Freezer - Upright vs. Chest

CaliannG · #41 10/20/12, 05:58 PM

I have a humongous chest freezer. I have a friend with an upright.

Oh, oh, oh! Do I want an upright for the convenience! Oh! Or one of those European styles that ladycat posted to torture me.

But, in all honesty, I *know* the chest freezer is more economical, even if I end up on my head digging through it. Even if, when the LGD is in the house, he lays on top of it. ~sighs~

Mine is NOT frost free, but it really doesn't build up much frost. I defrost it once per year, even though it doesn't really need it.

VERN in IL · #42 10/20/12, 06:29 PM

I like the smaller Chest freezers. My Great Grandma had a HUGE chest freezer. I feel a large chest will just cause massive disorganization....especially when you get it full of stuff.

A smaller chest freezer everything is easier to reach and to organize.

A 60/40 Refrig/freezer combo (with the freezer on the bottom compartment) is the "upright", so she really had both varieties.

sidepasser · #43 10/20/12, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne02

Looks like we may need to add a second freezer to the smallish chest freezer we currently have.

Looked at them at Homedepot the other day and they have a 14 cu ft. chest freezer or a 13 cu ft. upright for $500. I have not yet checked costco and other places but I was wondering if you preferred upright or chest style?

I would be open to purchasing used as well but am a bit concerned about energy consumption as our fridge is about 10 years old and is quite the energy hog.

Thanks

I have had both, the upright seems to be easier to organize but also has that problem of things sliding out and doesn't seem to hold as much. I have a chest freezer that I love, it is 15 c. feet and holds plenty for hubby and I and is easy to organize with the use of baskets. Plus I don't have to worry about closure like I did with the upright. The lid on the chest style stays closed due to gravity! Also the chest type has a light that indicates if the unit is on and an alarm which goes off if the lid is left open.

Big Dave · #44 10/20/12, 06:46 PM

Well I do not like either. A walk in is much better. Shelves,cold place to sit in the summer(it wa a hot one) and lots of room. Chest is the next best thing in my opinon.

sidepasser · #45 10/20/12, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne02

Thanks for the replies. So far all the new upright freezers I've looked at have locks on the door and many of them have some sort of alarm as well. I should have looked at the energy use labels on both the upright and chest freezers I was looking at recently to see how much difference there was. I also noticed that all the upright freezers are downsized from the old style we had years ago. The new ones are much shorter in height.

I wish I knew definitively that the new freezers really do use that much less energy than the older ones. One would think that is the case but I have not really heard any net-new breakthroughs on compressor technology or insulating techniques that may lead to truly lower energy consumption. I wonder how long it would take to recoup the increased purchase price of a new freezer vs an older freezer from craigslist.

When I upgraded to a new freezer, my electric bill went down by almost 20.00 per month. I watched the bill for three months to make sure it wasn't an anomoly, but the bill has consistently be right at 20.00 lower. I have a GE energy saver at the farm, it is a chest type, 14.2 cu. feet I believe.

We have a 15 cubic foot freezer here at our house, it is an energy saver type and we have not noticed the electric bill increasing much at all. The freezer is in the garage which is not heated or cooled.

Ravenlost · #46 10/20/12, 06:53 PM

I've had both and prefer the upright. I'm so short that things get lost in the bottom of a chest type freezer...sometimes that thing is ME!!! When I was younger I actually fell into the freezer trying to reach something on the bottom. At my age now, if I fell in I'd be there until someone came and rescued me!

Ardie/WI · #47 10/20/12, 06:56 PM

I love our new upright for the convenience of finding everything easily!

Ky-Jeeper · #48 10/21/12, 08:55 AM

Both have their advantages. I have a big chest freezer with no problems. My parents have a upright. This Sept the uprights door was knocked open by stacked meat. They lost the whole summer frozen harvest including all the meat. So keep the uprights locked.

InvalidID · #49 10/21/12, 09:10 AM

I didn't read the whole thread but I read enough. I'm with the chest type crowd. Less likely to have spoilage in a chest freezer for one. After awhile the seals start to give up, or you over pack it, and the door hangs open just a smidge. This causes lost food.

Also, I'm all manner of cheap and don't like the loss of cold air every time you open the upright. I can leave the lid open on my chest freezer in mid summer for 20+ minutes without the unit even cycling on. Open an upright freezer door and it cycles on in seconds.

PrettyPaisley · #50 10/21/12, 10:20 AM

Chest freezers are too coffin like for me. I like the upright better.

BobbyB · #51 10/21/12, 03:30 PM

I was a chest freezer guy since I was a teenager in my first place. I could put more ion one, cold dint come out, so on and so forth.

A couple months back, we bought a new upright. Open the door and we can see what we are wanting, get it and shut the door. Time spent is a minute fraction what I spend digging in the chest freezer.

I am a genuine convert.

Use Less · #52 10/21/12, 04:50 PM

I collected the wire baskets that used to come with chest freezers and stack those in my big chest freezer. I try to keep separate various kinds of frozen food, too. It isn't such a chore to find something.

VERN in IL · #53 10/21/12, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrettyPaisley

Chest freezers are too coffin like for me. I like the upright better.

Chest freezers belong at the local Haunted House!

chickenslayer · #54 10/21/12, 08:55 PM

We currently have one of each, The upright is soooooooooo much easier to find things in.