Freezers are life savers. You might not realize that now, but try to imagine other ways of quickly cooling a drink or food storing back in the days. We`re not trying to convince you of its utility, rather giving you the best advice in choosing the perfect freezer for your needs. Here at Abizot Online has definitely what you need. Normally, freezers must be chosen based on 3 main criteria:
- purpose of usage (personal or commercial)
- space available (considering both space available in home and space inside the freezer)
- lifestyle (how much frozen food do you actually keep)
Most modern homes have a freezer already as part of their refrigerator, but in many homes that doesn’t provide enough space for their needs. Large households, those that like to buy in bulk to save, gardeners that want to ensure their produce can last longer, and hunters that regularly find themselves with large quantities of meat to keep fresh, may all find that they need the extra space provided by a standalone freezer.
3 Main Types of Standalone Freezers
If you’re buying a freezer that’s not attached to a refrigerator, you have a few different options to choose from. Let’s take a closer look at each type of freezer.
1. Chest Freezer & Deep Freezer
Chest freezers are wide open, except for their removable hanging baskets or, sometimes, dividers, so they offer more usable space than uprights. These models also tend to be slightly more energy efficient and are less likely to cause freezer burn on food. Because they don’t self-defrost like uprights, the temperature stays consistently lower. They’re also the better choice if the area where you live is prone to brownouts or power failures—they tend to keep food frozen longer when the power is off. We find that they’re typically quieter than self-defrosting uprights.
2. Upright Freezer
Uprights take up less floor space than chest freezers—2 ½ square feet for 22 cubic feet of storage compared with a chest’s typical 2 x 6 feet. They’re also easier to organize. As with a fridge, shelves and bins inside and on the door make it easy to find things. You have the option of manual or self-defrost. Note that manual defrost takes hours and you have to empty the freezer. But self-defrost freezers allow temperatures to rise temporarily, which might compromise performance. And, unlike chest freezers, uprights are available in a variety of finishes, such as slate and stainless steel.
3. Portable Freezers
Portable freezers are smaller than the other options, so won’t hold nearly as much, but they typically cost less and have a variety of features not available in other types of freezers.
Designed to allow you to transport frozen food from one place to another, portable freezers are handy for anyone taking their food on-the-go. Because of their ability to stay at a constant temperature, despite the elements they are traveling within, portable freezers are widely used for camping, boating, long road-trips or anyone that frequently travels in an RV.
5 Factors to Consider When Buying a Freezer
To gain a clear picture of what you want in a freezer, it helps to have an idea of what your options are. These are some of the most important factors to consider in your search and features to be on the lookout for.
1. Size
Most people buying a standalone freezer will already have some freezer space as part of their refrigerator and are looking to expand. That makes size and capacity the most important considerations for many freezer buyers. Before you start browsing your options, you should have an idea of how much you want your freezer to hold so you can get one with the proper capacity for your needs.
You’ll also want to keep in mind how much space it will take up. Where do you plan to keep the freezer, and how much space is available there for it? An upright freezer will be easier to fit into a kitchen, but if you need the capacity of a chest freezer you’ll have to be sure to find or create a big enough space in your home to keep it in.
2. Cost
Know your budget for buying a freezer from the get go, but also keep in mind how long-term costs can compare. If you’re trying to decide on an energy efficient model that costs more upfront than other options, the costs over time of running it will pay off. Upright models usually cost more than chest freezers and use more energy, so know that you’re paying a premium for convenience if you choose an upright freezer.
Useful features like automatic defrost will end up costing you more, but the convenience of being able to skip dealing with manual defrosting may be well worth the difference. Also keep in mind shipping costs. A freezer is typically pretty large and heavy (portable models excepted), so the costs can get up there unless you go with a vendor that offers free shipping.
3. Energy Use
Freezers need to keep running constantly (at least any time there’s food in them) to do their job. That means they’ll be using energy pretty much 24/7. Choosing an energy efficient freezer can therefore make a noticeable difference in your overall energy costs and footprint.
Energy Star does rate freezers, so looking for an Energy Star qualified model can work as an easy shorthand to identifying a freezer that performs well in terms of energy use.
4. Noise Level
Every freezer will make some noise, but some are much quieter than others. If your freezer will be kept in a space you spend a lot of time in, you should consider the noise levels of the different models you check out. Manual-defrost freezers are usually quieter than self-defrosting ones. To get an idea of whether a freezer is abnormally loud or has a reputation for being quiet, you should check out user reviews of the different models you consider.
5. Temperature and Climate Classification
According to the FDA, you should keep your freezer temperature at 0° F (-18° C). While all freezers will be designed to reach this temperature, their ability to do so consistently can be affected by the climate they’re kept in.
If you’ll be keeping your freezer in your kitchen or another room inside, you probably don’t need to worry about this. If you’re planning to keep your freezer in the garage, outside, or in any space where the temperature fluctuates with the weather, check on the optimum temperature range of any freezer you consider.
Bonus Features to Consider
Some freezers come with extra features consumers may appreciate.
- Freezer locks: If you’re worried about children in your house accessing the freezer or leaving the door open, a freezer with a lock may be worth considering.
- Soft freeze: Do you eat a lot of ice cream? Hate how it’s always so stiff and Freezers come in many different types and sizes. A soft freeze feature is the solution. It’s a section specifically for ice cream that keeps it at just the right temperature.
- Dial thermostat: A dial thermostat helps you stay aware of how cold your freezer is and more easily control the temperature you want it to be at.
- Combination refrigerator/freezer: If you know you need the extra space for food, but what types of food you need it for can change, a freezer that lets you switch between temperature settings for a refrigerator and freezer can come in handy.