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Original poster

Chest or drawer freezer?

19 replies

99redballoons · 02/10/2005 18:02

Hi all, we currently have one fridge and one freezer (with drawers) in the kitchen (looks like a fridge freezer unit but are separate). I seriously need more freezer space and have pursuaded dh of my cause.. the only thing is he seems to think another drawer freezer, or compartment freezer would be better than a 600mm wide chest freezer (not looking to get a large/long chest freezer).

So my question to you is which do you prefer - chest or drawer/compartment? Can you really fit more in a chest freezer and how often do you 'lose' things in it? I don't see that as a problem especially if it's me that's doing the cooking, buying and freezing of things to go in it! Drawer ones seem to limit the size of things you can freeze, eg. large joints, drawers stick or break etc. Also, what size chest freezer is good? Haven't the space for the really long ones, but have seen some half-size ones?

Please help me fight my case in getting a chest freezer!

[You can stop yawning now.. I know this must be such a boring topic!!]

OP posts:

hunkerpumpkin · 02/10/2005 18:02

I'd have a chest freezer if we had room. Uprights always seem so poky!

expatinscotland · 02/10/2005 18:05

My lotto fantasies include a chest freezer. Stored in an attached garage of my 5-bed, eco sound house designed by FjordHus Norwegian Homes.

My parents have one and I LOVE it!

SenoraPostrophe · 02/10/2005 18:06

we were looking at these the other day. chest freezers have about 15-20% more space than drawer ones, but are less efficient (or at least the ones we saw were).

We bought a drawer one as my mum has a chest freezer and you do lose things / have to take everything out to see what's there. Decided the extra space wasn't worth it.

zippitippitoes · 02/10/2005 18:06

Chest freezers are more expensive to run (not very efficient) and more awkward to defrost

They really need to be kept full

But much more versatile for odd shapes ordering in bulk meat and freezing in containers

Should have a lock on for safety with young children

Beabea · 02/10/2005 18:08

You get bodies in a chest freezer. I refuse to get one because of this.

expatinscotland · 02/10/2005 18:08

Are they all the kinds tht you have to defrost here? I looked at lots but never saw any that were frost-free. I'm perplexed.

zippitippitoes · 02/10/2005 18:17

I love these freezers and fridges Sub Zero

the integrated drawers are great and the huge fridge freezer

Janh · 02/10/2005 18:47

I thought chest freezers were more efficient? (Because all the cold air doesn't fall out the bottom when you open the door.)

My MIL has the dinkiest chest freezer I ever saw in a corner of her dining room - it's only about 18" wide but has lots of room for important things like icecream.

Janh · 02/10/2005 21:50

This one is neat - chest top half and drawer bottom half - any use? (Very small though.)

Just google "small chest freezer", loads of links come up.

doormat · 02/10/2005 21:55

99 I have both in the kitchen and I could not live without either. I put the packets etc in the drawer freezer and use the chest freezer for bulk buying,meat and bread.
I find the chest freezer useful as when we have had short weeks there has always been the bogof deals that I have frozen but forgot about.

Original poster

99redballoons · 02/10/2005 22:12

Hi! Thanks all for the comments. I didn't realise they were less efficient.. Baby no.2 is due in 4 weeks and I was hoping to bulk cook and freeze, but no room in our drawer one, so need to get something soon. Being able to store a variety of container sizes is a big thing so I'm really worried a drawer one will be too limiting.

If we get an Energy A rated chest freezer do you think it will only reach that level if kept full? Will have another google and checkout the sites posted.

Many thanks

OP posts:

katymac · 02/10/2005 22:14

If you worry that it will only be efficient if full - then freeze ice cream containers full of water. then as it fills up - you can't just take them out.....

zippitippitoes · 03/10/2005 07:40

Have you managed to find an energy A rated one?

I found them pretty thin on the ground, and or very expensive?

katymac · 03/10/2005 07:56

There's a which report - if you know someone with membership

Janh · 03/10/2005 10:25

I didn't realise Which had done chest freezers - just checked and they recommend

this one (very small, but they said it was a good buy at £140 and now it's only £110) and this one - 3 times the size and again cheaper than the price in the recommendation.

Never heard of the make though!

What size upright would you want - tall or worktop height?

NomDePlume · 03/10/2005 10:28

I've got both, the chest freezer is in the garage and the drawer one is in the kitchen. Personally I prefer the drawer on as I don't have to take everything out of it to get to the thing I want, if it's at the bottom.

NomDePlume · 03/10/2005 10:30

Although for space, the dwarer freezer doesn't come close to the chest freezer, despite them being approx the same size !

Original poster

99redballoons · 03/10/2005 13:12

Thanks for the Which info. I'm not sure which size we're after, either ~3.5cuft or ~6cuft, but really need to look in them at a shop before ordering online. Never heard of Norfrost either. Will see if I can find some reviews.

Great idea about the ice-cream containers... shame it would have to be water and not ice-cream!

OP posts:

John89Miller · 09/11/2017 19:02

When choosing a freezer I was helped by this site - grapefrost.com And yet I stopped at the Bosch GUD15A50GB integrated freezer - compact and well-freezed.

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