Which Freezer ? The main choice to make is frost-free or conventional, there are some considerations which are often overlooked here. It may seem easy to simply choose a frost free model, but it may not be as straight forward as you think. For instance, if you are buying an under counter/work top model, capacity is the key. Because frost free models have extra workings inside, the capacity can be reduced by up to 0.5cft. With the average underworktop freezer being slightly under 4cft, a loss of 0.5cft is quite a big disadvantage. That is probably why only a few makers bother with the underworktop frost free models. The other consideration is why do you want frost free, well of course its so you do not have to do a manual defrost (what a chore). But there are some things which you can do to help reduce the frequency of defrosts. Firstly today's freezers have much better insulation as they have to be more energy efficient, this helps reduce the amount of moisture drawn in to the unit and so reduces ice build up. Then when you use the freezer, try to avoid leaving the door open for long periods, like when you are unloading the shopping. Or even when you want to take something from the freezer, try to keep the door open for a short a time as possible. There are other advantages to choosing a conventional freezer too, they are cheaper to run and more reliable. It can be very expensive to repair a frost free model that's if you can find an engineer who knows how to fix them (we always recommend the maker). On the really tall models defrosting can be a drag, and because the capacity is so large they usually need more regular defrosts. Although there are a few techniques to help when defrosting large units. The best way is to remove all the baskets and stack them on top of each other, if you do not have baskets keep all the food together. If you are able to pack loose food in to large freezer bags then all the better. Most makers recommend leaving a bowl of hot water in the bottom of the unit to help speed up the defrost, its also handy to catch some of the water in. Never pour boiling water directly on to any of the internal fitments as this may lead to cracking due to hot meeting cold. Also never use any metallic object to scrape ice, always use a purpose made plastic one (we have heard of many customers over the years who have pierced the freezer with a knife etc)
If you need a chest freezer they are not available in frost free, but you can buy low frost models like the Zanussi. They say that you can go at least 5 years between each defrost! Chest freezers are bulky but are handy if you need to freeze bigger or unusual shaped items. Be careful if you are placing any freezer in a garage as many makers do not recommend this due to the extreme condition during the winter. If the item breaks down you may be in breach of the terms of your warranty. The energy rating as with most appliances is A - G with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient. Most freezers are at least a 'B' or better energy rating so always try to purchase an 'A' rated if possible. The only concern here is that some makers gain the best energy efficiency by thickening the insulation, you can lose quite a lot of capacity if the insulation is so thick so do check the capacity. There is no point having a great energy efficiency if the freezer is not big enough. If you are buying an integrated freezer they are not normally available in frost free, this is due to the lack of ventilation on integrated appliances.
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