If you often reach for frozen portions, choose an upright freezer with storage that makes it easy to sort everything. If you want to build up a larger stock, consider a chest freezer, as long as you have room to open it and organise what’s inside. An under-counter model suits a specific space constraint, while a large fridge freezer only makes sense if you also need more fridge space. In every case, check the capacity available for frozen food, the dimensions, annual energy consumption and the ambient temperature range permitted for the model you choose.
If you regularly take a meal or a bag of food out of the freezer, look at the drawer layout and how easy it is to see what’s inside, as well as the capacity. Que Choisir includes loading and cleaning among its criteria for assessing freezers.
If you want to store more frozen food, compare the usable capacity with the space you have available. If you plan to add a large amount of food at once, check the freezing capacity too, and work out how you’ll organise everything in a chest freezer.
Check the room temperature throughout the year before choosing a model. ADEME warns that an appliance may not work as well if it’s kept in a room that’s too cold or too warm. A chest freezer isn’t automatically suitable for installation outside the kitchen.
Start by deciding whether you mainly need easy access to individual portions, more storage space or an appliance that fits a particular spot.
| What to consider | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Access to food | Compare the drawers in an upright freezer with the baskets in a chest freezer. Think about how you’ll reach food at the bottom, and what options each model offers for organising it. | I often take out individual portions, so I want to find them without moving a large part of my stock. |
| Capacity and location | Check the freezer compartment capacity, not just the total capacity of a fridge freezer. Measure the height, width and depth, and allow enough clearance to open the door or lid. For an under-counter model, check the available space and door fitting too. | I need enough room for frozen food to make bulk buying worthwhile, but the appliance still needs to work where I plan to install it. |
| Room temperature | Compare the room’s minimum and maximum temperatures with the climate class and guidance in the manual for the exact model. Don’t assume a chest freezer is suitable for an unheated room. | I’m putting my freezer in a cellar or garage, so I need to know whether this model can operate at the temperatures in that room. |
| Energy consumption | Compare the annual consumption in kWh/year on the energy label, ideally between appliances of a similar type and capacity. ADEME points out that a freezer runs continuously. | I want to factor in the electricity it uses throughout the year, rather than judging its consumption by its energy rating alone. |
| Freezing larger batches | If you’re adding a lot of fresh food at once, check each model’s freezing capacity in kg/24 h. Also check the stated storage time in the event of a power cut and the food storage guidance. | I prepare several meals or put away my shopping in one go, so I need to know how much the appliance can freeze under the stated conditions. |
A chest freezer and an upright freezer with similar capacities don’t offer the same access to food. Items stored underneath other food in a chest freezer take more effort to reach.
Make a note of the types of food you freeze most often. If you regularly take out individual portions, look at the drawers. For a chest freezer, plan to use baskets or labels that suit the way you organise your food.
ADEME explains that a room that’s too cold or too warm can affect how a cooling appliance works. The suitable temperature range depends on the specific model, not just its design.
Check the room temperature, then compare it with the model’s manual and climate class. Any special feature advertised for one chest freezer doesn’t necessarily apply to other models.
A freezer runs continuously, so its consumption in kWh/year is a separate consideration from its capacity and layout, as ADEME points out.
Read the energy label for each model and compare appliances with similar capacities and designs. Don’t assume one type always uses less energy than another.
Freezing food doesn’t mean you can ignore storage instructions. The French Ministry of the Economy says that you shouldn’t freeze food once its use-by date has arrived or passed.
Plan to freeze food as soon as you buy or prepare it, label your portions with the date, and follow the instructions on the packaging.
The Beko CF200EWN chest freezer gives you an idea of what a top-opening design can offer for storage, along with the things to consider when organising it.
Bosch offers upright freezers and fridge freezers. Check the details for the specific model in the format you’re considering.
Liebherr’s product information highlights two different options: fitting a small freezer under a worktop or choosing a larger fridge freezer.
These models include fridge freezers for storing fresh food too, an upright freezer for organising portions, and chest freezers for adding more frozen storage. Before choosing a format, compare the space actually available for frozen food with the requirements of the place where you plan to install it.
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This fridge freezer is worth considering if you’re also looking to store fresh food. Its stated capacity of 360 l is for the whole appliance, so check how much space is dedicated to the freezer and whether the dimensions suit your kitchen. The product title lists Total No Frost, an E energy rating, Wi-Fi and My Zone.
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A fridge freezer is worth considering if you also want to update your fridge storage. The stated split is 70/30, so check the freezer compartment capacity before choosing it for bulk buying. The product title lists a width of 54 cm and a height of 176 cm. Remember to allow for the clearances specified in the manual too.
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An upright design can make it easier to organise portions you reach for regularly. The product title lists three freezer drawers, No Frost, a reversible door, an alarm and a C energy rating. Check the installation dimensions, climate class and annual energy consumption for this specific model and your chosen location.
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This top-opening chest freezer suits anyone looking for extra storage who has room on the floor and easy access from above. The product title lists a removable basket and an E energy rating. It describes an appliance that switches between fridge and freezer modes; don’t assume both modes can run at the same time. Before installing it in an unheated room, check the permitted ambient temperature range.
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This chest freezer offers extra storage rather than a large capacity. The product title lists a removable basket, a sliding lid and an E energy rating. Before installing it, check the clearance needed to open the lid, as well as the model’s annual energy consumption and climate class.
Not necessarily. Compare the garage temperature with the range permitted in the model’s manual. Beko lists an SN-T climate class and a Freezer Guard function down to −15 °C for its CF200EWN, but this feature is specific to that model and doesn’t apply to all chest freezers.
Measure the space and check the door fitting and ventilation requirements in the manual. For example, Liebherr specifies a space of 86–92 × 60 × 56 cm and a total capacity of 80 l for the SUFNc 375i. Checking that it fits the unit and checking its storage capacity are two separate things.
Check their annual consumption in kWh/year on the energy label or product information. Ideally, compare models with similar capacities and designs. ADEME points out that a freezer runs continuously, so an energy rating alone doesn’t replace checking this figure for each model.
No. The French Ministry of the Economy says you should plan to freeze food as soon as you buy or prepare it, and never freeze food once its use-by date has arrived or passed. Always follow the storage instructions on the packaging too.
Not necessarily. Start by choosing a capacity and layout that suit the number of portions you store and how often you take them out. NoFrost may be useful if you want to reduce the need for defrosting. Bosch lists this feature on some upright freezers, and Liebherr includes it on its under-counter SUFNc 375i. Always check the specifications for the exact model.