Your Best Guide To Buying Online
Featured Freezer
Useful 360 litres of storage and packed with features including a lockable lid ...
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Looking to Buy a Chest Freezer?
Whether you're looking for a chest freezer suitable for the garage or a large capacity deep freeze, you'll be pleased to know that we've partnered with leading online retailers to keep you informed of all the chest freezer best buys! We've researched the market and hand picked the best ones available.
We've also got the latest news, recommendations and reviews of the best models on the market and our powerful search facility will enable you to quickly locate the right one. We've tracked down all the best deals from the UK's top retailers so you don't need to!
Buying Advice
Large Capacity Freezers
With the cost of food rising and indeed the cost of petrol to get to the shops in the first place, it might be worth investing in a larger freezer to take advantage of those 'buy one get one free' offers and cut down on supermarket trips. Here are two of the largest freezers available today.
With an enormous 502 litre capacity, this freezer helpfully comes with 5 wire baskets to help you organise that vast area. It may be competitively priced but that doesn't mean giving up any useful features.
There's a lockable lid which is great if you will be keeping the freezer outside and there's also an useful internal light. It's B rated for efficiency which is not bad considering the size, and at 496 kWh (electric units) consumption per year, that's about £50 at today's prices.
Overall it's great value with some nice design touches, and one of the best freezer deals on the market right now on a price-to-space ratio.
From premium German group Liebherr this is one of the largest chest freezers on the domestic market with nearly 600 litres of usable space.
The superior insulation means not only a super quiet 38 decibel noise level (most freezers are 40+) but a 36 hour food-safe time in the event of a powercut.
If you need a really large capacity freezer that is quiet, economical and reliable, this is the one.
A Frost-Free Freezer
High Tech Electrolux
The rather dull sounding ECF31461W from Electrolux is any but dull in real life! You see, it has two big features that very few (if any) other freezer have.
Firstly, it's internal ventilation system ensures that ice cannot build inside and so it's truly a chest freezer that is frost free, so no more defrosting with this one.
Secondly, it's high tech control panel with digital display not only tells you the current temperature inside and alerts you to any potential problems, but also lets you set various functions like the nifty Drink-Chill alarm - a countdown timer that reminds you to remove your perfectly chilled drinks before they freeze!
On top of that it has over 300 litres of space, roller feet, 3 wire baskets and an internal light. Plus free delivery and a two year warranty from John Lewis!
Unrivalled Service
John Lewis Chest Freezer Range
Did you know that John Lewis have their own brand of chest freezers? They are actually made for them by Electrolux but this is no bad thing.
There are 4 models in the range from the entry level 100 litre model to the top of the range 400 litre beast, so there is one for every purpose. All their freezers are OK to be kept in a garage or outbuilding.
Of course, John Lewis are renowned for their superior customer service and a good example of this is the 3 year warranty supplied with all their appliances. Plus free delivery and setup - and they'll even take away all the packaging for you!
Although you pay a slight premium for these models over some rivals, it is not excessive and we think the extended warranty and excellent service more than makes it worthwhile!
King of Ices
The Iceking Range from the Co-Op
If you are looking for a medium to large sized deep freeze then consider the popular Iceking range which is exclusively available from respected online retailer the Co-Op Electrical Shop who offer free delivery and a range of optional extended warranties at sensible prices.
Like all Icekings, this has been approved for use in a garage or outside building - great news! Has 177 litres of usable space and is A+ rated for energy use.
We Like: Lockable lid and roller feet are nice touches.
A middle range model with a top-level spec: interior light, lockable lid, A+ energy use, roller feet - plus free delivery where you can choose your time slot!
We Like: Nearly 300 litres of space and two wire baskets supplied.
A huge 360 litres of usable space and 3 useful baskets to help keep everything organised. There's also a lockable lid and a handy interior light.
We Like: Very high spec yet great value and free delivery.
Chest Freezer Buying Advice
Choosing An Energy Efficient Model
With electricity prices at an all time high, and set to rise further in the future it makes sense to consider just how energy efficient your home appliance are.
This is particularly true of refrigeration appliances like fridges and freezers which are always connected to the mains.
