Best chest freezer: Boost your freezer capacity
Running out of space in your freezer? A chest freezer can give a huge boost to your frozen storage - and for less than you might think
Buying a chest freezer is one of the best ways to avoid food waste and keep a good stock of food supplies for a rainy day. There’s something reassuring about having a freezer full of food in case of emergencies like bad weather, particularly if you don’t live close to a supermarket.
Having extra freezer space is also a must for batch cooking and baking, as it allows you to get ahead with meals and store them in convenient microwavable portions for when you’re too busy to cook. Likewise, if you grow your own fruit and vegetables, you can make the most of a bumper harvest and make sure nothing goes to waste by creating freeze-able sauces, meals and desserts.
Chest freezers come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so you should be able to find one that not only meets your needs for food storage, but also fits snugly into whatever space you have available, whether that’s in the house, garage or shed.
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Best chest freezers: At a glance
| best cheap compact chest freezer | Logik L95CFW23 | £119 | Check price at Currys |
| Best large-capacity chest freezer | Haier HCE519F | £569 | Check price at AO |
| Best compact black chest freezer | Fridgemaster MCF142B | £149 | Check price at AO |
| Best mid-size chest freezer | Hotpoint CS1A250HFA1 | £389 | Check price at AO |
| Best medium-capacity chest freezer | Hoover HHCH202EL | £249 | Check price at AO |
How to choose the best chest freezer for you
How do I work out what volume I need?
A freezer’s storage capacity is measured in litres, which isn’t always helpful when you’re trying to evaluate how much space you will need. To give you a benchmark, most typical kitchen fridge freezers offer around 100 litres of freezer space. And most chest freezers start at 100 litres, but they can go up to 500 litres. A general rule of thumb is that 100 litres is roughly equivalent to five bags of food shopping. But how much you can actually cram into the space depends on how good you are at freezer Tetris.
What size chest freezer is best?
Sadly, no matter how much extra freezer capacity we want, it doesn’t mean we have the space to accommodate another big appliance. So it’s important to figure out where the freezer will go and buy one that will fit the space. Chest freezers can be as little as 55cm wide, which is smaller than your average 60cm kitchen cupboard; these models are perfect for tucking away under the stairs or in a small utility room. If space is no issue, larger-capacity models can be in excess of 150cm wide, but there are lots of sizes in between, too. Almost all models are between 80 and 90cm high, although the depth can vary between 50 and 70cm, so you will need to take this into account too.
Do chest freezers have internal compartments?
Unlike typical upright freezers that have drawers or shelves, chest freezers often consist of one big space. This means when it’s full, getting to the food at the bottom can be tricky. Some come with storage baskets that sit in the top – these are helpful because you can lift out the whole basket, making it easier to see what’s below. Good organisation is key to getting the most out of your chest freezer, so consider investing in tubs or extra baskets and always make sure everything is well labelled.
Can I keep a chest freezer in the garage?
As chest freezers are usually used as a secondary freezer, many people utilise space in their garage, shed or other outbuildings for this additional food storage. These outbuildings are often not insulated, and the internal temperature can plummet as the weather gets cold. Not all freezers will work in very low temperatures, look out for the optimum ambient or room temperature in the freezer specifications. Most chest freezers work effectively between 10 and 43°C, but if you want to keep it outside your house, you will need one that can work in lower temperatures.
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The best chest freezers to buy in 2023
1. Logik L95CFW23: The best cheap compact chest freezer
Price when reviewed: £119 | Check price at Currys
If you’re looking to add a big chunk of freezer storage space to your home, without making too much of a dent in your wallet, then the Logik L95CFW23 would be an excellent pick. This appliance doesn’t do anything fancy; but it does give you almost 100 litres of dependable storage space for your frozen goods.
The top-opening design of the appliance is convenient and space-efficient, and the temperature control dial at the front of the freezer is so straightforward as to be foolproof.
While this low-cost chest freezer will work for many households, it certainly isn’t perfect. The L95CFW23 is not recommended for use in outbuildings that are vulnerable to very low temperatures, and there’s no auto-defrost, so you’ll have some scraping to do every now and then.
Key specs – Dimensions: 85.4 x 54.5 x 47.7 cm (HWD); Capacity: 96 litres; Fast freeze: No; Energy rating: E; Freezer star rating: 4; Temperature warning: No; Open door warning: No; Suitable for outbuildings: No
2. Bush MECF99W Chest Freezer: Previous best cheap compact chest freezer
Price when reviewed: £149 | Check price at Argos
Editor’s note: This was our previous favourite cheap recommendation, but the model is now discontinued and only available via Argos at a new, slightly higher £169 price. If budgets are tight, then check the price of the Essentials model above before taking the plunge.
This Bush MECF99W chest freezer is the perfect size to tuck away out of sight in an empty corner of your home. It offers almost 100 litres of extra freezer space at a wallet-friendly price, but bear in mind that it’s not suitable for outbuildings.
