If you don’t want rock-hard ice cream, a soft freeze feature might be right for you. Soft freezeĪ few upright freezers have a soft freeze feature, which still keeps food frozen but at a higher temperature. If you freeze food in large batches, a quick freeze feature will get your food colder sooner. These models can cool a large quantity of food in a short amount of time. Some upright freezers have a quick freeze option. This is also a nice feature if you have children who might be tempted to play with exterior controls. A power indicator light can alert you to a popped breaker or power outage with a glance. Power indicator lights are another way to make sure your food is being kept at temperature in an upright freezer. While this isn’t a necessary feature, it’s handy if you’re prone to absentmindedly leaving the freezer door open. With an interior temperature alarm, if the temperature inside the upright freezer reaches a certain point, an alarm goes off, which can alert you if the door has been left open. If you’re freezing whole turkeys and other bulky food items, adjustable shelves are ideal.
Some upright freezers have fixed shelves, but models with adjustable shelves allow you to move shelves up or down to better fit your food. One of the main benefits upright freezers have over chest freezers is their interior shelves and drawers. The area around the door can be nine to 19 degrees warmer than the interior.
#Best upright freezer manual#
However, manual upright freezers aren’t as good at maintaining a consistent interior temperature as self-defrosting freezers. That said, because manual upright freezers don’t have an automatic fan, these models save energy and money. This can be a time-consuming process, and you will need to keep your food cold in the meantime. Because of the circulating air in self-defrosting freezers, freezer burn is more of a problem, however.Īn upright freezer with manual defrosting requires you to turn off the freezer, remove all food, and let the ice and frost melt on its own or with the help of an exterior fan.
Self-defrosting upright freezers are more expensive but can save you hours of work. The fan not only defrosts the freezer but also circulates air to maintain a consistent interior temperature, even around the freezer door. The amount of water is usually small enough that it evaporates, so you won’t have to empty the pan. The melt is caught in a drip tray located behind the bottom trim plate of the freezer. Self-defrosting upright freezers (sometimes called frost-free freezers or auto-defrost freezers) have an automatic fan that melts any frost or ice buildup. Upright freezers are either self-defrosting or manual. How you defrost an upright freezer is another important feature to consider. However, these models take up as much space as a traditional top freezer refrigerator. If you have a large family, a lot of frozen food to store, or you frequently prepare meals for large gatherings, you will be happy with one of these upright freezers. Large upright freezers have well over 19 cubic feet of freezer space. For most families, an upright freezer of this size offers plenty of room for frozen meals, vegetables, and meat. Mid-sized upright freezers have 10 to 18 cubic feet of freezer space, which is what you’ll need for six to twelve people. Families of four to six will have plenty of room with a small upright freezer. Small upright freezers have six to nine cubic feet of freezer space.
#Best upright freezer portable#
Keep in mind that portable upright freezers aren’t as energy-efficient as regular models. Portable models can either be plugged into a regular electrical outlet or powered by a 12-volt car battery. Some compact upright freezers are portable for boating or camping. These small models work well in a guesthouse, rec room, or home with limited space. Upright freezers that have five cubic feet of freezer space or less are considered compact. The general rule is 1.5 cubic feet of freezer space per person. Size is one of the most important considerations when it comes to buying an upright freezer. Features to consider for upright freezers Size
Upright freezers are generally more expensive than chest freezers, but they take up less floor space and offer a similar amount of storage space.