Buying a Freezer

Freezers are a great to a family. A frugal shopper can easily pay for the cost of their freezer several times over during the decade that most good freezers last (if not longer). Additionally, the freezer offers a method of personalized preserving that are geared to a family’s unique tastes and lifestyle. You can cook once and eat several times from that meal, which also saves on gas money from trips to the supermarket.Having said all that, deciding to buy a freezer is no small decision financially. If you notice that you’re continually running out of space in your refrigerator or end up throwing out a lot of leftovers, it’s time to seriously consider making the investment. At this juncture you need to figure out what kind of freezer you’d prefer – upright or chest.

A chest freezer won’t cost you quite as much and can store more food per cubic foot than an upright. They’re also better in terms of energy usage and they stay cold longer when electricity goes out. However, unless you’re a very organized cook it’s easy to lose track of items in the bottom of the chest. Additionally most chest freezers don’t feature an interior light. By comparison the upright freezer has lighting and makes it very easy to see what you’ve got stored. It costs a little more, and looses more energy each time the door opens, but it also takes up less floor space.

Beyond the basic framework of the freezer, think about whether you want a frost-free system. These use more energy and cost more up front. But not having to defrost your freezer every six months saves time and mess. On the other hand, if you’ve purchased a chest freezer that defrosting time allows you to rescue food from the bottom of the abyss and make sure it hasn’t gone beyond its functional shelf life.

When it comes to the actual purchase, bigger isn’t always better. For storing bulk food an average size freezer is fine. Storing a whole side of beef is another thing altogether. No matter what you want your freezer to be at least ¾ full in order for it to maintain its energy efficiency and temperature.In terms of buying new or used, freezers have an average life of 10 years. So measure the age vs. cost, and also the potential of buying unknown problems that could be costly to repair without warranty.

Finally, getting a locking freezer is recommended if you have young children in the home. This avoids the potential of a door left open and the loss of a great deal of food.