If you regularly take out individual portions, an upright freezer makes them easier to organise and reach. A chest freezer is better suited to storing larger quantities if you have room for it and can keep its contents organised. A large fridge freezer is worth considering mainly if you’re replacing your fridge too, and only if its freezer compartment has enough space for your stock.
How often you open the appliance, how much food you need to store and where you plan to install it will all help you choose the right format.
If you prepare meals in advance or store a mix of tubs and bags, consider how easy it is to find food without having to move everything else. An upright freezer with drawers can make it easier to organise your food, but check the layout of the specific model.
If you buy in bulk or need to store bulky items, compare the usable freezer capacity with the space the appliance will take up. A chest freezer offers a different way to store food from an upright model, but you’ll need a practical way to organise anything placed at the bottom.
If you’re planning to put it in a garage, cellar or utility room, first compare the room’s temperatures with the operating range specified for the exact model. The fact that an appliance is a chest freezer alone doesn’t mean it’s suitable for that location.
Start by considering how much space you need for frozen food and how you’ll access it. Then check the conditions in the room and the features of the model.
Consider this if: you regularly take out portions and want to organise them across several compartments.
Bear in mind: check that the drawers fit your containers and are easy to use once the appliance is installed.
Consider this if: you’re building up a large stock or storing bulky food and containers.
Bear in mind: you’ll need enough floor space, room to open the lid and a way to find things at the bottom.
Consider this if: you’re replacing your fridge too and your frozen food will fit in the freezer compartment.
Bear in mind: the total capacity includes the fridge section, so check the freezer capacity in litres separately.
| Factor | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Access to food | Look at the drawers, baskets or storage areas in the model. Check that you can take food out and use the compartments easily. | I take out different portions regularly and want to find them without having to empty part of the appliance. |
| Capacity and space | Compare the usable freezer capacity, not just the total capacity of a fridge freezer. Measure the appliance, the route to the room and the space needed to open it. | I need room for my containers and shopping to build up a family-sized stock, but the appliance also needs to fit in the room. |
| Room temperature | Compare the room’s ambient temperatures with the climate class or operating range given in the model’s manual. Don’t assume a feature of one model applies to an entire range. | I’d be installing my appliance in a garage, cellar or room where the temperature changes throughout the year. |
| Energy use and features | Compare the energy rating and kWh/year for appliances of a similar type and capacity. Also check the noise level and, if you’re concerned about a power cut, the model’s stated storage time. | I want to compare appliances that suit my storage needs without relying on the energy label rating alone. |
| Temperature settings and freezing | Que Choisir generally recommends a setting of -18 °C. Check the model’s controls and whether it has an alarm or fast-freeze function, depending on how you’ll use it. | When I add a large amount of food, I want to be able to check that the appliance is working and follow the food’s storage instructions. |
For a fridge freezer, the total capacity includes the fridge section. It doesn’t tell you how many meals and other items will fit in the freezer.
Compare the capacity of the freezer compartment alone with your usual stock, then check whether its layout suits the containers you use.
The operating range stated for a model designed for certain unheated rooms doesn’t automatically apply to another freezer.
Check the usual temperatures in the space and look up the climate class or operating range given specifically in the manual for the model you’ve chosen.
A chest freezer may offer the capacity you need but still get in the way or make food hard to reach if you haven’t allowed room to open the lid.
Measure the available width, depth and height, the route to the room and the clearance needed in front of the door or above the lid.
The letter on the energy label doesn’t replace the annual consumption in kWh or a check of the capacity and features you need.
Compare kWh/year for appliances of a similar type and capacity, then check the noise level, stated storage time and suitability for the room you have in mind.
These examples show why it’s important to compare specific models rather than assume a feature applies across an entire brand.
If you’re looking at a large-capacity upright freezer for a family, Bosch lists 366 L of usable freezer capacity and 12 h of storage time in the event of a power cut for the GSN58EWDV model.
Beko’s chest freezer range may suit households looking for ample storage or considering an unheated room, depending on the model.
Whirlpool shows the potential difference between two formats: the brand lists 404 L and six drawers for the WHFF 6403 W4E upright freezer, compared with 106 L of freezer capacity out of a total 355 L for the WHK 25404 XBR5E fridge freezer.
These Joybuy options include chest freezers, an upright freezer and fridge freezers. Compare the chest freezers and upright freezer if you’re adding extra freezer space; consider the fridge freezers if you’re replacing your fridge too.
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Worth considering if you’re replacing your fridge too: check that the freezer compartment has enough room for your portions. The model title lists a total capacity of 360 L, an E energy rating, Total No Frost, Wi-Fi and My Zone. The total capacity doesn’t refer to the freezer section alone.
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If you need to store larger quantities, this 291 L chest freezer has a removable basket to separate some of your food; you’ll need another way to organise items stored underneath. The product title mentions a switch between fridge and freezer modes, an E energy rating, LED lighting, a five-level control and a defrost drain. Before installing it in an unheated room, check its ambient temperature range.
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This format may suit you if you’d rather organise portions in drawers than stack them in a chest freezer; check that 161 L is enough for your stock. The product title lists three freezer drawers, No Frost, an alarm, a temperature setting range of -14 °C to -22 °C and a C energy rating. This setting range doesn’t tell you the ambient temperature the room can be.
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This fridge freezer could suit you if you’re replacing your fridge and need more space for frozen food, as long as you check the freezer compartment’s capacity. The product title lists a total capacity of 467 L, Total No Frost and an E energy rating. The total capacity alone doesn’t show how much room you’ll have for frozen meals.
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If you need extra freezer space but don’t want a very large chest freezer, compare its 140 L capacity with your usual stock and measure the space needed to open it. The product title mentions a storage basket, a counterbalanced lid, temperature control and an E energy rating. If you’re planning to use it in an unheated room, check the model’s operating range.
Yes, if the ambient temperature range specified for the model covers the conditions in that room. Check the product details and manual. According to Beko France, some Freezer Guard chest freezers are designed to operate at ambient temperatures as low as -15 °C, but this doesn’t apply to all freezers.
Que Choisir generally recommends a setting of -18 °C. You should also follow the appliance manual and the storage instructions for the food you’re keeping.
Check the energy rating and annual consumption in kWh, then compare appliances of a similar type and capacity. The rating letter alone doesn’t take into account how much food you need to freeze or how you’ll use the appliance.
It can if its freezer compartment has enough room for your usual stock and you want to replace your fridge too. For example, Whirlpool lists a freezer capacity of 106 L for the WHK 25404 XBR5E fridge freezer, compared with 404 L for the WHFF 6403 W4E upright freezer. Compare the capacity used for freezing, not just the total capacity.