A fridge-freezer may be all you need if its freezer compartment can hold your frozen food until your next shop and you want to keep everything in one appliance. If that compartment is regularly full, a separate freezer gives you dedicated extra storage. Choose an upright model if easy everyday access is your priority, or consider a chest freezer if you mainly need to store large quantities and have enough floor space. Either way, check the dimensions, door or lid clearance and the ambient temperature range the model can handle.
If you shop for a week or more at a time and store family-sized portions, look at the space actually available for frozen food, separately from the fridge capacity. Comparing the stated capacities of the two compartments gives you a clearer idea of whether a fridge-freezer will suit you than looking at its total capacity alone.
If you often take food out or keep different categories separate, access matters just as much as capacity. Boulanger says that the drawers in an upright freezer make it easier to organise food; check the layout of the model you’re considering.
An extra room can provide space for a separate freezer, as long as the appliance can be installed there and opened fully. Also compare the room’s temperatures with the model’s stated operating range: a climate class alone doesn’t guarantee that it’s suitable for a cold room.
Choose this if: the freezer compartment is big enough between shops and you’d prefer to keep chilled and frozen food together in the kitchen.
The trade-off: a large total capacity doesn’t necessarily mean there’s much room for frozen food; compare the two compartments separately.
Choose this if: you open the freezer often and want to organise food in drawers or separate sections, as Boulanger’s guide suggests.
The trade-off: allow for its height and the space needed to open the door; the internal layout varies by model.
Choose this if: you mainly need to store large quantities and have enough floor space.
The trade-off: food at the bottom is harder to see at a glance, and you’ll need enough room to open the lid fully.
If you shop less frequently, start by working out what’s currently limiting your storage: freezer space, access to food or room for a new appliance. If you’re considering a convertible appliance, also think about whether you’ll need it to refrigerate or freeze food at different times.
| Consideration | What to check | What shoppers say |
|---|---|---|
| Freezer capacity | Compare the freezer compartment’s capacity in litres, separately from the fridge, with the amount you store between shops. | If family-sized portions fill the freezer before my next shop, I need dedicated extra storage; around 31% of shoppers prioritise this capacity. |
| Access and organisation | Check the drawers or baskets and whether there’s room for bulky packaging in the specific model. | When I take food out often, I want to find it without moving everything else; easy access and organisation are the priority for around 25% of shoppers. |
| Available space | Measure the appliance, the route to the room and the space needed to open the door or lid. | I need an appliance I can install and open in the room I’ve chosen; around 25% of shoppers put this constraint first. |
| Cold rooms and power cuts | Compare the model’s ambient temperature range with the room’s temperature, and check its stated power-cut storage time separately. | If my extra storage needs to go in a room with little heating, or I’m concerned about power cuts, I want to know the model’s operating conditions; this is the priority for around 19% of shoppers. |
This figure adds together spaces with different uses. To work out whether you can store everything between shops, the freezer compartment’s capacity is what matters.
Compare the fridge and freezer capacities separately with what your household stores after its biggest shops.
The ambient temperature range depends on the model. Beko distinguishes the usual climate class from features on certain appliances designed for colder rooms; a feature’s name doesn’t apply to an entire range.
Check the room’s temperature during both cold and warm periods, then compare it with the installation requirements for the appliance you’ve chosen.
A chest freezer can hold a large amount of food, but items at the bottom are less visible than in an upright model with drawers.
If you choose a chest freezer, plan to use baskets and a simple system for organising food. For an upright model, check the drawer sizes and space for bulky packaging.
The energy label helps you compare an appliance’s energy information, but it doesn’t tell you whether its compartments, dimensions or operating range suit your household.
Compare appliances that meet the same storage needs, then check their installation specifications. The European Commission provides product information through EPREL.
Worth considering if you’re looking for an upright freezer and might put it in an unheated room.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a chest freezer to provide extra storage in another room.
Worth considering if organisation by section and space for bulky packaging are important when choosing an upright freezer.
Worth considering if your need for refrigeration and freezing changes at different times of the year.
These models let you explore three ways to store your shopping: convertible chest freezers for separate storage, an upright freezer for organising frozen food, and a fridge-freezer for keeping chilled and frozen food in one appliance. Compare their capacities and features with your food stocks and the space available.
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Worth considering if you want separate storage and have enough floor space for a chest freezer. The model has a stated capacity of 291 L and offers fridge or freezer mode, a removable basket, LED lighting and a five-level digital control. The basket won’t organise food at the bottom for you, so check the permitted ambient temperature before installing it in a garage.
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Worth considering if you want to keep frozen food separate from your fridge and 197 L is enough for your needs. The model offers fridge or freezer mode, a removable basket and a five-level digital control. Allow room to open the lid and check the permitted ambient temperature for the room you choose.
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Worth considering if you value organisation and easy access to food more than a very large capacity. The model has a stated capacity of 161 L, three drawers, a No Frost system, an alarm and a reversible door hinge. Compare the capacity with your shopping needs, and check the dimensions and door clearance before choosing where to put it.
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Worth considering if you want separate storage and 141 L is enough for your frozen food between shops. The model offers fridge or freezer mode, a removable basket and a seven-level thermostat. Check how much space you’ll need to open the lid and the ambient temperature range for your room.
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Worth considering if you want to keep chilled and frozen food in one appliance. The B5RCNE406HG has a stated total capacity of 355 L and Total No Frost technology. If you shop in bulk, compare the freezer compartment’s capacity separately with the amount of frozen food you keep between shops.
Add one if the fridge-freezer’s freezer compartment is regularly full before your next shop, or if family-sized portions and bulky items need their own space. If the compartment is big enough and you don’t want to install a second appliance, a fridge-freezer may still be right for you.
No. Compare the temperatures the room actually reaches with the ambient temperature range specified for the model you choose. For example, Beko says its RFNE448E45W is suitable for temperatures as low as −15 °C, while Liebherr says its CFe 2500 Pure chest freezer can be installed in an unheated room. These specifications don’t apply to all their models.
It’s the length of time a particular model is stated to keep food cold during a power cut; it isn’t a feature shared by all chest or upright freezers. If power cuts are a factor in your decision, compare this figure in the specifications for the models you’re considering rather than assuming it based on their format.
No. It provides energy information, but the usable capacity, dimensions and installation requirements also need to suit your needs. To compare the stated specifications of similar appliances, you can look them up in EPREL, the European Commission’s public database.