Hi there, we're looking to get a freezer & was wondering if anyone had any pros or cons between chest vs upright, besides space?
Freezers - Upright Vs Chest
Widget on 31/10/2025 - 17:47
Last edited 31/10/2025 - 17:55 by 1 other user
Last edited 31/10/2025 - 17:55 by 1 other user
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Chest - more thermally efficient
Upright - more easily accessibleThanks Sbob. Makes sense. :)
Upright also have defrost cycle so you don't have to empty it to defrost every so often
Looking for something in a chest freezer is not fun on a cold day. Empty baskets tend to rattle which makes an annoying sound.
Unless there is a pandemic soon, I would choose an upright.
Whenever you want something from a chest freezer it is always at the bottom and covered with other things.
Depending on how you fill your freezer and how big it is stuff at the bottom never gets used because you need out everything out to get to it
I go upright freezer for this very reason
If you put everything in baskets you can lift the baskets out easily enough.
I reckon one of the hardest things (no pun intended) with chest freezer, is cleaning out the bottom of the thing.
Probably how abseiling got invented…
Upright Freezers
Pros:
- Easy organization: Shelves, drawers, and door bins make it simple to sort and access items.
- Smaller footprint: Takes up less floor space—ideal for tighter areas like kitchens or basements.
- Convenient access: No bending required; items are at eye level.
- Auto-defrost options: Many models include this feature, reducing maintenance.
- Stylish designs: Available in finishes that match modern appliances.Cons:
- Less storage capacity: Typically holds less than a chest freezer of the same size.
- Higher energy use: Less efficient than chest freezers, especially with auto-defrost.
- Shorter cold retention: Loses cold faster during power outages.
- More expensive: Generally costs more upfront and to operate.Chest Freezers
Pros:
- More usable space: Offers about 20% more storage than uprights of the same size.
- Better energy efficiency: Uses less electricity and maintains temperature better.
- Longer cold retention: Keeps food frozen longer during blackouts.
- Lower cost: Usually cheaper to buy and run.
- Ideal for bulk storage: Great for large items like meat cuts or bulk veggies.Cons:
- Harder to organize: Items pile up, making it tough to find things without digging.
- Takes more floor space: Larger footprint can be a challenge in small areas.
- Manual defrosting: Most models require periodic manual defrosting.
- Less convenient access: Requires bending and lifting to reach items at the bottom.Thanks Chat JVt
ai didn't get what I wanted to say.
which is the top open ones lose less heat when you open them. probably not much you can measure.
but every time you open normal doors you lose a lot of cold air out the bottom.
That's covered by higher energy use on uprights. Cold air falls out, warm air that isnsucked in needs to be cooled.
which is the top open ones lose less heat when you open them. probably not much you can measure.
If there's heat in your freezer, allowing it to escape is probably a good thing, but my immediate conclusion would be that you're doing it wrong.
Wow, thanks for the reply, Jv. Much appreciated :)
Don't encourage AI slop.
Username checks out
Would you like me to change the tone to fit a more casual vibe or include more detailed examples — or keep it more balanced and informative like this?
Chest are more efficient (cold air travels down) - every time you open an upright freezer you lose more cold air, hence why a lot of fridges have the pull out design on the bottom.
Side opening are far more convenient.
Side opening are far more convenient.
Often yes but they don't have to be. A well organized chest works well. You can use dividers as rudimentary as appropriately cut and assembled sheets ply to make life easier. Also chests lend themselves to packing tightly so you can fill unused space with empty bottles refilled with water - great at minimizing air inside and can be useful as cold packs.
Empty (or rather air filled) bottles will have a similar impact (apart from usage as cold packs).
The bottles (whatever they're filled with) occupy unused volume and that helps minimise the volume of warm air that can enter the freezer and needs to be cooled once the door is closed.No thermal mass - not as useful IMO.
@fantombloo: Depends what your objective is.
To minimise free volume of air inside the freezer there's no difference.
From an energy use perspective it would be about the same too. The water filled bottles option will be worse initially since the freezer has to use a lot of energy to cool the water to sub zero. But possibly the compressor won't operate as often or as long thereafter. So I would expect it to balance out.
If you live in an area that is prone to natural disasters or other causes of power outages, the thermal mass of the water filled bottles would be an advantage.
When multiple family members, including kids, are involved then any semblance to organisation goes out the window :/
True IME too, but this is everywhere not just chest freezers.
Thanks Brakesy, didn't occur to me about the cold-air. Thanks for the tip :)
Takes extra prep to store the dead bodies in an upright freezer…
BTW, there is a third option..
there is a third option..
Igloo?
Ice box?Complete the sentence:
Back in my day…
We've been using a smaller bar-freezer for a while. Took some time to get use to smaller-sized people, but got the hang of it in the end. Doesn't hold much full-sized meat though :/.
What's the third option you speak of?
Walk in.
You can load cartons of beer much easier into the chest freezer/fridge
But can you bend your knees enough to get them back out?
Besides, won't need cooling if you drink faster.
Would beer be ruined by freezing?
I would go with "yes", but I guess that depends on how you define "ruined".
For starters, liquid expands when frozen, so there's a pretty high chance of an explosion if frozen in original sealed containers.
Once decanted, freezing will cause deterioration of flavour and carbonation.
Finally, beer is made up of water and other beery making stuff. All these things will separate upon defrosting impairing texture and further diminishing its taste.
At this point, still ok to cook with though (maybe even incorporate into a beer batter for example), so whilst it may be a bit challenging to knock back a couple of cold ones after a hard day on the tools, it's probably still good enough to eat.
The new chest freezers have a thermostat that can be adjusted above or below freezing point, making them more flexible depending on your needs. Extra fridge at Christmas or chest freezer during the year etc
Chest freezers will create frost. There's no such thing as frost free chest freezers. I wanted a frost free but apparently they don't exist because of the way it's made or whatever
Our smaller upright freezer frosts up though? I thought that was normal thing for freezers to do.
The frost is caused by the hot air and liquid getting cold/expanding and trying to evaporate.
To avoid frost, bring contents to correct temperature before sealing or enable the expanding air an avenue to escape.
Frost free devices, have a built in thaw mode, that warms up periodically and it drains melted frost into a bucket that straddles the back of the fridge motor, the warmth of the motor evaporates the water. In a chest freezer the base is too low to the ground to drain into a bucket.
If you need to ask the question then the answer is get a larger upright freezer.
Its generally about how you would use a chest freezer that makes the decision.
A chest freezer is more practical if you grow your own vegetables and freeze excess, buy meat in bulk or hunt, prepare lots of meals in advance.
Thanks 2esc. We get a heap of chicken from time-to-time from a local place. That's the main reason we're looking at a larger freezer.
I have both and love my Chest Freezer. Open the upright and you see the same old stuff every day.
But open the chest, and it can be like Xmas.
All sorts of exciting finds down the bottom.
What is/was it?
Is there a label on it ? Can you read it
Is there a Use by or Best before.
When did we buy the Brains?
Dog food surprises, and don't tell me the dog doesn't love varietyNo dog here, but you make a valid point. :). We have the same reaction with out current freezer. Stuff in the freezer door, no idea what it was.
Love my chest freezer. Load it up with goodies when half price. My kids are spolit with endless supply of Bulla yoghurt/split style icecreams.
I have had both, I much prefer chest due to storage efficiency. Upright might be easier to work with i guess in terms of not having to bend over or try to reach underneath all the other items, but you will probably lose out on some space .
Chests are great, but I'd suggest ensuring they have hanging shelves otherwise things often get lost at the bottom of them. They're also good if you ever want to use for an ice bath.
Bend or standing up.