For portions and bags you access frequently, an upright freezer generally makes storage and access easier; a chest freezer is more suitable for large reserves if you have enough floor space and are happy to organise items in baskets or boxes. A large fridge freezer is mainly worth considering when you are also replacing your main fridge: compare the freezer compartment’s capacity on its own, as well as the dimensions, noise level, energy consumption, climate class and stated storage time during a power cut.
If you prepare meals ahead of time, keep leftovers or shop less frequently, prioritise genuinely usable capacity and storage that makes it easy to identify individual portions. In an OpinionWay survey for Lustucru, conducted online on 31 July and 1 August 2024 among 1,020 representative adults living in France, 61% of respondents said they spent 30 minutes or less preparing a weeknight dinner; this figure concerns preparation time, not the choice of freezer.
For frozen food, large packs and food reserves, a chest freezer can provide the volume you need, provided you are happy with its floor space requirement and less immediate access to products stored at the bottom.
If several people need to find portions, bags and boxes quickly, an upright freezer with drawers or removable storage can be more convenient. However, check the drawers’ opening and how easily they can be rearranged on the model you choose.
Choose this if: you want to organise and quickly retrieve portions, ready meals and bags.
What to bear in mind: capacity is often lower than that of a chest freezer, and the drawer layout needs to be checked.
Choose this if: you store large volumes, bulky products or supplies you do not access often.
What to bear in mind: you need sufficient floor space and must organise the chest so that products at the bottom are easy to find.
Choose this if: you are also replacing your fridge and want to keep fresh and frozen food together in the kitchen.
What to bear in mind: the appliance’s total capacity alone does not tell you how much space is actually available for frozen food.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and storage | Compare the freezer compartment’s usable capacity, drawers, baskets or removable shelves, as well as the dimensions and door or lid clearance. | I want to store shopping and ready meals without losing track of what is left or making portions difficult to reach. |
| Everyday access | For frequent opening, examine the drawers, compartments and removable elements. In a chest freezer, plan to use labelled baskets or boxes to separate food. | I want to find a bag or portion without moving the entire stock or leaving the appliance open for too long. |
| Cold retention | Check the freezing capacity in kg/24 h, storage time during a power cut and whether the specific model has a door or temperature alarm. | After a large shop, I want an appliance whose freezing and power-cut performance matches the way I use it. |
| Installation and continuous use | Compare annual energy consumption in kWh, noise emissions, climate class and the permitted ambient temperature range. The A to G European label also shows capacity and noise level. | I want the appliance to suit the room it will be used in, whether that is an open-plan kitchen, utility room, cellar or garage. |
A chest freezer can offer plenty of space, but you have to search through an open compartment. An upright freezer makes everyday organisation easier, with sometimes less capacity despite a similar footprint.
Make a list of what you actually freeze: portions and bags you access often, or large packs and bulky products. Then check the drawers, baskets, depth and door or lid opening.
A room that is too cold or too hot for the specified conditions can affect how the appliance operates.
Before buying, note the room’s usual temperatures and compare them with the climate class and the instructions for the model you are considering.
A freezer runs continuously: the energy label also shows annual consumption, storage capacity and useful noise emissions for comparing similar models.
Compare usable capacity, format, annual kWh and noise level. When the EPREL product information sheet is available, the label’s QR code provides access to the product details.
Annual consumption and noise level can vary between appliances in the same energy efficiency class or with different capacities.
Bosch offers freestanding and integrated upright freezers designed for everyday organisation. Depending on the model, features may include No Frost, adjustable bins or shelves and alerts.
The range includes chest freezers for households that prioritise storage capacity and are looking for features designed to reduce frost build-up.
Whirlpool offers chest and upright freezers, including large-capacity upright models for households seeking structured storage.
Joybuy options for storing household shopping and ready meals, including upright freezers, chest freezers and a fridge freezer.
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For portions and bags you access frequently, its three drawers and two shelves make it easy to separate different foods.
Listed features: No Frost, Fast Freeze down to -22 °C, LED display, alarm and reversible door. Before buying, check the dimensions, climate class, noise level and storage time during a power cut.
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This 99 L chest freezer can provide extra storage when top access suits your space.
Adjustable thermostat, removable wire basket, sliding lid, castors, stated noise level of 39 dB and freezing capacity of 4.5 kg/24 h. Check the climate class and storage time during a power cut before installing it outside the kitchen.
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Its advertised fridge/freezer mode can suit a small, flexible food reserve that adapts to your household’s needs.
95 L, seven-level thermostat, removable basket, defrost drain, stated noise level of 38 dB and 165 kWh/year. Check the model’s climate class, storage time during a power cut and freezing capacity.
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With 140 L of capacity and a storage basket, this chest freezer can hold shopping or ready-meal reserves that you do not access often.
Features listed include a lid that stays open, mechanical thermostat, castors, adjustable feet and a water drain. Organise the compartment so that products at the bottom are easier to reach.
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Consider this if you are also replacing your main fridge and 75 L of freezer capacity is enough for your reserves.
187 L fridge compartment, three freezer drawers, 3.5 kg/24 h, stated storage time during a power cut of 10 hours, 39 dB, 215 kWh/year and N-ST climate class. It is specified for an ambient temperature of 16 to 38 °C.
For household refrigeration appliances, the European label uses an A to G scale and shows, among other details, annual energy consumption, storage capacities and noise emissions. Compare this information between appliances of a similar format and capacity: the class alone does not indicate either the available capacity or whether the appliance is suitable for your room.
No. A chest freezer is suitable if you mainly want plenty of capacity and space for bulky products, and have enough floor area. For portions taken out several times a week, an upright freezer with drawers may be more convenient.
Yes, but only if the climate class and stated ambient temperature range for the model match the room throughout the year. UFC-Que Choisir points out that the climate class specifies the minimum and maximum installation temperatures; this check is important in a garage, cellar or utility room.
Check the storage time in hours on the exact model’s product sheet, without assuming it applies to an entire brand. In its testing protocol, UFC-Que Choisir measures the time needed for the temperature to rise from -17 °C to -9 °C without power, demonstrating why this feature matters when comparing appliances.