Choosing an extra freezer: chest, upright or fridge-freezer

Which type is right for you?

Households stocking up in bulk

If you buy in bulk or freeze ready-made meals and larger packs, first check the net usable capacity, then make sure you have enough room to install the appliance.

Households reaching for their food every day

If you regularly need to find different portions, easy access and organisation may matter more than maximum capacity. Compare the drawers in an upright freezer with the baskets or open space in a chest freezer.

Households with limited space

If you need extra storage in a small room or an unheated outbuilding, measure the access route, space needed to open the door or lid, and the ambient temperature. The type you choose needs to suit the room as well as the food you want to store.

What are the key differences between types?

Chest freezer

Consider one: for large quantities or bulky packs, if you have a dedicated area of floor space.

Bear in mind: you’ll need to organise the open space and reach past other food to get to items at the bottom.

Upright freezer

Consider one: if you want to separate portions and find frequently used food easily.

Bear in mind: drawers offer less flexibility for very bulky packs than an open space.

Small table-top or under-counter freezer

Consider one: for a few extra portions when available space matters more than storage capacity.

Bear in mind: its limited capacity may not meet the needs of a family looking to stock up.

Large fridge-freezer

Consider one: if you also need to replace your main appliance or increase your fridge capacity.

Bear in mind: a large total capacity doesn’t guarantee plenty of space for frozen food.

Criterion	What to check	Which shoppers should consider it?
Storage capacity	Compare the freezer’s net capacity with the amount you usually store, and its external dimensions with the space available.	If I freeze family meals or buy in bulk, I need enough space for large packs without making everything difficult to organise. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this capacity.
Access to food	Check the drawers or baskets and how easy it is to reach items at the bottom.	If I often take out small portions, I want to find them without moving the rest of the food; around 33% of consumers would prioritise easy everyday access.
Location	Measure the access route and clearance needed to open the appliance, then check the room temperature against the model’s stated operating range.	In a pantry, cellar or garage, I need an appliance that fits the space and can operate across the room’s temperature range. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise where the appliance will go.
Replacing your main appliance	Compare the fridge and freezer net capacities of a fridge-freezer separately.	If my fridge is also too small or needs replacing, I’d rather look at a new appliance that combines both functions. Around 14% of consumers would prioritise replacing both appliances with one.

ADEME recommends checking the energy label when comparing appliances. If you’re buying a freezer for a room where the temperature varies significantly, also check the operating range stated for the specific model: the capacity and energy label won’t tell you this.

Mistakes to avoid

Comparing a fridge-freezer’s total capacity with that of a separate freezer

Total capacity includes the fridge compartment. For example, Electrolux gives a total capacity of 257 L for the ENT6NE18S fridge-freezer, of which 62 L is freezer space. These figures don’t represent the same amount of frozen food storage.

To judge whether a fridge-freezer will replace your current storage, compare the net capacity of its freezer compartment alone with your needs.
Installing an appliance without checking the room temperature

Beko explains that a climate class indicates the ambient temperature range an appliance is designed to operate in. A garage or cellar may fall outside the stated range for some models.

Check the minimum and maximum temperatures where the appliance will go, then confirm that they fall within the range for your chosen model, including if it’s advertised as suitable for an unheated room.
Choosing a chest freezer based on capacity alone

The open space is handy for storing bulky items, but food at the bottom may be harder to find, and the lid needs room to open.

Before you buy, check how easily you can reach the bottom and plan to organise the contents using baskets or categories that suit the way you use the freezer.

Brands to know

Beko

Beko’s range includes chest and upright freezers, as well as smaller models; some are stated to work in unheated rooms.

Beko lists a net capacity of 284 L and 41 h of storage time in the event of a power failure for the HSM27050 chest freezer.
Check the minimum operating temperature and other specifications for each model rather than assuming they apply across the rest of the range.

Electrolux

The models mentioned here illustrate two different needs: adding a compact built-in freezer or replacing a built-in fridge-freezer.

Electrolux lists a capacity of 98 L for the LUB3AE88S freezer and a total capacity of 257 L for the ENT6NE18S fridge-freezer.
The ENT6NE18S has 62 L of freezer space. Bear this split in mind if you only need more room for frozen food.

Whirlpool

The models mentioned include a chest and an upright freezer for separate storage.

Whirlpool lists 32 h of storage time in the event of a power failure for the WHM4612 chest freezer and 24 h for the UW8 F2D WHBI N 2 upright freezer.
These figures relate to two specific models and don’t represent all Whirlpool freezers.

Bosch

Bosch’s upright freezers are designed with features that help you store items of different sizes.

Bosch describes BigBox as a space for large boxes or bulky frozen food on models that include it.
Check the layout of the model you’re considering: a storage feature listed for one model won’t necessarily be available across the whole range.

Related Joybuy products

Frequently asked questions

Chest or upright freezer: which should I choose for a family stock-up?

A chest freezer is a good choice if you need to store large quantities and bulky packs, and have enough floor space for it. An upright freezer may suit you better if you often take food out and want to organise it across several drawers. Then compare the net capacity of models that will fit your space.

Can I install a freezer in an unheated garage or cellar?

Yes, as long as the model’s stated operating range covers the room’s actual temperatures. Beko says some models are designed to work at lower ambient temperatures; don’t assume this applies to every freezer.

What should I look for on a freezer’s energy label?

Use the energy label to compare the energy consumption of appliances that meet similar storage needs, as recommended by ADEME. Check the net capacity, dimensions and operating temperature range separately: the energy label doesn’t replace these checks.

Can a large fridge-freezer replace an extra freezer?

It could be a good option if you also need a larger fridge or are replacing your main appliance, provided the freezer compartment has enough room for your frozen food. For example, Electrolux lists 62 L of freezer space within the ENT6NE18S’s total capacity of 257 L. Compare the capacity of the freezer compartment alone, not the total capacity, with the amount you plan to store.