If you want to store a large quantity of food, including bulky items, consider a chest freezer if you have enough room to install it and open the lid. An upright freezer makes it easier to access portions stored in drawers, while a large fridge-freezer is best if you also need to replace your fridge and its freezer compartment has enough capacity. Whichever you choose, check the available space, annual energy consumption, stated power-cut storage time and the permitted room temperatures for installation.
If your fridge-freezer’s compartment can no longer hold your bulk buys or batch-cooked meals, a separate appliance gives you more room for frozen food. A chest freezer has an open compartment for bulky items, while an upright freezer lets you divide your food between drawers.
If you often need to find a particular item, the drawers in an upright freezer can make it easier to organise and access your food. However, check that the drawers are large enough for the items you plan to store.
In a cellar, utility room or unheated garage, the room temperature matters just as much as the type of appliance. Some Liebherr and Beko models are stated to operate at temperatures as low as −15 °C, according to their brand specifications. Check that the specific model you’re considering is suitable.
Start by choosing a type that suits the amount of food you store and how often you need to access it. Then compare the specifications of models that can actually be installed in your home.
Consider this if: you buy in bulk or store bulky items, and an open compartment suits the way you organise your food.
Bear in mind: you’ll need floor space and a way to find items stored at the bottom.
Consider this if: you often take out individual portions and want to keep food separate in drawers.
Bear in mind: the drawer size may make it harder to store bulky items.
Consider this if: you also need to replace your fridge and the freezer compartment has enough capacity for your needs.
Bear in mind: a large total capacity doesn’t necessarily mean there’s plenty of room for frozen food.
| Criteria | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Freezer capacity | Compare the litres of freezer space, separate from the fridge capacity in a fridge-freezer. Check how much usable space there is for bulky items. | I want to store my bulk buys without confusing total capacity with the space available for frozen food. |
| Access and storage | Look at the drawers in an upright freezer or the baskets in a chest freezer. Check that you can handle your food easily and reach items at the bottom. | For everyday meals, I’d prefer to find a particular portion quickly; for large batches, I can organise a chest freezer into zones. |
| Installation | Measure the height, width and depth, as well as the clearance needed to open the appliance. Check the room temperature against the ambient temperature range allowed for the exact model. | If I install an appliance in my utility room or garage, it needs to open easily and operate at the temperatures in that room. |
| Energy use and noise | Compare the energy rating with the kWh/year figure and freezer capacity. Also check the noise level in dB(A), especially if the appliance will be near living areas. | I’m looking for a capacity that suits the amount I store, while taking the stated energy use and noise level at the planned location into account. |
| Power cuts and maintenance | Check how many hours the appliance is stated to keep food frozen during a power cut. If frost is a concern, check the technology listed for the model, along with its other specifications. | With a large amount of food in storage, I want to know how long it’s stated to stay frozen during a power cut and what maintenance the appliance needs. |
A chest or upright freezer may offer the capacity you want but still be difficult to deliver, open or use in the space you have.
Measure the appliance, the delivery route and the clearance needed to open the door or lid.
Whether a freezer can operate in a cold room depends on the exact model, not simply on whether it’s a chest or upright freezer.
Compare the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures with the operating conditions specified for the appliance.
The energy rating letter alone doesn’t tell you the annual energy consumption or how much space is available for frozen food. The product information published by Electrolux France includes details such as kWh/year, capacity and noise level.
Compare these details across appliances that meet the same storage needs. If available, check the model’s information in the European EPREL database.
According to Que Choisir, the stated storage time tells you how long food stays frozen during a power cut. It doesn’t replace safe food-handling practices: Anses points out that domestic freezing at −18 °C stops bacteria multiplying, but most micro-organisms survive.
Check the model’s stated storage time before you buy, and maintain the cold chain when transporting and putting away food.
These examples from different ranges can help you identify features to compare. Always check the specifications of the exact appliance you’re interested in.
Worth considering if you need a chest freezer for an unheated room, provided the specific model is explicitly rated for those conditions.
Worth considering if an upright freezer’s storage layout and listed features suit the way you’ll use it.
Worth considering if you’d like to compare upright and chest freezers from the same range.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a freestanding or built-in upright freezer, particularly if frost maintenance is a factor in your choice.
This selection includes separate upright and chest freezers, as well as a fridge-freezer. Before choosing between them, compare how much space each one actually provides for frozen food.
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An upright freezer to consider if you’d rather organise your frozen food in drawers than stack it in a chest. The product name lists three drawers, two shelves, a reversible door hinge and a C energy rating. Check that 161 L is enough for your needs and that the appliance is suitable for the temperature in the room where you plan to install it.
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The chest and removable basket may suit bulk storage, as long as you have enough room to open the lid from above. The product name lists fridge and freezer modes, as well as an E energy rating. Check the selected freezer mode and the permitted ambient temperature range for the room where you plan to install it.
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This three-door fridge-freezer is best suited to a household that also needs to replace its fridge. The product name lists Total No Frost, an E energy rating and a total capacity of 360 L. Check the freezer compartment capacity separately before relying on it for a large stock of frozen food.
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With a stated capacity of 60 L, this model is worth considering as extra storage rather than for large bulk buys. Its product name lists three drawers, a reversible door and an E energy rating. Compare the capacity with the amount of food you want to store.
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This chest freezer is worth considering if 140 L is enough and you’d like to keep some food in a basket. The product name lists a counterbalanced lid and an E energy rating. Measure the space it will occupy and the clearance needed to open the lid, then check the stated storage time during a power cut for your needs.
Check the kWh/year figure alongside the freezer capacity: annual energy consumption alone doesn’t tell you how much frozen food the appliance can hold. Compare the noise level and dimensions too. Electrolux France includes these details among the specifications for its cooling appliances, and the European EPREL database lets you look up information for models listed there.
Only if the garage temperatures fall within the operating conditions for the model you’ve chosen. Check the ambient temperature range or climate class in the product documentation. The stated suitability down to −15 °C for some Liebherr and Beko models doesn’t apply to all freezers.
According to Que Choisir, it’s the length of time food stays frozen during a power failure or cut. If you plan to store a large quantity, compare the stated storage times for different models. Don’t mistake this for a general guarantee of food safety: Anses points out that most micro-organisms survive domestic freezing.