A separate freezer is worth considering if prepared meals, bulk purchases or frozen food regularly exceed the space available in your current appliance. According to UFC-Que Choisir’s guidance on usage, a chest freezer is best suited to storing large quantities if you have enough room, while an upright freezer makes it easier to organise food and access it frequently. If you also need to replace your fridge, compare the freezer compartment capacity of a fridge freezer with the amount you usually store before deciding whether to buy a second appliance.
If you prepare lots of portions or often buy in bulk, work out how much food you want to store separately. UFC-Que Choisir notes that some chest freezers offer up to 600 l of capacity. This is well worth considering if you have enough floor space.
If you regularly open the freezer to take out a meal or an ingredient, organisation can matter just as much as capacity. Check the drawers, removable shelves and large compartments on the specific model. Bosch, for example, offers these features on some of its upright freezers.
Whether you plan to install the appliance in a kitchen, utility room, garage or cellar, check its dimensions and operating conditions. Electrolux stresses the need to leave space for air to circulate around the appliance. The label described by the European Commission also lets you compare capacity and noise levels.
First decide whether you need an additional appliance or are also planning to replace your fridge. Then compare the space you actually have, how much you need to freeze and how often you need to find a particular portion.
Worth considering: if you need to store large quantities of meals, bulk buys or bulky items and have enough floor space.
Bear in mind: food at the bottom may take more effort to organise and find than it would in drawers.
Worth considering: if you often take out portions and want to organise them across several compartments.
Bear in mind: drawers can limit the space available for bulkier containers.
Worth considering: if you also need to replace your fridge and its freezer compartment has enough space for your food stocks.
Bear in mind: the appliance’s total capacity isn’t the same as the space available for frozen food alone.
| Factor | What to check | What matters to shoppers |
|---|---|---|
| Storage capacity | Compare the freezer capacity in litres with the amount you usually store, then measure the space available for the appliance and for opening it. | If I prepare meals for several weeks or buy in bulk, I want to be able to store everything without piling it all up; capacity is the priority for around 40% of shoppers. |
| Access and organisation | Check the size and ease of use of the drawers, or the baskets in a chest freezer, using the containers you normally store. | When I regularly take out a portion, I want to find it without moving the rest of my food. Easy access comes first for around 30% of shoppers. |
| Installation and operation | Check the ambient temperature range and ventilation requirements in the manual, as well as the kWh/year and dB figures on the label. | If the appliance will be near a living area or in a room with little heating, I first need to know whether it’s suitable for that location; this is the main consideration for around 30% of shoppers. |
A large capacity doesn’t guarantee easy installation or quick access to your food. A chest freezer takes up floor space, while the drawers in an upright freezer need room to open and fit your containers.
Measure the space, the delivery route and the clearance needed to open the door or lid. Also compare the dimensions of your dishes and boxes with the compartments on offer.
The room temperature and ventilation requirements depend on the model. Beko says that some specific models are suitable for cold rooms, but this doesn’t apply to its entire range or to all freezers.
Check the permitted ambient temperature range and the required clearances for the model you’re considering, then make sure air can circulate as instructed in its manual.
The rating alone doesn’t tell you about the balance between capacity, noise and continuous running costs. For the appliances covered, the European Commission says the label includes details such as annual energy consumption, storage capacity and noise emissions.
Compare kWh/year and dB figures for appliances of a similar type and capacity, then check the information for the exact model.
No Frost, fast freezing and power-cut safe-storage time are features to check on each individual appliance. A feature listed for one model doesn’t tell you whether other models have it too.
Check the specification and manual for the model you choose. If power cuts are a concern, look up its stated safe-storage time rather than trying to work it out from the format or brand.
These brands offer ranges worth comparing for different formats and storage layouts. Always check the specifications for the model you’re considering.
Liebherr offers upright and chest freezers, with different frost-management features across its ranges.
Beko offers upright and chest freezers, including some models with No Frost or designed for use in cold rooms.
Bosch offers freestanding and built-in upright freezers with a range of storage layouts.
Whirlpool offers upright freezers, including high-capacity models and models designed to reduce frost build-up.
These Joybuy models offer three ways to increase your frozen food storage: replace your fridge too with a fridge freezer, add a chest freezer or choose a separate upright freezer. The right format depends on how much you need to store, how you want to access it and how much space you have.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you need to replace your fridge and want to store frozen food in the same appliance. Check that the freezer compartment has enough capacity for your food stocks. The model name indicates a total capacity of 467 l, four doors, Total No Frost and an E energy rating.
Measure the clearance needed to open the doors and check the manual for ventilation requirements.
Image unavailable
Another option if you also need to replace your fridge. Compare the freezer capacity with the number of portions you usually store. The model name indicates a total capacity of 360 l, three doors, Total No Frost, an E energy rating, Wi-Fi and My Zone.
Before installation, check the full dimensions and the ventilation clearances specified in the manual.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want extra separate storage and have room for the freezer and its lid to open. The model name indicates a capacity of 291 l, switchable fridge and freezer modes, an E energy rating and a removable basket.
Plan how you’ll organise food stored at the bottom. If you’re installing it in a garage or cellar, check the ambient temperature range permitted in the manual. If power cuts are a concern, also look up the safe-storage time for this model.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want a separate appliance where you can organise portions and take them out regularly. The model name indicates a capacity of 161 l, No Frost, three freezer drawers, a reversible door and a C energy rating.
The stated temperature range is −14 °C to −22 °C. Check the manual to choose the right setting. Also check the dimensions, installation requirements, annual energy consumption and safe-storage time to suit your priorities.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you need a smaller amount of separate storage. Compare its 95 l capacity with the number of portions and bulk buys you want to store. The model name mentions switchable fridge and freezer modes, an E energy rating, a seven-setting thermostat and a removable basket.
Before choosing a location, check how much room you’ll need to open the lid and the permitted ambient temperature range.
The Ministry of Agriculture recommends setting your freezer to −18 °C. Anses explains that home freezing at this temperature stops bacteria from multiplying, but most micro-organisms survive, so it won’t make food that has already been stored incorrectly safe to eat.
For the appliances covered, compare the energy rating, annual energy consumption in kWh, freezer compartment capacity and noise emissions. The European Commission says the QR code on the label gives you access to further information about the model in EPREL. Ideally, compare appliances with a similar capacity and format.
No. The permitted ambient temperature and ventilation requirements depend on the model. Check the manual before choosing this location. Electrolux recommends leaving space for air to circulate around the appliance and avoiding rooms that are too cold or damp.
Check the safe-storage time for the specific model in its documentation rather than estimating it from its capacity or format. UFC-Que Choisir simulates a power cut during its tests and measures how long the food stays below −9 °C. Check the conditions attached to any figures you compare.