15 Best Chest Freezers UK 2024 - An Expert Buyer's Guide (2024)

If you tend to buy a lot of frozen food at one time and find yourself running out of room in your fridge freezer, then a chest freezer could be the ideal solution.

A chest freezer allows you to store a large number of frozen goods at one time, which means you’re able to cut down on trips to the supermarket and will always have a ready supply of food. Perfect for a large family.

The top-opening design serves two particularly useful functions. Easy access is the first, the second is that cold air likes to stay low. So unlike with a front-opening freezer, your cold air won’t fall out of a chest freezer and it will be more efficient.

I’ve reviewed some of the best chest freezers currently available in the UK – looking at their key features as well as their pros and cons. After reading through the reviews below, you should be ready to make an informed purchase.

You can go to see the price on Amazon by clicking View Price Button, however, you can also find and buy many of these at Argos, Currys, orB&Q, and you can choose which retailer or price you prefer.

I have updated this article in 2024 to provide you with the newest and the greatest chest freezers in the market.

You can go to the product page for any of the freezers in the top 5 list below by clicking on the appropriate link.

Let’s start by looking at my top choice – the HOOVER HHCH 202 EL Chest Freezer.

Top 5 Best Chest Freezers UK

• Top Choice – HOOVER HHCH 202 EL Chest Freezer
• Best for Garage – RUSSELL Hobbs RHCF142B Chest Freezer
• Best Large – HAIER HCE429F Freestanding Chest Freezer
• Best Small – FRIDGEMASTER MCF96E Chest Freezer
• Runner Up – ZANUSSI ZCAN20FW1 Chest Freezer

1. Top Choice – HOOVER HHCH 202 EL Chest Freezer

Hoover is one of my favourite appliance brands, they’ve been creating great products for decades and they never disappoint.

So of course, this chest freezer is no different, it’s got a large capacity of 197L which is big enough for even a family and it’s one of the more energy-efficient models so it doesn’t cost the earth to run.

Plus it’s suitable for outbuildings and garages with cold-resistant technology that keeps it safe to use as temperatures all the way down to -10.

And it’s got a temperature alarm so if the temperature starts to rise an alarm sounds letting you know something’s wrong. It doesn’t have an open lid alarm which would solve this problem faster but when so many don’t have any alarm the temperature gauge is fine.

On top of all of that, you’ve got 1-year labour and 10-year parts guarantee to let you know it’s going to be working absolutely fine for years to come.

Overall, easily the best chest freezer out there, with plenty of space, not too expensive to run, and is built to last.

2. Best for Garage – Russell Hobbs RH142CF2002B 142 Litre Chest Freezer

The Russell Hobbs RH142CF2002B Chest Freezer is a good mid-range option that gives you a decent amount of storage space and has some very nice features.

It has a capacity of 142 litres, which although on the smaller side, still gives you plenty of space for storing frozen food. It’s completely safe to use in the garage and the adjustable thermostat and counterbalanced lid are both very welcome features.

You will need to manually defrost this freezer from time-to-time but this isn’t too much of a hassle and is pretty standard with chest freezers.

You get a 5-year guarantee included with this freezer as well as free delivery. It’s now available in both black and white, so if you’re buying it for a kitchen, take the white one, and for the garage, it’s whatever you prefer.

3. Best Large – Haier HCE429F Freestanding Chest Freezer, 429L Total Capacity

The Haier HCE429R Freestanding Chest Freezer gives you plenty of storage space and some excellent features that make it very convenient to use.

It has a capacity of 429 litres, making this an excellent choice for large households. The frost-free technology means this is very easy to maintain and avoids frost building up inside.

This model has an F energy rating, meaning it’s quite ok for the size of the unit.

Overall, this is a very capable freezer and would be perfect if you want something easy to use and gives you a lot of space for storing frozen food.

4. Best Small – Fridgemaster MCF96E Chest Freezer

The Fridgemaster MCF96E Chest Freezer would make a great choice for use in the garage due to its compact size and ability to run in low temperatures.

It has a capacity of 95 litres, giving you enough space for 5 bags worth of frozen food. It can run in temperatures as low as -15, so you don’t have to worry about it being in the garage during the winter months.

It will need to be manually defrosted from time-to-time to prevent ice build-up. It has an energy rating of A, making it cheap to run and good for the environment too.

You get a 1-year manufacturer warranty included as standard and this is not ideal given that some other manufacturers give up to 5 years, I wouldn’t mind as I have not yet heard of any bad experience with it.

To conclude, if size is important and you don’t have a lot of room – take Fridgemaster MCF96E and don’t look back.

5. Runner Up – Zanussi ZCAN20FW1 Chest Freezer

The Zanussi ZCAN20FW1 Chest Freezer is my runner up this year. Its biggest downside is, that it’s quite pricey compared with other chest freezers, so it’s price/quality ratio is not the best, however, if budget is not of big concern, this is a great appliance for you.

It has a 198 litre capacity, which gives you enough space for 11 bags of food shopping. As with most chest freezers, you will need to defrost it manually when you notice a build-up of ice.

