Which freezer reviews

After 38 hours with no power, the ice had not melted at all. If you're planning on putting an extra freezer in your garage, one of the most reliable options out there is this GE chest freezer that's designed to work in spaces with extreme temperatures. With an ample It also comes with a lock and key for added security, plus four sliding baskets that make it easy to organize your frozen food and find smaller items like tubs of ice cream quickly.

Reviewers say they appreciate that the freezer warns you if it detects temperature changes, which comes in handy if the power goes out. What more could you ask for? This multifunctional chest freezer by Whynter can operate with both a standard wall outlet and a vehicle's lighter socket. The dual-use appliance functions as either a freezer or a refrigerator thanks to its wide temperature range of -6 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and the fast-freeze setting will quickly cool it all the way down.

It can hold up to 85 quarts of food and drink, which is the equivalent of cans. I've used it as a freezer for ice and ice cream and it has no problem staying at 0 degrees on either 12V or V and just the same results while set at 34 degrees for daily use.

At just 3. With seven pre-set temperature options, it's easy to adjust between -4 and 6. Plus, it comes equipped with two wire baskets that secure to the top of the freezer for easy access. I even tested it by putting hamburgers on top of other items in one of the baskets and the meat froze solid," a customer wrote. A reversible door makes it more likely to fit anywhere, allowing you to choose which direction it swings open.

Plus, its pocket handle saves you a few inches on the front of the unit. This design does require you to reach the top of the door to open it, so this feature can be less convenient for shorter people. Its small size also makes the manual defrosting process more manageable. By defrosting more quickly, your food will spend less time out of the freezer, and that's always a good thing.

Since it will be easier to keep it packed tight, you'll need to defrost it less frequently. Even though the Frigidaire Upright Freezer is a compact model, its interior shelf dimensions still provide a good amount of storage room. However, these shelves are fixed and cannot be adjusted to create more height.

This is because the freezer coils that cool the unit run underneath each shelf. This rigid design could be a deal-breaker for anyone looking to store larger items like turkeys or extra-large pizza boxes. The Frigidaire FFFU06M1TW doesn't have the door storage of other upright models, but essentially you're sacrificing that to keep the entire unit compact.

Manual Defrost Chest Freezer is a mid-size model that won't break the bank and still delivers many of the features and benefits you would find in more expensive options.

Manual Defrost Chest Freezer can still fit into tight areas. Plus, its 7. Two lift-out storage baskets allow you to store the items you use most regularly on top so you spend less time searching through the freezer with the door open. These baskets slide horizontally across the top of the unit, so you can scoot them around to access the main cavity. The water drain is located on the front of the unit, making it more convenient when defrosting. In my experience, when this drain is located anywhere else, it's always more of a hassle and results in uncomfortable shifting and lifting of the unit itself.

The temperature control knob is located on the front of the freezer as well, allowing you to make temperature adjustments without opening the door. Though the freezer's power-on light is useful, the fact that it's located near the bottom of the unit makes it a bit less convenient.

If your freezer is in your garage, for example, the power light can be blocked by vehicles or furniture. As someone who has moved several heavy freezers up and down basement stairs, I always appreciate a lightweight model. Its five lift-out storage baskets slide back and forth across upper and lower rails, and the four dividers below allow you to customize the main cavity as you like. This kind of organization is especially important with larger freezers. The faster you grab what you need and get the door closed, the less cold air escapes.

A nice, bright LED light automatically activates when the door opens, allowing you to get in and out quickly. Security is important with a freezer of this size. The GE chest freezer has a bright green power light that lets you know power status, as well as an audible temperature alarm that immediately alerts you if the temperature rises. The door lock will keep away any nosy intruders and safeguard against small children climbing inside.

I really appreciate simple, low-tech features, and the handy guide sticker on this freezer is a great example. It provides the recommended shelf life of a variety of food items in an easy-to-read visual, making it easy to date and organize your foods. A larger unit like this one will take some time to empty, defrost, and refill.

Recessed pocket handles give it a cleaner look, and the black matte finish matches much better with the toolboxes and hardware often found in garages. The Gladiator freezer provides a nice variety of door storage and includes two space-saving wire racks for sliding in narrow items like frozen pizzas.

Its two adjustable shelves allow you to customize the top half of the fridge, while two wire drawers keep the bottom organized. My favorite element of the Gladiator is its stainless steel foot pedal, a feature that I've never seen before in a freezer. By stepping on the steel tread plate, you can easily open the door hands-free. This pedal can come in handy in the garage, where there typically isn't a ton of counter space to set things down.

