A fridge freezer is a good choice when your fresh and frozen food needs are fairly balanced and space is limited. If batch-cooked portions and frozen-food stocks become the priority, a separate freezer is generally more suitable: an upright freezer makes sorting easier, while a chest freezer offers more space, albeit with a larger floor footprint.
You mainly run out of space after a big shop and have to balance fresh-food capacity, a small supply of frozen food and the footprint of a single appliance. Que Choisir provides guidance on suitable capacity based on household size.
You regularly store cooked portions, family-size batches or frozen food. The challenge is moving from a limited freezer compartment to dedicated capacity that is organised or maximised according to the space available.
You are considering installing a cooling appliance outside the kitchen. The actual temperature reached in the room then becomes a compatibility criterion to check before capacity or energy rating.
Start by assessing your needs for fresh and frozen food separately, then check that the format you choose can genuinely be installed and used comfortably every day.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the net litres of the fridge and freezer separately. Que Choisir recommends using 100 to 150 L of refrigeration capacity for one person as a guide, then adding around 50 L per additional person. | I want enough room for fresh groceries without sacrificing the space needed for cooked portions and frozen food. Total capacity alone is not enough to assess this balance. |
| Footprint and access | Measure the width, depth, height, clearances and delivery route. Check how the doors or lid open, as well as the number of drawers or baskets. | I need to be able to reach frequently used food without having to move the entire stock. A chest freezer suits large volumes, but requires internal organisation for smaller portions. |
| Energy label and noise | For appliances of a similar type and capacity, check the A to G rating, annual energy consumption in kWh, compartment capacities and airborne acoustical noise emissions shown on the EU energy label. | I am looking for an appliance that runs continuously without overlooking noise if it is near a living area. Consumption should be compared between similar formats. |
| Room temperature | Match the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures to the model’s climate class. Common ranges stated by manufacturers include SN from 10 to 32 °C and SN-T from 10 to 43 °C. | My appliance may be placed in a garage, cellar or conservatory. I therefore check the exact model rather than assuming it is suitable for use outside the kitchen. |
| Storage time and everyday use | Compare the stated storage time in the event of a power cut, drawer layout, ease of opening and return to temperature after adding groceries. Depending on the model, these details can be found in the technical specifications. | I want some leeway during a power cut and to be able to find my food easily. The drawers in an upright freezer make sorting easier, whereas a chest freezer requires more careful organisation. |
An appliance may advertise a large total capacity while offering too little freezer space for prepared portions or regular frozen-food storage.
List the fresh-food containers, cooked portions, frozen products and bulky packaging you need to store at the same time, then compare the net capacity of each compartment.
A garage, cellar or conservatory may be colder or warmer than the kitchen. The energy rating alone does not guarantee that the appliance will operate correctly in these conditions.
Measure the room’s extreme temperatures over a representative period and compare them with the climate class of the model you have chosen.
Temperatures outside the specified range may lead to higher energy consumption, accelerated wear or inadequate operation, according to the manufacturer’s information.
A chest freezer can offer high capacity, but takes up more floor space and makes smaller items harder to reach without good organisation.
Measure the location, delivery route and the space needed to open the lid. Baskets, boxes or an inventory can make it easier to store portions.
A large-capacity chest freezer, an upright freezer and a fridge freezer do not meet the same storage needs. A single consumption or capacity figure can therefore be misleading.
First compare appliances designed for the same capacity requirements and installation conditions, then look at annual kWh, energy rating and the noise figure on the label.
A brand offering freestanding fridge freezers with features such as NoFrost, air circulation and flexible interior storage; useful when comparing fridge freezers designed for convenient everyday use.
A relevant brand for households comparing the climate class of a fridge or freezer, particularly when planning installation outside the kitchen.
A brand offering documented integrated fridge freezers with separate capacities, annual consumption, energy rating and cooling type; worth considering when the housing unit dictates the format.
A relevant brand for comparing large-capacity chest freezers, including models intended for lightly heated rooms where this feature is explicitly stated.
Joybuy options for organising weekly shops, fresh food and frozen-food stocks, including fridge freezers, chest freezers and an upright freezer.
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For a household looking to store fresh and frozen food in one appliance.
210 L of refrigeration capacity and 106 L of freezer capacity; 4-star freezer with three drawers, a stated freezing capacity of 6 kg/24 h and a stated storage time of 11 h.
Check the depth of 66.3 cm, the stated ventilation clearances and the climate class before installing it in an unheated room.
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A compact option for regular shopping with a moderate supply of frozen food.
187 L of refrigeration capacity, 75 L of freezer capacity, three drawers, 4-star rating, Low Frost and a width of 54 cm.
The stated range of 16 to 38 °C is not suitable for an outbuilding where the temperature falls below 16 °C. The freezer compartment may be too limited for a large stock of portions.
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For building up a substantial supply of batch-cooked meals or frozen food in a chest-freezer format.
291 L capacity, stated 4-star freezing mode, removable basket, five-level digital control and dimensions of 1100 × 597 × 872 mm.
The appliance operates in either refrigeration or freezing mode, but not both at the same time. Check the climate class, floor space and clearance needed to open the lid.
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An additional supply of frozen food for a more limited space than a large chest freezer requires.
197 L capacity, stated 4-star mode, removable basket, five-level digital control and dimensions of 816 × 554 × 848 mm.
It switches between refrigeration and freezing, so it does not replace two separate appliances. Plan a sorting system for smaller portions.
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For storing prepared portions and frozen food by category in an upright appliance.
161 L, three drawers, two upper compartments, No Frost, LED display, alarm, reversible door and a stated Fast Freeze function reaching -22 °C.
Check the dimensions, annual consumption, storage time in the event of a power cut and the climate class specific to this model before buying.
As a starting point, Que Choisir recommends 100 to 150 litres of usable capacity for one person, then around 50 litres per additional person. This guide relates to fridge capacity: assess prepared portions, batches of frozen food and bulky items separately.
No. A chest freezer prioritises capacity and large packages, with capacities of up to 600 L according to Que Choisir, but takes up more floor space and requires internal organisation. An upright freezer usually offers around 200 L, rising to 400 L for larger models, with practical drawers for sorting and frequent access.
For domestic refrigeration appliances sold in the European Union, the energy label shows the A to G rating, annual consumption in kWh, compartment capacities and airborne acoustical noise emissions. The European Commission explains that these details allow appliances to be compared, provided they are assessed against similar formats and capacities.
First record the actual minimum and maximum temperatures in the room, then check that they fall within the model’s specified range. Manufacturers may state, for example, SN from 10 to 32 °C, SN-ST from 10 to 38 °C and SN-T from 10 to 43 °C; below 10 °C, the specific model must be explicitly approved for those conditions.
Storage time indicates how long the manufacturer states that food can remain frozen during a breakdown or power cut. It is worth comparing alongside capacity, internal organisation and how often you stock up, particularly if your freezer regularly contains prepared portions.