

"You want some breathing room, especially where the intake is where the compressor lives."Ĭhest freezers are often relegated to a corner of the basement or garage, but it's important to consider what the temperature range of the freezer's location will be. "You don't really want to jam a chest freezer into a corner or up against a wall," explains Finazzo. If you're more interested in freezing components of meals or whole ingredients, less space may be just fine for your purposes. If you're a hunter and plan to freeze what you kill, you might need a slightly larger freezer. Keep in mind that inside capacity will likely be larger than your regular freezer, so you may need less space than you think. When selecting what size you need, think about what you'll be using your freezer for and where you plan to put it. We recommend the Midea Chest Freezer as the best option for most people.īecause they are designed to be opened from the top, chest freezers have a large footprint than a typical refrigerator. If you have the space, even a small chest freezer can give you significantly increased food storage options, and there are options at every price point. An LED interior light ensures visibility, and a lock keeps children safe.Ī chest freezer gives you flexibility in food storage, whether you want to put away seasonal produce for use later in the year, reduce trips to the grocery store, or batch-cook lasagna for a family.
#Mini chest zer plus
It has a temperature alarm, which sounds if the unit's internal temperature starts to rise, and a high-temperature indicator on the outside of the unit, plus a power light to indicate that the freezer is on and functioning.īecause of its size, organization is a factor, and the unit has two levels of rails, which allow you to access multiple baskets of frozen items at a time. It comes with GE's power outage promise, which guarantees the unit will stay below freezing for at least 48 hours in the event of a power outage. It's large, with an internal capacity of 15.7 cubic feet, and has basically every additional feature. This is probably what you think of when you imagine a chest freezer.
#Mini chest zer upgrade
Below, find our list of the best chest freezers to upgrade your current frozen food storage setup.īecause of its size and features, this freezer is relatively expensive, and the lack of wheels can make it unwieldy when draining. Factors to consider in shopping for this appliance include size, storage, and upkeep, says Finazzo, whose expertise guided our research. Whether you're batch-cooking lasagna, soup, or grains, a chest freezer can make mealtime much easier. In fact, he relies on freezing for much of his cooking throughout the year.

Vincent Finazzo, owner of Riverwards Produce, a specialty grocer in Philadelphia, advocates for chest freezers as a tool for eating seasonally without giving up variety. A chest freezer also maintains its temperature better even when open, as cold air sinks to the bottom of the unit. Unlike upright freezers (like the kind you likely have attached to your fridge), a chest freezer opens from the top, offers more usable food storage space, and is more energy efficient. If digging through your current freezer to prep dinner feels more like playing a game of Tetris, it might be time to upgrade to a large chest freezer. Frozen foods are essential for quick weeknight meals.