The electricity consumption of home appliances is typically measured in Kilowatt Hours (kwh) and quoted as an annual figure: eg 200 kwh per year. As 1 Kilowatt Hour is 1 unit of electricity, a freezer requiring 200 kwh per year will use 200 units: at an average 12p per unit that's around £30.
This doesn't sound like a lot over a year but it's always worth looking at the energy rating of a freezer when purchasing a new model, especially large ones that can easily use 400+ units per year.
Premium brands such as Bosch or Liebherr are more expensive to buy but generally have much lower energy usage mainly due to superior insulation. This better insulation also has a bonus as it will protect the contents for much longer in the case of a power cut.
Focus On ...
Hotpoint Chest Freezers
Hotpoint was formed in 1911 in California - the name is derived from the hot point of an electric iron, one of their first product ranges. Today, Hotpoint is part of the Indesit group and make a wide range of popular white goods including cooling and washing appliances. There are currently 3 models in the range:
With 104 litres of usable space, this entry level model is A+ rated for energy use also has a counterbalanced lid and high temp warning. One basket is supplied.
We Like: A good quality unit from a well-known name.
This mid-range model has 223 litres of storage and economical running costs thanks to it's good insulation - also means a foodsafe time of 50 hours.
We Like: Well specified with an interior light and lockable lid.
A large capacity model with 287 litres of space. Excellent insulation means low energy bills, quiet running and food is safe for up to 54 hours in a powercut!
We Like: Like all Hotpoints, comes with a 5 year parts warranty.
Site News
We've Updated Our Reviews
We are currently making some improvements to offer even more information on all products featured, which we hope will be useful when considering your next freezer.
We have already updated all product information so that you can accurately compare like for like including important features such as energy consumption and noise levels.
We have also started to introduce customer feedback so you can see what people do and don't like about each model - chest freezer reviews by customers themselves carry a lot of weight! Don't hesitate to contact us and let us know about your freezer - your advice will help other future purchasers.
New UK Branding
Norfrost Revamp Range
Icetech, which designs and builds the popular Norfrost range of freezers and fridges has just revamped its range - and its branding.
It has simplified the model range and naming system, and all their models are now A rated for energy.
Icetech has been making refrigeration appliances for over 40 years at it's Scottish base and is proud of its commitment to the UK; it's now the last remaining UK manufacturer of domestic refrigeration appliances.
New model names begin with IC and should be filtering into the retail channel soon - Argos are already stocking most of the new models.
Food News
Ideal Freezer Food!
We have been most impressed with this new idea from Birds Eye: Prepared vegetables in steam bags which you simply microwave straight from the freezer.
Each pack contains 4 x 135g portions of mixed veg (there are 3 varieties available) sealed in a special microwaveable bag.
Of course each portion provides 1 of your 5 a day fruit and veg requirements. We love the simplicity of it and the fact that there's no extra washing up or food wastage!
We have noticed most supermarkets have a "2 bags for £3" offer so it's pretty good value too.
Chest Freezer Review
Beko Likes Your Garage!
This fantastic new model from Beko ticks all the right boxes. It's large capacity of 360 usable litres will not leave you short, while the lockable lid and interior light are welcome features.
But it doesn't end there. It uses Beko's new FreezerGuard technology to allow the freezer to safely operate down to -15 degrees - perfect for the garage or outbuilding! Not many manufacturers will specifically guarantee this.
Plus the freezer has wheels so you can easily reposition it - no lifting and carrying here! It can keep food safe for up to 36 hours in the event of a powercut, and it's rated freezing capacity is 18kg in 24 hours.
Trending Now
It's 3-2-1 Go with Zanussi!
Popular right now is this Zanussi ZFC321WA deep freeze. It's not difficult to see why. With over 200 litres of usable space it can pretty much take all that the average family will throw at it (or rather in it!)
On top of that, there is a nice chunky handle, a useful interior light and best of all Zanussi specifically say that it is suitable for keeping in your garage. So that perennial question clearly answered by the manufacturer themselves!
Hints and Tips
Get The Most From Your New Chest Freezer
Here are some simple and straightforward tips to make sure that you get the most out of your new appliance - it's not always a case of just chucking all your shopping into it!
