Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between
a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if
so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up
freezer? We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if
it would be just as good to get another refrigerator/freezer combo.
Any advice would be great...I cant seem to find a clear answer to
this. Thanks!

"stratfordone" wrote in message
...
Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between
a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if
so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up
freezer? We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if
it would be just as good to get another refrigerator/freezer combo.
Any advice would be great...I cant seem to find a clear answer to
this. Thanks!

The temp of the freezer in a refrigerator varies widely, depending on the unit,
usage, house temp, settings, etc. As the house temp drops, the freezer temp
often goes up, since the unit runs less to keep the frig section at the right
temp. Running longer could freeze the frig section. It depends on the design.

Chest freezers lose less "cold" when opened than uprights, but you may have them
opened longer to find something. Modern freezers are way more efficient than old
ones.

Depends on how you keep each set. My freezer in the refrigerator i keep at
10 above as to not have rock hard ice cream. The deep freeze in the garage
is set to 15 below for fast freezing of things.

not to mention, if the power goes off for a bit, the colder the better.


s


"stratfordone" wrote in message
...
Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between
a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if
so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up
freezer? We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if
it would be just as good to get another refrigerator/freezer combo.
Any advice would be great...I cant seem to find a clear answer to
this. Thanks!

On Sun 12 Oct 2008 11:17:45a, stratfordone told us...

Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between
a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if
so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up
freezer? We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if
it would be just as good to get another refrigerator/freezer combo.
Any advice would be great...I cant seem to find a clear answer to
this. Thanks!

Refrigerator freezers are generally designed to maintain 0 degrees F. A
chest freezer or upright freezer will usually maintain at least -10 to -20
degrees F. Colder temperatures allow for longer term storage.

We have a refrigerator with a top freezer and an upright freezer. We keep
things in the refrigerator freezer that we use frequently and everything
else in the upright freezer.

Many would argue that a chest freezer is a better choice over an upright
freezer because you lose more cold air when you open an upright freezer.
I've never had a problem because of that.

HTH


--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)

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Countdown till Veteran's Day
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which way the wind blows.'

"stratfordone" wrote in message
...
Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between
a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if
so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up
freezer? We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if
it would be just as good to get another refrigerator/freezer combo.
Any advice would be great...I cant seem to find a clear answer to
this. Thanks!

Freezers within a fridge are fine for short term (30 days or so) storage. If
I store a steak in the fridge freezer it starts to freezer burn after 30
days or so. The same packaging is excellent for 6 months and still edible
up to about 9 months.

Dedicated freezers are set colder and the temp is more stable. Depending on
the quality of the packaging food can keep well up to a year.

Colbyt

On Oct 12, 2:17*pm, stratfordone wrote:
Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between
a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if
so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up
freezer? We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if
it would be just as good to get another refrigerator/freezer combo.
Any advice would be great...I cant seem to find a clear answer to
this. Thanks!

Chest freezers, I believe are always colder. Also in refrigerator
freezer section, frost free cycle uses warm air to to rid section of
frost.
For a few weeks storage, I use refrigerator freezer but for long term
storage, use chest freezer.

"stratfordone" wrote in message
...
Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between
a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if
so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up
freezer?

Yes there is lot of difference it also depend how you are going to us it?
Deep freeze (Chest Freezer) when you open door does not loose as much
of cold air as stand up type, there for it is using less electricity. Also
the stuff,
food that you may have in there it will remain longer healthy by opining the
door.

We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if
it would be just as good to get another refrigerator/freezer combo.
Any advice would be great...I cant seem to find a clear answer to
this. Thanks!

"stratfordone" wrote

Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between
a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if

Depends on how you set them. Chest freezers (and presumably upright
freezers) have setting that let you go colder normally than a combined
kitchen unit.

so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up
freezer? We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if

As one who has had a chest freezer for ages, I can validate that all the
notes sent to date are good ones. As with everything, there is a trade off.

