For prepared meals you reach for often, an upright freezer makes it easier to organise food in drawers. For larger batches you access less frequently, a chest freezer offers more open storage, but takes up more floor space and requires you to organise what’s at the bottom. If the freezer compartment in a larger fridge freezer can hold your stock, and you’re already replacing your fridge, you may not need a separate appliance. Before choosing, compare the usable capacity, how the door or lid opens in your room, annual energy consumption and how long the food stays frozen during a power cut.
If you organise prepared meals and ingredients by meal, drawers can make everyday access easier. An upright freezer, or a sufficiently large freezer compartment in a fridge freezer, is worth comparing with a deep chest freezer.
If you store large batches for several weeks in a dedicated space, a chest freezer’s open storage can be useful. Just make sure you have room for the lid to open, and use baskets or containers to help you find items at the bottom.
If your main aim is to shop less often, first compare your usual stock with the capacity of a fridge freezer’s freezer compartment. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes this from the small ice box in a compact fridge, which is not suitable for long-term storage.
First decide whether your extra stock justifies a separate appliance. Then compare each format with the space you have and how you like to access your food.
Worth considering: for organised portions you often retrieve from drawers.
Things to check: make sure the appliance’s height and door clearance suit the room.
Worth considering: for large batches or bulky containers you access less often.
Things to check: it takes up floor space, and you’ll need to think about how to reach items at the bottom.
Worth considering: if you’re replacing your fridge and its new freezer compartment can hold your stock.
Things to check: look at the capacity of the freezer compartment itself, not the fridge freezer’s total capacity.
Worth considering: if the lack of space is occasional, or is mainly due to items being hard to find.
Limitation: this won’t add capacity if the compartment is regularly full.
| Consideration | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Access and organisation | Look at the drawers, baskets and access to the bottom. UFC-Que Choisir considers access to food and ease of use in its freezer advice. | I often take out a specific portion: being able to find it without moving all my other food matters more than having a large open space. |
| Space and installation | Measure the space, access routes and clearance for the door or lid. Check the permitted ambient temperature range for the room, especially if it’s a cellar or garage. | I’m interested in a chest freezer for my food stocks, but I need to be able to open it and move around it. If it’s going in a cool room, I’ll check that the model is suitable. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the capacity of the freezer compartment alone, the shape of the packaging and the internal layout. UFC-Que Choisir notes that chest and upright freezer capacities vary considerably between models, so litres alone won’t tell you how easy it is to reach what’s inside. | My meal containers and usual shopping need to fit without hiding food that’s already stored. |
| Energy consumption | Compare the kWh/year figures for models of similar capacity, as well as their energy ratings. ADEME points out that fridges and freezers run continuously; adding an appliance means using it alongside the one you already have. | If I only have extra food to store occasionally, I’d rather check what my current appliance can manage before running a second one. |
| Power cuts and alerts | Check the model’s stated storage time during a power cut and whether it has door or temperature alerts. UFC-Que Choisir also assesses how well a freezer keeps food cold during a power cut, separately from its capacity and energy consumption. | If I store a lot of food or install the appliance away from the kitchen, I want to know how long it stays cold and what alerts are available. |
A large capacity is no use if the freezer won’t fit through to its intended spot or its lid is difficult to open. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the importance of floor space and easy access to food.
Also measure delivery access and the clearance above the lid. Think about how you’ll retrieve an item from the bottom.
According to UFC-Que Choisir, the ice box in a small fridge is not equivalent to a freezer compartment suitable for storing prepared meals over a longer period.
Check the type of compartment and its operating temperature. To freeze and store the meals you have in mind, look for a compartment that can reach −18 °C.
As ADEME points out, an additional freezer runs continuously. Its energy rating alone won’t let you compare the annual consumption of two appliances with different capacities.
Compare the kWh/year figures and usable capacity of similar models, then choose a size that suits your usual stock.
Capacity and energy rating don’t tell you how long a model will keep food cold without power. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing looks at how freezers perform during a power cut.
Check the storage time for the specific model. If it’s going away from the kitchen, also check for open-door or rising-temperature alerts.
These details apply to the models named by their manufacturers, not to every appliance made by each brand.
The GSN36AICM is an example of a freestanding upright freezer, offering vertical storage.
The CFe 2500 Pure is an example of a large chest freezer to consider if you have a dedicated space for it.
The HSM14540 and CF200EWN chest freezers offer different features to compare, depending on the model.
These options include fridge freezers for integrated capacity, as well as chest and upright freezers for additional, separate storage. Compare the compartment or format that suits your stock, and don’t confuse a fridge freezer’s total capacity with its freezer capacity.
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Worth considering if you’re replacing a fridge freezer and want to organise portions without adding a separate appliance. The model name lists Total No Frost, an E rating, Wi-Fi and My Zone. Check the capacity of the freezer compartment alone, as well as the dimensions and clearance required.
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Another integrated-capacity option to compare with your frozen food and prepared meal stocks. The model name lists Low Frost, an E rating, a width of 54 cm and a height of 176 cm. Check the freezer compartment’s capacity and the ambient temperature of the room where you plan to install it. Manual defrosting will still be needed.
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The chest format may suit bulky batches if you have room to lift the lid and reach the bottom. The product name lists fridge or freezer mode, an E rating, a removable basket and a five-level digital control. Check that the ambient temperature range suits your room and find out how long it keeps food cold during a power cut.
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The upright design and three drawers listed in the name are worth considering if you want to organise portions you reach for often. The product also has a C rating and an alarm. Before using it for prepared meals, make sure you can set the storage temperature to −18 °C: the “−14 °C to −22 °C” range shown in its title doesn’t confirm this setting. Also check its dimensions and how long it keeps food cold during a power cut.
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This chest freezer is better suited to compare with a need for extra storage than with a large food reserve. Its title lists a removable basket, an adjustable thermostat, a sliding lid and an E rating. Measure the space needed to open it, and check its annual energy consumption, the ambient temperature range it supports and how long it keeps food cold during a power cut. It needs to be defrosted manually.
Yes, if you’re already replacing your fridge and the capacity of its freezer compartment is enough for your stock. UFC-Que Choisir explains that a freezer compartment operating between −18 °C and −24 °C is different from the small ice box in a compact fridge, which is only intended for keeping already frozen food for a limited time.
An upright freezer generally makes it easier to organise and regularly access portions thanks to its drawers. A chest freezer offers more flexibility for large batches, but baskets or containers help you find items stored at the bottom.
Aim for −18 °C for storage, as recommended by UFC-Que Choisir. Before freezing prepared meals, check that the appliance or compartment in question can reach this temperature.
Only if the model’s permitted ambient temperature range is suitable for the room. Check its climate class or the temperatures listed in its technical specifications. A feature designed for cold rooms on one model won’t necessarily apply to other models.