Although most households will have a fridge freezer in their kitchen, many people also choose to buy an extra freezer. If you have a large family, having an extra freezer is a great idea because it provides more storage space for groceries. If you are a fan of meal prepping/batch cooking then having extra freezer space is ideal. There are many different types, including upright freezers and chest freezers. Which freezer is best for you and your family will depend on many different factors.

What are the different types of freezer?

Upright Freezers

Upright freezers are often also called 'Tall Freezers'. They're usually shoulder to head height and are ideal for kitchens that have more vertical space available. Tall freezers will typically have a number of shelves, drawers or compartments that allow for organisation. They typically have one door which opens outwards - often this will be reversible.

Chest Freezers

Chest freezers usually lie horizontally and are deep freezers that have more storage space than upright freezers. Typically, they don't have any shelves or drawers due to the style but some chest freezers do have removable storage baskets. These will allow you to organise the freezers to an extent and store some food closer to the top. Chest freezers usually have one lid which opens upwards at the top of the freezer. They're good for large households that want to store a lot of frozen food or bulk buy as they come in larger capacities.

Undercounter Freezers

Undercounter freezers are ideal for households that have limited space. They will have much smaller capacities compared to upright freezers or chest freezers, but they can be slotted under a kitchen countertop for convenience. They often have a number of shelves, drawers and compartments that will allow for organisation much like the tall freezers. Undercounter freezers tend to also have one door that opens outwards and is often reversible.

Mini Freezers

Mini freezers are also sometimes known as 'Tabletop Freezers'. As the name suggests, these freezers are small enough to be kept on a countertop. They can store just a few essential items and are favoured by those who own caravans or motorhomes, or those who have very limited space and don't need to store a lot of frozen food.

What are the benefits of having a separate freezer?

Having a separate freezer can have many different benefits. As mentioned earlier, having an extra freezer is ideal for those who like to meal prep/batch cook. Having a separate freezer will provide extra storage space for your pre-prepared meals. For those who have busy lifestyles, batch cooking can save so much time and money as you can always have home-cooked, healthy meals on hand.

For those that are trying to save money, having an extra freezer can come in handy when you come across items reduced in supermarkets. A lot of people like to hunt for 'yellow sticker items' which can be found towards the end of the day when supermarkets are reducing their stock which is nearing its sell by date. Although these items have a short shelf life, they can often be frozen after purchasing.

Willow 177L low frost tall freezer

What are the benefits of a tall freezer?

Tall freezers are designed to easily fit into a vertical space in your kitchen. They will typically be simple, but stylish and often have reversible doors. They offer easy access and are easier for those with mobility issues to use than chest freezers, as less bending is required. It is a lot easier to find what you are looking for.

Tall freezers require less floor space compared to a chest freezer, you just need to make sure that you have enough space around the appliance for ventilation. It's always recommended to leave plenty of space around any refrigeration appliance to allow air to circulate properly. There should be 2cm either side and 5cm at the back and the top.

The Willow WTF55 Tall Freezer comes in four great colours; black, inox, silver and white. So, you can choose whichever one best suits your kitchen decor. This tall freezer has a 177L capacity which is spread out over 4 freezer drawers and 2 glass shelves. The WTF55 is classed as low frost, which means that although the freezer will still need to be defrosted periodically, there will be less frost build up overall. Low frost freezers are better at keeping your food fresh for longer.

This tall freezer is also easy to clean. The mark-proof finish means that any sticky fingerprints or marks can be easily removed from the exterior of the freezer and the glass shelves using a damp microfibre cloth. The drawers are removable which allows for easy cleaning.

Willow 199L chest freezer

What are the benefits of a chest freezer?

One of the main benefits of a chest freezer is the capacity. Chest freezers often have a much larger capacity than upright freezers. This makes them ideal for those with large families and people who like to bulk buy and store large quantities of food. They're also better at storing large and bulky items, such as meat. At Home Feeling, we have a large range of chest freezers, starting from 54L all the way up to 400L.

Another benefit of a chest freezer is that they typically use less energy than other types of freezer. This is due to the door opening from the top. Cold air stays put at the bottom as heat rises, keeping the temperature consistent.

Can you keep freezers in the garage?

Although a lot of people do like to keep their spare or overflow freezers in the garage, it's not always recommended. Garages and outbuildings can get extremely cold during the winter or extremely hot in the summer, even in the UK. As these areas often have no climate control, we wouldn't recommend that your freezer is kept in a garage unless you are able to control the temperature. Freezers aren't designed to be kept in extremely hot or cold temperatures. You should always check your user manual to see what the ideal ambient room temperature should be. If you store your appliance in an area that is too hot or too cold, this can affect your freezer's efficiency.