The freezer compartment in a fridge freezer may be enough if your portions and frozen food fit without making everything difficult to organise, and you regularly use up and replenish your stock. If your batch cooking or shopping often fills the compartment, a separate freezer could be a better fit: choose an upright model for easy access to portions, a chest freezer for bulky items, or an under-counter model if space is limited. Compare usable capacity, and check the appliance’s dimensions and the ambient temperature range it is designed for, as recommended by UFC-Que Choisir and ADEME.
If you regularly freeze meals in small portions, being able to find each container without moving everything else can matter just as much as capacity. Drawers and well-designed bins can make it easier to keep things organised, depending on the model.
For bulk buys or large packs, start with the usable capacity you need and the space available. UFC-Que Choisir highlights, among other differences, how upright and chest freezers store food and make it accessible.
A narrow kitchen, an appliance housing unit or awkward access can limit your options before you even compare capacities. Measure the appliance, its intended space and the route to it. If it will be in a cold room, also check the ambient temperature range it is designed for.
Start by noticing when the fridge freezer’s compartment becomes too full, then compare the different styles based on how you access your food and the space you have. The total capacity of a fridge freezer is not the same as the usable capacity of its freezer compartment.
| Criterion | What to check | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Extra storage capacity | Compare the usable freezer capacity in litres with the largest amount of food you need to store, rather than the total capacity of your fridge freezer. | After batch cooking or a bulk shop, I want to put food away without filling up the existing compartment; around 37% of consumers would prioritise this extra storage. |
| Access to portions | Look at the drawers, removable baskets and how easy it is to reach items at the bottom of a chest freezer. | When I often need a particular portion, I want to find it without moving other packs. Around 27% of consumers would put this ease of organisation first. |
| Where it will go | Measure the appliance, the access route and, where relevant, the housing unit. Check the manual for the permitted ambient temperature range. | If my kitchen is narrow or the freezer needs to go in a cold room, the first priority is finding a model that can be installed there in the intended conditions; around 27% of consumers would make this compatibility their priority. |
| Ongoing use and maintenance | Compare energy consumption in kWh/year across similar sizes, and understand the difference between No Frost, LowFrost and manual defrosting. | Because an appliance runs all the time, I look at electricity use and defrosting before increasing my storage; for around 9% of consumers, this would be their main concern. |
Its deep storage space is ideal for bulky items, but portions at the bottom are less convenient to reach day to day than food in the front of a drawer.
If you choose a chest freezer, organise food by category using baskets and a dated inventory. If you often take out small portions, compare the access offered by an upright model too.
The room temperature must stay within the appliance’s specified operating conditions. If one model is suitable for a garage, that doesn’t mean every freezer from the same brand is.
Check the ambient temperature range in the manual for the exact model and compare it with the temperatures in the room you have in mind, as ADEME recommends.
Two freezers in the same class may have different capacities and be suited to different uses. The rating alone won’t tell you which one is right for your household.
Also check the kWh/year figure, freezer capacity, noise level and dimensions. Where possible, compare appliances of a similar size and capacity.
Freezing won’t fix a problem with how food has been stored beforehand. The French Ministry of the Economy advises that food must not be frozen once its use-by date has been reached or passed.
Plan ahead, label your portions and follow the food’s storage instructions.
The GSN58AWEV is an example of an upright model for storing a large supply across several compartments.
The CFd 2505 Plus chest freezer may suit a household with enough floor space for a large amount of extra storage.
The BRZ22600EWW/EF is worth considering for a fitted kitchen that needs an integrated freezer.
The LUB3AE88S is an under-counter integrated freezer to consider as an addition to a fridge freezer, if its capacity suits your needs.
These models include compact upright freezers and chest freezers designed to add extra freezer storage. Choose according to how much you need to store, how you access your portions and where you plan to put the appliance. A compact chest freezer won’t necessarily meet the same needs as a large upright model.
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Worth considering if you want 161 L of dedicated storage for regularly separating portions and frozen food. The product title lists No Frost, a C energy rating, an alarm and a reversible door. Check the dimensions and specified ambient temperature range before choosing where to put it.
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This 99 L chest freezer is worth considering for extra storage if you’re happy to access food from the top. Its title mentions a removable basket, an adjustable thermostat and an E energy rating. Check the installation requirements and defrosting instructions for this model.
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With a stated capacity of 60 L, this model is better suited to a small amount of extra storage than to bulk shopping. The title lists a reversible door and an E energy rating. Check the exact interior layout before relying on its compartments to organise your portions.
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Worth comparing if you’re looking for 140 L of chest freezer storage and have room for the lid to open upwards. The title mentions a storage basket, a counterbalanced lid and an E energy rating. If you plan to put it in an unheated room, check the permitted ambient temperature range.
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This 98 L chest freezer is worth considering for a small amount of extra storage if you’re used to organising food in a deep compartment. The title lists a basket, an adjustable thermostat and an E energy rating. Measure the space and check the model’s ambient temperature range before buying.
It may be enough if it can hold your usual stock and you can keep everything organised. If batch cooking or bulk buys regularly fill it up, compare the usable freezer capacity of a separate appliance with your needs and the space available.
Yes, but only if the garage’s ambient temperature stays within the operating conditions specified for the model you choose. Check the manual rather than assuming that all chest or upright freezers are suitable. For example, Liebherr states that FrostProtect allows the CFd 2505 Plus to operate at temperatures down to −15 °C, but this doesn’t apply to other models.
Compare the energy rating and annual consumption in kWh with the freezer capacity, ideally across similar formats. The European Commission states that domestic refrigeration appliances are covered by energy labelling. Noise level and capacity are also useful when comparing models for your space.
No. LowFrost does not mean you can avoid manual defrosting. Electrolux describes the LUB3AE88S as a LowFrost model that still needs to be defrosted manually. Check the technology and instructions for the specific model you’re considering.
Plan to freeze it before that date rather than waiting until the last minute. The French Ministry of the Economy states that food must not be frozen once its use-by date has been reached or passed. Follow its storage instructions too.