Fast freeze technology means this freezer does an excellent job of quickly getting the food placed inside it to the right temperature. The manual temperature control is another very handy feature and enables you to easily adjust the temperature as you need.

It comes with a 1 year manufacturer warranty – enough to detect factory failures, but not for much more.

To sum up, if price is not the concern I really encourage you to try the Zanussi chest freezer and you will have a great time with it.

Things To Look For In A Chest Freezer

Energy Efficiency

Because they’re such large items and require a constant source of electricity to operate, chest freezers can be quite costly to run over the course of a year.

This being the case, you should always find out how energy efficient any models you’re considering are. Ideally, you should choose a freezer that’s A energy rated or better.

This is also countered by the top-opening design of a chest freezer. You know that cold air falls and hot air rises.

With a typical front-opening fridge or freezer, a considerable amount of cold air falls out when you open the door. With a chest freezer, the cold air stays put because it’s essentially held in a massive bucket. This means the freezer doesn’t have to work as hard to keep your frozen goods frozen.

They are also typically very well insulated. So they will easily stay frozen through relatively short power cuts provided you keep it closed.

Size

Size is another important consideration when choosing a chest freezer. They can vary in size a lot. Freezer space can range from 100 litres all the way up to 500 litres of storage capacity.

You should think about your storage requirements as well as the floor space you have available and choose accordingly.

Depending on your own house-situation, a chest freezer has the potential to be both extremely space-saving, but could also get in the way if you don’t have a good place for it.

Because you access the freezer from the top, you don’t have the same simple shelving options as a typical front-opening fridge or freezer. Most chest freezers come with at least one storage basket to help arrange your goods. Using extra storage baskets can dramatically improve your ease of access to your chest freezer.

Cost

Cost is always an important thing to take into account when you’re buying a new chest freezer. Things that tend to affect the price most include –

• Size
• The brand
• Features

Counterbalanced Lid

A counterbalance lid is an extremely handy feature that a lot of chest freezers have. It allows the lid to stay open without any need to attach it to something or hold it up yourself. This is perfect for when you’re loading or unloading shopping or just looking for a particular item.

Temperature Control

A lot of chest freezers have manual temperature control. This is very handy when you’re freezing items that might require a particular temperature to stay fresh.

Pros and Cons of a Chest Freezer

Pros:

• Allows you to store a lot of food
• Typically have a longer lifespan than upright freezers
• Most affordable type of freezer
• Cheap to run

Cons:

• Take up more space
• Harder to maintain
• No shelves to keep things organized
• Cannot function as an under-counter freezer (the counter would block the lid)

F.A.Qs

Is a chest freezer worth it?

If you think you’re going to get the full use out of it, then yes. Typically people who buy chest freezers like to have a lot of frozen food stored at one time. This makes them great for larger households and also for commercial use.

If you just get a regular amount of frozen food with your weekly shop, then a standard fridge freezer might be more suitable.

Is it OK to put a freezer in the garage?

Often a chest freezer will be too large to have in the kitchen, so a lot of people will put them in the garage instead. This isn’t necessarily a problem but you do need to make sure the garage is well insulated. If not, then the cold during the winter could cause frost to build up around the machine, which could easily result in it becoming faulty.

Do chest freezers use a lot of electricity?

The cost of running a chest freezer mostly comes down to size. The larger the freezer compartment is, the more it will cost to run over the course of a year.

In any case, they’re usually not prohibitively expensive to run for most people.

How long do chest freezers last?

Chest freezers typically last 15 to 20 years. This can, of course, vary depending on how well you look after it. Defrosting regularly and making sure you keep your freezer in the best conditions will help to expand its lifespan.

Other Chest Freezers Reviewed

Russell Hobbs RHCF200 White 197 Litre Chest Freezer

The Russell Hobbs RHCF200 Chest Freezer is another high-capacity model that gives you plenty of space for storing frozen food. Let’s look at some of its key features.

The 197-litre capacity gives you enough room for 11 bags of food shopping. The basket inside is great for keeping things organized and the counterbalanced lid is a very welcome feature that means you won’t have to worry about suddenly closing.

The adjustable thermostat means you’re able to control the temperature easily and the fact that this model can run well at low temperatures makes it ideal for use in a garage or any other type of outbuilding.

This comes with a very generous 5-year guarantee as well as free delivery for everyone when you buy from Amazon. Overall, this is an excellent freezer and would make a great addition if you’re looking to store a lot of frozen food.

BEKO CF37591W Chest Freezer

Being able to keep a chest freezer in your garage opens up so much more space to bulk buy and make sure you’ve always got enough food in the house. And having it outside the kitchen gives you so much more space.

But why this one? Well for a start not all chest freezers are suitable for garages and outbuildings as they can get so cold but this one is. But it’s also got a generous 205L of space (about 8 shopping bags).

The lid is balanced so that it won’t shut on your head while you dig around inside and it’s got easy to access controls behind the lid.

The only thing it’s missing is a light which could be a problem depending on what light your garage has, if not you can always bring a torch at night, all phones have them now after all.

An ideal choice of durable built-to-last chest freezer that will sit happily in your garage for years to come.

