Appearance
Chest freezers sit horizontally on the floor and are deep compared to upright freezers. This can be ideal when adding food, but it also means you have to dig out older items.
Upright freezers, on the other hand, look a lot like refrigerators. They sit vertically and work the same way as refrigerators, storing items in various shelves and compartments. They are more space-efficient than chest freezers, making it easier to find room for them in your home. They can easily slide down in areas with less horizontal space. Chest freezers tend to be wider in length and width, making it harder to find a spot.
Energy Efficiency
Chest freezers are more energy-efficient than upright freezers. Generally speaking, they cost a little over $4 per month to run when split. Upright freezers cost around $14 per month to run. Both options have energy-efficient models available that can save you even more.
Upright freezers use a seal lock on the top to keep the food inside fresh and frozen. Therefore, this also means that less energy is needed to keep the containers cool. Upright freezers have less clearance in the door mechanism, so more energy is needed to keep food cold.
Additionally, if the power goes out at home, chest freezers can keep food frozen for 2 to 3 days at a time. This is again due to the seal around the outside edge of the freezer. Upright freezers can only keep food frozen for 1 day at a time. Additionally, chest freezers must be manually defrosted, while upright freezers may come with an automatic defrost option. This means that the frost is removed from the inside of the freezer. Freezers with automatic defrost are generally noisier than those without automatic defrost. This is because of the increased air circulation, but also because they require more energy to operate, which can sometimes create a louder electrical hum.
Generally speaking, upright freezers need to be unplugged, drained, and then cleaned, while some upright freezers can defrost on their own.
Storage
Both of these refrigerators come in different sizes, providing more or less space as needed. However, the way food is arranged inside the freezer is very different.
Chest freezers only have a metal basket inside to organize food, which means that other food items may be buried in between each other. Additionally, you will need to bend, lift, and move to find what you are looking for. It can be tiring when you're looking for a small bag of peas and there's a bag of meat piled on top. However, thanks to product innovations in the freezer industry, many chest freezers now have additional storage baskets and compartments that can be used to make organization easier. Some models have drawers that can be pulled out for quick access. This makes using a chest freezer easier, although the user still needs to bend over to reach items or remove baskets.
However, one of the benefits of using an upright freezer is the ability to store larger items. Since there are no shelves, it's easier to fit a single large item (such as a turkey), and many upright freezers have 20% more usable space than upright freezers. Therefore, if you plan on storing large items, this type of freezer will provide you with the most practicality.
Upright freezers have shelving compartments within them, much like a refrigerator. This makes it easy to neatly arrange items on different levels within the freezer. In the past, upright freezers were considered more convenient for this reason. Many shelves allow items to be arranged more neatly, especially if you choose a model with removable shelves, which allows for better use of space. Adjustable and removable door storage bins and adjustable shelves with pull-out baskets can all make upright freezers more practical. However, larger frozen items don't fit well in the freezer because of the shelf compartments. This reduces vertical space, leaving no room for larger items, such as a large turkey or ham.
In addition, the door temperature can sometimes be warmer than the room temperature. So while there is some storage space in the door, you may have trouble keeping everything at an even temperature.
Installation
Because upright freezers require more space, it is important to make sure there is enough room. The installer will check to make sure there is enough clearance above to lift the top. In addition, there should be an electrical plug in the area where the freezer will be when installed.
Upright freezers take up less floor space, but there must be enough room for the door to open in the correct direction. There must always be at least an inch of space behind the freezer, so it cannot be installed right up against the wall behind it. There should also be an accessible plug in this area.
Regardless of which type of freezer you choose, a pro tip is to add an extra inch to the width of the space when measuring. This will help air flow into the freezer, helping to prevent issues like coil freezing.
Maintenance
Chest freezers are a little more complicated to maintain than upright freezers. This is mainly because chest freezers do not have an automatic defrost option. This means that the freezer needs to be defrosted first, then drained, and finally cleaned out. In addition, bending over and reaching deep into the freezer can be tiring for some people's backs and legs.
Upright freezers can be set to automatically defrost and then wipe clean. This saves time and makes cleaning out the inside of the freezer less of a headache and backache. But remember, it can be difficult to tell when buying an upright freezer if it comes with an automatic defrost feature, as many do not. You will need to specifically ask the dealer if this is an option you want.
Safety Concerns
Neither of these two refrigerators is safer, and depending on the model, both have locking options. Buying any refrigerator can be a safety hazard when children are around. Children can easily open the lid of an upright freezer and climb inside, just as children can get into an upright freezer.
Some models come with locking devices to ensure that they are safer for children to use. Some models also have locks that can be purchased and added. While this isn't a necessity, it's an important aspect to consider when buying a freezer for those with small children.
Lifespan
Chest freezers tend to last longer than upright freezers due to the way they're made. Chest freezers don't overheat, don't have issues with liquid leaks, and are designed with long-term use in mind. Chest freezers have an expected lifespan of 15 to 20 years, while upright freezers have an expected lifespan of 10 to 15 years.
Freezer burn
Chest freezers are better at keeping the temperature of food more stable than upright freezers. This means that you can theoretically keep food frozen longer without issues. This is because they require manual defrosting; less air is circulated through the freezer, which keeps freezer burn to a minimum. Also, with no food stored on the door, the temperature on the door may be different from the temperature inside.
Upright freezers equipped with automatic defrost generally have better air circulation. While this means they're less expensive to maintain, it also means that food stored in them is more susceptible to freezer burn or ice crystal buildup. The temperature is also less stable, so you may not be able to leave food in an upright freezer for long periods of time.
