What to Buy Appliances Large Appliances The 9 Best Freezer Brands, According to Hundreds of Home Cooks Our list includes popular household names like GE, Frigidaire, and Whirlpool. By Maddy Sweitzer-Lammé Maddy Sweitzer-Lammé Maddy Sweitzer-Lammé is a passionate and voraciously hungry home cook and eater. She's been writing about food in all its forms since 2014 and is a big believer that anyone can and should love to cook. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on January 25, 2024 In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews The Research Factors to Consider FAQ Our Expertise We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Food & Wine / Kristin Kempa Freezing is one of the fastest and most effective ways to preserve food. From seasonal produce to leftovers to the second half of that sourdough recipe you whipped up, there’s almost no limit to how you can use a freezer to help get delicious meals on the table faster. If space is limited in your kitchen’s freezer, it may be time to add a standalone freezer to your home. To help you find the best freezer for your setup, we surveyed more than 600 home cooks with freezers, asking them about brand, design, organization, and durability. Whether you need a chest freezer that opens from the top, a spacious reach-in upright freezer to complement your current refrigerator, or something compact that can fit in a basement or garage, we included a wide range of the best freezer brands, trusted by hundreds of home cooks. Our Top Picks Best Upright Freezer: Frigidaire 13.0 Cu. Ft. Upright Freezer at Wayfair ($705) Jump to Review Best Chest Freezer: GE Manual Defrost Chest Freezer at Amazon (See Price) Jump to Review Best Smart Freezer: NewAir 5 cu. ft. Manual Defrost Mini Deep Chest Freezer at Amazon ($437) Jump to Review Best Value: Magic Chef Upright Freezer at Amazon ($306) Jump to Review Best Splurge: Hestan Built-In Outdoor Refrigerator with Freezer Drawer at Williams-Sonoma ($6,999) Jump to Review Best for Garage: Whynter 2.1 cu. ft. Upright Freezer with Lock in Rose Gold at Amazon ($239) Jump to Review Best Convertible: Samsung 11.4-cu ft Frost-free Convertible Upright Freezer/Refrigerator at Amazon ($943) Jump to Review Best Compact: SPT 3.0 Cu. Ft. Upright Freezer Stainless Steel at Amazon ($330) Jump to Review Best Large-Capacity: Whirlpool 19.65-cu ft Frost-free Upright Freezer at Lowe's ($849) Jump to Review Best Upright Freezer Frigidaire 13.0 Cu. Ft. Upright Freezer Home Depot View On Wayfair $705 View On Home Depot $598 View On Sears.com Pros This dependable upright freezer has a smaller footprint than a similar-sized chest freezer. Cons The shelves that come with this freezer can make it difficult to fit oversized items. For homes that are short on floor space but still need additional freezer space, this upright freezer offers excellent organization, durability, and space efficiency. Unlike chest freezers, which some users say can be difficult to organize, this freezer has built-in shelves that make it easy to find what you’re looking for. We also like the built-in light on this unit and the fact that it is frost-free, making maintenance easier. The door on this unit can be installed to open to the left or the right, making it flexible for different spaces, and because it’s garage-ready, it is effective at keeping food frozen even in hot garages. Type: Upright | Capacity: 13 cubic feet | Dimensions: 26 x 27.75 x 67 inches Best Chest Freezer GE Manual Defrost Chest Freezer Home Depot View On Amazon View On Wayfair $509 View On Home Depot $379 Pros GE units are beloved for their reliability and longevity. Cons Some survey participants said they wished the unit had a self-defrosting feature and a better lock on the door. Of our over 600 survey participants polled, nearly a quarter used a GE chest freezer. Many respondents have been using the same freezer for more than 20 years and continue to be happy with the units' operation. This 7 cubic foot model is our pick for a generously sized freezer that holds plenty of food but isn’t so large that food gets lost or disorganized. This freezer includes two plastic lift-out baskets to help with the organization of your frozen fruits, veggies, or freezer-friendly food storage containers. Plus, participants noted that they like the exterior power light, which makes it easy to confirm the unit is always operating correctly. Type: Chest | Capacity: 7 cubic feet | Dimensions: 33.5 x 32 x 21.7 inches Best Smart Freezer NewAir 5 cu. ft. Manual Defrost Mini Deep Chest Freezer Walmart View On Amazon $437 View On Wayfair $437 View On Walmart $450 Pros The digital display on this freezer makes it easy to control the temperature. Cons Some families might find this mini freezer to be too small for bulk frozen food storage. The NewAir mini deep freezer is one of our only picks with a digital display, a helpful feature if you know you’ll need to change the temperature of your freezer regularly. The freezer has lots of other helpful features as well, including a fast freezer setting to bring the unit’s temperature down quickly, an automatic LED light that turns on whenever the freezer door is open, a stay-open door that easily props open, a floor drain to make defrosting simply, and a door alarm that help prevent losing a freezer full of food. If you're looking for a more compact freezer to display in the garage or one that fits right in with your fancy LED wine fridge or beer fridge, we recommend this smart pick from NewAir. Type: Chest | Capacity: 5 cubic feet | Dimensions: 22.20 x 29.70 x 33.30 Inches Best Value Magic