If you find yourself running out of freezer space in your refrigerator freezer compartment, you might want to consider a deep freezer. This kitchen appliance is very convenient, especially if you buy meat in bulk.
A deep freezer is a standalone kitchen appliance and is used to store foods you want to be frozen. Unlike a regular fridge, a deep freezer has a larger storage capacity. Deep freezers can either be chest freezers or upright freezers.
There are a lot of foods you can store in a deep freezer, not just meat. In this article, we will be talking about deep freezers, what food you can store in them, and some factors you should consider if you plan on buying one.
What Is A Deep Freezer?
A deep freezer is a standalone appliance that is used to store foods at a lower temperature. Deep freezers are designed to keep food frozen and they are usually used for long-term storage. The insulation of deep freezers is much thicker than a refrigerator. But, like any other freezers, deep freezers should maintain a temperature of around 0 degrees Fahrenheit or -18 degrees Celsius.
A deep freezer got its name because of its storage space. Since it is a standalone freezer, a deep freezer does not have a dedicated compartment for refrigerator space. It is all freezer space and is bigger than a regular freezer compartment that is in a refrigerator.
There are two types of deep freezers and the most common of the two is the chest freezer. There is also no standard size for a deep freezer. A deep freezer’s size can range anything from 3 cubic feet to over 21 cubic feet.
Different Types Of Deep Freezers
As we said earlier, there are two types of deep freezers: chest freezers and upright freezers. Deep freezers are usually used by people who buy in bulk as they can store a lot of frozen food depending on its size.
A chest freezer, also called a reach-in freezer, is a type of deep freezer that has a lid that opens at the top. Chest freezers come in different sizes: compact, small, medium, and large.
Compact chest freezers come in 3 to 5 cubic feet and a large chest freezer can have over 17 cubic feet with a dimension of 72 to 84″ in width, 31 to 34″ in height, and 27 to 32″ in depth. Because of its size and dimensions, a chest freezer requires a more open floor space as it is a wide and short type of freezer. The bigger the chest freezer you buy, the wider open space you will need. Chest freezers will get wider the more cubic footage they have.
Upright deep freezers, on the other hand, look like a refrigerator where you open the door like a cabinet. Unlike chest freezers, upright freezers have built-in vertical shelving and door storage which can make organizing easier.
Upright freezers also come in compact, small, medium, and large sizes. An upright freezer gets taller as the cubic footage increases so it does not take up too much space, unlike a chest freezer.
How Cold Are Deep Freezers?
Freezer temperature should be maintained at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or -18 degrees Celsius to be able to store food in the freezer properly. Freezer temperature normally fluctuates, especially if it is frost-free, to prevent ice crystals or frost from forming. The temperature of most deep freezers can be adjusted but, it is still important to monitor the freezer, especially if you are storing food that is sensitive to temperature changes. Putting a thermometer inside a deep freezer is a good way to monitor its temperature.
What Should I Store In A Deep Freezer?
If you run out of freezer space in your refrigerator’s freezer, you can definitely use a deep freezer to store food and kept it frozen for a while. Deep freezers are food for storing the usual freezer food items such as frozen vegetables, ice cream, poultry, seafood, and other meats like pork, beef, and turkey.
Aside from these foods, you can also store other food like bananas, bread, frozen berries, broth, homemade soup, pesto, and even dried nuts. Deep freezers can be a good investment if you are particular about buying in bulk (especially meat) and can’t fit all of it in your regular freezer compartment.
What Is The Difference Between A Fridge Freezer And A Deep Freezer?
A fridge freezer is a kitchen appliance commonly found in residential homes. It has both a refrigerator and freezer compartment and it is also an upright, freestanding kitchen appliance. A refrigerator’s freezer compartment can be located at the top or at the bottom of the fridge, depending on what kind of fridge it is.
Other refrigerators have freezer drawers while other refrigerators have the freezer on one side and the Refrigerator compartment on the other, making it a dual-door fridge. Fridge freezers are smaller and have less storage space than deep freezers.
A deep freezer is a standalone kitchen appliance and has a larger storage capacity than a regular fridge freezer. While a fridge freezer has two compartments, for refrigerator and freezer space, deep freezers only have freezer storage and can’t be used as a refrigerator.
Factors To Consider Before Buying A Deep Freezer
If you are considering buying a deep freezer, there are several factors you should consider.
Space
A chest freezer can take up more space as it is wider and will only get wider as its cubic footage increases. If you do not have enough open floor space for a chest freezer, consider buying an upright freezer. It is still a deep freezer but is taller and does not take up too much space, unlike a deep chest freezer.
Cost
A deep freezer can be expensive depending on its type, size, and features. Make sure to consider your budget as most deep freezers can cost a couple of hundred to over a thousand dollars. If the budget is tight, a smaller deep freezer can work.
Usage
Another factor to consider is how much you would use your deep freezer. If you always buy in bulk and find that a regular fridge is not enough to store your frozen food items, a deep freezer can be a good investment. But, if your frozen food items can fit in your fridge freezer, you might want to hold on to that thought of buying a deep freezer.
Features
Deep freezers have different features depending on their brand. Some deep freezers have an automatic defrost option which can save you time as you do not have to manually defrost the freezer.
If you want to have more organized frozen items in your freezer, an upright freezer is the best option as it already has built-in shelving ready for storing food.
If you are thinking of putting the deep freezer in your garage, consider getting a garage-ready deep freezer. These types of deep freezers can maintain their temperature even when in an uncontrolled environment such as the garage. Even when it gets hot or cold in the garage, a garage-ready deep freezer will maintain its temperature which keeps the food properly stored.
Final Thoughts
Deep freezers are very convenient if you have a lot of food that you want to store in a freezer. A deep freezer can store a lot of food items such as ice cream, meat, and dried nuts.
If you buy meat in bulk or have a lot of food to be stored in a freezer, you might consider buying a deep freezer. We talked about what a deep freezer is in detail in this article as well as some factors you should consider if you want to buy one. If you have any other questions, let us know via the contact form on our website.
