Start by choosing the format that suits the way you store and retrieve your portions: an upright freezer is ideal for stock you access frequently, while a chest freezer prioritises capacity and bulky food, with less immediate access. A larger fridge-freezer may be sufficient without needing a second appliance, provided its freezer compartment can genuinely accommodate your reserves.
You prepare several meals or portions for freezing and need to be able to organise and retrieve them without moving the entire stock. An upright freezer with drawers is generally the most practical format to consider first.
You keep large batches, home-grown produce or bulky food for several weeks and have a suitable room available. A chest freezer can provide more capacity, but you’ll need to check access to food stored at the bottom and the floor space it occupies.
You want to increase your frozen-food storage without installing a separate freezer. Compare the net capacity of the freezer compartment in a fridge-freezer rather than its total capacity.
Consider it: for a variety of portions that you want to separate, identify and remove frequently.
Bear in mind: the door-opening space, drawer removal and the fact that maximum capacity is often lower than with a chest freezer.
Consider it: for bags, batches or bulky food when floor space is available.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to organise food in baskets or storage boxes to find items placed at the bottom.
Consider it: if you want more freezer space without installing a second appliance.
Decisive factor: total capacity includes the fridge compartment; check the freezer compartment’s capacity separately.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and storage | Compare net freezer capacity, drawers, baskets or compartments, as well as the external dimensions and the space required to open the appliance. | I want to store portions, bags and batches without wasting time looking for them. For a fridge-freezer, I focus on freezer capacity rather than total capacity. |
| Installation | Check that the climate class covers the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures. Also consult the ventilation clearances specified in the model’s instruction manual. | My garage, utility room, basement or laundry room may be colder or warmer than a kitchen. I choose an appliance designed for the actual conditions in that room. |
| Power-cut performance and continuous use | Compare the stated storage time during a power cut and annual consumption in kWh/year between appliances with similar capacity and intended use. | I want a safety margin during a power cut while keeping the consumption of an appliance that runs continuously easy to understand. ADEME recommends comparing annual consumption rather than relying on the energy class alone. |
A chest freezer offers open, flexible storage, but food kept at the bottom is less immediately accessible. Prepared portions are harder to find without a clear organisation system.
Choose an upright freezer if you regularly take out small portions. With a chest freezer, plan to use baskets, storage boxes or clearly defined zones, and check access to the interior before buying.
An unsuitable ambient temperature can affect the operation intended by the manufacturer. The climate class corresponds to a specific range of ambient temperatures.
Record the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures throughout the year, then compare them with the climate class and the instructions for the exact model.
A freezer operates continuously and its consumption depends in particular on its capacity, the ambient temperature and its features. The energy class alone is not enough to compare appliances with different capacities.
Compare kWh/year between models with similar capacity and intended use, then also consider storage time during a power cut, dimensions and the internal layout.
The total capacity of a fridge-freezer combines the fridge and freezer compartments. The compartment intended for your reserves may therefore be insufficient despite a high overall figure.
Check the product information sheet or EPREL and note the freezer capacity, number of drawers and footprint separately before replacing a standalone freezer.
Beko offers upright and chest freezers, with its Freezer Guard feature highlighted on certain models for installation in unheated rooms.
Whirlpool sells freestanding and integrated upright freezers, including No Frost models arranged with drawers.
Liebherr offers upright and chest freezers, as well as fridge-freezers with different storage options depending on the model.
These Joybuy options include chest freezers and an upright freezer to increase separate storage for portions and family reserves.
Image unavailable
For large family reserves and batches that need to be kept in a separate appliance.
Stated capacity of 291 L, five-level digital control, removable basket, LED light and defrost drain. Stated dimensions: 1100 × 597 × 872 mm; a minimum ventilation clearance of 10 cm is specified.
The basket does not replace a complete system for organising the freezer compartment. Check the climate class, storage time during a power cut and the freezer-mode setting before installation.
Image unavailable
For a variety of portions that need to be organised and regularly retrieved from separate compartments.
Stated net capacity of 161 L, three drawers, two shelves, No Frost system, LED display, alarm and reversible door hinge. Stated temperature range: -14 °C to -22 °C.
This capacity is better suited to moderately sized, well-organised reserves. Check the dimensions, climate class, storage time during a power cut and that the features match this Stainless Steel variant.
Image unavailable
For increasing your family’s frozen-food reserves without choosing a very large chest freezer.
Stated capacity of 197 L, 4-star freezer function, five-level digital control, removable basket and defrost drain. Stated dimensions: 816 × 554 × 848 mm.
Organise portions so that items at the bottom remain accessible. Confirm the climate class, storage time during a power cut and freezer-mode setting in the instructions for the AF-200NF model.
Image unavailable
For extra capacity for portions and small batches.
Stated capacity of 141 L, 4-star freezer function, seven-level mechanical thermostat, removable basket, soft-opening lid and defrost drain. Stated dimensions: 632 × 554 × 848 mm.
This capacity is better suited to additional storage than to very large reserves. Check the climate class, storage time during a power cut and the freezer settings for the AF-150NF model.
Image unavailable
For additional storage of portions or small batches in a dedicated freezer compartment.
Stated capacity of 140 L, storage basket, counterbalanced lid, adjustable thermostat, castors, adjustable feet and front water drain. Stated dimensions: 637 × 556 × 846 mm.
Organising food by category helps reduce the time spent searching inside the freezer. Check the climate class, storage time during a power cut, annual consumption and operating range for the CF182EWE0FR model.
Compare the net freezer capacity that is genuinely available. For a fridge-freezer, total capacity also includes the fridge compartment, so check the freezer compartment separately on the product information sheet or in EPREL. UFC-Que Choisir describes upright freezers as often being close to 200 L, reaching 400 L for larger models, while chest freezers can reach 600 L; these are format guidelines, not universal thresholds.
Yes, but only if the model’s climate class or operating range covers the temperatures actually reached in that room. Beko states, for example, that an SN-T class covers 10 to 43 °C and that certain Freezer Guard appliances are designed to operate down to -15 °C; this exception does not apply to every freezer.
Storage time is specific to each model and must be compared for the exact appliance. In its testing protocol, UFC-Que Choisir measures the time taken to rise from -17 °C to -9 °C without power; the upright or chest format alone therefore cannot indicate this duration.
For relevant household refrigeration appliances sold in the European Union, check the energy label and the model information. EPREL, the European Commission’s public database, provides energy-efficiency and environmental-performance data based on the exact reference.