Midea MRU14F6AWW Interior LED Light Upright Convertible Freezer, 13.8-Cubic Foot

Whether you’ve heard of it or not, Midea is a top appliance manufacturer, making products for retailers across the world. Based in China, Midea has operations in 195 countries and an annual global revenue of $22 billion.

If you’re looking for an upright freezer, Midea’s a solid brand to consider. You’ll find freezers in a variety of sizes and designs, with most featuring all the basic features you’d expect in an upright freezer. Whether you’re looking for a spare freezer for your basement or garage or you need a second refrigerator/freezer combination for your kitchen, Midea has you covered.

Before you buy, though, it’s important to note that not all freezers and refrigerators are designed to be stored in an outdoor area. This applies to places in your home that aren’t temperature controlled, too, including your garage and basement. Appliances designed to endure extreme heat and cold have special insulation. Read the manufacturer’s specifications before buying an appliance to make sure it’s built for where you plan to store it.

Even if you find a freezer or refrigerator that can be kept outside, you’ll still need to put some safeguards in place. There needs to be ample space around the unit to allow air to circulate around it. It should also be in a shady area, preferably covered to protect it from direct sunlight, as well as ice and hail.

Once you’ve determined where you plan to store the freezer, you’ll need to find one that squeezes into the space you have available. While you’re measuring the space, also consider the direction that the freezer door will open. If you’re in a tight corner, having one with the hinges in that corner can make it impossible to open the door. Some freezers let you change the door to open in the other direction if necessary.

• It can be easy to get caught up in dimensions but looks can be deceiving. Capacity is the important thing here. This is measured in cubic feet and, obviously, the more space you have, the more items you’ll be able to squeeze inside.
• Your freezer will likely have multiple shelves to help you organize your food. Think about the items you’ll be storing in your freezer and choose one that has the shelves that will help you organize things. Some have removable drawers that you can use for smaller items like pints of ice cream and bags of frozen vegetables.
• One of the handiest features of modern upright freezers is the convertible feature. This lets you change your appliance from a freezer into a refrigerator and back again with the flip of a switch. If you need extra storage while entertaining during the holidays, for instance, you can move your frozen items to your main refrigerator’s freezer and use your upright freezer as a refrigerator for a few days.
• Traditional freezers had ice buildup over time, but technology has built-in auto-defrost. If you’re buying an upright freezer, make sure you’re getting this feature. Otherwise, you’ll periodically have to remove everything and let your freezer thaw out for a while to melt the ice that has started to take up space.
• As with any appliance, your upright freezer will bump up your utility bill a bit. Look for one with Energy Star technology to keep your power bill down.
• Temperature control can come in handy. Being able to adjust the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer means you can get items like your ice cream at exactly the consistency you want. It can help to have temperature controls on the outside of the freezer, but some have it set up on the inside.