- There is a limit to how much can be frozen within a 24 hour period. Don't exceed this as it can raise the temperature possibly leading to a partial thaw
- Only freeze top quality, fresh clean food
- Try to prepare food in small portions so that is can freeze more rapidly; this will also help when thawing out as you only need to thaw the amount required
- Wrap food to be frozen in cling film or foil, and make sure that the package is as airtight as possible
- Transfer your shop bought frozen food into your freezer as quickly as possible to prevent partial thawing
- When filling your freezer, try not to keep the lid open too long.
- Don't put fizzy drink cans or bottles into the freezer as the containers will explode and possible damage the appliance
- Frozen liquids like ice lollies and ice cubes can cause skin damage if you handle them too quickly after removing from the freezer. Allow a couple of minutes before touching or consuming them.
- When positioning your freezer, make sure the plug socket is easily accessible in case of an emergency and you need to switch the unit off
Corporate Film
Award Winning Liebherr
Not content with producing the world's first A+++ rated chest freezer, Liebherr, the German appliances to construction to industrial machinery group, has just picked up another award for their corporate promotional video - making 5 in total now!
The short film features their products in use, and desite the wide range of industries they work in, things move seemlessly along.
It's no doubt helped by the specially written musical score, which itself won an award for Best Film Music at the Jerry Goldsmith Music Festival in Spain.
Focus on Haier
Worlds No. 1 Refrigeration Brand
You'd be forgiven for thinking that Haier is a German brand - in fact it is a large Chinese multinational that offers a vast range of well designed consumer electronics and white goods.
There is a German connection however - it partnered with premium maker Liebherr when developing it's range of refrigeration products, and their expert assistance coupled with Haier's rigorous commitment to quality means well-designed products at affordable prices.
Haier has only been in the UK since 2007 but is a popular brand worldwide and was the No. 1 best-selling brand for refrigeration products in 2010 with 6% of the market. It was also no.1 for Laundry products last year.
The Haier BD-203GAA is a good mid-range chest freezer that is A+ rated, has over 200 usable litres of storage and a very good 37 hour food safe time in case of a power cut.
Lighting Up Time
3 Chest Freezers with Internal Lights
There's nothing worse than going out to the chest freezer at night and having to scrabble around trying to find something in the dark or dimly lit garage. Here is a quick review of 3 sensibly priced chest freezers that provide some internal illumination to help you find that bag of chips!
An A+ rated chest freezer that has a good capacity of 167 litres and low running costs, using just 197kw of electricity per year. Counterbalanced lid means it won't slam shut on you and internal lid is a great help. Good value right now.
Approved by Zanussi for use in a garage or outbuilding, this model features a useful 210 litres of usable space and is A+ rated for energy. Counterbalanced lid and interior light are welcome features.
Packed with features, this Ice King Freezer has nearly 300 litres of space, a lockable lid and roller feet to help you position it. Two removable wire baskets help you organise things and of course the internal light is most useful. Great value for money and available exclusively from the Co-Op.
Are You Looking for
Chest Freezers Suitable for the Garage?
An often asked question is "Can I use a chest freezer in a garage or other unheated outbuilding?" The answer, according to most manufacturers is actually no. They usually only design their refrigeration appliances to operate down to about 10 degrees celsius. This is fine most of the year but of course temperatures can dip below this in winter.
We all know that many people do keep their fridges and freezers in garages and experience no problems at all - sometimes this may just be down to luck!
Some manufacturers know that many people have limited indoor space and claim that their chest freezers suitable are for the garage or indeed any other type of outbuilding. Zanussi and Ice King confirm that their products can be used in a garage or shed while Beko go a stage further and claim their products are designed to work down to -15c degrees.
How It Works
The Magic of Refrigeration
Have you often wondered how your chest freezer works? Just how can it maintain temperatures as low as -18 degrees for an average running cost of about 50p per day?
We realised the need for refrigeration back in prehistoric times when people would gather ice in winter and store it in cool, dark caves or insulated dugouts for when the warmer weather arrived.
Luckily things have advanced a bit since then, although the basic principle of keeping items cool in an insulated container remains. Read more about the history and workings of refrigeration on this very informative Wikipedia page.
