: food stored at the bottom takes more organising and handling to reach.
Consider it: when you also need to replace your fridge and want to store fresh and frozen food together.
Bear in mind: its total capacity is shared between the two compartments, so it doesn’t represent the space available for frozen food alone.
Start by working out what you actually need to freeze, then consider how easy each type makes it to access food and whether it will fit in the intended space.
| What to consider | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and access | Compare the usable capacity for frozen food, the layout of drawers or baskets and how easily you can take food out. With a fridge freezer, distinguish the freezer capacity from the total capacity. | I often take out a particular portion: easy-to-search drawers matter as much to me as the number of litres. If I’m storing a large stock of food, I could consider a chest freezer if it’s still practical to organise. |
| Location | Measure the appliance, the delivery route and the space needed to open the door or lid. If you plan to keep it in a garage or cold cellar, check the permitted ambient temperature range for the exact model. | If the appliance needs to go through a narrow hallway or will be kept in an unheated room, I’ll check these requirements before deciding on a type. |
| Power cuts | Check the stated storage time for each model and look for the conditions under which it was measured. In its test procedure, Que Choisir measures the time taken for the temperature to rise from −17 °C to −9 °C without power. Don’t assume this is directly comparable with a manufacturer’s stated figure. | If I’m storing a large amount of food, this figure is a key factor in my choice. I compare figures only when I understand how they were measured. |
| Energy use and noise | Check the energy label, annual consumption in kWh/year and stated noise level in dB(A). To compare energy use, look at appliances with similar types and capacities. | If the appliance is near a living space, its stated noise level matters to me. As it runs all the time, I also check its annual energy consumption. |
A chest freezer can offer plenty of storage, but food at the bottom is harder to reach. An upright freezer makes it easier to organise portions, though it may not meet the same need for capacity.
Make a list of the containers, bags and bulky items you need to store, then check the drawers, baskets and openings before comparing capacities.
Whether an appliance can be used in an unheated room depends on the model. The minimum operating temperature stated for one appliance doesn’t apply to other models from the same brand.
Estimate the lowest temperature in the room and check that it falls within the operating range stated for your chosen appliance.
The measurement method affects how you interpret the figure. In its freezer test procedure, Que Choisir measures how long it takes for the temperature to rise from −17 °C to −9 °C without power.
Read the conditions attached to the manufacturer’s figure. If an independent test is available, check its method too before comparing the results.
An appliance may fit in the space you’ve chosen but still be difficult to get through a doorway, hallway or lift. You’ll also need room to open its lid or drawers.
Measure the entire delivery route and compare it with the appliance’s dimensions and, where available, its packaging dimensions.
These examples show which features to check on a specific model; they don’t represent every appliance from each brand.
The GSN58AWEV upright freezer is a useful reference when considering a large-capacity model for your home.
The W3RHS37EW1 and WHM46122FR chest freezers are examples of two different capacities to consider separately.
Some of Beko’s chest freezers are worth considering for their capacity and suitability for use in an unheated room.
The CFe 1870 Pure chest freezer is an example to consider if you plan to install it in a cold cellar or garage.
These options include two fridge freezers for households also replacing their fridge, as well as an upright and a chest freezer for adding separate freezer space. The stated capacities don’t all refer to the same compartment, so check the space actually available for frozen food.
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Worth considering if you’re also replacing your fridge: the stated 467 L capacity is for the whole appliance, not just the freezer. The model name specifies Total No Frost and an E energy rating. Check the freezer capacity, dimensions and the conditions used to measure power-cut storage time before choosing.
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This option combines refrigeration and freezing if you need a new appliance to meet both needs. The stated 360 L is the total capacity. The model name specifies Total No Frost, Wi-Fi and an E energy rating. Check the freezer capacity separately, along with the dimensions of your delivery route and the conditions used to measure power-cut storage time.
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If you want to organise portions and take them out regularly, this separate freezer has a stated capacity of 161 L and three freezer drawers. The model name also specifies No Frost, an alarm and a C energy rating. Check whether the capacity suits your needs, along with the installation dimensions and power-cut storage time.
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This chest freezer could provide extra storage at home, but consider whether its stated capacity of 140 L suits the amount you plan to store. The model name specifies a basket, a counterbalanced lid, temperature control and an E energy rating. Make sure you have access to it from above, and check its power-cut storage time and annual energy consumption if these factors will influence your choice.
No. A chest freezer suits households that need to store large quantities or bulky food, while an upright freezer makes it easier to reach portions stored in drawers. Choose according to what you need to store, how often you take it out and how much space you have.
It’s a figure you should read alongside the measurement conditions for the model in question. In its freezer test procedure, Que Choisir measures how long it takes for the temperature to rise from −17 °C to −9 °C without power. Don’t assume a manufacturer’s stated time comes from the same test.
No. The permitted ambient temperature range depends on the model, so check that it covers the lowest temperature in your garage. Liebherr, Beko and Whirlpool state that some of their appliances can operate down to −15 °C, but this doesn’t apply to their entire ranges.
Yes. France’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition lists fridges and freezers among the appliances that must carry an energy label in France. When choosing, also check the stated annual energy consumption and noise level, taking the appliance type and usable capacity into account.
Measure the space where it will go, the room needed to open it and the entire delivery route, including doors, hallways and lifts. Compare these measurements with the model’s dimensions and, where available, its packaging dimensions. Also ask the seller about delivery arrangements and whether they’ll take away your old appliance.