UPDATED: November 2020NEWS
Small Chest Freezers
There are many reasons to buy a small chest freezer - perhaps you have a limited budget but still need freezer capacity, or maybe space is a bit tight and you can only slot in a very small freezer. You might even have a main freezer in the garage but are looking for a small unit for inside the home.
Whatever your reason, there is plenty of choice around so we've taken a close look at some of the best small chest freezers for sale, and rounded up our best buys for 2020.
We have limited our search for freezers that have less than 150 litres of storage which means they are typically 50-70cm wide, and therefore much easier to slot into a tight space.
What to Look For In A Chest Freezer
Given their lower price point, you can't always expect luxuries like interior lights or lockable lids, but there are some must-haves (and these are good for all chest freezers):
- Works in the GargeProbably the most important point. Even a small chest freezer can be bulky and few of us have the luxury of space these days so chest freezers are often banished to the garage or shed. Being able to work safely here is important
- Counterbalanced Lida lid that is counterbalanced simply means that it won't slam shut on you when open - useful when you are loading bags of food
- Front Drain PortWhen you inevitably need to defrost (no chest freezers are frost free) a water drain port at the front can save a lot of hassle
- Roller FeetRollers instead of fixed feet will make installing and moving the unit easier
At a glance specification table
Here is our handy guide to the compact chest freezers in this review (prices are correct at time of review in, check product page for latest)
| Freezer Model | Garage? | Capacity | Energy Use | Width | Price |
| IceKing CF61W | yes | 51 litres | 146kWh | 35.5cm | £159 |
| Fridgemaster MCF95 | yes | 95 litres | 168kWh | 53.6cm | £140 |
| Essentials C95CFW20 | yes | 95 litres | 168kWh | 54.5cm | £130 |
| IceKing CF97W | yes | 97 litres | 170kWh | 52.7cm | £150 |
| IceKing CF131W | yes | 131 litres | 186kWh | 57.3cm | £180 |
| Fridgemaster MCF139 | no | 139 litres | 191kWh | 69.7cm | £180 |
Average selling price at time this article was published
1. IceKing CF61W
IN A SENTENCE...
One of the narrowest chest freezers on the market at 36cm wide - will slot in anywhere!
This is just about the slimmest chest freezer on the market and can fit into some challenging spaces that a normal freezer may not.
It is a bit short on extra features, but does have a counterbalanced lid and one wire basket is provided.
At just less than 36cm it's one of the slimmest chest freezers and will slot into a very narrow space in your kitchen or utility room.
Like all IceKing freezers, it has their Freezer Safe Technology which means it can be used in temperatures down to -15 degrees C - great for garages and outbuildings.
Product Page2. Fridgemaster MCF95
IN A SENTENCE...
A compact freezer for storing frozen food in the garage or shed easily and cheaply
An entry level freezer from Fridgemaster that just does what it says on the tin. It's a popular seller with some good user feedback offering 95 litres of usable storage making it most suitable for a single or two person household, or perhaps an overflow freezer for a family.
Fridgemaster say that this is suitable for outbuildings such as garages, even if the temperature gets as low as -15 degrees Celsius thanks to its Winter Guard feature. It is still relatively rare to see this on a cheap freezer.
In the event of a power cut, food is kept safe for up to 24 hours which is quite reasonable given the unit's size and cost.
Product Page3. Essentials C95CFW20
IN A SENTENCE...
Good user feedback and quiet running - works in the garage too
One of the cheapest chest freezers on the market, this own brand unit from Currys makes a great 'overflow' freezer if you need a bit of extra space or if your deep freeze requirements aren't that great.
At this price level you don't get much in the way of extras, but there is a counterbalanced lid and one removable basket is supplied It's great for the garage too and can work in temperatures down to -15 degrees Celsius.
Despite their small size, some cheap small freezers can still be quite heavy on electricity, but happily this model's energy usage is well below average. Good user feedback on this unit really makes it one to consider if you just need something small and cheap.
Product Page4. IceKing CF97W
IN A SENTENCE...
Economical and compact with 97 litres of space and good for use in the garage
With 97 litres of usable storage this makes it suitable for a single or two person household, or perhaps an overflow freezer for a family.
IceKing say that this is suitable for outbuildings such as garages, even if the temperature gets as low as -15 degrees Celsius thanks to its Freezer Safe Technology feature.
It is a little lacking on other features such as a lockable lid, but does come with a 2 year guarantee as standard.
Product Page5. IceKing CF131W
IN A SENTENCE...
A popular freezer that can store 7 bags of shopping and is safe to work in the garage
A good workhorse freezer for a small household that just gets on with the job.
It does come supplied with one wire basket - though there is space for one more, but there are no extras like a lockable lid or interior light.
Like all IceKing freezers, it features Freezer Safe Technology that makes it suitable for outbuildings such as garages, even if the temperature gets as low as -15 degrees Celsius.
Product Page6. Fridgemaster MCF139
IN A SENTENCE...
A good value freezer with decent storage that is safe to work in the garage
A popular seller with good user feedback, this freezer can store around 7 bags of shopping.
Fridgemaster say that this is suitable for outbuildings such as garages, even if the temperature gets as low as -15 degrees Celsius thanks to its Winter Guard feature.
A front-mounted drain port helps make defrosting easier and the freezer can keep food safe for up to 32 hours in the event of a power cut which is pretty good going.
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