Chef Upright Freezer Home Depot View On Amazon $306 View On Walmart $289 View On Wayfair $301 Pros This small, upright freezer is easy to organize. Cons Some users will quickly outgrow the available space in this unit. If your home doesn’t have space for a sizable chest freezer or you have no need to store larger items and huge quantities of food, this efficiently sized Magic Chef unit offers enough overflow space to store extra food, without taking over your whole basement or garage. This unit has helpful features, like an upright design and a reversible door. Our survey respondents said Magic Chef freezers are durable, and while they do require a manual defrost, that technology means they’re super quiet. This unit also has a flat back, allowing it to be stored flush against a wall, perfect for tight spaces and efficient organization. Type: Upright | Capacity: 3 cubic feet | Dimensions: 23.20 x 20.30 x 32.10 Inches Best Splurge Hestan Built-In Outdoor Refrigerator with Freezer Drawer Williams Sonoma View On Williams-Sonoma $6,999 Pros This super-durable modular system can maintain frozen temperatures even in a hot outdoor kitchen. Cons Hestan’s high-quality construction comes at a higher price than any of our other picks. Hestan is an editor-trusted brand known for high-tech kitchen innovations (we love their copper cookware), and this modular outdoor freezer and refrigerator drawer system is no exception. Choose from a large selection of bright colors for this stacked fridge and freezer combination. The drawers make access easy even while cooking, and the heavy-duty drawer slides. A digital temperature display allows you to adjust the freezer drawer from -10°F to 10°F, while the refrigerator drawer can be adjusted between 33°F–42°F. A weather-resistant exterior is super durable, while the unit has heavy-duty insulation that lets it operate year-round. If you're looking to upgrade your outdoor kitchen or match your outdoor pizza oven, we recommend this splurge-worthy modular unit. Type: Upright | Capacity: 5.2 cubic feet | Dimensions: 34.5 x 24 inches Best for Garage Whynter 2.1 cu. ft. Upright Freezer with Lock in Rose Gold Home Depot View On Amazon $239 View On Wayfair View On Home Depot $247 Pros We like that this small unit is Energy Star certified and comes in appealing colors. Cons The deep shelves inside this freezer can be hard to organize. Not every garage has space for a huge chest freezer. In those cases, this small freezer has enough space to store extra food without a large footprint. It is Energy Star certified, making it more affordable to operate, and features like a reversible door, child-proof lock, and pretty rose gold exterior make it appropriate for all kinds of homes. We also like that the shelves are removable, which makes its interior capacity more flexible for large items. For small families or individuals looking for just a bit more frozen food storage space, this is a great compact pick. Type: Upright | Capacity: 2.1 cubic feet | Dimensions: 27.5 x 17.5 x 20 inches Best Convertible Samsung 11.4-cu ft Frost-free Convertible Upright Freezer/Refrigerator Best Buy View On Amazon $943 View On Wayfair $811 View On Lowe's $749 Pros This unit has plenty of drawers and shelves to keep it organized. Cons The organization of this unit makes it less adaptable to large items. If you’re not sure if you need additional freezer space or fridge space, a convertible unit is a great middle ground. This Samsung unit allows users to switch the temperature range between chilling and full-on freezer mode. The interior of this upright unit is set up like a refrigerator, with lots of shelves and drawers that make it easy to keep the spacious interior organized. This system is helpful for some and inconvenient for others, since it is not highly adjustable and doesn’t leave much space for larger items. Other features include a reversible door, automatic internal light, door alarm, and power freeze setting that reduces the unit’s temperature quickly and efficiently. Type: Upright | Capacity: 11.4 cubic feet | Dimensions: 73 x 23.5 x 27.4 inches Best Compact SPT 3.0 Cu. Ft. Upright Freezer Stainless Steel Best Buy View On Amazon $330 View On Best Buy $400 View On Hsn.com Pros This compact unit is perfect for storing smaller items. Cons A manual defrost system means this unit does need to be periodically emptied and thawed. This stainless steel unit is perfectly sized for a small family or single person who wants to dabble in freezing seasonal produce or bulk shopping. It comes fitted with three wire baskets, which are helpful for organization. A child lock prevents prying hands from getting into this unit, while an adjustable thermostat allows users to control the internal temperature. We should note that this unit does not have an internal light, though because of its small size, we didn’t find that to be a problem. We also like that it has reversible door hinges and a flat-back design that allows it to be flush against a wall. Type: Upright | Capacity: 3 cubic feet | Dimensions: 33.5 x 19.5 x 21.25 inches Best Large-Capacity Whirlpool 19.65-cu ft Frost-free Upright Freezer Lowe's View On Lowe's $849 View On Best Buy $1,260 View On Ajmadison.com Pros This unit is super spacious, with the largest internal storage capacity of any pick on our list. Cons Large units can be more difficult to organize and maintain. In our survey, this spacious unit was the top choice for gardeners and those who wanted to freeze large quantities of in-season produce. Among respondents who chose a larger freezer, many said that Whirlpool’s deeper units were