Chest vs. Upright Freezer

When comparing a chest vs. upright freezer, the first differences you’ll notice are the shape and appearance of each type.

Upright freezers look a lot like vertical refrigerators. They have one or more doors that open outward, and the units stand vertically to the floor. Be sure to measure how much space they use when the doors open out and to the sides.

What is a deep freezer, also known as a chest freezer? Chest freezers sit horizontally on the floor. They open from the top like a trunk and are usually not very tall. When measuring a chest freezer to fit into your home, make sure you have enough room above the unit to open the door properly.

Several other differences make each type of freezer useful or impractical. It all depends on your household’s needs.

Upright freezers come in a wide variety of styles and colors. Consider several important pros and cons when shopping for one.

Advantages:

• Upright freezers usually aren’t as wide as most chest freezers, making their footprint smaller overall.
• The interior of upright freezers has shelves, along with door compartments, making organizing food intuitive.
• The interior layout makes it convenient to see products when you need to take out items.
• Most upright freezers have an auto-defrosting feature.
• The interior is more accessible for cleaning than chest freezers.

Disadvantages:

• Energy efficiency is lower than chest freezers. The door frame’s design makes it easier for heat to get inside the unit, so it takes more energy to keep it cold.
• Large, bulky items are harder to effectively store because shelving can get in the way.
• Upright freezers last around five fewer years than chest freezers.

Chest freezers are popular in garages and basements as extra food storage, but they have several pros and cons to ultimately consider.

Advantages:

• They usually don’t have shelving, so it’s easier to store bulky and odd-shaped items. Some examples of chest freezer uses include storing items like whole turkeys and large slabs of meat.
• Even with the same capacity in cubic feet, chest freezers have more usable space than upright freezers.
• Energy efficiency is higher in chest freezers because they have an airtight seal.
• In the event of a power outage, chest freezers keep food frozen longer than upright freezers.
• Chest freezers have an approximately five-year longer lifespan than upright freezers.

Disadvantages:

• Because of the depth from top to bottom, as well as the lack of internal shelving, it can be challenging to organize a chest freezer.
• Food may be stacked on top of each other, making it hard to access.
• The larger footprint of a chest vs. upright freezer can make it more difficult to accommodate.
• Cleaning is more difficult in a chest freezer. Its depth makes it harder to access, and sometimes there is frost to clear as well.

Choosing a chest vs. upright freezer requires deciding how you want to use the freezer, where you want it located and how much space you have.

• Storing bulky, large items is one of the primary chest freezer uses. When floor space isn’t an issue, chest freezers are a great option for that purpose.
• Upright freezers excel when you have less floor space and when you need well-organized food storage. They are also a good choice for storing food that easily fits onto shelves.

And of course, you can opt for both types, taking advantage of each one’s unique features.