If you’re building up a large stock of meals, choose between a chest freezer, which has room for bulky items, and an upright freezer, whose drawers make it easier to organise your food. A large fridge-freezer is a better choice if you also need to replace your fridge. Check the capacity of its freezer compartment alone, then make sure the appliance you choose fits your space and can be installed as required.
If pre-prepared portions and bulk buys are taking up all the space in your fridge’s freezer compartment, compare the usable freezer capacity of each format. A separate appliance could be a good solution if you need more room to stock up.
If you often take out individual portions, easy access matters just as much as capacity. Check the drawer layout of an upright freezer, or plan how you’ll organise a chest freezer.
Before choosing this location, check that its temperatures are within the range specified for the exact model, and follow the ventilation clearances given in the manual.
Consider it: for bulk buys or bulky food, if you have enough floor space and room to open the lid.
Bear in mind: a deep compartment means you’ll need to organise your food so it’s easy to find.
Consider it: if you want to keep meals separate and find them easily in drawers.
Bear in mind: drawers offer less flexibility for storing very bulky items.
Consider it: if you also need to replace your fridge but don’t want to install a second appliance.
Bear in mind: the advertised total capacity isn’t the same as the space available for frozen food.
When storing meals, start with how much you need to keep, then consider how easy it is to access and the constraints of the room.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Freezer capacity | Compare the capacity in litres of the freezer compartment, not the total capacity of a fridge-freezer. If you freeze a lot of fresh food at once, also check the stated freezing capacity in kg/24 h. | When prepared meals and bulk buys won’t fit in my fridge, I first look for enough room to build up a good stock. Around 46% of consumers would put this need for capacity first. |
| Access to food | Look at the drawers or baskets and check how much space is needed to open the door or lid fully. | If I take out portions several times a week, I want to find them without rummaging at the bottom of a deep compartment. Easy access and organisation would be priorities for around 36% of consumers. |
| Installation and use | Check the permitted ambient temperature range and clearances specified in the manual; compare kWh/year and noise levels between appliances with a similar capacity. | If I’m putting the appliance in a room with certain constraints, I need to know whether it can operate there and understand its usage specifications. This compatibility would be the main concern for around 18% of consumers. |
A deep compartment takes up floor space and can make it harder to reach food stored underneath.
Also measure the space needed to open the lid, and decide how you’ll divide your food between baskets or containers.
An unheated cellar or garage may fall outside the ambient temperature range specified for the appliance. Beko’s stated minimum ambient temperature for its HSM46740 doesn’t apply to other models.
Compare the room temperature with the range given in the manual for the model you’ve chosen, and allow for ventilation.
The rating letter alone doesn’t tell you the freezer capacity or annual energy consumption. According to the European Commission, the label on refrigeration appliances also shows capacity, kWh/year and noise levels.
Compare these figures between appliances of a similar format and capacity that meet the same needs.
Getting a new freezer delivered doesn’t automatically take care of removing the old one.
Check what take-back options are available when you order, and make sure there’s clear access to the appliance that needs removing.
The HSM46740 chest freezer is a large-capacity option to consider for an unheated location.
The WHFF 6403 W4E upright freezer is an example of a large-capacity model with drawer storage.
The FNe 5006 Pure NoFrost is a freestanding upright freezer with a mid-range capacity.
These Joybuy models offer three ways to store your meals: replace your fridge with a fridge-freezer, add a chest freezer or choose an upright freezer with drawers. For each one, check the freezer capacity and the space you have at home.
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Worth considering if you’re also replacing your fridge and want to organise your frozen food in a single appliance.
The freezer compartment has a stated capacity of 156 L, with two drawers and a freezing capacity of 10 kg/24 h. Check that this is enough for your stock, and consult the manual for the required installation clearances.
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This fridge-freezer could suit you if you’re replacing your main appliance and prefer drawers for your frozen portions.
Its freezer compartment has a stated capacity of 125 L, with three drawers and a freezing capacity of 10 kg/24 h. Compare these 125 L with the amount you plan to store, and check the required clearances in the manual.
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A chest freezer could suit you if you have floor space for a separate stock of food and want the option to switch between fridge and freezer modes.
It has a stated capacity of 291 L and comes with a removable basket. Before choosing this model for your meals, confirm its usable capacity in freezer mode and the ambient temperature range specified for its location.
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This dedicated upright freezer is a good fit if you want to organise your stock rather than stack it in a chest.
It’s listed with three drawers, two shelves and a No Frost function. Check its dimensions and permitted ambient temperature range to make sure it suits the room you have in mind.
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This separate chest freezer is worth considering if you’re looking for extra storage with a mid-range capacity.
It has a stated capacity of 140 L and comes with a storage basket. Check whether this layout works for the portions you take out regularly, and make sure the room is within the specified ambient temperature range.
Yes, as long as the garage temperature stays within the range permitted for the exact model and you follow the installation instructions in its manual. For example, Beko lists a minimum ambient temperature of −15 °C for the HSM46740, but this doesn’t apply to other freezers.
As well as the energy rating, check the freezer capacity, annual energy consumption in kWh and noise level. The European Commission says the label for refrigeration appliances includes these details. Ideally, compare appliances with a capacity that meets the same needs.
First, follow the manual for the model you’ve bought, particularly its instructions on how long to wait before plugging it in, levelling and airflow. Electrolux recommends waiting at least four hours for the appliances covered by its installation advice; if your model’s manual gives different instructions, follow those instead.