Can we talk deep freezers?

ChristyMarie · #1 10-12-2009, 08:29 AM

We're really trying to stick to a new food budget and I've realized this is going to require more freezer space. Mostly for buying in bulk at Costco and storing the extra until we need it. Also for making large batches of things and freezing. The freezer will have to stay in the attached garage. It could go in the basement but I'd much rather have it in the garage because in general I'm too lazy to walk up and down. But my extra food storage is in the basement so I guess it would be ok to put it down there if it will perform better. I don't think I need a huge one - it is just me, DH and DS.

There are about a billion options.

Upright? Chest? I think I'd prefer upright for ease of finding stuff but the chest ones seem SO much cheaper.

Manual defrost? Automatic?

Price???

I'd love to stay under $400. I'd really love to stay under $250.

I've never owned one, don't know anyone who does and I'm really confused as to the best way to spend the money. If I need to spend more to get one that will perform well and last then please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

TwinMom · #2 10-12-2009, 08:32 AM

We have an upright freezer is a manual defrost. For long term freezer storage you do not want a frost free as you will have more freezer burn.

I like the upright since it's easy to find stuff, but a chest is cheaper to buy and operate...but you can organize a chest well, just plan ahead as you put things away.

Trishinomaha · #3 10-12-2009, 08:41 AM

We also have an upright which I prefer. I think I'd lose things in a chest freezer. Manual defrost was recommended to us because otherwise the freezer "warms up" a bit to get rid of frost and so the frozen food goes through the cycle with the freezer causing freezer burn and/or ice-crystal formation in the food. As to garage or basement - it depends on how extreme your local temperatures are. A freezer in a very hot summer-time garage might tend to run more. There was a discussion on this board earlier regarding a freezer that was specifically made to be used in a garage. You might search for that.

ChristyMarie · #4 10-12-2009, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trishinomaha

As to garage or basement - it depends on how extreme your local temperatures are.

I live in Chicago! So rather extreme. LOL.

My garage doesn't get horrible in the summer but definitely hot. Hrm...if it goes in the basement I need it delivered which will add to the cost as well. I think it would fit in the basement better - I wouldn't have to rearrange the garage then.

LakeMartinGal · #5 10-12-2009, 09:14 AM

We have had both chest and upright freezers -- And both in garages!

Pros - chest

hold more
less expensive to buy
less expensive to operate (more efficient)
the top is usable as a temporary table

Cons - chest

difficult to organize
difficult to keep organized
takes up more floor area

Pros - upright

easier to find stuff
takes up less floor area

Cons - Upright

more expensive to buy
may cost a little more to operate, because of ambient air space.
I can't think of any others...

As to the garage/basement question -- that's just personal preference. I hate going downstairs for anything, and would 'forget' anything that's in the lower-level freezer. (but stairs are not my friends, anymore, so if you're young, that wouldn't be a problem for you.) I have my freezer in the garage. I walk by it all the time, and it's easier to notice when it needs defrosting, because it leaks a little when it does. When I had the chest freezer in the basement, I used it as a folding table for the laundry.

I don't think you can go wrong, either way, so it's just however you think it would work best for you.

HTH

BTW, I live in Alabama, so it gets really hot in my garage!

hollysmom · #6 10-12-2009, 09:14 AM

Somehow I have always pictured you in a Chicago high-rise rather than a traditional house - not sure why. I have pictured your New Year's Eve parties looking over Lake Michigan.

Freezers sit in beastly hot garages all summer in Houston since we do not have the basement option.

For this and many other reasons, I wish we could have basements here - walking out to the garage (not attached) in the hot or wet is a pain, but I digress.

Since your garage is attached and you don't have to plow your way out to it to get something out of it - it's a tossup.

SSM

Shugness · #7 10-12-2009, 09:19 AM

I bought a Frigidaire Upright Automatic Defroster model from Lowes Hardware 5 or so years ago. I'm not sure what size it is but it was around $370 if memory serves me correct.

I put a lot of thought into the purchase - I could have saved money if I went with a manual defrost, but my husband talked me out of it. I'm glad he did. A chest would have been less, but also less organized and harder to find what I wanted. The upright one has shelves and smaller ones on the door. It also ends up taking up less floor space being upright than a chest would have.

Slightly off topic - but look beyond Costco for deals on meat. In my experience I've found the local grocery store has deals on meats during their weekly sales that are way better. Some weeks are better than others, but I usually stock up on hamburger, boneless skinless chicken, ground turkey when their .99 cents a pound. I've found they have their sales on 6-12 week rotations so I buy enough to last until the next sale.

ChristyMarie · #8 10-12-2009, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollysmom

Somehow I have always pictured you in a Chicago high-rise rather than a traditional house - not sure why. I have pictured your New Year's Eve parties looking over Lake Michigan.

ROFL!!!

Nope, we are firmly in suburbia, NYE parties overlook the white golf course. As cool as it would be, I'm not sure we could afford a condo overlooking the lake big enough to host all the sleepover guests.

