Chest freezers are those refrigeration systems which open from the top, literally as if you were peering into a treasure chest of iced goodies. The alternative are upright freezers, which look a lot like normal fridges and come equipped with various compartments. Wondering which to choose? Here we give you the lowdown on what to look for when buying a chest freezer.

What are the benefits of a chest freezer?

Storage space

One of the best chest freezer benefits is the size. Because it is just one big space every inch is usable storage. This means that you can buy large pieces of meat and batch cook meals and have plenty of space to store them.

You can organise them yourself

Unlike the upright freezer, the chest freezer has no compartments so you can organise the space to suit you and your needs. You can invest in colour coded bins or baskets to keep different categories of foods together, or you may choose to use your chest freezer for bigger, bulkier items and use your fridge freezer storage for the stuff you reach for most often.

They are cheaper

OK you aren’t going to be saving a fortune, but you will make savings with a chest freezer as they are less expensive to run – an all-important consideration for most families these days. Plus, if you have a power outage they will keep your frozen food cold for a longer time. Did you know that they could keep food frozen for up to 2-3 days during a power outage? This is because their temperature is more consistent than an upright. 

They are quieter than some other models

Upright freezers with a self-defrost mechanism especially can create quite a bit of noise. In comparison the chest freezer is quieter.

What to look for in a chest freezer

Size

Firstly, ensure it is the right size for your needs. If you intend to store bigger cuts of meat, or freezing large quantities of fruit and vegetables for example then you need the capacity which will be listed in cubic feet of space.

Defrost drain

This is a small opening in the freezer which is there to help remove water when your chest freezer is being defrosted. Manual defrost or self-defrosting? Chest freezers aren’t self-defrosting but chest freezer benefits more than make up for this.

Energy efficient rating

This is basically how much energy your chest freezer will use. The higher up the scale the more economical and greener it will be. Under the older system, appliances were rated from A+++ to G but that all changed in 2021. The energy efficient rating for chest freezers can range from A which is the best, to G which is the worst rating. E and F are rated highly efficient. 

Door locks

If you have young children, you may want to consider a freezer with a lock to prevent accidents.

Finally…

Here at Home Feeling we can help you will all your refrigeration needs so why not get in touch with us today at homefeeling.co.uk