The 7 Best Chest Freezers
Updated by · How we research
Seven chest freezers from 3.5 to 17 cubic feet, compared on garage ratings, running cost and temperature control. The Midea 7.0 Cu. Ft. leads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A chest freezer costs roughly half as much to run as an upright, by ENERGY STAR's estimate, because cold air sinks and stays inside when the lid opens. That makes one the cheap way to stock up on meat, harvests or sale-priced groceries. The catch is location: many models aren't built for an unheated garage, so check that rating first.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
Midea's 7-cubic-foot model now leads this list, replacing the older Midea of the same size. Midea rates it to keep freezing in a garage, it switches to fridge duty, and it costs less per cubic foot than any other pick. Almost nothing else from the old list survived. The Arctic King and Frigidaire 14.8 listings are gone, the Galanz and Danby are unavailable, and the Northair link now sells a different machine. We also cut the EdgeStar and Whynter, which are portable car fridges, and the Kitma, a store display freezer.
The new list runs from a closet-size 3.5 cubic feet to 17 cubic feet for bulk meat. To build it we read ENERGY STAR's freezer data and the yellow EnergyGuide labels in the makers' photos, compared the room-temperature ratings that decide whether a freezer can live in a garage, and searched Consumer Product Safety Commission notices for every brand. They turned up recalls of Frigidaire-brand minifridges and Galanz retro refrigerators, but none for chest freezers.
December 03, 2020:
We removed the Dometic Electric because of concerns about its quality and durability, and added the Galanz GLF70CWED017. This new addition offers 7 cubic-feet of space, and costs less than similar-sized models. It also has rolling casters, making it a great choice for those who might need to periodically move it around the garage or basement.
It’s important to periodically defrost your freezer whenever ice buildup accumulates to a ¼-inch thick. This frost can reduce the efficiency of the freezer, and result in higher energy costs. Frost buildup can also take up valuable food storage space.
Defrosting your chest freezer must sound intimidating, but it’s a pretty straightforward process. First, turn off the unit and unplug it. Then, remove all the food inside, which can be either stored in another freezer or fridge, or temporarily inside insulated bags or coolers. Then you simply wait for the ice to melt and flow out of the freezer drain. If you like, you can speed up the process by chipping away at the ice with a wooden spatula. Make sure you never use anything metal to scrape, as it can damage the inside of the freezer. Once the ice is melted and drained, you can plug your freezer back in, let it reach its proper cooling temperature, and then it can be refilled.
If you’re tight on floor space, but still want a freezer that can store a decent amount of food, you might want to consider an upright freezer. These are just as functional as the chest models listed here, but have a much smaller footprint.
Or, if you’re interested in taking frozen foods camping, on a road trip, or a tailgate, one of these portable freezers could be a better choice.
December 19, 2019:
We replaced the Haier models previously on this list due to declining durability reported by users. The Arctic King is a reliable option that is a reasonable size for everyday home usage without having to relegate the unit to a garage or basement to find space for it.
We also did add the Frigidaire 14.8. This capacity isn't needed for the average family but for homes that acquire their meats in bulk, the Frigidaire will keep everything at a constant temperature.
Portable choices like the Edge Star FP630 and the Dometic Electric offer some versatility for those who don't need extra freezer storage year round, and might want to use it for other things like road trips or RVs.
Special Honors
ENERGY STAR Freezer Finder The EPA's searchable list of certified freezers shows each model's yearly energy use, so you can check a freezer you see in a store against the ones here. Certified models use at least 10 percent less energy than the federal minimum. energystar.gov
GE Appliances GE sells chest freezers in compact through extra-large sizes at appliance and home stores, including models rated for garages. It is the brand many independent freezer roundups name, and worth a look if you shop in person. geappliances.com
Picking A Size And A Spot
Those big boxes run five to six feet long, weigh well over 100 pounds, and need a wide door and two people to move.
Chest freezers are sold by cubic feet. A 3.5-cubic-foot box suits one or two people who want room for ice cream, a few roasts and frozen vegetables. Five to seven cubic feet is the usual second freezer for a family, and it fits a closet corner or a spot in the laundry room. Fourteen cubic feet and up is for hunters, gardeners and anyone buying a quarter or half of a steer. Those big boxes run five to six feet long, weigh well over 100 pounds, and need a wide door and two people to move.
