Chest freezers are a convenience that most people can’t live without, but they’re also a hefty addition to your utility bills. A freezer from just 20 years ago can use up to 845 kWh per year. However, your freezer doesn’t have to run up your bills. Energy efficient freezers save you money without sacrificing functionality. To help you find an effective freezer that won’t break the bank, we’re bringing you our guide to the best energy efficient chest freezer.

Features of an Energy Efficiency Chest Freezer

Many energy efficient chest freezers include a myriad of features that are both convenient and save energy. Choosing a freezer designed with efficiency in mind reduces your operating costs, and helps you keep the contents fresh without adding too much to the bills.

• Freezer locks: Freezer locks might not seem like they have anything to do with energy efficiency, but they do. Consider the amount of energy a refrigeration device wastes when the door is left open: as much as 120kWh every year. A freezer lock lowers the possibility that your door will be left open by accident. As a result, you can avoid paying for wasted power.
• Self-defrosting: Self-defrosting units prevent frost from building up inside your freezer. That’s important because the presence of frost and ice makes it harder to transfer cold to food. As a result, they force your freezer to consume more energy to achieve normal results, and you end up paying for it. A freezer that defrosts automatically can prevent this.
• Energy Star Certification: The best chest freezers are Energy Star certified. On average, an energy star chest freezer costs only $53 dollars per year, which is $50 dollars less than most older models.

A Note on Weight and Dimensions

When you calculate the dimensions of a freezer, be sure to add a few extra inches along the back and sides for clearance purposes. You want to make sure that it can fit in the space you’ve made available for it. In addition, you need to know its height with the lid fully open so that you’ll be able to open it once you install it. Knowing its weight is also important, as this will determine whether you can move the freezer alone or will require extra assistance.

Recommendations

There are lots of chest freezers on the market. Even once you narrow it down to those with the features listed above, you might have trouble deciding on one that will suit your purposes. Here are some chest freezers we highly recommend:

Amana AZC31T15DW: The Amana AZC31T15DW has a 14.8 cubic capacity. It includes two wire baskets for storing small items and a dial temperature control. It also boasts an affordable operating cost of only $36 per year.

Frigidaire FFFC16M5QW: Like the Amana AZC31T15DW, this model has storage for small items and superb temperature control. However, it also comes with security features like a power-on light and a pop-out lock. Its operating cost is $37 per year.

GE FCM7SKWW: This is a great model to purchase if you have a tight budget and only need a little space. One thing that makes this 7-cubic-foot chest freezer attractive is that it sacrifices breadth for depth, allowing it to seem more compact than it really is. Its operating cost is highly affordable too, at only $30 a year.

GE FCM11PHWW: The GE FCM11PHWW is convenient as well as energy efficient, with whisper-quiet operation and three lift-out sliding baskets for small items. This model is also among the cheapest to operate, at only $26 per year.

Choosing an energy efficient chest freezer can lower your utility bills and reduce your environmental footprint. The options listed above are good places to start, since any of them will be able to help you accomplish both goals. Choose the one you like best, or use our list of useful features as a blueprint for finding your own. Hopefully, you’ll be able to purchase an effective appliance that keeps your food frozen with less waste.