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Freezer buying guide

Chest vs. upright

Chest freezers give you the most space per dollar, hold their cold better during power outages (cold air sinks and stays put when you open the lid), and are dead simple mechanically. The downside: things get buried — use bins to stay organized.

Upright freezers work like a refrigerator: shelves, easy to see everything, no digging. They cost more per cubic foot and lose more cold air when opened, but most people find them far easier to live with.

Garage-ready matters

Not every freezer is designed to run in an unheated garage. Standard models can struggle or shut down when ambient temperatures drop near freezing. If yours is going in the garage, look for one rated “garage ready” — it's built to handle Illinois winters.

What to check before you buy

• It should reach 0°F and hold it. Every freezer here is plugged in and tested before listing.
• Check the lid or door seal all the way around — a weak seal is the main cause of frost buildup.
• Look inside for rust or heavy staining, which can signal a hard previous life.

Chest or upright? Be honest with yourself

Chest freezers win on price per cubic foot — but here's the honest truth: food you can't see is food you'll forget, and forgotten food is money in the trash. If the budget stretches, the upright is the freezer you'll actually enjoy owning. An organized upright wastes less food, which quietly pays you back all year.

Where to put it

Freezers need a few inches of airflow around them and a level spot. Measure the space and the path getting it there — chest freezers are bulky and awkward to move. If you need it delivered, that's what we're here for.

Current freezers in stock

Live inventory — when it's gone, it's gone.

Freezers

NEW Frigidaire Chest Freezer/Fridge

$399

$260