Chest Freezer
- Thread starter westie2
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My Frigidaire has been perking along for almost 20 years with no problems. I think freezers are probably less likely to malfunction since they are far more simple than a typical refrigerator with all its electronic controls, fans, defrost cycles, etc.
I don't know if Sears has a 24 cu ft model, but I've been very happy with my 10 year old Kenmore 15 cu ft chest freezer. Especially the defrost button, which makes defrosting go very quick indeed. (It reverses the coolant so the coils in the sides of the freezer heat up and melt the ice so it can easily be removed in big slabs.)
Oh wait, I found one for you.
Oh wait, I found one for you.
We had a smaller Kenmore chest freezer for years with no problems. What we didn't like about the style was always having to dig down to find stuff buried at the bottom so this past summer we donated it to Habitat and bought a new Frigidaire upright freezer which is much more convenient. BUT we should have gotten one with an auto-defrost feature because the thing has more frost buildup in it now in about 4 months than the chest freezer ever got in a year. Thing is I've heard is that with auto-defrosting freezers the food doesn't have quite as long a storage life as a non defrosting model. How much less,, I don't know, and again, it's only something "I heard"
Well I suppose one could get an idea by comparing how long food lasts in the freezer compartment of an autodefrost combination freezer, like a side by side, vs how long it lasts in a manual defrost freezer. My personal observation is that food in an auto defrost unit seems to get freezer burn and dry out faster. But then I tend to seal stuff for long term storage in the chest freezer in Food saver bags, which pretty much eliminates freezer burn anyway. And the moisture proof wrapping tends to reduce the rate of frost buildup inside the chest.
The two main advantages of a chest freezer are: 1) much more energy efficient than an upright, and then even more efficient than an auto defrost system. 2) more stable and constant temps inside the chest freezer, esp towards the bottom. With an upright, all that cold air tends to rush out as soon as the door is opened. Then the freezer has to work hard to cool down the warm room air that rushes in. With a chest freezer, the cold air tends to stay put even if the lid is lifted for a while. Of course, one has to be careful that the lid closes all the way. If left ajar for too long, moisture creeps in and the unit will frost up much faster.
The two main advantages of a chest freezer are: 1) much more energy efficient than an upright, and then even more efficient than an auto defrost system. 2) more stable and constant temps inside the chest freezer, esp towards the bottom. With an upright, all that cold air tends to rush out as soon as the door is opened. Then the freezer has to work hard to cool down the warm room air that rushes in. With a chest freezer, the cold air tends to stay put even if the lid is lifted for a while. Of course, one has to be careful that the lid closes all the way. If left ajar for too long, moisture creeps in and the unit will frost up much faster.
The only chest freezer (or DEEP FREEZE--although everyone calls their freezer that, even if it's an UPRIGHT!) that I am probably likely to get is a generic 8-cubic-foot pint-sized box, that the in-laws currently have (which according to my mother-in-law, she got at MONTGOMERY WARD)...
But, so far, despite being in a 30-something-year-range, is still going strong, although has a cracked liner & the insulation bursting out from the under side of the lid...
So far, other than the rarest occasions that I do run out of freezer space (though I more likely run out of room in the fridge) I pretty much don't see having much need for a separate freezer, though I would want one w/ an interior light (& have to buy one that's pretty big in capacity) and think an upright would be much more convenient to store everything in & would make easier (even if more frequent) defrosting; would not really want a 'No Frost'...
-- Dave
But, so far, despite being in a 30-something-year-range, is still going strong, although has a cracked liner & the insulation bursting out from the under side of the lid...
So far, other than the rarest occasions that I do run out of freezer space (though I more likely run out of room in the fridge) I pretty much don't see having much need for a separate freezer, though I would want one w/ an interior light (& have to buy one that's pretty big in capacity) and think an upright would be much more convenient to store everything in & would make easier (even if more frequent) defrosting; would not really want a 'No Frost'...
-- Dave
We use our freezer a lot because we have a "fridge only" fridge in the kitchen. Unfortunately we don't have the required space to keep them side by side but the freezers just around the corner in the laundry room so it's not that bad.
xraytech
Well-known member
We have a 22 cu ft Sears Coldspot chest freezer that is about 30 years old, I do believe that a Sears Kenmore would still be a good choice and I am pretty sure they are offere up to a 26 cu ft size. Only thing I dont like about new freezers is there is only 1 row of baskets and they are plastic. Our freezer has 2 rows of 3 baskets and theare on tracks with wheels so you can slide them about to easily access 3 layers of food storage.
And yes in an auto defrost deep freeze foods dry out and develop freezer burn much faster, I personally prefer manual defrost
And yes in an auto defrost deep freeze foods dry out and develop freezer burn much faster, I personally prefer manual defrost
Im not exact on the size of my Sear chest freezer, except when I got it in 1993 it was the biggest they sold(24 or 26 cuft, and barely fit thru the door into the house, I got the manual defrost button, which only takes minutes to clean, once you open the lid and pull the button out, by the time you get all the frozen stuff out, the ice falls to the bottom, scoop it out, wipe it down, replace your food, close the lid and it resets.....simple as that.....
I also got the "QuikFreeze" selection, it runs the compressor for 24hrs to quickly freeze room temp items....and the "TempMonitor", in case the door is left open, or the power goes out, and the temp goes too low(battery backup for the alarm)
I also have a 20 cuft upright freezer...MANUAL Defrost......never again......takes a long time to defrost and melt the ice build up.....and the floor flooded mess....which has to be done about every 6 months.........
