The 10 Best Freezers - July 2017

Freezer Buying Guide

Capacity

A dedicated freezer is ideal for families that need to store large quantities of frozen food. Often they can be combined with a matching fridge to create a huge fridge freezer combined of two appliances placed next to each other. They key is to make sure that the freezer door is reversible, which will allow your combined fridge freezer unit doors to both open from the middle.

Advances in insulation technology have allowed freezer manufacturers to increase the available space inside modern freezer units. The biggest upright freezers have over 350 litres of internal storage and the largest chest freezer can have nearly 600 litres of internal storage - that's enough to store three supermarket shopping trolleys full of food!

Frost Free Interior

Older freezers and some budget freezers require periodic defrosting which means switching the freezer off, removing all the food, and catching all the thawing ice in a tray. This is necessary to prevent excessive frost build up inside the freezer and to keep it operating efficiently.

Many freezers have frost free technology. This means that no defrosting is required and the freezer will not frost up over time. They work by controlling the humidity level inside the freezer to prevent frost particles from forming.

Easy Access Drawers

Some freezers come with easy to access pull out drawers. Transparent draw fronts make it easy to see what's stored inside and smooth sliding rails make pulling the drawer out effortless. Look out for deep drawer sizes which can be useful for storing bulky items.

Ice Makers

Built in ice makers are available in some stand alone freezers. Commonly they make the ice in one of the drawers which can then be pulled out and used.

Most automatic ice makers will normally need a plumbed water connection within 1.5m of the freezer. Some freezers may have simpler, semi automatic ice makers that you must fill manually.

Other Features

LED Lighting

These low energy bulbs create bright illumination of all parts of your freezer and produce a very low level of heat.

Rapid Freezing

Rapid freezing lets you temporarily increase the freezing rate of the freezer so that new items freeze more quickly.

Variable Speed Compressors

Multiple speed settings lets the compressor run quietly in normal operation and also creates more consistent internal temperatures.

Digital Controls

Digital temperature controls let you set the internal temperature of the freezer precisely and are easier to use than vague temperature dials.

Warning Alarms

An alarm will sound if the freezer door has accidentally been left open or if the internal temperature of the freezer is too high.

Soft Close Doors

The freezer door gently closes itself as you push the door shut.

Installation Tips

It's best to measure the space that your freezer is to fit in several times to make sure that you don't make a mistake. In determining whether the freezer will fit you should consider the freezer door hinge position and the space required for the thickness of the freezer door when it is opened. Don't forget about the size of any openings or staircases that the freezer will have to pass through to get it to the installation location.

The air temperature around the freezer is important for optimal operation. Most freezers are designed to work inside a heated room, so don't install your freezer in a outbuilding unless it is specifically designed for that purpose. You should also ensure adequate ventilation to the rear of the freezer.

Once your freezer has been delivered you should leave it standing upright for 4 hours before switching it on if it was transported horizontally. If it was transported vertically then standing for 1 hour should be sufficient.