Best Freezer Brands

Buy in bulk

Having a large upright freezer lets you buy perishable food in bulk. Things like meat, vegetables and other frozen foods can be stored and thawed whenever you’re ready for them. Keep in mind, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends tossing frozen, uncooked roasts and steaks after a year and frozen, uncooked ground beef after four months. Here are some reasons to buy in bulk.

• Stocking up during sales: An upright freezer lets you take advantage of sales by stocking up without missing out on a good deal. Buy as many frozen dinners, pizzas and ice cream bars as you want when they’re on sale.
• Store fresh fruit: If you like to shop at farmers markets or local farms during the summer, freezers make it easy to stock up on fresh fruit and save it for a later date. To make sure your produce freezes without clumping up, wash your fresh fruit and let it dry. Then, put parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Lay your fruit on the parchment paper in a single layer and place in the freezer or a few hours. Once it’s frozen, put your fresh fruit in tightly sealed freezer bags or use a vacuum sealer ($50-$200) to make your bag airtight. Letting air in the bag will lead to freezer burn, so make sure it’s sealed tightly.
• Buy bulk meat from a butcher: Many people buy half of a cow or pig from a local farmer and store the meat in a freezer for whenever they need it. It’s often cheaper to buy meat in bulk this way. It usually comes already packaged for the freezer, so all you need to do is throw it in the freezer when you get it and thaw it in the refrigerator the night before you plan on using it.

Always have ice on hand

If you regularly need more than just a couple ice cube trays worth of ice on hand, an upright freezer is a great place to store large ice bags. This can be helpful if you:

• Are a frequent party host: It’s easier to have ice on hand than to go out to get some every weekend. It also makes impromptu get-togethers a lot more simple.
• Use ice regularly to pack in a cooler: If you frequently pack a cooler, you probably use a lot of ice. Keeping a bag or two on-hand makes it easy to pack, especially if you tend to be a last minute planner.
• Regularly nurses bumps and bruises: Make your own ice pack by putting ice in a freezer bag. Place a towel or other layer of material in between your skin and the ice bag to prevent discomfort.

Plan ahead (without really planning ahead)

Life is hectic, and it’s not always easy to plan your dinners out days (or weeks) ahead of time. Having a freezer where you can store perishables makes it easy to avoid eating out without having to spend time meal planning. This is great if you:

• Are a busy person who sometimes forgets to go grocery shopping: It happens. When you’re at the end of a long day and don’t want to cook, having a meal in the freezer that you can throw in the oven can be a lifesaver.
• Get unexpectedly snowed in: Getting snowed in is a lot more manageable when you have enough food to get by for a few days while the roads clear.
• Have kids who are prone to inviting friends over on a whim: Unexpected guests in the form of hungry teenagers will be easier to handle if you have some frozen lasagna or other snacks to feed them.
• Are the kind of person who likes to plan ahead: If you plan ahead, you can make meals, like casseroles or crockpot dinners, ahead of time and place them in the freezer to use on days when you don’t want to cook. Seal freezer bags tightly to prevent freezer burn, and don’t re-freeze food after it’s been thawed.

Chest freezers

Chest freezers are shaped like a large box and have a lid that opens upward. They generally provide less access to items stored at the bottom and require a bit more space than other types of freezers. Most chest freezers have storage baskets to store frequently-accessed items and come in a large range of sizes.

Upright freezers

Upright freezers are popular because of their accessibility and because they give you lots of options for organizing your food items. Upright freezers are similar to upright refrigerators: they have shelving systems and can be stored almost anywhere in your home. Many upright freezers have an automatic defrost system, making them easy to clean and maintain.

Drawer freezers

Often found in large home kitchens or industrial kitchens, drawer freezers provide extremely easy access to food items. They can be customized to match a particular kitchen design and can be built into existing cabinets.

Portable freezers

Some companies make portable, battery-powered freezers to transport frozen foods without the need for ice. You can charge the battery using your car’s 12-volt outlet, making them a great option for tailgating and camping.

How much space do you have?

Freezers come in four sizes: compact (5 or less cubic feet), small (6-9 cubic feet), medium (12-18 cubic feet) and large (over 18 cubic feet). Regular chest freezers are great for spaces where you have a lot of extra room like your garage. Upright freezers and drawer freezers are more compact and can be made to fit in smaller spaces. Don’t forget to note the size of your home’s doorways when choosing a freezer size.

How much food do you need to store?

An easy way to figure out how big a freezer you need is to multiply the number of people in your family by 2.5 cubic feet. This will give you an estimate of your food storage needs. Measured in cubic feet, freezers can be as small as around 3.0 and larger than 20 cubic feet. One cubic foot of freezer space holds around 35 pounds of food.

What's the difference between automatic and manual defrosting freezers?

Manually defrosting your freezer can be a pain. You have to take all the items out, shut if off and drain the water, hoping your items haven’t thawed during that time. Most people manually defrost their freezers once a year. Automatic defrosting freezers warm up to around 32 degrees once a day to keep ice crystals from forming. This prevents you from having to unload the contents of your freezer, risking the unwanted thawing of your food. It’s a good idea to defrost and clean your freezer at least once a year to prevent ice build up and get rid of smells.

How energy-efficient is your freezer?

Medium sized freezers use anywhere from around 200 to 500 kilowatts per year, according to Energy Star. If your freezer automatically defrosts, it will be closer to the 500 kilowatt range. Energy Star-rated large freezers (18 to 22 cubic feet) cost about $55-$65 per year to run, or about $5 a month.

What are some important freezer features to look out for?

Some modern freezers have extra features like soft-freeze sections where you can store things like ice cream or butter and keep them “ready to eat.” Most freezers have temperature alarms that constantly monitor the interior temperature and sound if it rises above the set temperature.

What’s the standard warranty on a freezer?

Most new freezers come with at least a 1-year warranty on parts and labor. Some include a 5- or 10-year warranty on the compressor. Your freezer should be covered under your home warranty’s appliance plan after the manufacturer’s warranty expires. Consult with your home warranty to make sure your freezer is covered before the manufacturer’s warranty runs out.