Households that prepare meals in advance
If you store several meals in containers and bags, drawers can help you separate portions and find the ones you use most often. However, check that the drawers are large enough for your containers.
Which option is right for you?
How often you need to access your food and how much space you have matter just as much as the advertised capacity.
Households that buy in bulk
A chest freezer can hold large packs without being limited by the width of individual drawers. Think about how you’ll reach food at the bottom, too, and check that the room is suitable for the model’s operating temperature range.
Households short on kitchen space
A fridge-freezer may meet a modest increase in your needs if you also need to replace your fridge. A separate upright freezer is worth considering too: measure the floor space and clearance needed for the door before deciding.
What should you check before choosing?
Upright freezer
Consider it: if you regularly access portions that you want to organise in drawers.
Bear in mind: the drawer sizes may limit the containers you can store, even if the total capacity is right for you.
Chest freezer
Consider it: if you store bulky items and have enough floor space.
Bear in mind: food at the bottom takes more organising and is less easy to reach.
Fridge-freezer
Consider it: if you’re also replacing your fridge and its freezer compartment has enough capacity for your extra needs.
Bear in mind: some of the advertised total capacity is reserved for chilled food.
First, estimate how much you need to freeze and measure your containers. Then compare appliances against the space you have and their energy labels.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Freezer capacity | Compare the freezer capacity in litres, which is separate from the total capacity of a fridge-freezer. Also check the drawer or compartment dimensions to make sure your containers will fit. | I want to fit my portions and extra shopping, not simply choose the appliance with the largest total capacity. |
| Access to food | Check the number and layout of the drawers or baskets. Look at how easy it is to reach items at the bottom and how far the door or lid opens. | If I often take out a meal, I want to find it without having to move a large part of the contents. |
| Available space | Measure the width, depth and height, then allow for the space needed to open the door or lid and move around the room. | A chest freezer could fit my large containers, but I need to make sure its lid can open where I plan to put it. |
| Energy and noise | According to the European Commission, the energy label includes information such as energy consumption, storage capacity and noise emissions. Compare annual consumption in kWh between appliances of a similar type and capacity. | If it’s going in a kitchen or near a room in regular use, I want to consider noise as well as energy consumption. |
| Installation location | Check the room’s temperatures and compare them with the model’s climate range. If it matters for your installation, check how long the appliance can keep food frozen during a power cut. | If I’m putting it in a cellar or garage, I need to know whether it’s designed for the temperatures the room actually reaches. |
What mistakes should you avoid?
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Relying on a fridge-freezer’s total capacity
The advertised capacity includes the fridge as well. For example, Whirlpool lists a total capacity of 355 L for the WHK26404XP7E, including 106 L of freezer space.
Compare the freezer compartment’s capacity separately with the portions and extra shopping you plan to store.
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Installing an appliance outside its climate range
The temperature in a cellar, garage or conservatory may fall outside the ambient range a particular model is designed for.
Check the room’s temperatures and the appliance’s climate class. A claim that a particular model is suitable for certain conditions doesn’t apply to all freezers.
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Choosing a large compartment without planning how to organise it
A chest freezer has room for large containers, but it can be harder to find items stored underneath other shopping.
Keep frequently used food in the baskets, and check that you can reach the bottom of the compartment and open the lid fully.
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Assuming freezing kills microorganisms
Anses explains that home freezing at −18 °C stops bacteria from multiplying, but most microorganisms survive.
Don’t choose a larger freezer assuming it will make food that has already been stored incorrectly safe to eat. Follow the right storage and defrosting advice for each type of food.
Which brands should you compare?
These manufacturer product pages and guides provide examples of features to compare. They vary from one model to another.
Beko
Beko offers an upright freezer designed for particular installation conditions, which you should check on a model-by-model basis.
- According to Beko, the B1RFNE314W can operate at an ambient temperature as low as −15 °C. The brand also states that spare parts will be available for 12 years for this appliance.
