If you regularly reach for meals and small portions, consider an upright freezer with drawers. For bulk buys or bulky food, a chest freezer may be a better fit, provided you have room to open and organise it. A large fridge freezer is more suited to replacing your fridge too: check the freezer’s capacity separately from the total volume. If you’re putting it in a cellar, utility room or garage, make sure the model’s stated ambient temperature range covers the temperature of the room.
If you store portions and bags that you take out regularly, consider the drawers in an upright freezer or the freezer compartment of a fridge freezer. Check that the layout lets you separate foods without overfilling the drawers.
For large packs or bulky foods, a chest freezer gives you flexibility over how you organise the space. Make room for the lid to open and, if the appliance will go in a cellar or garage, check its ambient temperature range.
An upright freezer or fridge freezer can take up less floor space than a wide chest freezer. Also measure the space needed to open the door and pull out the drawers: the appliance dimensions alone aren’t enough to confirm it will fit.
First decide whether you’re adding an appliance or replacing your fridge too, then compare each type with the food you usually store and the room you have in mind.
Consider it if: you often take ready meals or small portions out of the freezer.
Bear in mind: drawers make it easier to sort food, but they need to be large enough for your biggest packs.
Consider it if: you’re adding an appliance mainly for bulk buys and bulky items.
Bear in mind: access is from the top, so you’ll need to organise the contents to avoid losing small portions at the bottom.
Consider it if: you also need to replace your fridge and want to combine both functions in one appliance.
Bear in mind: some of the stated capacity is for fresh food, not frozen food.
| Factor | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the freezer capacity, not the total capacity of a fridge freezer. Also check the size of the drawers or basket against the packs you usually buy. | My bulk buys and ready meals need to fit in the space actually intended for frozen food. |
| Access to food | Check the number and layout of the drawers in an upright freezer or fridge freezer. For a chest freezer, look at the baskets and the depth of the compartment. | If I often take out just one portion, I want to find it without moving the rest of the food. |
| Location | Measure the appliance, the space needed to open its door or lid, and access to the drawers. Compare the model’s stated ambient temperature range with the temperatures in the room. | I need to be able to install and use the appliance in the intended spot in my kitchen, cellar or garage. |
| Everyday use | Among appliances of a similar type and capacity, compare annual energy consumption, defrosting type, noise level and stated storage time in the event of a power cut. | I’d rather understand the maintenance and day-to-day requirements before choosing a larger capacity. |
Whether it’s a chest or upright model, the type alone doesn’t determine the ambient temperature range it’s designed for. A room that’s too cold or too warm may fall outside that range.
Check the possible temperatures in the room, then look at the climate class or any explicit statement that the specific model is suitable for an unheated room.
In a chest freezer, small bags can end up under other food. In an upright freezer, the drawer dimensions may limit how you store bulky items.
Start with the packs you buy and how often you’ll need to get to them. Plan zones or baskets for a chest freezer, and check the drawer layout of an upright model.
The stated capacity in litres for a fridge freezer includes the fridge compartment too. It doesn’t tell you how much frozen food you can store.
Check the freezer compartment’s capacity separately, then look at its layout and the appliance’s external dimensions.
Depending on how you use the appliance, defrosting, energy consumption and stated storage time in the event of a power cut can matter just as much as how you organise your food.
Compare these details across appliances of a similar type and capacity, rather than assuming their energy rating tells you everything about them.
These range examples show some of the configurations available. Check the specifications of the model you’re considering.
The range includes upright freezers with interiors that vary by model.
The brand offers chest freezers to consider if you need to store a large amount of food or want an appliance for an unheated room.
Samsung fridge freezers are worth considering if you’re replacing your fridge too.
This selection includes fridge freezers for replacing your fridge too, an upright freezer for organising portions, and chest freezers for adding extra freezer space. Compare their usable capacity and installation requirements before choosing a type.
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Worth considering if you’re replacing your fridge too. The 360 L refers to the total capacity, so check the freezer capacity separately for your meals and shopping. The model name lists Total No Frost, an E energy rating and Wi-Fi. Also check the ambient temperature range before installing it in an unheated room.
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An upright freezer to consider if you’d rather keep portions separate than stack them in a chest. The product name lists three freezer drawers, No Frost, a C energy rating and a reversible door hinge. Measure the space and check the climate class before choosing where to install it.
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This fridge freezer is suited to replacing your fridge too, with a stated width of 54 cm and height of 176 cm. The 262 L is the total capacity, so compare the freezer capacity separately with the amount you plan to store. The model is listed as Low Frost; factor in defrosting when making your choice.
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This chest freezer is worth considering for bulk shopping, provided you have enough room to open the lid. It’s described as convertible between fridge and freezer modes, with a removable basket and a defrost drain; it has an E energy rating. Organise the rest of the compartment to suit the food you store, and check the ambient temperature range before installing it in a cellar or garage.
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This chest freezer adds extra freezer space without replacing your fridge. The product name lists a storage basket, counterbalanced lid, temperature control and an E energy rating. If you store lots of small portions, plan how to organise them beyond the basket. Also check the space needed to open the lid and whether the room temperature is suitable.
No. Compare the room temperature with the range specified for the model. Que Choisir’s glossary gives 10 to 32 °C for climate class SN and 16 to 32 °C for class N, among other examples. Some manufacturers list features for colder rooms, but check that these apply to the specific appliance and note any conditions.
A chest freezer can hold bulk buys and bulky packs, but small portions need to be organised in baskets or sections so they’re easy to reach. If you often take out an individual meal, check whether the drawers in an upright freezer would suit the way you store food better.
Yes, if you’re also replacing your fridge and its freezer compartment has room for the food you plan to store. Compare the capacity and layout of the freezer compartment itself: the fridge freezer’s total capacity includes the fridge too.
No. Compare the energy rating and annual consumption of appliances of a similar type and capacity, then consider usable capacity, maintenance, noise and the space needed. An energy rating alone doesn’t tell you how easy it is to reach your food.