If your fridge freezer’s freezer compartment is no longer big enough, choose a chest freezer for a large stock that you don’t access often, or an upright freezer if you want to organise your food and reach it regularly. A large fridge freezer is still an option if you’re replacing your fridge too and its freezer compartment has enough capacity for your needs. In every case, check the available space and the operating conditions specified for the room.
If you buy frozen food or prepare meals in large quantities, start by working out how much you need to store. Beko recommends some of its chest freezers for bulk shopping and meal planning; then check the capacity and layout of the model you’re considering.
If you open your freezer often, being able to find food can matter just as much as capacity. Bosch and Whirlpool highlight the vertical storage in their upright freezer ranges; check the drawers on the model you choose to see if they suit your packaging.
For a garage or cellar, choose according to the ambient temperature range supported by the model, not its shape alone. Beko and Liebherr specify operation down to −15 °C for certain models; this does not apply to all their ranges.
First decide whether you need extra freezer capacity or whether replacing your fridge is part of the plan too. An under-counter model can add extra space for a moderate amount of frozen food when space is tight; for other formats, start by looking at freezer compartment capacity and how easy it is to access your food.
| What matters | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Storage capacity | Compare the freezer compartment capacity alone with the amount you plan to store, then measure the space the chosen format will take up. | When bulk shopping fills up my fridge freezer, I’d rather have dedicated storage than a total capacity that looks impressive on paper. For around 33% of consumers, having extra storage would be the main priority. |
| Access to food | Check the drawers in an upright freezer or the baskets in a chest freezer, as well as the space available for larger packaging. | If I regularly take out different portions, I want to find them without moving all my other food. Easy access and organisation would come first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Location | Check access dimensions, how the door or lid opens, and the ambient temperature range supported by the model. | In a garage or cellar, I need to be able to install and use the appliance at the temperatures in that room. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise these location requirements. |
| Energy use and power cuts | For models with similar formats and capacities, compare the kWh/year on the energy label; also check the storage time in the event of a power cut. | If the freezer is running all the time and holds my food stock, its energy use and how long it can keep food frozen during a power cut matter to me. Around 20% of consumers would make these two considerations their priority. |
A large chest freezer needs to fit through doorways, reach its intended spot and have room to open. For example, Liebherr lists the CFe 2500 Pure chest freezer, with a capacity of 497 L, as 167 cm wide.
Measure the route to the room, the floor space and the clearance needed for the door or lid to open. Also leave the ventilation space specified in the manual.
The minimum permitted ambient temperature depends on the model. The operation down to −15 °C specified for some Beko and Liebherr models does not apply to all chest freezers.
Check the ambient temperature range, climate class and installation instructions for the exact model.
It’s not useful to compare two differently sized appliances without distinguishing between their freezer capacity and energy use. The European energy label provides, among other things, an energy class and annual energy consumption to check.
Compare kWh/year for models with similar formats and capacities, then check the stated storage time if a power cut could put your food stock at risk.
A freezer uses electricity throughout its working life.
According to Anses, freezing food at home at −18 °C stops bacteria from multiplying, but most micro-organisms survive. Freezing food therefore does not reset its storage life.
Freeze food as soon as you buy or prepare it, label portions, and follow the defrosting instructions and use-by date.
The range includes chest freezers designed in particular for storing food and bulk shopping.
The range includes freestanding and built-in upright freezers, with different interior layouts.
Its upright freezers are worth considering if vertical storage suits the way you usually take out food.
Its chest freezer and fridge freezer ranges let you compare two ways to add freezer space.
These appliances include an upright freezer and chest freezers for adding dedicated freezer space, as well as fridge freezers to consider if you’re replacing your fridge too. Before choosing between them, compare the usable freezer capacity with what your household needs.
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Worth considering if you’re adding vertical storage and want to separate your food into drawers.
The model name lists a capacity of 161 L, No Frost, three drawers, an alarm and energy class C. Check its dimensions, permitted ambient temperature and storage time during a power cut to make sure it suits your chosen location.
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Consider this fridge freezer if you need to replace your fridge while reorganising your frozen food storage.
The model name lists a total capacity of 467 L, Total No Frost and energy class E. Before choosing it for your food stock, check the capacity of the freezer compartment and the permitted ambient temperature.
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This model could suit you if you’re replacing your main appliance, as long as its freezer section has enough capacity for your stock.
The model name lists a total capacity of 360 L, Total No Frost and energy class E. Compare the freezer capacity separately and check the ambient temperature range for the room where you plan to install it.
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This chest freezer can provide dedicated storage if you select freezer mode and have enough space to open the lid.
The model name lists fridge or freezer modes, a removable basket, a seven-position thermostat and energy class E. If you plan to use it in an unheated room, check the permitted ambient temperature; also check its storage time during a power cut.
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Worth considering for extra chest freezer storage if it fits the available floor space and there’s room to open the lid.
The model name lists a capacity of 140 L, a storage basket, a counterbalanced lid and energy class E. Before comparing it with other chest freezers, check its annual energy consumption, storage time during a power cut and ambient temperature range.
Add a separate freezer if your main need is extra frozen food storage that consistently exceeds the capacity of your current freezer compartment. If you’re replacing your fridge too, a large fridge freezer may be enough: compare the capacity of its freezer section alone with the amount you usually store.
Not based on its format alone. Check the instructions for the model to find its minimum ambient temperature, climate class and installation guidance; the operation down to −15 °C specified for some Beko and Liebherr models cannot be assumed for all models.
Compare the energy class and annual energy consumption in kWh for appliances with similar formats and capacities. The relevant European regulation sets out the energy labelling requirements for refrigeration appliances; the European Commission’s EPREL database lets you look up declared data for registered models.
Freeze it as soon as you buy or prepare it, rather than waiting until the use-by date. Anses explains that at −18 °C, bacteria stop multiplying, but most micro-organisms survive freezing. So make sure you also follow the storage and defrosting instructions.
The storage time tells you how long the appliance is stated to keep food frozen during a fault or power cut; check the figure for your model in its documentation. As UFC-Que Choisir points out, it’s a factor to consider when choosing, but it doesn’t replace good practices for maintaining the cold chain.