For portions that are easy to find, choose an upright freezer with drawers. For large containers and bulk buys, consider a chest freezer if you have enough room to open the lid fully. A small freezer is better suited as extra capacity, while a large fridge-freezer is worth considering if you also need to replace your fridge. In that case, compare the capacity of its freezer compartment alone with what you actually need.
If you regularly prepare meals and also store bags of frozen food, look for extra capacity without losing track of what you have left to eat. Drawers make it easy to separate food by type, while a chest freezer calls for a different approach to organising your food.
For bulk buys or bulky packaging, a chest freezer’s open compartment gives you more flexibility when arranging food. However, you’ll need to set aside floor space and make sure there’s room to open the lid.
A narrow kitchen may call for an upright model or a compact freezer. If you’re planning to put it in an alcove, utility room or cold room, also check the installation clearances and the ambient temperature range allowed for your chosen model.
Consider it: if you regularly need to find portions sorted into drawers and have enough height for a vertical appliance.
Bear in mind: drawers divide up the space, and the door needs to open wide enough for you to pull them out.
Consider it: if you want an open compartment for large containers or a shared family stock of food.
Bear in mind: small portions can be harder to find at the bottom, and the lid needs clear space above it.
Consider it: if you want to store a few extra portions but don’t have room for a large, separate freezer.
Bear in mind: capacity is limited, and fitting it under a worktop depends on the dimensions and ventilation requirements in the manual.
Consider it: if you also need to replace your fresh-food storage and want both functions in one appliance.
Bear in mind: its total capacity isn’t the same as the space available for frozen food.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Freezer capacity | Compare the net capacity in litres for frozen food with the space needed for your largest packages. | If I’m stocking up for the family, I want to make sure my containers will fit rather than relying on the total capacity of a fridge-freezer. Around 33% of consumers are thought to prioritise capacity. |
| Access to food | Look at the drawers or baskets and check that your containers will fit in and come back out easily. | When I freeze meals in portions, I want to find the one I need quickly. Easy access and organisation are thought to be priorities for around 27% of consumers. |
| Space and installation | Measure the space, delivery route and clearance needed to open the appliance. If it’s going in a cold room, check its operating temperature range. | In a narrow kitchen or outbuilding, I need an appliance that I can install and use in that space. Around 20% of consumers are thought to put this compatibility ahead of other considerations. |
| Everyday running and power cuts | Compare the kWh/year, noise level and stated power-cut safe-storage time for each model. | If the appliance is near living areas or I’m concerned about power cuts, I want to know how it performs before choosing. Around 20% of consumers are thought to prioritise these factors. |
A chest freezer can hold large containers in its open compartment, but small portions may be harder to spot. Drawers make it easier to sort food in an upright freezer, but their dimensions limit what you can fit inside.
Make a list of what you plan to freeze, especially your largest containers, then choose between open storage and organising food by category.
An appliance may fit in the space but still be difficult to use if a nearby cabinet blocks the lid or door, or stops you pulling out the drawers.
Also measure the delivery route, opening clearance and installation clearances specified in the manual.
Whether a freezer can be used in a cold room depends on the conditions specified for that particular model, not just its format or brand.
Compare the appliance’s recommended ambient temperature range with the conditions in the room where you plan to install it.
Annual energy consumption and the stated safe-storage time during a power cut vary between models. In its tests, UFC-Que Choisir also assesses how well food is kept after a power cut, based on a temperature threshold set by its testing protocol.
Check the kWh/year figure and the stated safe-storage time for the model you’re considering. For frozen food, Anses also recommends buying it at the end of your shop and carrying it in an insulated bag.
The range includes freestanding and built-in upright freezers for households that prefer vertical storage.
The brand’s chest freezers may appeal to households looking for open storage space.
The range includes chest, upright and compact freezers, which you can compare based on your preferred storage style and available space.
The range lets you compare upright and chest freezers for different storage needs.
These models include chest freezers for extra storage and upright appliances for keeping portions separate. The more modest capacities are mainly suited to occasional extra storage. First choose the format and capacity that suit your food, then check the installation requirements for the model you’ve picked.
Image unavailable
Its 291 L compartment is suited to households looking to add extra storage for a range of containers. The product description says it can switch between fridge and freezer modes and includes a removable basket, LED lighting and an energy class of E.
If you’re planning to use it in a garage, check the permitted ambient temperature range. Also measure the space needed to open the lid.
Image unavailable
With a capacity of 60 L, this model is better suited to storing a few extra portions than to holding a large family stock of food. Its product name specifies three compartments, a reversible door and an energy class of E.
If you’re planning to put it under a worktop, check the available dimensions, door clearance and required ventilation space.
Image unavailable
This upright format is a good choice if you’d rather separate portions than stack them in a chest freezer. The product name specifies a capacity of 161 L, a No Frost function, drawers, an alarm and an energy class of C.
Before choosing where to put it, check its dimensions, door clearance and the space needed to pull out the drawers.
Image unavailable
This 140 L chest freezer gives you separate extra space for food in a range of sizes. Its product name mentions a storage basket, a counterbalanced lid and an energy class of E.
If you’re storing lots of small portions, plan how you’ll organise them in the compartment and measure the height needed to open the lid fully.
Image unavailable
With a capacity of 99 L, this chest freezer is better suited to extra storage than to holding a large family stock of food. Its product name mentions a removable basket, an adjustable thermostat, a sliding lid and an energy class of E.
Allow room to open the lid, and check the manual defrost instructions and ambient temperature requirements before installation.
Measure the clearance needed to lift the lid fully, as well as the floor space it will take up. Consider nearby furniture, the delivery route and whether you’ll be able to reach the bottom of the compartment. An upright freezer, by contrast, needs clearance in front of its door and drawers.
Start by comparing their net freezer capacity, then check their stated annual energy consumption in kWh, noise level and stated safe-storage time during a power cut. If the appliance will be in an unheated room, also check the recommended ambient temperature range for each model.
Buy it at the end of your shop and carry it in an insulated bag, as recommended by Anses. Then put it away as soon as possible to maintain the cold chain.