How to choose a chest freezer

If your refrigerator/freezer combo doesn’t provide you with the room you need to store all your frozen foods, a stand-alone chest freezer could be the answer. Depending on the size of your household and the amount and different kinds of food you plan to freeze, you’ve got a variety of alternatives to choose from.

What are your storage needs?

Storage capacity is calculated in cubic feet (or the volume of the inside of the freezer). Sizes range from 4.7 to 25.1 cubic feet. One cubic foot holds approximately 35 pounds of food. If you estimate 1.5 cubic feet per person in your household, you should be able to calculate the approximate size you will need to buy.

If your storage needs are minimal you can select a smaller model. You might want to consider the growing needs of your family. Will you outgrow the smaller model? You may also choose a freezer which has built in baskets and drawers to take the clutter out of the chest. These particular features don’t usually add to much to the cost, and can eliminate having to dig through heaps of frozen food to find what you ar looking for.

How much space do you have?

For those who have available space in a large garage, size might not be an issue. If that’s not you – you will want to measure your space thoroughly. You don’t want to by a big freezer chest only to find out it won’t fit in the desired space.

Check Energy Ratings

Incorporating another large appliance to your home can raise your energy bills. Luckily the design of chest freezers keeps the cold air in and minimizes their potential cost. Check for Energy Consumption (kWh/year) estimates and Energy STAR certifications. The lowest numbers are the ones you want to look at if you want to save money.

A chest freezer can be a great convenience for just about any household. Deciding on the best size and model is essential to make sure you will get many years of use from it.