Summary:
Chest type- more energy efficient
- no problem with the size of any item
- have to be able to lift items out (no serious back issues)
Upright type- less energy efficient
- 'may' have problems with large items
- easier to sort things out

Details:
With a chest freezer, you have to develop good stacking habits or the stuff
at the very bottom will get missed. Mine has 5 baskets (they slide from
side to side) and I have plastic sorting bins at the very bottom to keep it
straight. You wont lose as much cold when opening it as an upright, and you
can fit just about anything including a 100lb pig in there at need.
Downside of chest units. You have to lean down to get things out. This may
not matter if you and your SO are healthy, but if you have a bad back, this
can become an issue. My current chest unit is 19cu (maybe 21?) and it's
quite suitable for our needs but Don does the bottom scrounging as my back
is problematic.

With an upright, you can remove a shelf or two for odd shaped larger items,
but may have to rest the item on the bottom base. The same cubic feet just
become less 'usable' (my old chest, could store a cow if you cut the legs
off, I kid you not, came from a farm). You can however easier sort things
with an upright. You just cant get really 'big' things. Advice if thinking
upright to get the largest item you'd want to get at the store, then see if
you can fit it in. I'm thinking a really big pizza in a box, cook the pizza
and bring the box to the store and see if it fits the unit in a way
acceptable to you. This is where the uprights failed for us (literally, a
favored pizza type wouldnt fit in there properly).

The energy efficient part has a good bit to do with how many times a day you
expect the access the freezer. If only 1-2 times a day for a short 2 mins,
nominal difference. Any modern one should show about 40$ a year in electric
in real use. Upright will run possibly double that if you tend to 'freezer
shop' for longer and more often times but a chest freezer will show only a a
nominal difference with longer more frequent openings.

I can go on much more in depth on what savings you can get with an ancillary
freezer, if feeding at least 2 people (I feed 3 and have frequent yard
parties with a need to store a pig on occasion). Lets just say if I see a
sale for .39/lb chicken thighs like I did 2 months ago, I was able to stock
up a 4 month supply ;-)

Now with *both* you have to properly wrap the food. If meat, needs to not
just be in the supermarket light plastic. We use 2 layers of ziplock style
bags (reuse them except the inner one if defrosting in the bag. We normally
don't defrost in the bag. Instead we remove the meat still frozen from all
the 'baggies' and one of those freezer bins we have just keeps the baggies
for next store trip. Other people like the vacumn sealers and they work
nicely, but I like to be a bit more 'green' relatively so use reusable
things while still keeping food safety in mind.

"cshenk" wrote in message
Other people like the vacumn sealers and they work nicely, but I like to
be a bit more 'green' relatively so use reusable things while still
keeping food safety in mind.


If you want to be green, get a vacuum sealer. I use the bags four or five
times. Make them bigger than needed and you lose an inch each use.

"Old and Grunpy" t. wrote in message

Yes there is lot of difference it also depend how you are going to us it?
Deep freeze (Chest Freezer) when you open door does not loose as much
of cold air as stand up type, there for it is using less electricity. Also
the stuff,
food that you may have in there it will remain longer healthy by opining
the door.

I've had both and the upright is much easier. While you are correct that a
little more cold air is lost, I can be in and out in seconds with the
upright and search the depths of the chest forever when things get lost on
the bottom.

On Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:17:45 -0700 (PDT), stratfordone
wrote:

Does anyone know if there is actually a temperature difference between
a chest freezer and a freezer found on top of a refrigerator? Also, if
so, is there an advantage to getting a chest freezer over a stand up
freezer? We're looking to add freezer space but trying to determine if
it would be just as good to get another refrigerator/freezer combo.
Any advice would be great...I cant seem to find a clear answer to
this. Thanks!

The chest type freezer is probably the best choice for energy
efficiency. Since there are thermostats on either appliance, the
colder one is the one set to the colder temperature.