Types Of Freezers

When shopping for freezers, you have a choice of three basic configurations:

Chest Freezers

This type freezer works well for large families or people who need a good deal of storage space. The advantage of a chest freezer is that it allows you to buy frozen items in bulk. Typical sizes range from 4 to 20 cubic feet. Unless you have a very large kitchen, you will want to place your chest freezer in either a garage or basement to accommodate its size. Since they open from the top, chest freezers are more energy efficient than other types of freezers because the colder air stays at the bottom when they are opened. This efficiency will be reflected in your energy bills.

Upright Freezers

These are tall appliances similar in size and appearance to a standard kitchen refrigerator. They range in size from 2 to 20 cubic feet and because of their vertical shape, make ideal companions to kitchen refrigerators. While they are easier to reach into, this type of freezer is more costly to operate because it loses cold air easily when the door is opened.

Under-Counter Freezers

A different approach to using a free-standing freezer is an under-counter appliance. This type of freezer is designed to fit underneath a kitchen counter just as a dishwasher does. Although small in stature, an under-counter freezer performs as well as other freezers but with limited storage capacity.