If you regularly want to find frozen meals in individual portions, choose an upright freezer with drawers that fit your containers. A chest freezer is better suited to bulky items if you have enough floor space. If you only need a little extra freezer space and are also replacing your fridge, compare the freezer capacity of a fridge-freezer instead. In every case, check the annual energy consumption and make sure the appliance is suitable for the room where you plan to install it.
If you regularly open the freezer to take out a portion, drawers can make it easier to organise food by meal or category. Do check that they fit your usual containers, though: the litre capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much usable space there is for each container.
For bulk buys or large containers, look at the shape of a chest freezer’s compartment and the floor space available. You’ll need to be more organised to reach food at the bottom, particularly if you use baskets or labels.
In a warm kitchen or an unheated outbuilding, choose a model based on the room’s actual temperature, its ventilation and the space needed to open the door or lid. A model’s stated suitability for low temperatures doesn’t apply to every appliance of the same type.
Choose this if : you often take out individual portions and want to organise them in drawers.
Bear in mind : usable space depends on the drawer layout and the size of your containers, not just the stated capacity.
Choose this if : you store bulky items and have enough floor space.
Bear in mind : the compartment takes up space, and food at the bottom is less easy to reach.
Consider this if : you’re also replacing your fridge and only need a moderate amount of extra freezer space.
Check : the capacity of the freezer compartment alone; the fridge-freezer’s total capacity includes the fridge section.
For all three types, start with what you actually need to store, then consider how easy it is to access your food, where the appliance will go and how you’ll use it day to day. Que Choisir explains the differences in how upright and chest freezers are organised. The EU energy label also lets you check the freezer capacity, annual energy consumption and noise level of the model you’re considering.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Storage capacity | Compare the freezer compartment’s capacity in litres with the size of your usual batches, then measure the available floor space and delivery access. | If I freeze large quantities, my containers need to fit without making everything difficult to organise; around 31 % of consumers would prioritise this extra capacity. |
| Access to portions | Check the size of the drawers or baskets and how easy they are to remove, as well as how easy it is to reach the bottom of the compartment. | If I want to find a meal when opening the freezer frequently, I’d choose a layout where every portion is easy to see; around 31 % of consumers would put easy access first. |
| Installation location | Check the room’s temperatures and the range permitted for the exact model, as well as the clearances specified in its instructions. | In an unheated outbuilding or a warm kitchen, I need to be able to install the appliance within its specified operating conditions; around 23 % of consumers would prioritise this compatibility. |
| Everyday use and maintenance | Check the kWh/year figure and noise level, then find out how often it needs defrosting and how long it can keep food frozen during a power cut. | If the appliance runs all the time and holds a large amount of food, I want to plan for maintenance and what to do in a power cut; around 15 % of consumers would make this their main concern. |
A large chest freezer can hold bulky items, but food at the bottom is harder to reach. In an upright freezer, drawers can make it easier to organise your food, but may limit the size of the containers you can store.
Measure your usual containers and check the usable depth, the baskets or drawers, and how easy they are to remove.
The temperature in an outbuilding may fall outside the range permitted for a particular model. Liebherr and Beko state that some models are suitable for low temperatures, but this doesn’t apply to all their freezers.
Keep track of the room’s temperature throughout the year, check the instructions for the exact model and allow the clearances needed for ventilation.
An energy rating letter doesn’t tell you the freezer capacity, how many kWh the appliance uses per year or how noisy it is. So it’s not enough to compare different types of freezer designed for different storage needs.
Compare all these details on the EU energy label or in the product specifications, using the capacity you need as your starting point.
Maintenance requirements and stated storage times during a power cut vary between models. A feature that reduces frost doesn’t, on its own, mean the appliance will use less energy or keep food cold for longer during a power cut.
Check the cooling system, defrosting instructions and stated storage time during a power cut for the model you’re interested in.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a freestanding upright freezer and drawer storage and alarm features are important to you.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a chest freezer and capacity and the temperature of a potentially unheated room are key factors.
Worth considering when comparing chest freezers for storing large quantities, while checking the features of each model individually.
These products showcase freestanding chest and upright freezers, as well as a fridge-freezer to consider if you’re replacing your fridge too. Before choosing, compare each model’s capacity with the amount of food you need to store and check its installation requirements.
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Worth considering for bulky items if you have enough floor space and are happy with top access.
The product title lists a capacity of 291 L, a switchable fridge and freezer function, a removable basket, LED lighting and a five-level digital control. Check the permitted ambient temperature range before installing it in an unheated room.
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Worth considering if you want to organise individual meal portions in a freestanding freezer with a front-opening door.
The title lists a capacity of 161 L, drawers, No Frost, an alarm and a reversible door. Check the dimensions, permitted ambient temperature range and kWh/year figure for this model to make sure it’s suitable for your space.
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Worth comparing if you need a little extra storage rather than a large freezer for bulky items.
The title lists a capacity of 60 L, a reversible door and an adjustable thermostat. Check that your containers fit in the storage compartments, then check the kWh/year figure and whether the appliance is suitable for the room’s temperature.
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Worth considering if you’re also replacing your fridge and only need a moderate amount of extra freezer space.
The 282 L stated in the title is the capacity of the whole appliance. Check the freezer compartment’s capacity separately and make sure it has enough room for your meals. Also check the permitted ambient temperature range for your chosen location.
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Worth considering if you want to add a freestanding freezer and a top-opening lid suits the way you organise food.
The title lists a capacity of 140 L, a storage basket, a counterbalanced lid and adjustable temperature control. Check the space needed to open the lid, as well as the kWh/year figure and permitted ambient temperature range for this model.
Yes, as long as the exact model is designed to operate at the temperatures the garage actually reaches. Liebherr and Beko state that some models or ranges are suitable for temperatures down to −15 °C. Check the product specifications and instructions for the model you’re considering rather than assuming this applies to all chest freezers.
Que Choisir recommends setting your freezer to −18 °C. Check the temperature inside the appliance and follow the storage instructions on food packaging too, as advised by the DGCCRF.
Compare annual energy consumption in kWh, freezer capacity and noise level, rather than looking only at the A to G rating. For applicable appliances, the European Commission also provides detailed information on each model in EPREL. Compare these details with the capacity you need.
No. According to the DGCCRF, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies to goods sold by a business to a consumer, whether they’re new, second-hand or refurbished. Any commercial warranty is an additional benefit. Check the services offered for delivery, installation and removal of your old appliance separately.