If you regularly need to find portions and groceries, choose an upright freezer with drawers. For a large stock of food, consider a chest freezer if you can organise items stored deep inside and fully open the lid. A small freezer is better suited to providing extra capacity, while a fridge freezer is worth considering if you’re also replacing your fridge and its freezer compartment alone is big enough for your needs. Whatever you choose, compare the usable capacity with the amount you usually store, then check the space available, room temperature, energy consumption and the model’s storage time in the event of a power cut.
How often you access your food and how much you need to store matter just as much as the stated capacity.
If you regularly rotate portions, containers and bags, an upright freezer with drawers makes it easier to find what you need. A chest freezer can also work, provided you use baskets to keep frequently used food within easy reach.
A chest freezer offers plenty of space for bulk buys and family meals. However, you’ll need to be able to reach food stored at the bottom.
If a few extra drawers are all you need, a small under-counter or integrated model may be a better choice than a large freezer. Check its usable capacity, the space available and the model’s installation requirements.
First choose the type of storage that suits you, then compare the features of models that meet your needs.
Worth considering: for portions and groceries you access often and want to organise in drawers.
Bear in mind: the appliance’s height and the space needed to open the door.
Worth considering: if your priority is having plenty of space for groceries or meals.
Bear in mind: you’ll need enough floor space and baskets to reach food at the bottom.
Worth considering: for a little extra freezer space in a kitchen where room is limited.
Bear in mind: it won’t hold a large stock of food. For an integrated model, the cabinet space must meet the instructions’ requirements.
Worth considering: if you also need to replace your fridge and the freezer section meets your needs.
Bear in mind: the total capacity is split between the fridge and freezer. Compare the freezer capacity alone with the amount you plan to store.
| Criterion | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | Compare the litres available for freezing with the space taken up by your containers and groceries. For a fridge freezer, distinguish the freezer capacity from the total capacity. | I want enough space for the amount I usually store, without confusing the fridge capacity with the freezer capacity. |
| Access and maintenance | Check the drawers or baskets, how easy it is to reach the bottom of a chest freezer, and the defrosting method listed for the exact model. | If I take out portions every week, I want to find them without having to move everything else. |
| Installation | Measure the space, check how far the door or lid opens, and allow for the required clearances. Compare the room temperature with the model’s climate class. | My appliance needs to fit in the intended room and work at the temperatures it reaches throughout the year. |
| Energy consumption and noise | For appliances of a similar type and capacity, compare the kWh/year shown on the energy label, as well as the noise level in dB. The energy rating letter alone doesn’t show annual energy consumption. | If my kitchen is near living areas, noise matters as much to me as ongoing energy consumption. |
| Power cuts and adding food | Check the stated storage time in the event of a power cut and the freezing capacity in kg/24 h. The latter doesn’t measure how much food the appliance can store. | I’m building up a large stock of food or regularly adding several portions to freeze. |
A large compartment can make it harder to reach meals you use every week, especially if they end up beneath other groceries.
Keep frequently used food in accessible baskets, and check that the lid can open fully in the space you’ve chosen.
The climate class specifies the ambient temperatures the model is designed for. A room that’s too cold or too hot, or restricted ventilation, can affect how it works.
Check seasonal temperatures, look up the climate class and follow the clearances given in the instructions.
The energy rating letter isn’t enough to compare appliances of different types and capacities for your needs.
Compare the kWh/year figures for models of a similar type and capacity, then check noise levels, storage time in the event of a power cut and installation requirements.
With a fridge freezer, some of the stated capacity is for chilled food. For example, Whirlpool lists the WB70E973W as having 462 L of total capacity, including 153 L for freezing.
Compare the litres in the freezer compartment alone with the amount of food you want to store.
These examples show different types and considerations. Their features don’t apply to every appliance from the same brand.
The GSN58AWEV is an example of a large upright freezer for organising food vertically.
The WHCF2044, W3RHS37EW1 and WB70E973W models offer two chest freezer sizes and a fridge freezer to compare.
The HSM35050 chest freezer is worth looking at if you need to keep your food in an unheated room.
The LUB3AE88S is a compact integrated freezer designed to add to your existing freezer space.
This Joybuy selection includes small freezers, an upright freezer and fridge freezers. For the fridge freezers, check the capacity of the freezer compartment alone before considering them for storing groceries.
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Worth considering if you’re also replacing your fridge, rather than adding a separate freezer.
The product name lists three doors, Total No Frost, an E energy rating, Wi-Fi and My Zone. Check how much capacity is set aside for freezing against the amount you plan to store.
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This upright design makes it easy to organise portions and groceries you access regularly.
The product is listed with drawers, No Frost protection, a reversible door and a C energy rating. For the room you have in mind, check the climate class, kWh/year, noise level and storage time in the event of a power cut.
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This fridge freezer is an option if you’re also looking for a large fridge compartment.
The product name lists a total capacity of 444 L, frost-free operation, a noise level of 40 dB and an E energy rating. Check the litres available for freezing separately.
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With a stated width of 54 cm, this fridge freezer is worth considering if kitchen space is limited and a little extra freezer capacity is all you need.
Its name specifies a height of 176 cm, a 70/30 split and Low Frost technology. Check the freezer compartment capacity in litres before choosing it for storing a larger stock of food.
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This small freezer is suited to providing extra storage rather than building up a large stock of food.
The product name lists three drawers, a reversible door, an adjustable temperature and an E energy rating. Check its dimensions, climate class and annual energy consumption for the space you have in mind.
Choose based on the temperatures the room actually reaches, not its name. Bosch states that climate class SN covers 10 to 32 °C. If the room drops below 10 °C, look for a model that’s explicitly rated for those conditions, such as the Beko HSM35050, which Beko says can operate down to −15 °C.
Follow the clearances given in the model’s instructions. Air needs to circulate, but the required distance depends on the appliance and how it’s installed. For an integrated model, also check the cabinet-space diagram. Electrolux advises keeping the appliance away from heat sources.
Compare their kWh/year figures on the energy label, ideally for appliances of a similar type and capacity. The energy rating letter alone won’t tell you how much energy it will use: room temperature and how you use it also matter. UFC-Que Choisir measures consumption at different temperatures as part of its testing.
Yes, it’s worth comparing this feature across the models you’re considering. Don’t assume it from the size of the compartment alone. In its testing, UFC-Que Choisir measures how long food stays below −9 °C during a simulated power cut. Check how any stated storage time on a product page is defined.