There are many different types of freezer which means you’ll be able to find one to suit your personal needs.
- Chest Freezers – Chest freezers usually lie horizontally and are deep freezers that typically have no shelves but more storage space. Food items will usually be stacked on top of each other. Some chest freezers will have removable storage baskets that allow you to organise them and store some food closer to the top. They’re good for large households that want to store a lot of frozen food or can be used as a back up freezer.
- Upright Freezers – Upright freezers are often called Tall Freezers, they’re usually head or shoulder height and are ideal for kitchens that have more vertical space. Upright freezers typically have a number of shelves and compartments allowing for organisation.
- Undercounter Freezers - Undercounter freezers are ideal for kitchens with limited space. They’re small enough to be placed under a counter for convenience. They often have shelves and compartments.
- Mini Freezers – Mini freezers or tabletop freezers are small enough to store just a few essentials. These can be kept on a counter top and are ideal for those with very limited space who don’t need to store a lot of frozen food.
In order to get the most out of your freezer and keep your frozen food at its best, it is recommended that the temperature should be set to -18℃ or 0°F. You may find that you need to adjust the temperature slightly based on the ambient temperature of the room it is being stored in.
When choosing your new freezer, you need to make sure that you have enough space for ventilation. To do this, you will need to measure the height, depth and width of the space that you have available and consider that you will need at least 2cm of ventilation around the freezer. You will also need to take into consideration the space required for opening the door.
If you need to manually defrost a freezer, then the simplest method is to switch off and unplug it to let the ice melt naturally. First you should ensure that your frozen food has been moved out and is being stored in another freezer. Once the freezer is empty, you should prop the door open and place towels in front and around it. Let the ice melt overnight and the towels will soak up the excess water.
