If you need more room for groceries and batch-cooked meals, start by considering the space available and how you like to find your food. A chest freezer is better suited to bulky items, while the compartments in an upright make it easier to organise everything, as UFC-Que Choisir explains. A small additional freezer may be enough if you only need a little extra space. If you also need to replace your main fridge, compare the freezer capacity of a large fridge-freezer with that of a separate appliance. In every case, check the dimensions, the permitted ambient temperature and the energy-use figures for the model you’re considering.
If large shops and family-size packs are overflowing from your current freezer, a chest freezer is worth considering. Its open interior can accommodate bulky items, provided you have enough floor space and a plan for finding things stored at the bottom.
If you want to organise portions and prepared meals by category, the drawers in an upright freezer can make everyday access easier. Check their internal dimensions if you use large containers.
In a small kitchen, cellar or garage, capacity isn’t the only thing to consider. Measure the space and check the permitted ambient temperature range for the exact model before installing it there.
Worth considering: if bulk shopping or large items call for open storage space.
Bear in mind: it takes up more floor space, and you’ll need a way to organise items stored at the bottom.
Worth considering: if you regularly take out portions and want to organise them in compartments.
Bear in mind: the drawers may limit the space available for very large containers.
Worth considering: if you need a little extra space for a few portions in a small area.
Bear in mind: it has limited capacity for bulk shopping.
Worth considering: if your main fridge also needs replacing and you only need a moderate amount of extra freezer space.
Bear in mind: the fridge-freezer’s total capacity doesn’t tell you how much space is available for frozen food.
| Consideration | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and bulky items | Compare the usable capacity of the freezer compartment and the space actually available for your bags, boxes or large dishes. | When bulk shopping already fills my appliance, I mainly want to store bulky items without having to split up every shop. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise this need for extra capacity. |
| Access to portions | Look at the size and layout of the drawers or shelves, especially if you use particular types of containers. | If I often freeze prepared meals, I want to find a portion quickly without moving everything else around. Easy access would come first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Where it will go | Measure the appliance, the route into the room and the space needed to open it. For a cellar or garage, check the ambient temperature range permitted for the model. | I need to fit the appliance into a small room or a cold space without assuming it will work properly there. For around 20% of consumers, this compatibility would be the main consideration. |
| Extra appliance or replacement | Compare freezer capacity, annual energy consumption in kWh and noise levels. Check the stated storage time in the event of a power cut separately. | My main appliance no longer fully meets my needs, but I want to know whether replacing it could avoid adding another one. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise weighing up this option. |
The European Commission says the energy label for household refrigeration appliances shows details including annual energy consumption, capacity and noise levels. If you’re considering a cellar or garage, the label doesn’t replace checking the permitted ambient temperature for the specific model.
A chest freezer may offer the space you need but get in the way or be difficult to open. UFC-Que Choisir says chest freezers generally take up more floor space than upright models.
Measure the space, the delivery route and the clearance needed to open the door or lid before settling on a capacity.
The temperature in a garage or cellar may fall outside the range some models are designed for. A claim that one model is suitable for a particular space doesn’t apply to every model in the range.
Compare the usual temperatures in the room with the operating range stated for the exact appliance.
The energy rating letter alone won’t tell you how much space is available, how much energy the appliance uses each year or how noisy it is.
Check these figures separately on the energy label, then look up the stated storage time in the event of a power cut in the model’s specifications.
In France, the Ministry of the Economy explains that the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to goods sold by a business to an individual. A commercial warranty is a separate offer.
Before taking out an extended warranty, compare what it actually adds: duration, parts, labour, call-out charges, exclusions and how to make a claim.
Worth looking at if you’re considering a No Frost upright and width or installation in a cold room is a particular concern.
Worth considering if you want to organise portions while still having room for some bulky items.
A brand to consider for chest freezers, particularly if a convertible function or use in a cold room is one of your priorities.
Worth considering if you want to compare freestanding, built-in or table-top models to suit the space available.
These appliances show four options to consider, depending on what you need: a chest freezer for bulky items, an upright for organising portions, a small freezer for extra capacity or a fridge-freezer to consider when replacing your main fridge. Compare the capacity set aside for freezing, not just the total capacity of a fridge-freezer.
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Worth considering for bulk shopping if you have enough space for a chest freezer with a top-opening lid.
The model name indicates a capacity of 291 L, conversion between fridge and freezer modes, a removable basket and an E energy rating.
Check that its dimensions of 1100 × 597 × 872 mm and the required clearances will suit the room. If you’re placing it in a cellar or garage, also check the permitted ambient temperature.
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A compartment-style option for storing portions and finding them easily.
The model name indicates a capacity of 161 L, three drawers, No Frost, an alarm and a C energy rating.
The stated temperature setting range of −14 °C to −22 °C is not the permitted ambient temperature. Check the latter, along with the dimensions, before installing it in a cold room.
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Worth comparing if you’d rather replace your main fridge than add a separate freezer.
The stated 360 L capacity is for the whole fridge-freezer. Check the capacity of the freezer compartment separately. The model name also mentions Total No Frost and an E energy rating.
Check that you have room for an appliance measuring 185 × 59,5 × 66,7 cm.
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Worth considering if you’re also planning to replace your main fridge; this isn’t a separate freezer for extra capacity.
The stated 467 L capacity is for the whole fridge-freezer. The model name indicates Total No Frost and an E energy rating. Compare the freezer capacity separately.
Make sure you have space for its dimensions of 181,5 × 83,3 × 65 cm, and check the permitted ambient temperature.
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Worth considering for a few extra portions in a small kitchen, rather than for bulk shopping.
The model name indicates three drawers, a reversible door and an E energy rating. Its stated dimensions are 44,5 × 47,5 × 84,5 cm.
Before installing it under a worktop or in a cold room, check the required clearances and permitted ambient temperature.
A chest freezer is worth looking at first if bulky items and capacity matter more to you than being able to reach every product quickly. UFC-Que Choisir says some chest freezers can hold up to 600 L, but measure the space and plan how you’ll organise what’s inside.
Yes, if the ambient temperature range stated for the model covers the temperatures your garage reaches. Beko and Whirlpool state that the RFNM200E40WN and W3RHS19DW respectively can operate at temperatures as low as −15 °C. This doesn’t automatically apply to their other appliances.
Check the energy label for each appliance. According to the European Commission, it shows details including annual energy consumption, compartment capacity and noise levels. For a fridge-freezer, look at the capacity set aside for freezing rather than just its total capacity.
No. In France, the Ministry of the Economy explains that the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to goods sold by a business to an individual; an extended commercial warranty is separate. Read its terms to understand what extra cover it offers, and keep the documents describing the appliance you bought.
Ask the retailer whether they’ll take away your old appliance when you buy a similar freezer. The Ministry for Ecological Transition describes this as a “1-for-1” take-back scheme for electrical and electronic equipment. Agree the practical arrangements with the retailer before delivery.