If you find yourself buying a lot of frozen food, a deep freezer can be worth looking into. It’s no secret that buying in bulk is more economical than buying individual packages, and stores like Costco make it super easy to stock up on long-lasting frozen foods. But a major drawback for many people is a lack of storage space. Sure, buying a 25 pound bag of chicken nuggets is great, but the average fridge freezer is better suited for a few ice trays and a couple tubs of ice cream than open-your-own-restaurant levels of food. A chest or upright freezer can be worth the investment because it’ll allow you to buy in bulk, which will save you money, as well as trips to the grocery store.
When you hear “deep freezer,” you might imagine those enormous chests that have to be stored in a basement. But deep freezers also include compact upright options that aren’t much bigger than a cooler. That way, if you have a small apartment and a small fridge, you can still get extra freezer space without eating up your whole living room. In fact, upright freezers can be good investments for dorms or tiny studios where a full fridge freezer may not be an option. If you do have the space for a chest freezer (color me jealous), this list includes great options in that category too.
1. midea Single Door Chest Freezer
This compact freezer from midea offers 3.5 cubic feet of storage space and is available in white. The door can be reversed to either open to the left or the right, making it easy to have it not be in the way. Two shelves and a wire drawer help to keep things organized. The temperature ranges from -11.2 to -8.6 Fahrenheit.
Pros: Compact, but has three cubic feet of storage space. It’s designed to run quietly, so it can be kept nearby without being distracting.
Cons: You’ll want to consider a larger model if you have bulkier items like large cuts of meat and big bags of frozen foods.
2. Arctic King 7 cu ft Chest Freezer, Black
This chest freezer has seven cubic feet of storage space, which makes it a good option for stocking up on food for the family. It has a temperature control switch on the outside of the unit, and it’s designed to be energy-efficient compared with similarly-sized models.
Pros: Seven cubic feet of food storage space makes it a good option for buying in bulk.
Cons: Interior dents easily.
3. Whynter Upright Freezer, 2.1 Cubic Feet
This compact upright freezer will buy you an extra 2.1 cubic feet of storage space in a compact design that can fit in a kitchen or under a desk. It has two removable shelves to make organization easier. Also, the door hinge can be reversed, so the door can swing out left or right.
Pros: Runs quietly, low-energy consumption, good size for small rooms or offices, has a lock.
Cons: Thermostat is on the back of the unit, making it cumbersome to adjust.