The Best Chest Freezer For Your Garage

If you’re looking for a freezer to keep in your garage, then a chest freezer is likely to be the kind you need. They are often more affordable and last longer than upright freezers.

Below, you can find the best chest freezers on the market.

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1. Frigidaire FFFC22M6QW

The Frigidaire FFFC22M6QW is the ideal storage solution for large families or people who love to bulk buy. It can hold large amounts of food, with the organization system making it easy to ensure that all of that food stays neatly organised. Four colour-coded storage baskets also help you with organizing your frozen food storage.

A bright internal LED light makes it easy to find exactly what you are looking for in the freezer, whilst the drainage plug makes light work of emptying melted ice after defrosting.

A power light lets you see instantly if there has been a power failure and the adjustable thermostat provides maximum control over the temperature setting. You can also prevent little ones from accessing the freezer contents thanks to the lock and removable key.

Thicker insulation walls in the freezer ensure that should there be a power cut, your food will remain frozen for longer. The temperature ranges from between -12℃ to -23℃, keeping your food in the best possible condition.

Specifications:

This chest freezer measures approximately 35 inches high, 73 inches wide and 27.5 inches deep. With the lid open in an upright position, it measures nearly 60.5 inches in height. It weighs 156 lbs and has a capacity of 21.6 cubic feet.

• Very large capacity chest freezer
• Four storage baskets with colour coding
• Power-on light
• Internal light to let you see what you are doing
• Drainage plug
• Adjustable thermostat
• It is lockable using a removable key
• The temperature range is between 10 degrees Fahrenheit to -10 degrees Fahrenheit, or -12℃ to -23℃
• Thicker insulation walls designed to ensure that your food stays frozen for longer, even in the event of a power cut
• Food organisation system
• Is pricier than other chest freezers
• The large size may not suit smaller garages
• Requires manual defrosting
• Does not have a counterbalanced lid

2. Midea WHS-129C1

The Midea WHS-129C1 provides you with up to 3.5 cubic feet of storage space for your frozen produce. The simple, smart white design will look good in almost any setting.

The freezer has an adjustable thermostat, letting you select between minimum and maximum setting. Being compact, the freezer model can slide in between units in the garage and can even fit into some mobile homes and small apartments.

The counterbalanced lid lets you be hands-free whilst rummaging in your freezer and the storage basket gives you easy access to regularly used food items.

When it is time to defrost your freezer, there is a handy drainage plug located near the bottom of the unit. All you have to do is remove your food stuffs, switch it off, wait for the ice to melt, then drain it and dry the inside before switching it back on.

Specifications:

This chest freezer measures 33.5 inches tall with the lid closed, 22.2 inches wide and 20.59 inches deep. With the lid open, it measures up to 52.8 inches in height. It has a capacity of 3.5 cubic feet and weighs roughly 55 lbs.

• Adjustable thermostat
• Compact design
• Easy to clean
• Drainage plug for easy emptying once defrosted
• Has a storage basket
• Counterbalanced lid that stays open between 45 and 75 degrees
• Temperature range is -12℃ to -28℃
• Affordable
• Has to be manually defrosted

3. Danby DCF038A1WDB1

The Danby DCF038A1WDB1 has a simple, clean finish that will look great in any garage.

The compact design provides maximum storage potential whilst allowing the freezer to fit into tight spaces. The interior is designed to be rust-free and is insulated using environmentally-friendly foam insulation.

You have maximum control over the temperature of your freezer thanks to the adjustable, dial-based thermostat located at the bottom front of the unit.

The power light also lets you know immediately if your freezer has stopped working, which is useful in a power cut or other mechanical failure.

The storage basket allows you to keep delicate or regularly used food items within easy reach, whilst the easy to clean interior ensures that any messes can be cleared up quickly and without any fuss.

Defrosting your freezer is made simple thanks to the drainage plug located in the bottom of the unit, thus preventing the need to tip your freezer to empty it of the melted frost.

Specifications:

This freezer measures roughly 24.9 inches wide, 22.1 inches deep and 33 inches tall with the lid closed. It weighs approximately 70 lbs and has a capacity of 3.8 cubic feet.

