Do I want a chest freezer or a normal one with drawers

[Deminism]

We are getting an electricity socket put in our cellar - I had assumed this was for a chest freezer as the freezer in our kitchen is v small then dh asked me why a chest freezer instead of a normal one (was going to go for a small one not a huge one) and I didn't know. Are chest freezers better? Does it matter? This seems like something i should know...

[TheLovleyChebbyMcGee]

I'd go for drawers, easier to find things that way!

[campion]

Drawers definitely - unless you like almost climbing inside aka polar explorer to find things. Our first one was a chest and it was a big mistake.
Upright,as big as you can accommodate. Present one is a beko and is fine and was a good price too.

[WatcherintheRye]

Would never have a chest freezer again. Drawers are so much easier to organise.

[BikeRunSki]

Drawers, then you can put things on top of the freezer.

[ErrolTheDragon]

I may be wrong, but I think the only reason for chest freezers might be that some of them can operate in lower ambient temperatures than normal ones and so may be used in garages etc. If your cellar is very cold, you should check the operating temperature range before deciding what to get - modern refrigerants don't work properly below (iirc) ambient temps of ~10C.

[SeaToSki]

Chest freezers are supposed to have slightly lower operating costs, but drawer freezers are way easier to use. I would get drawers as any money i saved on running costs would be lost in the random unidentified frozen objects lost in the depths of a chest. Also def dont get a chest if you are shprter than 5’6”

[Artesia]

Definitely a chest freezer, for one reason. I once read (on here I think) about a woman who lasted “freezer pot luck”’with her kids on a Friday. A bit like the granny claw machines in amusement arcades, her youngest child would be held above chest freezer by the ankles, and whatever they could grab and hold onto was dinner. Genius! It’s my dream to get a chest freezer before DC3 is too big for me to hold upside down!

[wowfudge]

Some upright freezers are suitable for use in outbuildings, sheds, etc. We have a secondhand Beko one which is.

[Gunpowder]

I love that story Artesia

Think drawers make much more sense unless you routinely freeze big bits of meat for example.

Chest freezers are cheaper tho.

[greenelephantscarf]

drawer are so much easier.
unless you are a hunter and have to store large bits of meat I would go for upright with drawers every time.

[MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours]

I hate upright freezers, you cannot get bugger all in those drawers!

I could kick the stupid drawers in the kitchen fridge freezer into hell and beyond every damned time I have to go in there. Whatever I want is never in the drawer it was put into, I swear it all dances around in there when no one is listening, the drawers simply will NOT open properly unless the door is opened to the right angle and held there for ever

But you do have to be completely ruthless about organising and listing stuff in a chest freezer, or pretty quickly you end up in that child dangling scenario above :o Other than that you throw open the lid and all is laid out before you, no blasted drawers. All that your eyes survey is your frozen territory :o I am much better friends with the outside chest freezer than the kitchen one with its stupid door and drawers.

do check operating ranges though, as a pp said, some do not like it to be less than a roasty toasty room temperature and will stop freezing, which is not helpful.

[BlueChampagne]

MrsMightyTitan my freezer has a massive crack in one drawer from just such a moment of frustration! I too would go for a chest freezer and record book/excel sheet.

[Deminism]

Thanks all

[FriarTuck]

If you like to fill you freezer to the max and have vast stores then a chest freezer. If you use it more for odds and sods and don't eat out of it for months on end then an upright. You can get more in a chest freezer.