Chest Freezer For Outbuilding Strategies That Will Change Your Life

Why Buy a Mini Chest Freezer?

A chest freezer is great when you want to store frozen bargains and you require additional freezer space. They are typically found in garages and outbuildings, they enable you to benefit from supermarket price reductions.

Currys' own brand is a good value for the money. It has plenty of storage (around five bags) and an A+ rating on energy efficiency, so it will be cheap to run. It also features a lid with a counterbalanced design, making it easier to divide food.

Capacity

A small chest freezer is the ideal choice when you don't have enough space to fit a larger freezer but you still want to store enough ice cream for summer or stews in bulk in winter. These smaller designs are often shorter and wider than the larger models, which means they require less space. Some even fit in your garage making them a great option for those who grow their own food or who prefer to purchase fresh produce in bulk and then freeze it as quickly as possible.

Some models come with a basket on top which keeps bags of frozen peas or homemade ice-lollies, in a straight line. This stops small or often used food items from being thrown into the bottom of the refrigerator. They can be used to store any bags of frozen baguettes or bread, and other things.

The cheapest freezers are usually less than PS150 and will sit under your kitchen sink or in a utility space with larger chest designs can be more than PS1000. The Bush BECF99L comes in a sleek black case that features a front drainage port to make defrosting easier. This model is shallower than a lot of its rivals, but still has a 100-litre storage capacity. It can fit three bags of grocery items.

Energy efficiency

A chest freezer can make meals more convenient for households that cook in large batches or want to cut down on food wastage. It can also make it easier to avoid trips to the grocery store particularly if you are growing your own fruit and vegetables. Vincent Finazzo of Riverwards Produce in Philadelphia says it's great for storing excess produce and creating microwaveable meals.

Chest freezers tend to be extremely well-insulated, meaning they don't lose a lot of their cold air when the door is opened as happens with fridge and freezer doors. They can also be extremely energy efficient, especially when you choose a model with low-frost technology. Low frost models need defrosting less frequently and will save you money on your electric bills.

Many chest freezers come with features that can boost their efficiency even further. Look for a power-outage promise which guarantees that the freezer will be kept frozen in the event of an outage, and a high temperature alarm or indicator to let you know when the temperature inside has increased.

It is also important to check the freezer's annual consumption energy in kWh. This will give you a good idea of the cost it will take to operate. You'll usually find this figure in the instruction manual or on the freezer's energy label. Some freezers also have an accessory basket that can be hung over the top of the freezer, which prevents small items from getting lost in the chaos below.

Noise

This Bosch integrated model is an excellent choice for motorhomes and caravans as well as kitchenettes and student accommodations since it has enough room to fit unobtrusively. It has a good capacity of about 100 litres, sufficient for three bags of groceries, and it is energy efficient with an A+ rating. This means it will not cost a lot to run. It can keep food frozen for up to 30 days without power, which makes it a useful backup freezer in the event of a blackout.

It is quiet and is simple and minimalist in its design. This is perfect for those who don't want to be distracted by their freezer when working in the kitchen or living room. It has a handy internal light and includes storage baskets for easy organization.

Storage baskets

Since chest freezers comprise one huge space that can be challenging to organise, look for models that have wire storage baskets that can attach to the rim. They can elevate common items like frozen vegetables and chopped onions from the potential chaos below. They can also be useful for items such as open packets of oven chips, or frozen vegetables that need to be kept in a straight position.

A high-temperature alarm or light is a further feature buyers appreciate. It will notify you if the freezer gets too hot after cleaning or defrosting it, or adding a lot of non-frozen food items. This is a vital safety feature, particularly when you intend to use your mini freezer outside or in the garage.

This Bush model is a good size and offers plenty of freezer space at an affordable price, despite its small size. It is perfect for storing summer ice-creams or stews that you cook in batches in winter. It can also be used it as a storage space in your garage or outbuilding. The lid is counterbalanced, making it easy to open, and it's unlikely to close as you work through.

Chest freezers are notorious for accumulating lots of food waste. If they're not properly organized it can be easy to forget what they are stocked with. There are many ways to make your small chest freezer more accessible and less likely to throw away food. It doesn't matter if it's a simple list on a magnet, or an in-depth freezer inventory sheet (there's an example here) The best organising system will ensure that your mini chest freezer runs smoothly.