• Adjustable thermostat that increases or decreases temperature using a dial
• Power indicator light
• Has a storage basket
• Environmentally-friendly foam insulation in the chest and lid
• Designed to be easy and simple to clean
• Drainage plug for ease of emptying after defrosting
• Compact
• Affordable
• Temperature range is -12℃ and -24℃
• Rust-resistant interior
• Does not have a counterbalanced lid
• Is not frost-free
• Requires manual defrosting

4. Della Chest Freezer

The Della Upright Chest Freezer provides 6.9 cubic feet of storage space for your frozen food items.

There is a raised section inside the unit that is ideal for neat storage of boxed goods or foodstuffs that are in plastic containers.

A storage basket also helps to keep everything organised and the easy clean interior ensures that mess can be dealt with without any hassle.

The compact size of this chest freezer makes it ideal for small spaces in garages. It has an adjustable thermostat that has seven settings, thus providing maximum control of the temperature.

The power light and the compressor “run” light allow you to easily see if your chest freezer is running properly and if there are any issues.

Specifications:

This chest freezer measures about 29.5 inches wide, 22 inches deep and 32.75 inches tall with the lid closed. It weighs approximately 89 lbs and has a capacity of 6.9 cubic feet.

• Has an adjustable thermostat, with seven settings
• Power light and compressor “run” light
• Has a storage basket
• Raised section inside the unit for easier access to certain foodstuffs
• Designed to have an easy to clean interior
• Compact size, ideal for small garages
• Has to be defrosted manually
• Doesn’t have a counterbalance lid

5. Igloo FRF454-B-BLACK

The Igloo FRF454-B-BLACK is sleek, smart and perfect for storing homemade ready meals thanks to the quick-freeze option it has. You activate quick-freeze by selecting setting 4 on the adjustable thermostat. The adjustable thermostat has 6 other settings, with 1 being the warmest and 7 being the coldest. The temperature ranges from freezing to -18℃.

A storage basket located inside the freezer lets you easily access food items that you use regularly and the 5.1 cubic feet capacity means that you can store an impressive amount of food.

A drainage cap located on the bottom front of the freezer makes it easy to empty melted ice during defrosting. You can also see when the power is on and when the compressor has been enabled thanks to the power and compressor lights located on the bottom front of the unit.

Specifications:

This particular chest freezer measures roughly 19 inches deep, 22 inches wide and 33 inches tall with the lid closed. It weighs about 72 lbs and has a capacity of 5.1 cubic feet.

• Deep cooling and quick-freeze options
• Drainage cap for easy emptying
• Adjustable thermostat
• Lights that indicate when the power is on and when compressor is on
• Comes with a storage basket
• Temperature ranges from freezing to -18℃
• Manufacturer states that this isn’t ideal for keeping in the garage if the temperature ever drops below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, or 12℃
• Requires manual defrosting
• Doesn’t have a counterbalanced lid
• Isn’t frost-free

6. Haier HF50CM23NW

The Haier HF50CM23NW is wider than many other compact chest freezers, with a capacity of 5 cubic feet.

It has a wire storage basket that can be positioned wherever you wish in the top of the freezer, providing instant access to smaller or everyday items.

A raised section inside the unit makes it easy to get to food stuffs you use regularly. You can also use it for neatly stacking boxes or containers.

The flat back design of this freezer ensures that it takes up the least amount of space possible in your garage. Also, the drainage plug located at the front of the unit means that you don’t need to move or tip your freezer in order to empty it after defrosting.

An adjustable thermostat allows you to easily control the temperature in this freezer with seven different settings.

Specifications:

This chest freezer measures roughly 28 inches tall, 21.5 inches deep and 33 inches wide with the lid closed. It weighs approximately 72 lbs and has a capacity of 5 cubic feet.

• Has a drainage plug for easy emptying
• Adjustable thermostat dial
• It has a storage basket
• Flat back design to save space
• Affordable
• Despite being bigger than some compact chest freezers, this is still pretty compact in design and will fit in most small spaces
• Raised section inside the unit for easy access to commonly used items
• Has to be manually defrosted
• Is not frost-free
• Doesn’t have a counterbalanced lid

What are chest freezers?

