Is there a difference between a deep freezer and a refrigerator/freezer?

Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up freezer? We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if it would be just as good to get another refrigerator/freezer combo. Any advice would be great...I cant seem to find a clear answer to this. Thanks!

Reply to
stratfordone
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The temp of the freezer in a refrigerator varies widely, depending on the unit, usage, house temp, settings, etc. As the house temp drops, the freezer temp often goes up, since the unit runs less to keep the frig section at the right temp. Running longer could freeze the frig section. It depends on the design.

Chest freezers lose less "cold" when opened than uprights, but you may have them opened longer to find something. Modern freezers are way more efficient than old ones.

Reply to
Bob F

Depends on how you keep each set. My freezer in the refrigerator i keep at

10 above as to not have rock hard ice cream. The deep freeze in the garage is set to 15 below for fast freezing of things.

not to mention, if the power goes off for a bit, the colder the better.

s

Reply to
Steve Barker DLT

On Sun 12 Oct 2008 11:17:45a, stratfordone told us...

Refrigerator freezers are generally designed to maintain 0 degrees F. A chest freezer or upright freezer will usually maintain at least -10 to -20 degrees F. Colder temperatures allow for longer term storage.

We have a refrigerator with a top freezer and an upright freezer. We keep things in the refrigerator freezer that we use frequently and everything else in the upright freezer.

Many would argue that a chest freezer is a better choice over an upright freezer because you lose more cold air when you open an upright freezer. I've never had a problem because of that.

HTH

Reply to
Wayne Boatwright

Freezers within a fridge are fine for short term (30 days or so) storage. If I store a steak in the fridge freezer it starts to freezer burn after 30 days or so. The same packaging is excellent for 6 months and still edible up to about 9 months.

Dedicated freezers are set colder and the temp is more stable. Depending on the quality of the packaging food can keep well up to a year.

Colbyt

Reply to
Colbyt

I've always found that a chest freezer was a pain in the butt to get things out of when it's low and you have to reach to the bottom. I would rather have an upright. But I don't have a need for either since the one on top of the fridge is adequate.

Reply to
Blattus Slafaly

Chest freezers, I believe are always colder. Also in refrigerator freezer section, frost free cycle uses warm air to to rid section of frost. For a few weeks storage, I use refrigerator freezer but for long term storage, use chest freezer.

Reply to
Frank

Yes there is lot of difference it also depend how you are going to us it? Deep freeze (Chest Freezer) when you open door does not loose as much of cold air as stand up type, there for it is using less electricity. Also the stuff, food that you may have in there it will remain longer healthy by opining the door.

We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if

Reply to
Old and Grunpy

"stratfordone" wrote

Depends on how you set them. Chest freezers (and presumably upright freezers) have setting that let you go colder normally than a combined kitchen unit.

As one who has had a chest freezer for ages, I can validate that all the notes sent to date are good ones. As with everything, there is a trade off.

Summary: Chest type- more energy efficient - no problem with the size of any item - have to be able to lift items out (no serious back issues) Upright type- less energy efficient - 'may' have problems with large items - easier to sort things out

Details: With a chest freezer, you have to develop good stacking habits or the stuff at the very bottom will get missed. Mine has 5 baskets (they slide from side to side) and I have plastic sorting bins at the very bottom to keep it straight. You wont lose as much cold when opening it as an upright, and you can fit just about anything including a 100lb pig in there at need. Downside of chest units. You have to lean down to get things out. This may not matter if you and your SO are healthy, but if you have a bad back, this can become an issue. My current chest unit is 19cu (maybe 21?) and it's quite suitable for our needs but Don does the bottom scrounging as my back is problematic.

With an upright, you can remove a shelf or two for odd shaped larger items, but may have to rest the item on the bottom base. The same cubic feet just become less 'usable' (my old chest, could store a cow if you cut the legs off, I kid you not, came from a farm). You can however easier sort things with an upright. You just cant get really 'big' things. Advice if thinking upright to get the largest item you'd want to get at the store, then see if you can fit it in. I'm thinking a really big pizza in a box, cook the pizza and bring the box to the store and see if it fits the unit in a way acceptable to you. This is where the uprights failed for us (literally, a favored pizza type wouldnt fit in there properly).

The energy efficient part has a good bit to do with how many times a day you expect the access the freezer. If only 1-2 times a day for a short 2 mins, nominal difference. Any modern one should show about 40$ a year in electric in real use. Upright will run possibly double that if you tend to 'freezer shop' for longer and more often times but a chest freezer will show only a a nominal difference with longer more frequent openings.

I can go on much more in depth on what savings you can get with an ancillary freezer, if feeding at least 2 people (I feed 3 and have frequent yard parties with a need to store a pig on occasion). Lets just say if I see a sale for .39/lb chicken thighs like I did 2 months ago, I was able to stock up a 4 month supply ;-)

Now with *both* you have to properly wrap the food. If meat, needs to not just be in the supermarket light plastic. We use 2 layers of ziplock style bags (reuse them except the inner one if defrosting in the bag. We normally don't defrost in the bag. Instead we remove the meat still frozen from all the 'baggies' and one of those freezer bins we have just keeps the baggies for next store trip. Other people like the vacumn sealers and they work nicely, but I like to be a bit more 'green' relatively so use reusable things while still keeping food safety in mind.

Reply to
cshenk

If you want to be green, get a vacuum sealer. I use the bags four or five times. Make them bigger than needed and you lose an inch each use.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

I've had both and the upright is much easier. While you are correct that a little more cold air is lost, I can be in and out in seconds with the upright and search the depths of the chest forever when things get lost on the bottom.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

The chest type freezer is probably the best choice for energy efficiency. Since there are thermostats on either appliance, the colder one is the one set to the colder temperature.

Reply to
Phisherman

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