Where it will sit matters as much as size. A freezer's thermostat senses the air inside the box, and many models are only built for rooms between about 55 and 90 degrees. In a garage that drops below freezing, the compressor may barely run, and in summer heat it can run nonstop. Makers that rate a freezer for a garage say so: Midea rates its chest freezers to keep freezing in rooms from 0 to 110 degrees. ENERGY STAR suggests a cool, dry indoor spot such as a basement when the climate allows, with a few inches of space around the cabinet for air.
Plug it straight into a grounded wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip. Garage outlets are often GFCI-protected, and a tripped outlet can thaw a full freezer before anyone notices, so a plug-in alarm or a freezer thermometer you check weekly is cheap insurance.
Running Cost, Defrosting And Temperature
Chest freezers are the frugal choice. ENERGY STAR puts a typical chest model at about 215 kilowatt-hours a year, or roughly 30 dollars, against about 395 for an upright, and says manual-defrost freezers use about half the energy of frost-free ones. Every freezer sold in the U.S. carries a yellow EnergyGuide label with its own estimate: the Midea 7.0 label reads about 250 kilowatt-hours a year, and the Black+Decker 16.2 about 315. Compare those numbers, not the marketing words.
The trade-off is frost. Every pick here is manual defrost, and ENERGY STAR advises defrosting when the frost gets about a quarter-inch thick. Unplug, move food to coolers, open the drain, and let it melt. Never chip ice with a knife or screwdriver: most new freezers use isobutane refrigerant, which is flammable, and a punctured line ends the freezer's life.
For safe long-term storage, food should sit at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, the target the USDA uses. None of these freezers shows a temperature; they have numbered dials. Put a freezer thermometer in the middle of the box, check it a day after any change, and keep the dial in its colder half if the warmest setting sits above zero.
Outages, Safety And Who Really Makes It
A chest freezer is a good bet in a power outage, because cold air stays put when the lid is shut. FoodSafety.gov says a full freezer holds a safe temperature for about 48 hours and a half-full one for about 24, as long as the lid stays closed. Food that still has ice crystals or reads 40 degrees or less can be refrozen.
Old chest freezers with latching lids trapped children; modern ones close with magnetic seals that a push from inside can open. When you retire an old freezer, take the lid off or have it hauled away by a recycler; many utilities pay a small rebate and handle the refrigerant and foam properly.
Brand names can mislead. Several of the freezers here are built under license: the Frigidaire and Hamilton Beach models come from Curtis International, and the Igloo from Nostalgia Products. Midea builds its own and also made the Arctic King line. That matters for service and recalls. A 2026 recall of Frigidaire-brand minifridges from Curtis and a Galanz retro refrigerator recall do not cover any chest freezer, and we found no chest freezer recall for any brand on this list.
How we researched this
We compared 18 chest freezers and lookalikes, from 1.8 to 17 cubic feet, including every model from the old list. We read makers' specs and EnergyGuide labels, ENERGY STAR, USDA and FoodSafety.gov guidance, and owner feedback patterns, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. We found no independent lab test we could read in full, so the order weighs garage ratings, everyday features, price per cubic foot and owner feedback.
Sources (7)
Frequently asked questions
What size chest freezer do I need?
About 3.5 cubic feet covers one or two people who want extra space. Five to seven cubic feet suits most families as a second freezer. Buy 14 cubic feet or more for bulk meat, a hunting season or a big garden.
Can I put a chest freezer in the garage?
Only if the maker rates it for one. Many freezers work best in rooms between about 55 and 90 degrees. A garage-rated model, such as Midea's, is built to keep freezing in a cold or hot garage.
How much does a chest freezer cost to run?
ENERGY STAR puts a typical chest freezer at about 215 kilowatt-hours a year, or roughly 30 dollars. Check the yellow EnergyGuide label on any model for its own estimate.
How often should I defrost a chest freezer?
When the frost reaches about a quarter-inch, which for most homes is once or twice a year. Unplug it, move the food to coolers, open the drain and let the ice melt. Never chip at it with a knife.
How long will food stay frozen in a power outage?
About 48 hours in a full freezer and 24 in a half-full one, if the lid stays closed, according to FoodSafety.gov.
How long do chest freezers last?
ENERGY STAR uses a 12-year lifetime for freezers. Units kept in a hot garage tend to wear out sooner, because the compressor runs longer.
