If you often find yourself looking for portions or bags of food, the drawers in an upright freezer make everything easier to organise. For bulky items, a chest freezer offers an open compartment, as long as you have enough floor space. A fridge-freezer may be enough if you’re already replacing your fridge and its freezer compartment can hold your usual stock, even when it’s at its fullest. Before choosing, compare the freezer capacity, dimensions and ambient temperature range for the specific model. Freezing capacity and storage time in the event of a power cut are also worth considering if you’ll be adding a lot of food or are concerned about outages.
The amount of food you want to store isn’t the only thing to consider: the size of the packaging and how often you look for something also affect which type will suit you best.
If you buy in bulk or freeze pre-prepared portions, estimate how much space your food takes up when your freezer is full. For larger packs, check that they’ll fit in the drawers of an upright freezer or the compartment of a chest freezer.
An upright freezer lets you sort food into drawers, making smaller portions easier to find. In a chest freezer, baskets and organising food by zone can help keep items at the bottom within easy reach.
If you don’t have space for a second appliance, compare the freezer compartment in fridge-freezers with your usual and maximum stock levels. The total capacity quoted for a fridge-freezer also includes the fridge section.
First decide whether a fridge-freezer can hold your supplies, then choose between the drawer access of an upright freezer and the open space of a chest freezer. Next, compare the specifications of models that will actually fit in your home.
Consider one: if you want to organise portions and bags of food that you use regularly.
Bear in mind: check that bulky packs will fit in the drawers and that the door can open where you plan to put it.
Consider one: for bulk buys or bulky items, if you have enough floor space.
Bear in mind: food at the bottom takes more organising to keep it easy to find.
Consider one: if you’re replacing your main fridge and its freezer compartment can hold your supplies.
Bear in mind: a large total capacity doesn’t mean a large freezer capacity; check the two separately.
| Feature | What to check | Based on your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Freezer capacity | Compare the litres available for frozen food, not just the total capacity of a fridge-freezer. Also measure your largest packs and check the usable space in the drawers. | I want my shopping and pre-prepared portions to fit, even when my freezer is full. |
| Storage and access | Look at the drawers and compartments in an upright freezer, or the baskets and depth of a chest freezer. Que Choisir also points out that chest freezers take up more floor space than upright models. | If I open the freezer often, I’d rather be able to find smaller portions without moving all my stock around. |
| Installation | Measure the appliance, access routes, door or lid clearance and the ventilation space required in the instructions. Compare the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures with the range approved for the model. | Is the space large enough, and will its temperature stay within the recommended range throughout the year? |
| Freezing capacity and power cuts | Check the freezing capacity in kg/24 h if you’ll be adding a large amount of food, then check how long it can keep food frozen during a power cut. Before comparing storage times, check how they were measured; Que Choisir’s test, for example, tracks the temperature rise during a simulated power cut. | After a big shop, I need to compare the amount I want to freeze with the stated capacity. Storage time matters to me too if power cuts are a concern. |
| Energy use and maintenance | Compare the kWh/year shown on the energy labels of appliances with similar types and capacities. Check whether defrosting is manual or the model has a No Frost system. | I want to factor in the cost of running an extra appliance continuously and the time needed to maintain it. |
Que Choisir says that a chest freezer takes up more floor space than an upright model. You’ll also need room to open the lid and to get the appliance to its final position.
Measure the space and delivery route, then check the clearance requirements in the instructions before comparing capacities.
The climate class sets the range of ambient temperatures the appliance can operate in, as defined by EU regulations. The temperature stated for inside the freezer doesn’t tell you what temperature the appliance can tolerate in the room.
Compare the room’s seasonal temperatures with the instructions for the exact model. Beko states that Freezer Guard works down to -15 °C on the RFNE448E55W, while Liebherr states that FrostProtect works down to -15 °C on the CFd 2085 Plus. These specifications don’t apply to every appliance from either brand.
The drawers in an upright freezer make it easier to separate smaller portions. A chest freezer’s compartment has more room for bulky items, but food at the bottom is less easy to reach.
Make a list of the packs you store most often: check the usable drawer dimensions or plan to use baskets and organise food by zone in a chest freezer.
An extra freezer runs continuously. For manually defrosted appliances, Que Choisir says that frost build-up increases energy consumption and recommends defrosting when the layer reaches 3 mm.
Compare the kWh/year shown for similar appliances and choose a defrosting method you can keep up with.
Manual defrosting takes time and space to move the contents temporarily.
These examples show three different configurations; their features won’t necessarily apply to other models from the same brand.
The RFNE448E55W upright freezer is an example of a vertical model for organising a large stock of food.
The CFd 2085 Plus is an example of a chest freezer to consider for bulky packs and rooms where the temperature varies.
The KGN39VLCT is worth considering if you want to replace your fridge without adding a separate appliance.
This selection includes upright freezers to add to your home and fridge-freezers for keeping frozen food in a single appliance. Their capacities suit different stock levels, so compare the space available for frozen food before choosing.
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Worth considering if you’re replacing your fridge and want to keep frozen food in the same appliance. The model name lists a total capacity of 360 L, Total No Frost, energy class E, Wi-Fi and My Zone. Compare the freezer compartment’s capacity separately with the amount you need to store.
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A separate appliance to consider if you’d rather organise your supplies in compartments than in an open chest. The product name lists a capacity of 161 L, No Frost, drawers, a reversible door and energy class C. Check its dimensions and the approved ambient temperature range for the space you have in mind.
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This fridge-freezer is better suited to a moderate amount of frozen food than to the needs of a large separate freezer. The product name lists a total capacity of 262 L, a 70/30 split, a width of 54 cm, a height of 176 cm and Low Frost. Check the exact capacity of the freezer compartment and the defrosting requirements before choosing.
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Its 60 L capacity is better suited to a small amount of extra storage than a large stock of food. The product name lists three drawers, a reversible door and energy class E. If you plan to install it in an unheated room, check the ambient temperature range approved for this model.
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This model combines both functions in one appliance, but its 50 L of freezer space is suited to a limited amount of frozen food. The product name lists 120 L of fridge space and 50 L of freezer space, as well as a noise level of 40 dB and energy class E. Check its dimensions against the space you have in mind.
A fridge-freezer may be enough if its freezer compartment can hold your supplies even when you have the most to store. This can be a good option if you’re already replacing your fridge and don’t have room for a second appliance. For example, Bosch lists 103 l of freezer space for the KGN39VLCT. Compare this figure with your needs, and don’t confuse it with the fridge capacity.
Yes, as long as the room’s actual temperatures stay within the operating range approved for your chosen model. EU regulations define a climate class by this range of ambient temperatures. Liebherr states that FrostProtect works down to -15 °C on the CFd 2085 Plus, but this feature shouldn’t be assumed to apply to every chest freezer.
Check the freezing capacity in kg/24 h for the amount you’ll be adding, then look at how long the specific model can keep food frozen during a power cut. Before comparing this figure between appliances, check how it was measured: Que Choisir’s test, for example, measures how the temperature changes when the power is off.
Choose based on the type of food you store and how often you need to access it. The drawers in an upright freezer make it easier to separate smaller portions. A chest freezer’s open compartment can hold bulky items, as long as you organise the baskets and the bottom so you can find what you need.
In France, old appliances are covered by the national collection scheme for waste electrical and electronic equipment, as described by the ministry responsible for the ecological transition. Before replacing your appliance, check the retailer’s take-back arrangements or find a suitable collection service. Don’t put it out with ordinary household waste.