If you want to build up a large stock of frozen food, choose a chest freezer if you have enough floor space and need to store bulky items. An upright freezer is a better choice if you want to access neatly organised food in drawers regularly. An under-counter model is more suited to providing extra freezer space. If you’re also replacing your fridge, a fridge freezer could be a good option, provided its freezer compartment alone has enough capacity for your needs.
If you regularly store large quantities, compare the space a chest freezer offers for bulky packaging with the usable capacity of a large upright freezer. The width available in your home could help you decide between the two.
If you check your stock every week, the drawers and compartments in an upright freezer make it easier to sort food into categories. With a chest freezer, look at how the baskets are arranged and how easy it is to reach the bottom.
If you’re placing it under a worktop, in a narrow kitchen or in an unheated room, check the installation and opening dimensions. For a cellar or garage, the permitted ambient temperature range must be suitable for the specific model.
Start by measuring the space, then compare the capacity for frozen food and how easy it will be to access your stock. With a fridge freezer, don’t confuse its total capacity with that of the freezer compartment.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and bulky packaging | Net freezer capacity in litres; space available to open a chest freezer lid. | When packages are bulky, I want to store them without disrupting the rest of my stock; around 37% of consumers prioritise this capacity. |
| Access and storage | The number and dimensions of an upright freezer’s drawers or a chest freezer’s baskets. | If I open the freezer often, I want to find food sorted by category quickly; easy access comes first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Room and power cuts | The permitted ambient temperature range for the model; stated storage time in the event of a power cut, in hours. | In a room where the temperature varies, I need to choose an appliance suited to the location and know how long it will keep food frozen during a power cut; around 18% of consumers prioritise these installation and power-continuity requirements. |
| Space requirements or a combined appliance | Installation dimensions; net capacity of the freezer compartment alone if you’re also replacing your fridge. | When space is limited or the fridge also needs replacing, I’m looking for a solution that avoids a large separate appliance; this is the main priority for around 18% of consumers. |
A chest freezer takes up floor space and opens from the top, so its capacity alone won’t tell you whether it will fit in your home.
Measure the width, depth and clearance above the space. Also check that the appliance will fit through doorways and up the stairs.
The temperature in a cellar, garage or conservatory may fall outside the ambient range specified for a particular model. Whether it’s a chest or upright freezer doesn’t, by itself, tell you if it’s suitable.
Compare the expected minimum and maximum temperatures in the room with the climate class and any installation conditions listed for the exact model you’re considering.
A fridge freezer’s total capacity includes the fridge section, so it doesn’t represent the space available for frozen food.
Check the net capacity of the freezer compartment before comparing it with a chest or upright freezer. Also consider whether your fridge needs replacing.
Beko offers upright, chest and under-counter freezers to suit different storage needs.
Whirlpool offers chest and upright freezers, with product pages detailing features such as capacity and stated storage time during a power cut.
Bosch offers freestanding and built-in freezers, with different interior layouts depending on the model.
Liebherr offers chest freezers, including models designed to store large quantities.
These two fridge freezers are worth considering if you’re also replacing your fridge. To see whether either one will meet your storage needs, compare the capacity of its freezer compartment with the amount of frozen food you want to keep.
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Worth considering if you’re replacing your fridge at the same time as upgrading your freezer. The model name indicates a total capacity of 467 L, four doors, Total No Frost and an E energy rating; compare the capacity for frozen food separately and check that the room is suitable for installation.
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Worth considering if replacing your fridge is also part of your plans. The model name indicates a total capacity of 360 L, three doors, Total No Frost and an E energy rating; check the freezer compartment capacity, the space needed to open the doors and whether the room temperature is suitable.
Compare the expected minimum and maximum temperatures in the room with the model’s climate class. For example, Beko gives a range of 10 to 32 °C for climate class SN. Check the technical specifications and rating plate of the appliance you choose rather than assuming this range applies to every model.
Yes, provided the model is designed for the temperatures that the space may reach. Whirlpool says to check the climate class listed in the appliance specifications. Suitability stated for one model doesn’t apply to other freezers.
Compare the stated storage time during a power cut, in hours, on the product pages for the models you’re interested in. For example, Whirlpool gives 41 hours for its W3RHS19DW chest freezer. This figure applies to that model and doesn’t tell you how long another chest or upright freezer will keep food frozen.