Cookology CCF99WH White Chest Freezer for Outbuildings

The Cookology CCF99WH White Chest Freezer is a perfect choice for use outdoors and has some great features that make it a pleasure to use.

It has a capacity of 99 litres, giving you plenty of space to store frozen food and despite this it’s still very compact, measuring just 56cm wide.

Its energy rating means it’s very affordable to run and good for the environment. It also maintains a constant temperature very well, and the noise level is very low, so if you want to use it indoors, then it won’t disturb you. Another convenient thing is that if you were to lose power for any reason, this freezer would keep your food frozen for 30 hours.

It comes in white but you can also get it in black if you prefer. It comes with free delivery for all customers.

Indesit OS1A1002UK.1 Chest Freezer

Lastly is the OS1A1002UK.1 Chest Freezer. Let’s take a look at some of its key features.

It has a capacity of 100 litres, giving you enough space for 5 bags of shopping. This makes it an excellent slimline option as an extra freezer or for use in small to medium households. The rapid freezing function means that any food you add to it will quickly reach the right temperature too.

Do you not need it to actually freeze things and just be a chiller? Something very handy about this model is that you can use it as either a fridge or a freezer. A simple switch on the side lets you change the temperature, making it extremely versatile.

Fridgemaster MCF139 Chest Freezer

My best buy choice is the Fridgemaster MCF139 Chest Freezer. Let’s take a look at some of its key features.

It has a capacity of 139 litres, enough space for 7 bags of shopping. This is definitely on the smaller size for a chest freezer but it still gives you enough space for a lot of frozen food and would be ideal for a small to medium household.

Its great energy rating makes it good for the environment and affordable to run too. This freezer operates well in temperatures as low as -15, so it’s ideal for use in the garage or any other type of outbuilding.

It comes with a 1 year warranty from the manufacturer and for an additional fee, you can have it connected and your old freezer taken away and recycled.

ESSENTIALS C95CFW20 Chest Freezer

Small, cheap, built to last. Done.

I kid, but all of those things do hold, it’s small enough to fit nicely into any space you have available, and the power rating is superb so it doesn’t cost much to run. Nor does it cost much to buy in the first place.

What is missing as part of the cost is a proper handle to get the thing open, it’s got a rim you can grab to open it but It would be a lot easier and more comfortable with a proper handle.

It still functions so it’s not a deal breaker of a gripe.

This is also capable of being used in an outbuilding down to -15C so you can have this anywhere you want it and it will happily store all your food safely. There’s even a 16 hour safe storage time in the event of a power cut.

An excellent choice of small chest freezer.

Hotpoint CS1A400HFMFAUK.1 Chest Freezer

If you’re looking for a freezer to store a large amount of frozen food, then the CS1A400HFMFAUK.1 Chest Freezer from Hotpoint could be the perfect choice.

It has a huge 390 litre capacity, giving you enough space for 21 bags of food shopping. This large capacity does mean it’s quite expensive although its energy rating makes it very affordable to run.

It has rapid freeze functionality, meaning any food you add to it will be frozen very quickly. It also has storage racks, making it easy to get to your food.

SMEG CO205F Chest Freezer

So what does the Smeg have? Well, it’s a little more expensive but it feels a lot sturdier and better put together, a lovely heavy lid that will last and it’s got a lock on the front to keep your food safe.

It’s also got 3 freezer baskets to keep the whole thing a little more organised and the capacity inside is a little bigger.

They’ve also both got the fast freeze option which allows for rapid freezing of your shopping to lock in nutrients.

If you’re going to use it indoors and you want something sturdy and built to last then the Smeg is an excellent choice.

Indesit OS1A250H2.1 Chest Freeze

Next up is the Indesit Os1A250H2.1 Chest Freezer. It has some nice features that make it a great choice if you want to store a lot of frozen food.

The 252-litre capacity gives you enough space for 10 bags of shopping, so this would be ideal for medium to large households. It has a dual cooling system, which means you can use it as either a freezer or as a cooler – very handy during the summer when you might want to use it for cold drinks.

The fast freeze functionality means that any food you add to this freezer will be frozen very quickly.

Overall, this is a very reliable chest freezer and the dual cooling system and fast freeze function make it a great choice all around.

LOGIK L142CFW20 Chest Freeze

The Logik which I’ve picked as my runner up is a little smaller and able to get around 5 shopping bags of food into it.

But while it isn’t as big it has two other advantages, one is that it doesn’t cost as much to run and the other is that you can use it inside an outbuilding. Not outside an inbuilding…

There isn’t an inside light which would be preferred but it’s a small chest freezer that does the job nicely. It should fit inside most houses and the capacity is more than big enough for a regular family’s needs.

If you’re looking for something small, cheap to buy, and cheap to run then this is the best choice for you.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you now have a much clearer idea of what to look for when trying to find the best freezer for you.

Although a chest freezer might not be the most complicated electrical appliance you could buy, it’s still important to think about what features are important to you as well as the space/budget you have available so you can make the right choice.

If nothing else, it’s vitally important that your ice cream doesn’t melt.

Related Reading

19 Best Dishwashers UK Reviewed 2024 – An Expert Buyers Guide