Help-buying a freezer.

[JoAnn L.]

We are thinking of buying a small chest type freezer. There is just the two of us. I just bought a foodsaver and am thinking of storing more food in a freezer. We were out and about this morning and were price checking them. So far I think Menards has the best price. Do you have the manual defrost? Are you happy with it? What size freezer do you have? We just joined Sam's Club. They have some great buys but right now I just don't have room for anything. Thanks for your idea's. JoAnn

 

[Andy M.]

For a stand alone freezer, I recommend a manual defrost type over a frost-free. The manual defrost type is better for longer term storage as the temperature is maintained at a more even level.

Also, an upright freezer gives you better access to foods than a chest type where you have layers of food on top of each other.

We bought our freezer from Sears (Kenmore) and are quite happy with it.

Consider getting a larger size than you think you'll need. I wish I had.

 

[JoAnn L.]

For a stand alone freezer, I recommend a manual defrost type over a frost-free. The manual defrost type is better for longer term storage as the temperature is maintained at a more even level.

Also, an upright freezer gives you better access to foods than a chest type where you have layers of food on top of each other.

We bought our freezer from Sears (Kenmore) and are quite happy with it.

Consider getting a larger size than you think you'll need. I wish I had.

Thanks Andy, for your input. There is a lot to think about.

 

[lulu]

On the plus side with a chest freezer they are more economical to run and therefore more environmentally friendly too. I prefer to have a chest freezer because I like that things that are awkward to get on normal freezer shelves can be accomodated. I absolutely agree with Andy though, that things can be awkward. We don't have a big freezer at all now (will do on return to UK: we'll be getting a chest freezer) but I have a good system of sealing with coloured tags on bags (green for veg, red for meat yellow for other) and use the hanging basket storage for everything that is needed. A basic freezer inventory taped to the side with a pen/pencil tied on is also a considerable asset and is very very quick and easy once you have got used to it.

 

[Uncle Bob]

My ideas...

I have three chest type.
I agree with manual defrost..I have two of these...one frost free.
I wish I had space for an upright...as the chest can be a pain sometimes. It seems the more you look for something the more "stirred" it becomes.
So I would recommend..upright if you have the space for it and can afford the addtional cost...also I echo the buy bigger than you think you will need.

 

[CharlieD]

I have 3 freezers. At first we bought the small one, which we outgrew really fast, and then came a bit biger one, and finally we got a full size one, now we are happy. Funny thing all 3 of them are still in use.

The one I like the most is upright frostless freezer. The ones we have are all upright.

The chest freezers in my opinion are very inconvinient to use. You pile stuff on the top of each other and then you do not know what's on the bottom, and/or can't get to the bottom. No-no, if you are getting frezer do not get chest type. Get upright.

 

[Katie H]

For a stand alone freezer, I recommend a manual defrost type over a frost-free. The manual defrost type is better for longer term storage as the temperature is maintained at a more even level.

Also, an upright freezer gives you better access to foods than a chest type where you have layers of food on top of each other.

We bought our freezer from Sears (Kenmore) and are quite happy with it.

Consider getting a larger size than you think you'll need. I wish I had.

I agree completely with what Andy says. I've always had a freezer/freezers. When all 5 children were at home we had two. One was 31 cubic feet. The other 16 cubic feet. This in addition to the large one we had in our refrigerator. They were all almost always full.

The largest one was manual defrost, which could be a pain in the butt. I discovered a way to make it less problematic, so it then was less of a chore.

I would never have a chest-type freezer for the reasons others have already stated. Even my brother, who is extremely obsessive about organization, has trouble keeping the things in his chest freezer organized and unjumbled.

And, YES, do purchase a freezer larger than you think you are going to need. Buck and I bought a new one a couple of years ago to replace the old 31 cubic foot one. We bought a 22 cubic foot one and, sometimes, that is almost too small for the two of us. I don't know what I'd do without my freezer.

 

[lulu]

I guess it depends what you are going to put in there. I am interested that people have so much trouble organising their freezers, I am the least organised person I know and I found the chest freezer ok, in fact, preferable to the upright. And as I say, what you put in there. We get a half pig (butcherd, but still big pieces) once a year, a whole one if we are very lucky, and a lamb. I prefer to have them at the bottom where I know about them rather than squeeze them into selves too small. Although frozen turkey does not appeal too much I think my parents might start running a frew turkey and geese, and if I benefit from that in the future I would like to drop them in the bottom too!

