Arctic King Deep Chest Freezer, 5-Cubic Feet

If you’ve ever tried to store the leftovers after a big meal, you know the benefits of an extra freezer. But they can also come in handy for those living in dorm rooms or needing food storage for an office. When shopping for an extra freezer, though, you’ll have some choices to make as you weigh one model against another.

The first thing to decide is whether you want a dedicated deep freezer or a mini-fridge that includes a small freezer. If you’re buying the appliance for use in an office, dorm room or small apartment, you’ll probably need both a refrigerator and a freezer.

However, if you already have a refrigerator and you’re looking for something to extend the storage space of the freezer you already have, a chest-style freezer is likely what you need. This is a big investment, though, especially in floor space, so consider it carefully.

“Ask yourself if you freeze enough stuff to justify it,” says culinary expert Julie Chernoff, food journalist, dining editor of Better magazine and member of Les Dames d’Escoffier “Do you bulk buy meat? Split a whole pig with another family? Have a large family? Hunt? Many families can make do with the refrigerator/freezer in their kitchen.”

You may be used to the auto-defrost built into most of today’s refrigerators. Unfortunately, many dedicated freezers don’t offer that feature. An anti-frost freezer mat can help you keep frost buildup at a minimum. You’ll also reduce your need to unplug your freezer, remove all the items and wait for it defrost. Instead, you’ll simply wipe away ice crystals as you notice them forming.

You’ll probably find yourself facing a dilemma when it comes to size. If you’re limited on space, you’ll have to go with a smaller freezer, but that means giving up capacity. Squeezing a large roast or turkey into a freezer that size may become a challenge, especially if you already have items inside. Shelves and baskets only complicate this, so make sure if you buy one that comes with those features, they’re removable.

“Be sure to measure the space where you plan to set the freezer BEFORE purchasing it to determine the size that’s right for your family,” Chernoff advises. “And the larger the freezer, the more likely it is that food will get lost at the bottom or in the back, so it’s important to organize your freezer as you’re filling it, meaning label everything, of course, but also choose a freezer with extra drawers, adjustable shelves, or other organizing elements.”

If you’re buying a freezer that will be in your living area, noise will be a consideration. The compressors required to keep your items cool are by nature noisy, but technology has quietened things quite a big over the years. It’s especially important for those living in small spaces like dorm rooms to make sure they buy a device that minimizes noise.

Some freezers have doors that are reversible. That means you can set them to open to the right or the left. Left-handed people may want to reverse the direction for comfort. Most of the time, though, this feature is valuable because it lets you decide which direction works best for the area where you’re storing it. If your cabinets are to the left of your freezer rather than the right, for instance, being able to switch your door will be very helpful.

Additionally, freezers are notorious for their energy consumption, so you may want to look for a unit with an Energy Star rating. If you are storing it in a garage, you might want to make sure your freezer can withstand higher temperatures.

And you’ll also want to keep the safety factor in mind.”Important safety features to consider are lockable freezers, to prevent kids from leaving the door open after scoring a popsicle on a hot day, and anti-tip construction to prevent possible tragedy,” says Chernoff. “I also prefer an exterior thermostat to monitor the temperature inside without opening the door.”

• There are two major types of freezers. The MIDEA Chest Freezer is the traditional “deep freezer” design, where you load the items in from the top. The Whynter Upright Freezer and MIDEA Upright Freezer are designed similarly to mini-refrigerators, with a door that opens on the front for easy access.
• Check the dimensions of the freezer you’re considering to make sure it will fit in your space. The MIDEA Chest Freezer is 21.7 x 33.5 x 22.2 inches, while the Whynter Upright Freezer is slightly smaller, at 20 x 17.5 x 27.5 inches. If you’re hoping to go even smaller with your freezer, the MIDEA Upright Freezer is the one to choose, at 19.7×21.3×33.9 inches.
• Once you’ve squared away how much space your new freezer will take, check to make sure you’ll have enough room for your items. The MIDEA Chest Freezer provides the most space, with internal dimensions of 18 x 20 x 18 inches and 3.5 cubic feet. The MIDEA Upright Freezer gives you 3 cubic feet, and you’ll get just over 2 cubic feet of storage with the Whynter Upright Freezer.
• With upright freezers like the Whynter Upright Freezer and the MIDEA Upright Freeze, you’ll need a small amount of clearance around it, so make sure you add in a little extra space for that when you’re measuring.
• If you need more space, the MIDEA Chest Freezer also comes in larger sizes, with the choice of 5 or 7 cubic feet.
• If you ever think you’ll need to move your mini-freezer, pay attention to the weight as well. The MIDEA Chest Freezer weighs 59.5 pounds, while the MIDEA Upright Freezer weighs 57.3 pounds.
• The layout of your freeze comes into play since many models include shelving. The MIDEA Chest Freezer provides mostly free storage, but it also comes with a hanging wire basket if you have small items you want to suspend toward the top. The two shelves in the Whynter Upright Freezer are removable for when you need that extra room. The MIDEA Upright Freezer is less customizable, with two fixed shelves. The wire drawer can be removed for cleaning but is meant to remain in place.
• The reversible door on the MIDEA Upright Freezer means you can set it up to open in the direction you want.
• An adjustable thermostat can give you more control over the temperature in your freezer. The MIDEA Chest Freezer lets you move the thermostat between -12 and -28 degrees Fahrenheit, while the Whynter Upright Freezer lets you adjust all the way down to -10 degrees. The MIDEA Upright Freezer takes you from -11.2 to -8.6.
• The Whynter Upright Freezer has something called fast freezing functionality for those times when you arrive home from the grocery store with your ice cream softening.
• One handy feature unique to the MIDEA Chest Freezer is that its door opens and locks in multiple increments. That means you can prop it open just as far as you need to load your items in without letting cold air escape.
• Many chest freezers don’t include auto-defrost capabilities. That means as frost starts to build up, you’ll have to put some work in. The MIDEA Chest Freezer includes a defrost drain to let the water drain out as the ice melts.
• The Whynter Upright Freezer has a lock with two keys, keeping your items secure. If you store your freezer outdoors or in a garage, this will help keep thieves out.
• If you’re keeping your freezer in a garage or kitchen, you probably won’t worry too much about noise. However, for dorm rooms or office spaces, even a small hum can become a distraction. The MIDEA Chest Freezer uses a quiet compressor that keeps noise to a minimum.
• For those who worry about eco-friendliness, the Energy Star rating is a “must” for any appliance search. The Whynter Upright Freezer and MIDEA Upright Freezer both have that rating. Not only do they cut down on energy bills, but they also provide consistent temperature control throughout the interior.
• Durability is also an important factor to consider while shopping. The MIDEA Chest Freezer is made to last. The Whynter Upright Freezer is made from high-quality stainless steel. With most refrigerators and freezers, though, it’s important to be careful when moving them because the exterior can dent and scratch easily, even with top-quality construction.