difficult to organize, making this upright unit a great option. With a frost-free system that minimizes the need to defrost, this freezer is efficient and spacious. Also to note: Our survey respondents said Whirlpool freezers have the largest internal capacity, making them perfect for bulk shoppers, hunters, and foragers. Type: Upright/Chest | Capacity: 19.6 cubic feet | Dimensions: 66.75 x 33.25 x 30 inches The Research To inform these recommendations, we performed a large-scale survey of chest freezer users across the country, receiving more than 600 responses. We asked participants to evaluate their chest freezers based on features, design, performance, and value, collecting data that helped us understand how people utilize their freezers. Among our more than 600 survey respondents, we found that GE freezers are the most popular, with one in four people owning a GE unit. Some of our respondents have owned their units for more than 20 years, speaking to the longevity of GE’s products. Frigidaire was the second most popular brand, owned by one in five respondents. Through this data, trends emerged, showing what freezers last the longest and leave users feeling satisfied, and what features are most helpful to long-time users. We used this data to inform this general freezer guide as well since many of the uses and brands are similar. Factors to Consider Type A chest freezer is a wide, deep freezer that opens from the top, while an upright freezer opens from the front, much like a refrigerator. These two styles offer the same basic function of storing food, but chest freezers are good for accommodating large cuts of meat and bulk groceries, while upright freezers come in a broader variety of sizes, and are generally easier to organize because they come equipped with shelves and drawers. Size To decide which freezer will best suit your needs, consider first where you’ll keep the unit and how much space you have. If floor space is at a premium, opt for an upright freezer, which takes up minimal floor space without sacrificing capacity. As you measure, keep in mind that to ensure optimal operation, you’ll need a few inches of space behind the freezer, and that some units do not have flat backs, which will further impact the amount of space they’ll need. Energy Usage Because they are well-insulated, dedicated freezers are generally very energy efficient. But if you’re particularly focused on keeping your costs down or staying highly energy efficient, consider opting for an Energy Star-certified unit. The location where you keep your freezer will also make a difference since units stored in warm rooms or garages will need to work harder to stay cold. Extra Features The importance of extra features like removable shelves, LED lights, manual defrost settings, and wire baskets will depend on how you plan to use your freezer. A safety lock will be important for families with small children, but less so if there aren’t kids running around where you plan to keep your freezer. A light is helpful if you plan to keep your freezer in a dark basement or garage, and removable shelves are great if you know you’ll have a hard time keeping track of the freezer's contents. Think about how you plan to use your freezer to discern what features are important to you. Frequently Asked Questions What is the difference between an upright freezer and a chest freezer? Chest and upright freezers offer similar utility with different organizations. A chest freezer is a chest-shaped unit that opens from the top, while upright freezers are opened from the front, much like a refrigerator. Generally, chest freezers have a large capacity and a large footprint, while upright units are organized with shelves and drawers.Because heat rises, chest freezers tend to be slightly more energy efficient, but it can be difficult to access the bottom of their contents since things have to be stacked on top of one another. Reach-in freezers are easier to organize but are not ideal for people who plan to store large items. Why do I need a dedicated upright freezer? Freezing is one of the easiest ways to store food, whether that means bulk items purchased at a grocery store or in-seasonal produce that can be frozen and used throughout the year. Additional freezer space is also helpful for hunters or fishermen, who can use the additional space to store what they catch. Even things like bread, rice, and leftover indoor garden herbs can be frozen to prevent spoilage. What are the most important features to look for in a freezer? The features you’ll need depend on your lifestyle and the space you have for the unit. A chest freezer may be most appropriate if you want to store large cuts of meat, while a reach-in upright unit may be easier to use if you’re most concerned with keeping back-ups of grocery items around. You’ll need a little space around the unit to allow correct air flow, so keep that in mind as you choose size.Households with children may want a unit that locks and budget or environmentally-minded households may want to consider how much energy different units will require. Our Expertise Maddy Sweitzer-Lammé is an experienced professional home cook. She has worked in restaurant kitchens, professional test kitchens, and also on farms and at farmer's markets. She's an expert at translating techniques, recipes, equipment, and ingredient information for all skill levels. She's dedicated to making the home cooking experience more enjoyable and is always on the lookout for the next great tip or trick to pass along to readers. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit