Freezer Needs for Storing Your Home Garden Harvest

So, it’s that time of year again….you home garden needs to be harvested, you’re planning your fall hunting trip, you need to stock up at the grocery store….and you need a new freezer! 

  There are a few things to consider when purchasing your new freezer.  Here are a few questions to answer to help you decide what your freezer needs are:

1. What types of foods are we putting in this freezer?
2. How long will the food be in the freezer?
3. Where will the freezer be located in the home?
4. Should we get an upright, or a chest freezer?
5. Frost-free, or manual-defrost?
6. What size should we get?

    If you are looking for a freezer to use for your regular day-to-day grocery needs, then a frost-free upright unit might be good for you.  These units do not build-up with ice and are best served for the foods that your family will go through on a regular basis. If you are looking for more long-term storage, then a manual-defrost chest type freezer would be best.  These units keep your food deep-frozen, while the unit may build up with ice, your food will not get freezer burned.  When you open a chest freezer, the cold air stays down in the freezer.  When you open an upright freezer, the cold air tends to escape.  Chest freezers can hold a lot of food; however, some may find that keeping an upright freezer makes it easier to organize your groceries.

    If you are going to put your freezer in the garage, make sure that where you put it doesn’t reach below -5 degrees F or above 110 degrees F.  Put it along a joining wall with your home.

A freezer will hold approx 35 lbs of food per cu. Ft., so a 15 cu. ft. chest freezer should store approximately 525 lbs of food.

Chest freezers come in a variety of sizes from 5 cu. ft. all the way up to 25 cu. ft., and range anywhere from $145-$799.

Upright Freezers are usually in the 14-21 cu. ft. size and range between $399 & $899.

Come see your home-town appliance team today so that we can help you pick out the right freezer for your family.  We have standard sizes available, but can special order any size freezer that suits your needs.

Let us know if you have any questions about freezers and storing your food. Leave it in the comments section.