As you might have guessed from the name, chest freezers are essentially a large chest, with a pull-up lid, inside which frozen produce can be stored. They come in a variety of styles and sizes.

Chest freezers often have at least one wire storage basket that is balanced on the rim just inside the top of the freezer, thus allowing you to store smaller or more delicate items.

There are some newer models of chest freezer that have pull-out drawers located in the bottom that can be accessed from the outside of the freezer. This is useful for storing foods that you want more immediate access to, rather than having to pull lots of items out in order to find what you’re looking for.

A significant downside to chest freezers is that they can become quite disorganized very easily. Some people use cardboard boxes to make it easier to separate the contents in their chest freezer.

Chest freezers often have better insulation than upright freezers, thus allowing them to keep food frozen far more efficiently. Plus, they tend to be opened less often than uprights, which also helps to maintain a cool temperature. This is one of the reasons that chest freezers are considered to be more economical than upright freezers.

Another reason is that they can store a large amount of produce, thus allowing people to take advantage of bulk buy offers or the reduced-price food aisles in supermarkets.

Some chest freezers now have a counterbalanced lid that is designed to stay open at an angle, allowing it to be put in spaces where headroom is at a premium. This is different to standard lids that have to be opened completely upright in order to leave your hands free to get things from the freezer.

Benefits of owning a chest freezer

As well as the benefits mentioned above, chest freezers can:

• Store more than uprights – even if you buy a chest freezer that has the same capacity as an upright freezer, you will likely find that you can store more physical produce in it than in an upright. This is because of the design of the upright freezer compared to the chest freezer. The shelves in an upright make it difficult to store awkwardly shaped items neatly, such as baguettes and large joints of meat, whereas a chest freezer doesn’t have this issue. You can do a bit of jigsaw puzzle-style arranging in a chest freezer, fitting smaller items into spaces left by awkward or bulky items.
• Reduce risk of waste during a power cut – because they can be filled more compactly and are insulated more effectively, chest freezers can keep food frozen for longer in the event of a power failure.
• Make meal planning easier – this is particularly important if you want to batch cook and store a whole weeks worth of meals. This also has the benefit of helping you to eat more healthily if you have a very busy lifestyle because you can spend just one weekend cooking and have easily accessible, healthy ready meals available for your family.

Things to consider before buying a chest freezer

• Your own physical health – depending on the size of the chest freezer, you are likely to spend a lot of time bending and reaching into it to get your produce. This can be harmful to those who have any health issues, such as a back injury, especially if the chest freezer is the only freezer you own. It might be worth considering buying an upright freezer instead. You could also have one of each type and keep the chest freezer for long-term storage in the garage and use the upright for daily use in the kitchen.
• Cost – like with any purchase, the cost is something that you need to factor into the equation. There are many different models available and their prices will vary depending on features and capacity.
• Size and capacity – it is important to purchase a chest freezer that will fit within the space available in your garage. Another consideration is capacity; the capacity of the freezer and its physical dimensions are not necessarily one and the same. You can have two chest freezers that hold the same amount of produce, yet one can be taller and slimmer and the other shorter and wider.
• Defrosting – you can choose to buy either a frost-free chest freezer or one that will require regular manual defrosting. There are also some types that defrost themselves. The thing to bear in mind is that chest freezers that are frost-free or automatically defrost will usually be more expensive than those that don’t. However, that might be a small price to pay to not have to take everything out and manually defrost your freezer once or twice a year.
• Other features – as well as those already mentioned, chest freezers can come with a variety of features that can affect the price of them, including:
  • Number of storage baskets
  • Lockable lid
  • Counterbalanced lid that stays open, leaving your hands free
  • Warning lights that let you know when the freezer needs defrosting or is at risk of overheating
  • Colour

Risks and warnings

It is important to ensure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully when it comes to installing and first running your chest freezer.

Do not install a chest freezer in an area that is susceptible to damp. Ensure that it will remain dry and will not be exposed to the elements.

It is also important to defrost your chest freezer regularly, if it is not a frost-free one, in order to maintain maximum efficiency.

If you have not purchased a chest freezer that has a counterbalanced lid, make sure that you are careful when rummaging in your freezer for food to ensure that it doesn’t fall on you.