Freezer. Chest or upright?

**scrap_candles** · 09-16-2009, 05:44 PM

I want to get a freezer so I have room to do some OAMC and stock up on some meat and things when I find a good sale. Which is the best type to get? Chest or upright?

**frugalwarrior** · 09-16-2009, 05:46 PM

I have both and definately find things easier in the upright. A cube freezer is much cheaper but i have to take tons of things out to get what I want . I also tend to forget bottom things. JMHO

**scrap_candles** · 09-16-2009, 06:01 PM

I am looking at 2 on the lowes website and they are both 20.5cft frigidaires but they are over $200 different in price. I want one that wont run up my electric bill too much and the higher priced one is energy efficient, the other one is not. Will the higher priced one really save me THAT much money on my electric bill?

**jantana** · 09-16-2009, 06:26 PM

I much rather have the upright. It's easier to find things. We had a chest freezer also (got messed up during Hurricane Rita) So when we had to replace it, I definitely knew I wanted the upright to be able to organize and actually see what I had.

**calimomx2** · 09-16-2009, 07:54 PM

We have a chest freezer and I'm thankful to have it but if I could chose again I would absolutely go with an upright! I've lost so many things in the chest freezer!! It is also very hard for me to get stuff from the bottom of it, I usually have to climb in it to reach stuff!!

**craftypam** · 09-16-2009, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by scrap_candles

I am looking at 2 on the lowes website and they are both 20.5cft frigidaires but they are over $200 different in price. I want one that wont run up my electric bill too much and the higher priced one is energy efficient, the other one is not. Will the higher priced one really save me THAT much money on my electric bill?

I only have had an upright. I think I'd get things in the bottom of a chest and forget they were there. I just bought a freezer from Sears made by Kenmore that is made by Frigidare. There appliances have been running 20% off. I am very frugal and looked at every store in my area. Lowes, Home Depot, ABC Warehouse, Best Buy and Sears. Sears had the best price by far. And the difference as far as just the cost goes; energy efficient isn't a whole lot difference in price. If you would also like to know a freezer that you have to defrost is a little cheaper to run and your food will last longer in it. I also found Lowes prices to be one of the highest where I live.

**KeithBC** · 09-16-2009, 08:23 PM

The upright is more convenient, but the chest is much more efficient.

Cold air is heavier than warm air. Think of it like water. Every time you open the door of an upright, all the cold air spills out onto the floor. The freezer then has to work hard to chill the warmer air that rushed in to replace it. That costs you money.

A chest freezer is like a bucket. When you open the lid, it retains the cold air just as a bucket retains water.

If you keep them both quite full (very little air), then the difference is minimal. But if they are not full, you will notice the difference on your power bill.

**frugalwarrior** · 09-16-2009, 08:46 PM

Aren't freezers included in that tax incentive this year. That will help offset the cost difference. Let's just say you save a measly $5 a month diff. x 12 =60x10 years in $600. That's a savings of $400. plus the environment, and the money you are saving w/ food storage plus the tax incentive. Sounds worth it to me.

Keith loves that analogy. Trouble is things get lost and freezer burned in my "bucket" costing more in the long run. However, if your the kind of person that will really keep an inventory list (and don't have teens snicking goods behind your back) the cube may come out ahead. Also, I arrange by shelf-chicken shelf,beef shelf,frozen goods shelf and spent little time staring in KWIM. I rotate about 2x a year and have time when I run the contents down purposely.

**MaryCarney** · 09-16-2009, 09:09 PM

The ONLY way you should have a chest freezer is IF you have a toddler you can hold by the ankles to lower in and grab stuff off the bottom

If you are under 5'3" like me, you cannot reach stuff in the bottom of a chest freezer, and it is much, much harder to keep organized.

**craftypam** · 09-16-2009, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by MaryCarney

The ONLY way you should have a chest freezer is IF you have a toddler you can hold by the ankles to lower in and grab stuff off the bottom

If you are under 5'3" like me, you cannot reach stuff in the bottom of a chest freezer, and it is much, much harder to keep organized.

I think we need an LOL button.

**Palooka** · 09-16-2009, 11:34 PM

We have an upright freezer(older model free) but I must be some kind of weirdo because I liked the chest freezer better. lol

**dcompton** · 09-17-2009, 01:28 AM

I've had both, and for my money, the upright wins, hands down. Despite the difference in efficiency. The chest freezer is more efficient with the electric company's energy, the upright is more efficient with mine. I'm one of those shorties, and remember the days of pretty much standing on my head in it to clean it.

I defrosted my upright just yesterday - one shelf in it gets frosted up. I flopped bath towels over each shelf, with the bottom one hanging off the bottom shelf over the edge onto the floor, turned a floor fan on it blowing on high and it was done very quickly -- no mess, no back ache, only a few damp/wet towels to hang.

I actually get into mine very little. If I'm anticipating using something soon, it goes into the refrigerator freezer. So I don't think I lose much on effiency from opening the door. But then, I tend to cook for the week on one of my days off so there's no reason to get into it often. It's probably different with a family to cook for.

Edited to add -- all of mine through the years have been Kenmores and I've had trouble free service from them.

**frugalfranny** · 09-17-2009, 01:36 AM

Originally Posted by MaryCarney

The ONLY way you should have a chest freezer is IF you have a toddler you can hold by the ankles to lower in and grab stuff off the bottom

If you are under 5'3" like me, you cannot reach stuff in the bottom of a chest freezer, and it is much, much harder to keep organized.

Hey Mary....then keep a pair of stillettos out by your freezer so you can reach the bottom!!!

**frugalfranny** · 09-17-2009, 01:39 AM

I've had both but only one upright and I don't like them.

If you stack like I do you have to have the walls for a brace. Love my chest freezer. BUT...you do have to stay organized in it or you will have some real freezer burnt stuff when it 'surfaces'......I utilize all the baskets and even have extra.

**Pemberleyan** · 09-17-2009, 08:34 AM

I think the chest ones are generally less expensive, but certainly less convenient. I am short, so reaching all the way to the bottom is not easy. As others have said, things tend to get "lost" and forgotten in chest freezers. I much prefer our upright model.