The rolling casters make the Gladiator garage freezer great for a busy garage, allowing you to relocate it when projects come along that require floor space. The front wheels lock in place, preventing it from any accidental rolling. Pull-out freezer drawers are popping up in high-end kitchens, usually to supplement the freezer in a standard fridge. They can match the cabinetry or have a stainless pro-chef look.

Portable freezers for boating or camping require a standard volt household outlet or a volt power source like a car battery. Some hold up to 85 quarts and are equipped with wire baskets to organize food. They can be adjusted to refrigerate as well. We respect your privacy. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. Sign In.

Become a Member. Remember Me. Forgot username or password? Not a member? Need further assistance? Please call Member Services at Sign in or Become a Member. Freezer Buying Guide Last updated: April 16, Find the Best Freezers for Your Storage Needs We test, evaluate, and compare the latest freezers so that you can chill out when it comes to freezer shopping. How We Test Freezers To test freezers, our engineers fill each model with boxes of frozen spinach and run them in our test chambers for approximately six weeks to evaluate how well they keep the packages frozen.

Freezer Ratings. Stand-Alone Freezer Types When it comes to the two most popular categories of freezers—upright and chest models—we find that there's no clear winner. Chest Freezers Pros: Chest freezers are wide open, except for their removable hanging baskets or, sometimes, dividers, so they offer more usable space than uprights.

Chest Freezer Ratings. Upright Freezer Ratings. Video Buying Guide For more, watch our freezer buying guide video below. Get the Deep Freeze Stand-alone freezers used to be all about utility, with no-frills designs and an open-box interior that made it a challenge to keep foods organized.

Consider these factors before you hit the store: Location, Location If you plan to keep the freezer in a living area, consider how noisy it is and also how it looks. Nice Ice, Baby Once you've gotten your freezer, you may want to give it a little help keeping its cool—and making food last longer. Check out these simple tips from our experts: Save Energy Keep your freezer in a cool spot, such as the basement, where it tends to stay well below normal room temperatures.

Freezer Ratings by Consumer Reports. Alarm Some self-defrosting upright freezers we tested beep if their interior gets too warm. Compartment Dividers and Tiered Bins In chest freezers, upright plastic dividers and sliding bins on racks help organize stored food.

Door Lock We found some freezers equipped with this feature useful if there are kids in the house , which blocks access or keeps the door from being left open. Manual vs. Self-Defrost Manual-defrost freezers the only option for chest models are generally more energy efficient and less likely to cause freezer burn than self-defrosting models uprights can be manual- or self-defrosting.

Coordinating all of that with other data, including warranty info, annual energy consumption, and general availability, we were able to winnow our list down to two upright freezers that best fit our criteria. If our picks are out of stock, or you want something with different features or in a different size, go for it.

The GE has four adjustable glass shelves, three baskets, and four in-door shelves, providing plenty of options for storage.

If the door is left open or if the internal temperature gets too high, the freezer will beep a warning. This freezer also has a door lock, which can be useful for keeping out children or neighbors in a shared space. We also like that it has glass shelving versus the wire shelving on many other models we looked at , which adds a nice aesthetic touch without any obvious price hike. The GE also has a slightly better energy rating than comparably sized machines.

As of spring it has an average rating of 4. If the Freezers are all pretty simple machines and operate more or less the same, though quality-control issues do happen from time to time. The Frigidaire is missing some of the nice perks found in the GE upright freezer we like, however, including glass shelves, a door lock, and external controls. But unlike the GE, the Frigidaire has a reversible hinge, and it comes in a brushed stainless steel finish as well as the usual white.

The Frigidaire is also marginally more efficient in its energy usage than other models of comparable size, and it gets similarly glowing reviews among owners.

This model also has four removable wire shelves which is one more than a lot of comparably sized freezers have and five in-door shelves, as well as a convenient storage basket. The Frigidaire is well liked by owners, with an average rating of 4. Freezers are set-it-and-forget-it appliances; the less you have to think about it, the better. To keep your freezer in tip-top shape, you should keep it well stocked and free of frost buildup.

A full freezer limits air circulation, making the machine more efficient overall and also preventing buildup of duct-blocking frost. But you can keep yours nice and efficient by keeping it full.

A well-stocked, low-frost freezer will live longer and keep your food frozen longer in the event of a power outage.