For large quantities of frozen food, choose a chest freezer if you have enough floor space and can easily reach what’s inside. An upright freezer may suit you better if you open it often and want to organise food in drawers. If there’s no room for a separate freezer, a fridge freezer could work, provided its freezer compartment is large enough. In every case, check how much clearance the door or lid needs to open, as well as the ambient temperature range allowed for the model you’re considering.
If you buy food in larger quantities or freeze family meals, check the usable freezer capacity, the space for bulky items and how easy it is to reach food stored at the bottom. The stated storage time in the event of a power cut may also matter for your supplies.
To find portions and bags quickly, look at the layout of the drawers or baskets, how easily you can reach the contents and whether the compartments can be removed. Compare lighting and alarms on models that include these features.
In a compact kitchen, behind a narrow doorway or in an unheated room, first check the access route, the clearance needed to open the appliance and the ambient temperature range specified for the model.
Your choice depends first on the space available and how you use your frozen food. If there’s no room for a separate appliance, reorganising portions in your existing freezer compartment may make it easier to store everything, but won’t increase its capacity.
Consider it: for bulk shopping or bulky containers, if you have enough floor space.
Bear in mind: the lid needs room to open, and items stored at the bottom are less easy to reach.
Consider it: if you check your frozen food often and want to organise it in drawers.
Bear in mind: the compartments help organise your food, but leave less room for some bulky items.
Consider it: if you need refrigeration and freezing in a single appliance.
Bear in mind: the appliance’s stated total capacity is not the same as the capacity of its freezer compartment alone.
Consider it: if your existing compartment can already hold the food you need to freeze and a separate appliance isn’t an option.
Bear in mind: sorting and labelling portions more effectively won’t give you any extra freezer space.
| Factor | What to check | Who might prioritise it? |
|---|---|---|
| Storage capacity | Compare usable freezer capacity, then check how much space is actually available for your containers and packaging. | If I freeze a big food shop and several family meals, I want to fit everything in without making food hard to reach. Around 33% of consumers may put capacity at the top of their list. |
| Everyday access | Look at the drawers or baskets, how easy it is to reach the bottom and whether the compartments can be removed. | If I take out portions every day, I want to find the right bag quickly without having to move everything around. Around 27% of consumers may prioritise access and organisation. |
| Where it will go | Measure the access route and the clearance needed to open it; check the permitted ambient temperature if the room isn’t heated. | If the appliance needs to pass through a narrow doorway or run in a garage, I first need to know whether it will fit and work there. Around 20% of consumers may put this compatibility first. |
| Keeping food cold and energy use | Compare the stated storage time in hours and annual energy consumption in kWh; check temperature stability test results where available. | If I want to keep my frozen food available, how long it stays cold during a power cut and its energy use throughout the year both matter to my choice. Around 20% of consumers may give these factors priority. |
A chest freezer may fit in the room but not have enough clearance above it for the lid to open. An upright freezer may not have enough space in front of the door to pull out its drawers.
Measure the route to the space, the appliance itself and the clearance needed to open it and move around it.
The permitted ambient temperature varies from one model to another. The appliance style alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for an unheated cellar or garage.
Before choosing this location, check the ambient temperature range or climate class in the instructions for the exact model.
The rating doesn’t tell you everything about usable capacity, stated storage time, noise or temperature stability. For an appliance that runs all the time, it’s also worth comparing annual energy consumption in kWh.
Compare models with capacities suited to your needs, then check their annual energy consumption, noise levels and stated storage times.
A feature designed to reduce frost is about maintenance. On its own, it doesn’t tell you how long the appliance will keep food cold during a power cut or how it will perform in a warm room.
Check storage time, installation requirements and, if test results are available for the model, temperature stability separately.
The features below apply to the models mentioned, not every appliance made by each brand.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a large-capacity upright freezer with accessible vertical storage and compartments to help organise your food.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a chest freezer for bulk shopping, provided the location is suitable for the model you choose.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a high-capacity chest freezer and have enough space in a room that meets the model’s requirements.
A range of chest freezer capacities to consider, depending on how much you need to store and where you plan to put the appliance.
These appliances show three ways to store food for a family: add a chest freezer, organise food in an upright freezer or use the compartment in a fridge freezer. Before choosing, compare the capacity available for frozen food and the space each appliance needs.
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Worth considering if you want to add a chest freezer for larger quantities of food and have room to open the lid.
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Consider it if you want refrigeration and freezing in one appliance. Check that the freezer compartment can hold your supplies.
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Another all-in-one option if there’s no room for a separate freezer.
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Worth considering if you want a separate freezer with a stated capacity of 197 L, provided it and its lid suit your available space.
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Consider it if you’d rather organise food in an upright appliance than reach into the bottom of a chest freezer.
No. A chest freezer can hold large quantities of food, but it takes up floor space and items at the bottom are harder to reach. If you often take out small portions, compare an upright freezer with drawers and check its usable capacity too.
No. The permitted ambient temperature depends on the model, not just its style. Check the instructions before installation. Some brands state that specific models can operate at temperatures as low as −15 °C, but this doesn’t apply to every appliance in their range.
Start by comparing the stated storage times in hours for the models you’re considering, then look for tests on how well they keep food cold, where available. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes temperature and performance measurements in its testing procedures from the specifications simply stated on product sheets.
No. Also compare annual energy consumption in kWh for models with a capacity that suits your needs. ADEME describes the energy label as a guide to help you choose. The product information sheet gives you more detail, including freezer capacity, dimensions and other features relevant to where you plan to install it.