Buying a Chest Freezer For Your Outbuilding
If you have a shed or garage and you're looking for a storage space, it's worth looking at chest freezers for your outbuilding. They can be used to store food items, to preserve produce, or to simply free up some space within the home.
Since air circulation isn't as well in chest freezers, they tend to keep food frozen better than uprights. To reduce operating costs, select a freezer with a high energy rating.
Size
When choosing a chest for your freezer, determine how much storage space you will need. A best practice is to have a cubic foot of freezer space for each household member. You'll require a larger freezer if you have more than that. You might also want to opt for a chest freezer with a lock, especially if you're planning on keeping it outside. This will stop anyone from stealing frozen food.
Another thing to think about is whether you'd like your freezer chest able to operate in temperatures of ice. If you want to ensure that your food is fresh, select a model designed to be able to withstand low temperatures. Freezers that are designed to withstand freezing temperature are usually more well-insulated, therefore their contents can remain frozen for longer.
This compact model by Midea is ideal for those who want an affordable, garage-friendly freezer. It has a capacity of 7.2 cubic feet and can be utilized in both indoor and outdoor settings. It comes with an automatic drain, adjustable temperature control, and storage baskets to help you stay organised. You'll need to sacrifice some features to obtain it at this cost such as a counterbalanced top and an internal light. However, if you're looking to maximize your freezer storage it's a great bargain.
Energy efficiency
Chest freezers are generally larger and taller than upright models. This makes them ideal for smaller spaces. In addition, they are able to operate in a colder environment than standard freezers and use less electricity - this is due to the side wall insulation that maintains them at very low temperatures without consuming too much energy.
To maximize efficiency in energy use, choose an energy STAR qualified chest freezer. They can provide up to 10 percent more energy savings than the minimum federal standards and come with thick insulation to keep in optimal temperatures. Some utilities even offer rebates on these items, so check to see whether yours offers.
The annual consumption of electricity for the freezer is also important to keep in mind. This is usually stated in KWh numbers (1 KWh is one unit of electricity). Certain manufacturers will display this information in their user's manual or on the product, while others will post it online.
Lastly, it's worth checking the weight of your selected freezer prior to purchasing. You might need help getting it in and out of your home or outbuilding therefore you should plan accordingly. You may also want to look into buying a model with rollers or caster wheels which make it easier to shift around. If you intend to use the freezer for outdoor activities such as hunting or gardening, you will need to be sure that it's capable of operating in cold temperatures.
Convenience
It doesn't matter if you're a hunter a gardener or simply have plenty of food leftover from cooking at home, a chest freezer can be a useful addition to your outbuilding or garage. It offers more storage space than a standard fridge making it ideal for people who buy in bulk or preserve the harvest of their garden. Some models can even accommodate meat, which is an affordable method to stock up for the winter.
Contrary to upright freezers, chest freezers are generally less expensive since they consume less power due to their side-wall insulation. These freezers also have several useful features like a defrost drain and the ability to control temperature. Some models include a speed-freeze feature that cuts down more info on time to freeze certain foods.
Most freezers can be operated safely at -18 degrees Celsius. This is ideal for colder climates. If you live near the ocean, look for freezers designed to withstand salty air.
If you're interested in a freezer that's built to last can consider the Beko or Russell Hobbs model. These manufacturers were among the first to test their freezers at temperatures as low as -15 degrees Celsius to ensure they could be used in unheated structures.
Safety
Keep your chest freezer in a garage or other space that is secure from the elements. Some people claim to use their freezers outside without issue. However, the majority of experts in repair of appliances agree that this isn't a good idea. The outdoor temperatures can be too cold to keep a freezer running efficiently, and the humidity in the air could affect the condition of the freezer over time.
The freezer in the chest should have locked to stop children from opening it, as well as an extremely heavy lid that is difficult to open accidentally. It should also have wire bins or shelves to store smaller items, and a reversible, reversible-direction door.
A good freezer will have an alarm for temperature that sounds if the internal temperature starts to rise, allowing you save food by catching any issues early. This feature is a must-have for any freezer. Also, ensure that it has a defrost drainage.
The lighting in the interior of the freezer is another feature to think about. This is a must for maintaining the freezer's organization particularly if you keep it in a dark location like a basement or garage. This feature allows you to locate what you are looking for faster and reduces the frequency at which the lid of the freezer is removed without intention, which can cause the temperature to fall.