To significantly increase your frozen food storage, choose a chest freezer if you have enough floor space and can keep its contents organised. An upright freezer with drawers is a better choice if you often take out small portions. An under-counter model is more of an extra, while a large fridge freezer is worth considering if you also need to replace your fridge. In every case, compare the usable capacity with the space available, the room temperature and the stated annual energy consumption.
The right type depends as much on how you store and take out food as on the capacity you need.
If you buy food in bulk or store large items in a dedicated space, consider a chest freezer. However, you’ll need to balance its capacity against the floor space it takes up and how easy it is to reach items at the bottom, as UFC-Que Choisir points out.
If you use frozen food every week, the drawers in an upright freezer can make it easier to keep food separate. Check that you’ll be able to open the door and remove the drawers once the appliance is in place.
An under-counter freezer can provide a limited amount of extra storage without needing space for a large appliance. Compare its usable capacity with the amount you expect to store, rather than assuming its compact size will be enough for a large stock of food.
Consider one: for a large stock of food and bulky packages, if you have a suitable floor space for it.
The trade-off: you’ll need to organise food at the bottom carefully to make it easy to find.
Consider one: if easy, regular access to separate portions matters more to you than having a large open storage space.
The trade-off: drawers can make it harder to store very large packages, although high-capacity upright models are available.
Consider one: if you need a little extra storage in a kitchen where space is limited.
The trade-off: on its own, this type of freezer won’t replace a large chest or upright model if you need to store a lot.
Consider one: if you also need to replace your fridge and the freezer compartment is big enough for your needs.
The trade-off: the appliance’s total capacity isn’t the same as the capacity of its freezer compartment.
Once you’ve chosen a type, compare models that can hold your food stocks, then check their installation requirements and features.
| Criteria | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and space | Compare usable freezer capacity, then measure the width, depth and height, as well as the delivery route. For a fridge freezer, use the capacity of the freezer compartment alone. | I want to store my food without blocking walkways or preventing the appliance from opening. UFC-Que Choisir says chest freezers can hold up to 600 L, but generally take up more floor space than upright models. |
| Access to food | Look at the baskets in a chest freezer or the drawers in an upright model, and check how much room you’ll need to open the lid or pull out a drawer. Check the layout of the exact model. | If I often take out small portions, I want to find them without moving everything else. For large packages, I want an interior that can accommodate their size. |
| Room for installation | Compare the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures with the ambient temperature range supported by the model. Follow the clearance requirements for ventilation and opening the appliance in its manual. | If I’m installing it in an unheated garage or cellar, I need to know whether the appliance can operate at the temperatures the room actually reaches. A claim for one model doesn’t apply to every freezer. |
| Energy consumption | Check the energy rating and the stated kWh/year on the label. Compare models with a similar type and usable capacity. | I want to take account of the electricity used by an appliance that runs continuously, without comparing two very different capacities based on their energy rating letter alone. |
| Power cuts and maintenance | Compare the stated storage time in the event of a power cut and the model’s defrosting method. Don’t confuse an anti-frost feature with a guaranteed food storage time. | If I don’t check my freezer often or I’m concerned about power cuts, its storage time matters to me. I also want to know whether I’ll need to defrost it manually. |
An open space can hold large packages, but food at the bottom can be harder to reach. The stated capacity alone won’t tell you how quickly you’ll be able to find the food you use every week.
Set aside areas or use baskets, and date your food. If you often take out small portions, compare it with an upright model with drawers.
The supported ambient temperature range varies by model. A room that is too cold or too warm for the appliance, or a location without the required clearances, could prevent you from installing it as planned.
Check the room temperature at different times of year and compare it with the specifications and manual for the exact model. Beko states that its HSM14540 operates at temperatures as low as −15 °C, but this doesn’t apply to other models.
Freezers with different capacities don’t offer the same amount of storage. The energy rating letter alone is no substitute for comparing their stated annual energy consumption.
Check the kWh/year and usable capacity on the energy label, then compare models with a similar type and capacity that meet the same needs.
An appliance uses electricity for as long as it’s in use.
An under-counter freezer is designed to provide extra storage, not necessarily to hold large bulk purchases. For example, Bosch states that the GTV15NWEB has 83 L of usable capacity; this figure applies to that model.
Estimate how much food you regularly need to store. If an extra freezer isn’t enough, compare the usable capacities of chest and upright models that will fit in your room.
These examples from manufacturers can help you identify features to compare on specific models. Don’t assume they apply to other models from the same brand.
A model to consider if you’re planning to install your freezer in an unheated room.
Under-counter and upright models to consider, depending on the space available and how you want to organise your food.
A brand to consider if you’re looking for a large capacity and want to organise your food into sections.
Chest freezers to consider if you’re looking at installing your appliance in an unheated room or managing frost build-up.
These models include an upright freezer, two chest freezers and a compact model for extra storage. Their stated capacities range from 60 to 161 L. If you’re planning to store a very large amount of food, compare their usable capacity with your needs before choosing.
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This upright model may suit you if you want to keep portions separate and need extra freezer space, with a stated capacity of 161 L.
The product title lists No Frost, drawers, a reversible door, an alarm and a C energy rating. Check the dimensions, ambient temperature range, annual energy consumption and storage time in the event of a power cut to make sure it’s suitable for your installation.
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This chest freezer has a stated capacity of 140 L and may suit you if you need extra storage and have enough floor space, with clearance above the lid.
The product title lists a basket, a counterbalanced lid, an adjustable thermostat and an E energy rating. Check the model specifications to confirm its net usable capacity, climate class, kWh/year and storage time in the event of a power cut.
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With a stated capacity of 60 L, this model is better suited to extra storage than to holding a large stock of food.
The product title lists a reversible door, temperature control and an E energy rating. Check the interior layout before choosing: the title mentions three drawers, while the description refers to two covered shelves and a drawer.
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This chest freezer has a stated capacity of 99 L, making it better suited to compact extra storage than to holding a large stock of food.
The product title lists a removable metal basket, a sliding lid, an adjustable thermostat and an E energy rating. Check the clearance needed to open it, its climate class, kWh/year and storage time in the event of a power cut.
Measure the space and the delivery route, then allow room to open the lid fully and meet the ventilation clearances specified in the manual. UFC-Que Choisir points out that a chest freezer generally takes up more floor space than an upright model, so usable capacity isn’t the only thing to consider.
No. Compare the temperatures in the garage, in both winter and summer, with the ambient temperature range allowed for the exact model. Beko states that its HSM14540 operates at temperatures as low as −15 °C, but this feature doesn’t apply to other appliances.
No. The European energy label rates appliances from A to G. Check the stated kWh/year and usable freezer capacity as well. Ideally, compare models with capacities that meet the same storage needs.
Anses recommends −18 °C for home freezing. At this temperature, bacteria stop multiplying, but most microorganisms survive. Freeze food as soon as you buy or prepare it, and don’t refreeze food once it has thawed.