Get to Know Your Freezer Options
Courtesy of Sub-Zero
Freezer drawers don't hold much food, but fit in convenient locations
Refrigerator freezers are not intended for long-term storage, so you may want to consider a separate freezer. Freezers come in three styles: upright, chest and drawers.
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Upright
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Chest
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Drawers
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| An upright freezer sits vertically and opens from the front with a hinged door. Capacity is 2 to 25 cubic feet. | Freezer chests sit horizontally and have doors that open up instead of out. Capacity is 2 to 25 cubic feet. | Freezer drawers are stacked beneath a counter and come in sets of two or three. Capacity is about 5 cubic feet. |
Pros | Shelves, in-door storage make it easy to find and remove items
| Big enough to accommodate bulk food purchases or preparation and awkwardly shaped food items like turkeys and hams | Easily located near point of use |
| Foods are more visible, less likely to be forgotten
| Economically priced |
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| Self-defrosting option
| Tend to be more energy efficient than upright freezers |
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| Takes up less floor space
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Cons | Not always big enough to fit awkwardly shaped foods | Because of their size, items can get lost rather easily
| Built-ins are not easily relocated
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| Higher energy costs, as cold air escapes more easily and auto-defrost uses more electricity | Takes up more floor space
| Small capacity; can't hold large items
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| Difficult to relocate | High price per cubic foot |
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| Usually manual defrost |
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Price | $150 to $3,100 for a freestanding upright freezer; $1,000 to $6,000 for a built-in freezer | $150 to $2,600 | $2,000 to $4,000 |
Defrosting
To keep your freezer running efficiently, defrost it a few times a year. Buy a frost-free upright model if you don't want the hassle of manually defrosting your freezer-but be prepared for a bigger price tag and higher electric bills.
Also, frost-free freezers will not maintain a constant temperature, as they heat up slightly to eliminate frost. This can cause food to dehydrate and become more susceptible to freezer burn.
