I have an old Scandinova chest freezer that sits in my (unheated) shed. It does the job very well but is not very energy efficient. I have been looking in to replacing it with a more efficient model, with at least A+ energy rating.
What's bothering me is that many manufacturers now specify a minimum ambient temperature of 10 degrees centigrade, saying that if the temperature falls below that, the refrigeration unit will not run for long enough and the food could, in extreme cases, thaw out.
I live on the east coast of Scotland, so winter temperatures below 10C for prolonged periods are quite common. I've never had a problem with my old freezer so I'm wondering if modern freezers are somehow different and should not therefore be kept in low temperatures, or are the manufacturers just being overcautious?
I was also considering a frost free upright freezer, but that seems to have the same problem.
Does anybody out there know about this stuff?
TIA
Steve