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Food needs to be kept below -16°C to preserve it, and the quicker it gets down to that temperature the better. The best freezers will freeze food quickly to keep it in the best condition, and are cheap to run.
When the best freezers cool more than twice as quickly as the worst in our tests, it’s easy to see which are likely to keep your food as nutrient-rich as possible and give you better value for money.
Looking for a fridge freezer or fridge instead? See our round-up of the best fridge freezers and the best fridges.
These freezers are the models we recommend right now. They top the tables when it comes to our stringent lab tests, so will keep your food safely frozen and won't cost a lot to run.
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Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Table last updated August 2024
Head to our freezer reviews to see more tall freestanding models.
To see more great chest freezers, take a look at the best chest freezers.
Table last updated August 2024
To find cheaper freezers we recommend, go to our Great Value freezer reviews.
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Full Access first month £5, then £10.99 per month, cancel at any time
Table last updated August 2024
To see more energy-saving models, go to the best energy efficient freezers.
Head to our freezer reviews to see all the models we've tested.
Watch to find out about why you don't always get as much space as advertised inside a freezer and why the energy label doesn't tell you the full story.
Find out the key dimensions of these different types of freezer and how much you'll expect to pay for each.
These stand at between shoulder and head height, and offer a huge amount of storage space for frozen food. However, they take up a fair amount of space and can look bulky, particularly in small kitchens.
Most are 50-60cm wide and 60-65cm deep, although heights can vary from 130cm to more than 185cm.
Prices start at at around £230 for a basic model, but can rise to over £1,000 for a large, frost-free Miele or Samsung model.
Pros:
Cons:
See all our tall freestanding freezer reviews to pick the best one for your budget.
Chest freezers give you the option of storing lots of food, so they're great if you buy and cook in bulk or need to store large items like joints of meat. Most are more bulky than freestanding freezers though.
Small chest freezers are between 55-65cm wide and between 50-60cm deep. Larger chest freezers are between 90-120cm wide and 65-75cm deep.
Prices start around £150 for a smaller chest freezer, but expect to pay around £400 for a large chest freezer.
Pros
Cons
Head to our chest freezer reviews to find the best model for you.
Under-counter freezers fit under your kitchen worktop, so they’re ideal if you're short on space.
They are usually 85cm high or less so they fit under the average kitchen counter – but check there’s enough clearance under your worktop before you buy. Most are 60cm wide and 50-60cm deep.
It’s also possible to buy slim models which are less than 55cm wide and 50cm deep – these are useful if you don't have a lot of room and you don’t want your freezer to protrude out on your kitchen floor.
The price you pay will largely depend on the brand you choose. Some low-priced manual-defrost freezers are available for £200 or less, while frost-free models start at around £400.
Pros:
Cons:
Head to our under counter freezer reviews to see all the models we've tested.
Both tall and under-counter freezers are also available as integrated appliances which are concealed (or integrated) into your kitchen cabinets.
They're a popular choice for open-plan living spaces because they give your kitchen a sleek, uncluttered look.
Pros
Cons
Go to our integrated freezer reviews to see the models we recommend.
Modern freezers have plenty of useful features, but it's only worth paying extra for features you'll actually use. Consider which of these features is most important to you before you go shopping.
See our guide to the best freezer brands to find a brand that will fit your needs and budget.
Keeping your freezer in an unheated utility room or garage means it'll be subjected to colder temperatures than if it were in your kitchen. Some manufacturers, such as Beko, Russell Hobbs and Fridgemaster claim many of their freezers are suitable for use in temperatures as low as -15°C.
If you want a freezer for your garage, check with the manufacturer whether the model you have your eye on is suitable. It’s also a good idea to check whether they’ll honour the warranty if you do keep it in an outbuilding.
Find out more about freezers for garages in our guide to the best freezers and chest freezers for garages.
This will depend on the size of your household and kitchen. Whichever model you're buying, check the dimensions carefully and consider whether you need to factor in extra space at the sides, back and/or top for air to circulate.
If you're planning on freezing a lot of food you're going to need a freezer with lots of storage space inside. However, you can't rely on advertised freezer capacities, as manufacturers typically remove all of the shelves, drawers and door racks when measuring.
We leave everything inside and measure the space you can actually use for storing food. We find big differences between claimed and actual capacities - some freezers have as much as 29% less space than advertised.
Our usable storage volumes give a realistic idea of how much food you can store inside one model when compared with another. You can find these measurements on the 'tech specs' tab of each of our freezer reviews.
From 1 March 2021, a new energy label came into force, which replaced the confusing A+, A++ and A+++ ratings and reset the scale from A to G.
The change was designed to reinvigorate the sustainability race for manufacturers by completely emptying the top A-rating to encourage development of even more efficient appliances.
The new label for refrigeration (pictured above) states the capacity of chilled and/or frozen compartments in litres. There's also a new measure for noise emissions, as well as a QR code for more product information, which links to the product on the manufacturer’s website.
Head to our guide to the best energy efficient fridge freezers to read more about energy labels.
Finding a way to dispose of a freezer is no mean feat, especially if you want to get rid of it in a responsible and environmentally conscious way.
Like other large household items, such as mattresses, disposing of a freezer requires a bit more care and attention. The insulation and refrigerant contained inside are classed as hazardous waste, not to mention the risk of harmful gases leaking from the appliance if it's not disposed of safely.
Read how to dispose of or recycle a fridge freezer for advice on responsibly getting rid of an old appliance.