The 5 Best Freezers

Top Picks Summary

1. Frigidaire FFU21F5HW Upright
2. Danby DCF700W1 Chest
3. GE FCM15PUWW Chest
4. Kenmore 16922 Chest
5. Frigidaire FFU17M7H Upright

A freezer, like a refrigerator, serves to keep food cold to impede the growth of bacteria. Unlike a refrigerator, a freezer keeps food below the freezing point of water — specifically, below 18 degrees Celsius, where food can safely be stored indefinitely. To help you figure out which freezer is best for you, here is Wise Bread's selection of the top 5 freezers.

What Is a Freezer?

As previously mentioned, a freezer is designed to keep food frozen below 18 degrees Celsius. Freezers come in two main types: upright models and chests. Upright models also come in two primary forms, manual-defrost and self-defrost. Manual-defrost freezers are cheaper to buy and run, but don't do as good of a job at maintaining a constant temperature as self-defrost models. Chest freezers offer the most storage as they are comprised of one large compartment (shelves in upright models reduce the amount of usable space), can accommodate bulkier items, and tend to be more energy efficient. Nonetheless, they are more difficult to organize because of their lack of shelves.

Best 5 Freezers

Frigidaire FFU21F5HW Upright Freezer

Recommended by Consumer Reports, this Frigidaire upright, self-defrost freezer has a carrying capacity of 20.5 cubic feet and performed very well in professional tests. Aside from the automatic defrost; it comes with other features including an open-door alarm and digital controls. Currently $699.99 on Amazon.

Danby DCF700W1 Chest Freezer

For those that are looking for a basic chest freezer at a relatively inexpensive price, look no further. This Danby chest freezer has a carrying capacity of 7 cubic feet and comes with a front-mount mechanical thermostat. Users claim that it is remarkably energy efficient with a foam insulated cabinet and extremely quiet. Currently $308.19 on Amazon.

GE FCM15PUWW Chest Freezer

Another freezer recommended by Consumer Reports, this GE chest freezer is well-reviewed for those looking for larger carrying capacity. Clocking in at 14.8 cubic feet, this freezer also features a keyed lock, interior lights, and a power indicator. Four sliding baskets help with organization and users claim that it is quiet and efficient. Unfortunately, as with all chest freezers, it will require manual defrosting. Currently $610.49 on Amazon.

Kenmore 16922 Chest Freezer

A Consumer Reports Best Buy, this Kenmore chest freezer is a solid performer for those not looking for quite as much storage space. With a carrying capacity of 8.8 cubic feet, it's among the smaller freezers on this list, but it does include a number of additional features such as a keyed lock, interior lights, power-on light and two lift-out baskets for some organizational options. However, keep in mind that it's not Energy-Star efficient, but its smaller size still makes it decently energy efficient. Currently $329.59 at Sears.

Frigidaire FFU17M7H Upright Freezer

This Frigidaire manual-defrost upright freezer rounds out our list of the best 5 freezers. This Frigidaire has a carrying capacity of 16.7 cubic feet, and 3 cabinet shelves, a slide-out basket and flexible door storage makes organization quite easy. Additional features include a security lock, interior and exterior power lights and finally a Soft Freeze Zone for things like ice cream. Currently $629.99 at Sears.

Those are our top 5 choices for freezers. Be sure to check out the Wise Bread Shopping Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!