- These claims apply to the B1RFNE314W, not to all Beko freezers. Check the product information for the model you’re considering to make sure it’s suitable for your room.
Whirlpool
Whirlpool’s French product pages let you explore an upright freezer, a chest freezer and a fridge-freezer. Don’t assume their features apply across the whole range.
- Whirlpool lists a capacity of 404 L and a noise level of 38 dB for the WHFF6403W4E upright freezer, 198 L and 40 dB for the W3RHS19DW chest freezer, and 106 L of freezer space for the WHK26404XP7E fridge-freezer.
- These figures relate to three different models, so their capacities and noise levels aren’t a like-for-like comparison.
Electrolux
Electrolux’s guide distinguishes between chest freezers with horizontal lids and models with vertical doors.
- The brand presents a chest freezer as an option for freezing large quantities of ingredients.
- This is a manufacturer’s guide, not an independent ranking of brands. Compare the dimensions and capacity of the specific models you’re interested in.
Which Joybuy models should you consider?
This selection includes a fridge-freezer, an upright freezer and three chest freezers. Compare their advertised capacities with your containers and check the installation requirements for each model. The fact that they’re listed here doesn’t mean all three types will suit the same needs.
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Haier HTW5618ENMG, 3-door fridge-freezer, 360 L
Worth considering if you’re also replacing your fridge. The 360 L refers to the total capacity, so check that the freezer capacity is enough for your extra meals. The model name lists Total No Frost, an energy rating of E, Wi-Fi and My Zone. Check its dimensions against your available space.
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Heinrich´s, 161 L stainless steel upright freezer
Consider this if you want a dedicated freezer for separating portions. The product name lists a capacity of 161 L, drawers, No Frost, a reversible door hinge and an energy rating of C. Before installing it outside the kitchen, check the ambient temperature range this model is designed for.
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AUCMA, 291 L convertible chest freezer
Its 291 L compartment may suit households that store large containers, while the removable basket helps keep some items separate. The product name lists fridge and freezer modes, as well as an energy rating of E. Measure the floor space and clearance needed for the lid, and check the climate range before installing it in a garage.
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AUCMA, 197 L convertible chest freezer
This 197 L chest freezer has a compartment and a removable basket for organising bulk shopping. The product name lists fridge and freezer modes, as well as an energy rating of E. Check that its capacity is enough for your containers, then make sure the lid can open fully and that the room is within the recommended temperature range.
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TCL CF182EWE0FR, 140 L chest freezer
According to its product name, this chest freezer provides a separate 140 L of freezer space and comes with a storage basket. The name also lists a counterbalanced lid, adjustable feet and an energy rating of E. Check the clearance needed for the lid and the climate range if you’re planning to install it outside the kitchen.
Frequently asked questions
What should I look for on a freezer’s energy label?
Check the energy consumption, compartment capacity and noise emissions. The European Commission says this information appears on the labels of relevant appliances. When choosing between two models, compare their freezer capacities and annual energy consumption for appliances of a similar type and capacity, rather than relying on the energy rating alone.
Can I put a freezer in any garage?
No. The recommended ambient temperature range must cover the conditions in your garage or cellar. Check the room’s temperatures and the specific model’s climate class. For example, Beko states that its B1RFNE314W is suitable for temperatures as low as −15 °C, but this feature doesn’t apply to all appliances.
Does freezing remove food safety risks?
No. According to Anses, home freezing at −18 °C stops bacteria from multiplying, but most microorganisms survive. A larger freezer is no substitute for good food storage and defrosting practices.
What should I check if I’m replacing an old freezer in France?
When you buy from a business, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods, according to economie.gouv.fr. Information from the ministry responsible for ecology also states that retailers must take back old electrical appliances on a “one-for-one” basis when you buy an appliance of the same type. Ask the retailer how this take-back will work in practice, especially if delivery is planned.