Tammy2268 · #9 10-12-2009, 09:36 AM

We just bought a chest type 20 cu. foot...it has grid dividers in it which I LOVE.
WE have 2 20 ft. ones, so I have plenty of space. I have mine in the basement (Michigan), and really don't mind going up and down stairs,even with not being young ( I thnk of it as exercise)

Both are manual defrost.. the one we just got rid of was 46 years old, so was time to trade up. I make extras a lot of the time when cooking,plus jams etc.
Whatever you get, you will enjoy..have fun looking.

Valerie226 · #10 10-12-2009, 09:52 AM

We have a manual defrost upright in the garage. I defrost twice a year... you do get ice buildup, but food stays better longer .. automatic defrost models go thru a warm up cycle to melt the ice regularly so food is likely to get freezer burn. I love the extra uncrowded storage.

We did not have room for a chest freezer, and besides I know things would end up stored on top of it, making access an issue.

Mpenny1001 · #11 10-12-2009, 10:52 AM

We've had an upright automatic defrost for 5 years, and we've never had a problem with freezer burn. I did have one roast get burned, but that is because there was a hole in the plastic wrapping.

I know myself well enough to know I am NOT going to go through the hassle of emptying the thing out twice a year to do a manual defrost.

Kathy B · #12 10-12-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mpenny1001

I know myself well enough to know I am NOT going to go through the hassle of emptying the thing out twice a year to do a manual defrost.

I can't be bothered to defrost that often either, but I do have a hammer next to the freezer on DH's workbench that I use as needed to knock off ice when it get's too thick....just until I can get around to defrosting it of course. (I highly recommend the hammer method!)

To the OP, though, is second-hand an option? We bought ours for $85 when it was 3 years old from a woman who was moving and couldn't take it along. You might want to check local ads/craigslist/etc...

vbak · #13 10-12-2009, 11:36 AM

Mine is in the garage, and I'm just down the road from you-NW In. so we share the same type of winter and summer. I have an upright manual defrost which I defrost 2x a year. I am fine with it in the garage.

shoyski · #14 10-12-2009, 01:37 PM

We have a chest freezer and an upright. I use and like both. One tip I learned here on the BB was to use Sterilite containers to organize. This has helped immensely with both freezers. In the chest freezer I use three "long" containers and two small "boxy" type. I separate out into meats, soups, baking supplies, etc.

leightx · #15 10-12-2009, 02:01 PM

I'd go for a manual defrost upright, personally. We have a manual defrost chest, but it is a hassle to find things in there. However, things can stay in there for, um, years

without getting freezer burn. It seems like it just takes a couple of months in the indoor freezer before they start to taste a bit off.

Beth · #16 10-12-2009, 02:16 PM

I have a small chest freezer that I have probably had about 4 years (got it when my parents moved and didn't take it with them). I think we have defrosted it once before Ike hit and it was about due then, so twice in 4 years with us at a year since the last one and will probably defrost again after the holidays or in the spring. It isn't hard so much as not something you look forward to. I think that being a chest it may not build up frost as quickly and we are not in it every day or even every week sometimes. If I were to buy another one, I think we'd get an upright, but I'd stay with manual defrost.

DanaSD · #17 10-12-2009, 02:25 PM

We have an chest freezer, manual defrost but the frost buildup isn't that bad. We've been in this house for 3 1/2 years and haven't defrosted it yet - its maybe an inch thick in one spot near the bottom but the rest isn't too bad.

Mine came with 2 baskets and then I also bought 2 crates to help with organizing.

Beth · #18 10-12-2009, 06:05 PM

Dana, you're in Phoenix. Do you really have to defrost EVER?

Valerie226 · #19 10-12-2009, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathy B

I can't be bothered to defrost that often either, but I do have a hammer next to the freezer on DH's workbench that I use as needed to knock off ice when it get's too thick....just until I can get around to defrosting it of course. (I highly recommend the hammer method!.

More details please on the hammer method...

krhm · #20 10-13-2009, 07:05 AM

We're in GA, so definitely hot weather, and our upright freezer is in the garage. Frost-free, but we bought it like 10 years ago and I don't remember the conversation about that damaging the food.

One thought that I didn't see mentioned: I'm short, so a chest freezer was not a good option for me. My parents have one, and I'm usually more than halfway in and standing on a chair to get to anything in the bottom of theirs.

But if it's only the three of you, I would definitely go smaller rather than larger. Are you planning to freeze mostly casseroles and other uniform shapes? Or will you have odd shaped packages of all varieties? If the former, I'd go chest. If the latter, I'd go upright.

And I echo the advice to watch Craigslist...we hardly buy anything brand new anymore!

Editing to add, be sure to consider the cost of operating the thing for a year too...sometimes the electric can really add up!

ChristyMarie · #21 10-13-2009, 07:11 AM

Thank you so much - sounds like chest freezer, manual defrost in the basement.

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