At this price, you don’t get all the bells and whistles such as a digital temperature display or temperature warnings if you’ve left the door open. However, if you get a power cut it will keep food cold for up to 17 hours. It comes with one storage basket that slides from left to right so you can easily access the food below.
If price is your main priority, this simple freezer will do the job and give you extra space for summer ice creams or batch-cooked winter stews.
Key specs – Dimensions: 85 x 54.5 x 49.5cm (HWD); Capacity: 99 litres; Fast freeze: No; Energy rating: F; Freezer star rating: 4; Temperature warning: No; Open door warning: No; Suitable for outbuildings: No
3. Haier HCE519F Chest Freezer: The best large-capacity chest freezer
Price when reviewed: £569 | Check price at AO
If you’re looking to maximise your frozen food storage and don’t mind paying a premium, the huge Haier HCE519F is the chest freezer to buy.
The internal light helps you sift through your supplies and the counterbalanced lid won’t hit you on the head when you’re delving to the bottom to retrieve a stray pizza. There’s also a handy LED display, with temperature controls and a fast freeze button.
Despite the generous 519-litre capacity, there’s only one basket supplied, so you will need to develop a method of organising your food or you will never find what you’re looking for. You will also need to make sure you’ve got somewhere to put it because it’s large and can’t go in an outbuilding.
Key specs – Dimensions: 84.5 x 165 x 74.5cm (HWD); Capacity: 519 litres; Fast freeze: Yes; Energy rating: F; Freezer star rating: 4; Temperature warning: Light; Open door warning: No; Suitable for outbuildings: No
4. Fridgemaster MCF142B Chest Freezer: The best compact black chest freezer
Price when reviewed: £149 | Check price at AO
Let’s face it, not many of us are keen on big ugly white appliances. The Fridgemaster MCF142B comes in a smart black finish and is just slightly wider than a standard kitchen cupboard, yet it offers a generous 142-litre capacity.
There’s one basket that sits at the top and can be used to store your favourite foods for easy access. It has a temperature control dial but it lacks other features such as fast freeze, a temperature warning light, an internal light or a counterbalanced lid.
If you decide not to keep it in the house, the Winter Guard technology means it will work in temperatures as low as -15°C so it’s ideal for a garage or shed too.
Key specs – Dimensions: 85.4 x 62.5 x 55.9cm (HWD); Capacity: 142 litres; Fast freeze: No; Energy rating: F; Freezer star rating: 4; Temperature warning: No; Open door warning: No; Suitable for outbuildings: Yes
5. Hotpoint CS1A 250 H FA 1 Chest Freezer: The best mid-size chest freezer
Price when reviewed: £389 | Check price at AO
If you don’t need one of the largest models but a compact chest freezer is too small, this Hotpoint model is a great middle ground. The 255-litre capacity will give you plenty of additional freezer space and it’s suitable for outbuildings, so you can put it wherever you like.
It’s not a budget-busting price, but nevertheless it comes with most of the features you will need. The Frost Away feature reduces ice formation, so it won’t need defrosting as regularly as some others. The counterbalanced lid and LED internal light combine to make life easy when you’re searching for that missing tub of ice cream, or you can utilise the basket to store smaller items and keep them within easy reach.
There’s a fast freeze function as well as a warning light to let you know when the temperature is too high. And should you experience a power cut, your food will stay frozen for up to 40 hours.
Key specs – Dimensions: 91.6 x 101 x 69.8cm (HWD); Capacity: 255 litres; Fast freeze: Yes; Energy rating: F; Freezer star rating: 4; Temperature warning: Light; Open door warning: No; Suitable for outbuildings: Yes
6. Hoover HHCH202EL: The best medium-capacity chest freezer
Price when reviewed: £249 | Check price at AO
If you have sufficient storage space, buying a medium-sized chest freezer will make a lot of sense. You’re taking pressure off your main fridge freezer, while increasing your overall capacity to store frozen foods.
The Hoover HHCH202EL is a good, straightforward medium-sized option for households with a fairly modest budget. It gives you a whopping 198 litres of storage space, in a simple yet effective appliance that can be opened conveniently from the top via an integrated handle. Interestingly, the lid is lockable, which could be handy if you’re trying to save some frozen treats from the eager freezer-raider in your life.
Given that this is a pretty hefty chest freezer, we appreciated the inclusion of some small casters on the underside of the appliance. They’ll come in handy if you’re going to keep your freezer in a space where lots of other items are stored, such as a garage.
Key specs – Dimensions: 84.5 x 94 x 55 cm (HWD); Capacity: 198 litres; Fast freeze: No; Energy rating: F; Freezer star rating: 4; Temperature warning: Visual; Open door warning: No; Suitable for outbuildings: Yes (-10°C limit)