Food for thought.......NEVER have your freezer plugged into a ground fault outlet......we had a power outtage which only lasted a few hours, when power returned, it "popped" the outlet.....this upright does not have the battery backup alarm for low temps.....3 days later opened the door to a major mess of all the foods ruined and landslide across the floor.......that outlet has been replaced with a regular one....
I also got the "QuikFreeze" selection, it runs the compressor for 24hrs to quickly freeze room temp items....and the "TempMonitor", in case the door is left open, or the power goes out, and the temp goes too low(battery backup for the alarm)
I also have a 20 cuft upright freezer...MANUAL Defrost......never again......takes a long time to defrost and melt the ice build up.....and the floor flooded mess....which has to be done about every 6 months.........
Food for thought.......NEVER have your freezer plugged into a ground fault outlet......we had a power outtage which only lasted a few hours, when power returned, it "popped" the outlet.....this upright does not have the battery backup alarm for low temps.....3 days later opened the door to a major mess of all the foods ruined and landslide across the floor.......that outlet has been replaced with a regular one....
Ground fault outlet warning...
Good advice, Yogi.
Good advice, Yogi.
Thanks to all of you. We thought maybe on the upright but they are more expensive to run than a chest type. We need a big one 24 cu ft up as we go together with family and buy a grown steer every 8 to 9 months and also a couple of hogs. So much cheaper that store bought. Since I work for a poultry company I can get employee sales on all types of poulty from whole birds that are for rotersrie through boneless skinles meat to fully cooked . I can get it and we share with family. We also garden and freeze lots and can even more. I want to go loo at a 24 cu ft one that is $491.00 as a scratch and dent if a scratch and full warrenty will get it as it is a great price and I think nearly all chest freezers are built by just a couple of conpanies anyway.
This plus trying to take care of my mother that is feeling dizzy and all that. Had her in emergencdy room yesterday got some dizzy meds and they said go to DR. today which I did and they drew blood and did a CT scan. Go back tomorrow for results She will be 92 on 1/11.
{lus our disposer I think has gone out. Life is life. LOL to not cry.
This plus trying to take care of my mother that is feeling dizzy and all that. Had her in emergencdy room yesterday got some dizzy meds and they said go to DR. today which I did and they drew blood and did a CT scan. Go back tomorrow for results She will be 92 on 1/11.
{lus our disposer I think has gone out. Life is life. LOL to not cry.
out of curiosity
I wonder if the energy consumption ratings are accurate?
I mean, how often do you open these freezers? For me, it is typically every other day for just a little bit of time. So you use twice the power? That seems a little unreasonable.
But, I don't know?
I have an upright, which I bought because I couldn't bear the idea of turning upside down in the freezer, and my 5'1" wife might fall in!
I dunno what the real consumption numbers are, but typically: she's home all the time, and we tend to use about 500 kwh of power per month, sometimes as little as 450, sometimes as much as 550-600.
In any case, I'm envious of getting a steer and some hogs! I REALLY want an elk for mine
I wonder if the energy consumption ratings are accurate?
I mean, how often do you open these freezers? For me, it is typically every other day for just a little bit of time. So you use twice the power? That seems a little unreasonable.
But, I don't know?
I have an upright, which I bought because I couldn't bear the idea of turning upside down in the freezer, and my 5'1" wife might fall in!
I dunno what the real consumption numbers are, but typically: she's home all the time, and we tend to use about 500 kwh of power per month, sometimes as little as 450, sometimes as much as 550-600.
In any case, I'm envious of getting a steer and some hogs! I REALLY want an elk for mine
Energy ratings
I think the energy ratings for freezers and refrigerators are a bit unrealistic because they don't factor in opening the doors (as I understand it).
If so, I would trust the energy rating of a chest freezer more than that of an upright freezer, because a chest freezer doesn't experience nearly the same level of loss of cold air and influx of warm air every time the lid is lifted as an upright would experience every time the door is opened.
I think the energy ratings for freezers and refrigerators are a bit unrealistic because they don't factor in opening the doors (as I understand it).
If so, I would trust the energy rating of a chest freezer more than that of an upright freezer, because a chest freezer doesn't experience nearly the same level of loss of cold air and influx of warm air every time the lid is lifted as an upright would experience every time the door is opened.
mrb627
Well-known member
Made in USA?
I wonder... Are there any chest freezers still made in America?
Malcolm
I wonder... Are there any chest freezers still made in America?
Malcolm
believe that Frigidaire has a chest freezer plant in St. Cloud, MN. Whirlpool...maybe is mfg at the Wood plant in Canada. Think these are the only 2 plants making chests in N. America...everyone just rebadges one or the other.
no, they may be realistic
The energy ratings show chest freezers using half the power of uprights. That may be realistic IF you open the freezer a lot.
What I was meaning is this: is it that realistic if you don't open the freezer but every day or 2? Would an upright still use as much power?
I don't know.
The energy ratings show chest freezers using half the power of uprights. That may be realistic IF you open the freezer a lot.
What I was meaning is this: is it that realistic if you don't open the freezer but every day or 2? Would an upright still use as much power?
I don't know.
magic_clean
Well-known member
Whirlpool
Amana & Maytag chest & upright freezers are produced in Ottawa(Toledo area) Ohio at a Whirlpool factory there.
Amana & Maytag chest & upright freezers are produced in Ottawa(Toledo area) Ohio at a Whirlpool factory there.
mrb627
Well-known member
Cool.
Good to know...
Malcolm
Good to know...
Malcolm
Freezer
We got 7.5 cu ft last year GE brand LG compresser made in China !! Same as our GE window AC !!
We got 7.5 cu ft last year GE brand LG compresser made in China !! Same as our GE window AC !!
