Pest Strategies

When your primary freezer is running out of space, a dedicated deep freezer is an ideal solution to keep bread, meat, fruits, vegetables, and other food from spoiling. To help you narrow your search for the best deep freezer, Pest Strategies closely researched several products on Amazon. Check out our top recommendations here.

 

Buying Guide

Many homeowners overload their main freezer, causing premature wear and uneven cooling. A deep freezer can be the solution you need to better organize your frozen items. To find the ideal model for your home, consider the below factors.

• Size and capacity: Most deep freezers measure between two to four feet wide and three to six feet long with a capacity between one cubic foot and 20 cubic feet. These measurements will determine where you can place the freezer and what food it can store.

• Door or lid design: Deep freezers either use a side-opening door or a top-opening lid. While the door or lid design you choose mostly comes down to preference, it can also depend on the layout of your space. If your freezer will be surrounded by other items to the left and right, a lid may be better because it won’t hit anything. On the other hand, if you have storage shelves above your freezer, you may not be able to lift a lid. One additional benefit of a side-opening door is that it’s typically reversible, so you can install it on either side.

• Temperature range: A quality deep freezer should be able to maintain stable temperatures ranging from -5 to -15 or -20 degrees Fahrenheit. For temperature control, deep freezers have a manual dial or a digital display. 

• Storage space: Built-in shelving is common in many deep freezers. Some models, especially mini freezers, have removable shelves, allowing you to adjust the space between each level according to the items you’re storing.

• Power consumption: Keep an eye out for the Energy Star label. This label indicates that the deep freezer in question operates at least 10% more efficiently than the federal minimum standard. On average, deep freezers with this energy-efficiency rating use 395 kilowatt-hours of electricity, costing less than $50 per year to operate. 

• Defrosting: Some deep freezers have a manual defrost option, allowing you to choose when you want to warm your freezer to get rid of frost buildup or clean the shelving. Frost-free deep freezers are designed to automatically run a defrost cycle about once a day. During this cycle, the freezer will increase in temperature about two degrees, which is enough to get rid of frost but not so much that it affects your food. 

• Additional features: Deep freezers, mini freezers, and chest freezers don’t offer as many features as modern full-size refrigerators, but bells and whistles, such as digital temperature displays and dry-erase doors, are available. 

 

Deep Freezer Organization Tips

A properly organized freezer maximizes storage space and operates more efficiently. Regardless of the deep freezer you choose, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of it:

• Create a list that outlines what’s in your freezer. Before you go to open the lid, reference the inventory, as this limits how much time you spend looking for something that’s not there. Make sure to update your deep freezer inventory when items are added or removed. 
• Use a label maker to mark items. This will make it quick and easy to locate what you’re looking for, minimizing the amount of cold air that escapes. If you don’t have a label maker, use painter’s tape and permanent marker. 
• If your deep freezer is large but lacks shelving, purchase storage bins to organize your items into groups. For example, your meat can go in one, and your vegetables can go in another. 
• Look through your deep freezer once a month, and throw out or donate anything that you no longer want.

 

What To Keep in Your Deep Freezer

Ultimately, what you store inside of your deep freezer is up to you. However, here’s a list of items that freeze well for long periods of time: 

• Ice cream
• Game meat 
• Broth
• Bread
• Cheese
• Ready-to-cook meals
• Seafood
• Bacon
• Herbs
• Pre-cooked grains
• Cooking fat
• Juice
• Produce

 

 

FAQs

• Are there differences between deep freezers, chest freezers, and mini freezers? 

While these three terms are often used interchangeably, there are a few notable differences. Namely, the term “deep” is used to describe a freezer that reaches extremely cold temperatures and stores food items for long periods of time. Chest freezers can be a type of deep freezer. Mini freezers can also be used as deep freezers as long as they’re able to maintain temperatures well below zero degrees Fahrenheit. 

• Will my deep freezer work better if it’s not tightly packed? 

Yes. However, an empty deep freezer doesn’t operate efficiently either, circulating air without items to absorb it. For the most efficient energy consumption and optimal performance, we recommend having a medium amount of items in your deep freezer — enough to help regulate internal airflow but not overpacked to the point of stressing its components. 

• Why does frost build up on freezers? 

In most cases, frost buildup is caused by moisture from the food contents. As the contents chill and begin to freeze, this moisture attaches to the internal components of the freezer. Frequent opening and closing of the freezer also tends to exacerbate frost buildup.

• Can a mini fridge work as a deep freezer? 

Though mini fridges are a convenient way to store extra beverages or small food items, their freezer section can’t maintain the sub-zero temperatures that many frozen foods need. This section is also so small that it’s unable to accommodate the larger items you’d likely want to freeze for weeks or months at a time. 

 

 

Pest Strategies provides reviews of select products that are top-selling on Amazon and/or popular in consumer searches. Our team evaluates the products based on industry research, consumer reviews, pricing data, and other objective criteria. Unless otherwise noted, these product reviews are intended to help inform buying decisions for non-professionals. Because pest control products can be dangerous to your family if mishandled, we always recommend consulting with an exterminator, even if just to ask for advice on how to apply pest control products yourself.