What we all agree on is the bigger the freezer the better. They always fill up, and if you are not stocking it full fill it with tupperwares full of water to keep running costs down! Full freezers are cheaper to run!

 

[Barb L.]

We have had both kinds of freezers, I prefer the upright frostfree. Don't have any right now, since retired, I buy when I need something, therefore needing less space. Though we do have a nice side by side fridge, there is enough space for us.

 

[Yakuta]

I also have an upright frost free model (25 cubic feet) by Frigidaire. It works well and has a lot of room. The chest freezer in my aunt's house was not all that practical. You always had to bend and move stuff around to get to something you wanted to get out. If you have the money spend it on an upright.

 

[Candocook]

I was just in HHGregg and passed by their chest freezers. They are very very inexpensive. I could not live without my freezers!! A manual defrost can be a PITA, but they are better for the food. I had an upright for a number of years. It did make me clean it out!!
The garage is not a bad place for a chest freezer.
You will enjoy a freezer --and your FoodSaver.

 

[JoAnn L.]

Thank you everyone. I knew I could come here for the best answers. You guys really gave me something to think about. We are going to go looking again tomorrow.
(ps) I do love my foodsaver. Oh, I wish I had had one when all five of my children were at home. I loved reading all the post on how you all use yours. Thanks.

 

[carolelaine]

I have an upright freezer that I have to defrost manually. I do that in the spring when we have used up most of our frozen produce from last year. It's kind of a pain, but not that big of a deal. We got our a Sams. I would be lost without mine because even though I can alot of veggies, some of them I like alot better frozen.

 

[Jeekinz]

Too bad you don't live closer to NJ, I'd give you mine. It's practically new.

 

[jabbur]

I agree with the upright manual defrost. The frostfree ones cycle the freeze/thaw mechanism. I was told this is fine for short term storage but if you want ot keep things for more than a month, go for the manual. My problem with chest freezer would be it has a rather large flat surface (the lid) that DH would store stuff on and I'd never be able to get to the food! He sees a flat surface and thinks "What can I store there?" kitchen table, counter tops, desk, coffeetable, endtables, dresser etc. HA!HA!

 

[Corey123]

I once had a 17-cubic-ft. frost-free Woods upright.

When I moved, I had to sell it because the stairs are way too narrow to get it upstairs. I DID however, go out to Lowe's and bought a 5.0-cubic-ft. Frigidaire chest model.

And I've always read that chest freezers help maintain the cold better when the lid is opened, over uprights because with an upright, the cold air tends to escape out the bottom of the unit when the door is opened.

 

[JoAnn L.]

Too bad you don't live closer to NJ, I'd give you mine. It's practically new.

May I ask why you want to give it away?

 

[Michael in FtW]

Picking up on what Corey said .... cold air falls - hot air rises.

In a chest-type freezer, when you open the lid the cold air stays in since it is falling down. On an upright freezer, when you open the door the cold air falls out the front.

As for manual or frost-free ... I'm divided. Both have advantages and drawbacks. A lot depends on how your food is packaged.

 

[Corey123]

Like the fridge, frost-free or frostless operation is the most convenient one to use over manual defrost.

But it costs you more to run annually, mainly because there are more components associated with it, such as the fan, timer and heater.

Manual defrost helps save you operating expense, but it's a pure pain when it comes time to defrost the freezer!! It makes a mess and water is all over the place!

To defost mine, I just unplug it for a few minutes - and with the food still in it. The frost that has piled up on the walls usually loosen easily enough to get off in lage whole pieces. Then I plug the unit back in. What could be easier?

 

[Candocook]

If your freezer isn't packed and the frost hasn't built up on the shelves, it may not be difficult to defrost. That was never my case!!
For the original poster--a chest freezer may be just what you need and will use well. The ones I saw were under $150. I have not seen a manual defrost upright for under $350. Maybe this is an economics question. I don't know what or how much at a time you want to freeze--nor, I suspect do any other posters. Organization in chest freezer into wire baskets is helpful. AND just having a small freezer may lend itself to shopping for your buys a month or so at a time--and not for very long term storage.
I have had extra freezers all my married life and LOVE it. But I definitely overdo it, and right now, need to "eat out of my freezer" to reduce what is in there.