Freezers Buying Guide
When it comes to keeping things cold, you have a world of choices. Today's freezers come in all shapes and sizes to fit your living space, and many models have become more energy efficient to help you save some money and the planet. So how to choose the perfect product for you? Always opt for a larger freezer if possible, since you never know when it'll be your turn to host Christmas dinner, complete with all the turkey and left-overs to store. 
And keep in mind the amount of time you store foods and whether or not you have the time and energy for cleaning and manual defrosting.
Freezer Types
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Upright Freezers
- Familiar refrigerator appearance.
- Most convenient if you'll be taking and storing food items every day.
- Uses more electricity, because cold air spills out when the door is opened.
- Most cannot store particularly large items.
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Manual Defrost Freezers - Coated with a layer of ice that provides insulation.
- More efficient than electric freezers, saving energy and cash.
- Needs to be defrosted every six to eight months.
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Chest Freezers - Best for long-term storage.
- Requires floor space, but can store larger items.
- Needs to be defrosted yearly.
- Fairly energy efficient because the cold air stays toward the top of the freezer.
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Frost-Free Freezers - No internal layer of ice.
- No need to defrost, but uses more energy to cool.
- Can rapidly dry out food.
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Special Features
- Thermometers
- Your freezer should keep food at -18° C unless you are looking to fast-freeze fresher foods, in which case this will require something around -26° C. Get a freezer model with a built in thermometer in order to keep track of the temperature; it will ensure that your foods don't spoil, and you'll stay healthy as a result.
- Another way to tell how cold your freezer gets is to look at the star system. Freezers are rated on a scale from one to four stars, with more stars meaning colder temperatures.
- Internal Organisation
- While some chest freezers provide one large empty space where foods can get lost at the bottom, newer models have sliding shelves and compartments to help you keep your food organised.
- Some models have drawers that can be kept at separate temperatures so as to better cater to particular foods.
- Locking Door
- A door that locks ensures that children and animals cannot get into your freezer and possibly damaging foods, wasting energy or hurting themselves.
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