Liebherr Takes Energy Saving To New Level
First A+++ Rated Chest Freezer
Liebherr, the German refrigeration experts, have recently launched their GTP2356 chest freezer in the UK. Part of their Premium product line, the GTP2356 uses 60% less energy than an A rated unit and is packed with advanced features.
Despite a healthy 200 litre capacity, it uses just 117 units of electricity per year. This is around half the usage of rival makes, so over a 10 year period you would save well over £100 in electricity costs. It also has a freezing capacity of 23kg in 24 hours, 50% higher than most rivals.
It's not difficult to see how it achieves this. Superior insulation (which also makes it one of the quietest running freezers on the market) is matched to advanced electronic controls, including a digital temperature display integrated into the handle. An innovative StopFrost feature reduces the amount of defrosting required.
It's certainly a premium product, and not just in name, and it's first-class efficiency credentials truly make one of the best chest freezers you can buy - at a price of course!
Chest Freezer Reviews
3 Family Freezers for Under £200
Here is a quick review of 3 popular chest freezers that are ideal for the average family - plenty of day-to-day capacity with a bit extra for those special occasions such as summer barbecues or Christmas!
A mid size chest freezer in a stylish silver finish. Good storage capacity for the price, though only one basket supplied. Build quality is generally good although lid and hinges feel a little cheap.
We Like: Deep and Spacious. Long 24 hours food safe time in a power cut.
Proline PLC215B-U
Chest Freezer
A little bit heavier on energy use gives it a B rating, but it does have over 200 litres of storage. Castors enable easy positioning. Supplied with one basket. No interior light or counterbalanced lid.
We Like: Large capacity for the price, drainage tray makes defrosting easier
Good design features include a lockable lid, and castors for easy movement. Approved by the maker to be kept in a garage or shed. Like the other two comes with one basket and has no interior light.
We Like: Only 75cm wide, low energy use, counterbalanced lid (it won't slam shut on you!)
Top Tips On ...
Disposing Of Your Old Chest Freezer
If you are purchasing a new chest freezer you may be wondering how on earth to dispose of the old one, particularly if it's no longer in working order (even the best chest freezer will give up eventually). Well, a number of retailers have a recycling service that can take the old one away when they deliver the new one.
Argos, Sainsburys, Comet and The Co-op charge around £9.99 for this service, while Currys and Dixons go to the top of the class as their service is free!
It's important to prepare for this though: make sure the old freezer is unplugged, emptied and defrosted before the delivery. Also ensure there is a clear path so both the new freezer and the old one can be moved with the minimum of fuss.
If you need to dispose of the freezer yourself, then visit this handy website: Recycle-More Just enter your postcode and it will highlight on a map the location of your nearest recycling depot that will accept old freezers.
Here is a quick summary version of our exclusive buying guide
Why buy a Chest Freezer?
A chest freezer is an extremely useful appliance these days - with the cost of food rising, being able to bulk buy and store for months at a time is a real boon for hard-pressed families.
Things to look out for:
A Freezer in the Garage?
If you're looking for a freezer suitable for the garage, look out for models specifically designed for use in unheated outbuildings. Most makers don't recommend it (though most people do it and suffer no harm!).
Capacity
Measured in litres, the Net Capacity is the total usable space available for your frozen food.
Energy Use
The energy rating (A - G) and consumption (kWh) give an idea of how economical the freezer is to run (it's running 24/7 remember). The best appliances are rated A+ or even A++.
Noise
Measured in decibels (dB), this tells you how noisy the freezer is - useful if you will be keeping it indoors.
Food Safe Time
How long frozen food in the freezer is safe for in the event of a power cut.
Fast freeze
This system freezes food quicker while still retaining flavour and texture. Can be a manual switch or automatic system (more expensive models).
Lockable
A lockable lid is a useful security feature if the freezer will be kept in the garage or other outbuilding.
Counterbalanced
A counterbalanced lid means it will stay open at a set angle and won't slam shut.
Defrosting
A front drain is more accessible and makes defrosting easier. Some also use special crystal bags to absorb moisure and limit frost build up.
