01.Introduction
Test results for six chest freezers from $489 to $669
Chest freezers are designed for bulk buying and long-term storage – useful in these belt-tightening economic times. When CHOICE last tested upright and chest freezers nearly a decade ago we found that uprights, although much more convenient, are less efficient.
This still holds true, as chest freezers are more energy efficient, and have better temperature performance, mainly because the cold stays in the freezer when the lid is opened, whereas in an upright it falls out of the opened door. Chest freezers are also less expensive than uprights and account for over a third of the market share of freezer-only sales in Australia.
However, we don’t recommend one type over the other, as they are suited to different types of use – uprights for convenience and daily use and chest freezers for long-term storage. An upright can be located as part of a pigeon pair combination in the kitchen, whereas a chest freezer is often located elsewhere.
We assessed the freezers on:
- Their temperature performance:
- How easy they are to use.
- How energy efficient they are.
- How long they take to both cool down and warm up.
Visit our guide to buying guide for fridges and freezers on tips on how to select the right product for you.
Please note: this information was current as of April 2009 but is still a useful guide to today's market.
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Brands and models tested
- Fisher & Paykel H160S
- Fisher & Paykel H220X
- Haier HFC208A
- Kelvinator KCM1500WB (A)
- Lemair CF-200K (A)
- Westinghouse WCM2100WA (A)
(A) Discontinued, but may still be available in some stores.
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10 Mar 2011
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There are big variations in temperature uniformity, efficiency, noise and running costs.
8 Feb 2013
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See performance results for fridges from major brands including Westinghouse, Fisher and Paykel, Electrolux, LG and Samsung.
17 Oct 2007
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To keep food safe to eat, it must be chilled below 5°C or frozen at or below –18°C. Any warmer allows for potential for harmful bacteria growth.
17 Feb 2012
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CHOICE's state-of-the-art laboratories offer a tailored service to Australian industry and government.
