11 Best Upright Freezers for 2023

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If your kitchen refrigerator isn't large enough to hold all your family's food, an upright freezer may be a worthwhile investment for your home. Similar to chest freezers, these appliances offer ample storage space for frozen goods, yet they’re more convenient to access thanks to their upright orientation and inner shelves.

Upright freezers come in a variety of styles and sizes, ranging from compact under-the-counter options to extra-large models with upwards of 40 cubic feet of storage space. Finding the right upright freezer for you depends on everything from budget and storage needs to personal aesthetics, and we cover all this and more along with our recommendations for the best upright freezers currently on the market.

Looking for more food cooling solutions? Check out our stories on the best deep freezer chests, the best built-in refrigerators, and the best mini fridges.

One of the main decisions you’ll need to make when shopping for an upright freezer is how big you want it to be. On the small end of the scale, there are compact freezers with just a few cubic feet of storage space, as little as one cubic foot. Some smaller models are designed for under-the-counter installation, which is an excellent solution for tiny kitchens or if you have the space for a home bar.

However, if you’re looking to maximize storage—and have the extra square footage to do so—you might want a larger model. Generally speaking, compact and small models cap off at about five cubic feet; midsize upright freezers run up to roughly 10 cubic feet; large options go up to 19 cubic feet; and anything with more capacity is considered extra large.

The freezer's interior configuration is another important consideration. Most have a combination of shelves, drawers, and door bins, so choose a model that best suits your intended use, whether it's a mini-bar in your finished basement or a place to store meal preps.

Upright freezers come in two main defrost styles: manual and automatic. If you buy a manual-defrost freezer, you’ll need to periodically empty out the appliance and allow the ice crystals to melt. Many upright freezers on the lower end of the price spectrum need to be manually defrosted, so decide if that's something you’re willing to take on.

The other option is auto-defrost, also called a frost-free freezer. These appliances cycle on and off periodically, allowing ice crystals to melt and preventing them from building up. No intervention is required on your part, but keep in mind that these models use more energy and are often noisier than their manual counterparts.

Any model can be installed within your home, but if you’re planning to put it in a garage or other unheated out-building, you’re going to need a special "garage-ready" appliance. These freezers are designed to perform in a wider ambient temperature range, meaning they will still keep your food frozen on hot summer days, as well as during the coldest winter months.

To find the best upright freezers for every home, we researched a wide range of top-rated models from well-known brands like GE, Frigidaire, Whirlpool, Samsung, and more. We evaluated each freezer on its capacity, size, layout, and features, and took into account user reviews for each model to get a sense of their overall performance and reliability. We aimed to include a wide selection of sizes and styles to suit different needs across multiple price points to suit every budget.

This garage-ready, frost-free upright freezer from GE is a great choice all around, including its price point considering its large 14.1-cubic-foot capacity, interior design, and lineup of features.Energy

Inside, there are four shelves, a slide-out plastic bin, and four adjustable door bins, plus an LED light that automatically turns on when you open the door. There's also a door alarm, a lock for extra safety, and the freezer is Energy Star-certified. The only potential drawback is its aesthetics, if you prefer a model that's sleek stainless steel.

If you don't want to spend a lot on an upright freezer, this compact model is your best bet. It's fairly small with just three cubic feet of interior space, but it still has two fixed shelves, as well as a removable pull-out basket.

The freezer is available in black or white finishes, and it has a reversible door hinge that allows you to change the orientation to suit your space. There are also adjustable front feet to level the appliance on uneven floors. Its manual defrost is in line with the low price point—something to keep in mind if you have more to spend.

This midsize upright freezer from Frigidaire is a great all-around choice for most storage needs. It's reasonably priced with a relatively small footprint to tuck into a corner, but it still has a very decent 6.5-cubic-foot capacity to store plenty of food on its three fixed shelves.

Top features include a flat back, recessed handle for a streamlined appearance, and a reversible door. However, it does require manual defrosting, which may be a dealbreaker for some.

Here's a solid option for those who want more storage versatility as this Whynter model can be used as a freezer or refrigerator. It's a spacious 13.8 cubic feet with a stainless-steel door, plus it's mounted on wheels and is Energy Star-certified.

Inside, there are four sliding shelves, four freezer door racks, and a slide-out storage basket, along with a bright LED light. There's also a "quick-freeze" mode that rapidly cools to -11 degrees Fahrenheit. But at this price point, manual defrost is a disappointment.

This spacious 15.7-cubic-foot upright freezer from Whirlpool features three adjustable wire shelves, a pull-out drawer, and five adjustable door bins. The frost-free design requires minimal maintenance, and an LED light allows you to see the interior clearly, even at night. There's also a reversible door to open left or right, ensuring the design works well in your space.

The freezer also comes in two larger sizes: 17.7, and 19.7 cubic feet, respectively. But if a slide-out basket and door alarm is a must, this model won't be a good fit.

This upright freezer is just 34 inches tall, which allows you to install the appliance underneath a standard kitchen counter. (It also has a fully finished exterior, so looks just as good freestanding.)

The compact design has 4.7 cubic feet of storage space with two slide-out shelves and recessed LED lighting. There's also a digital thermostat on the kick plate at the bottom, and there's no manual defrost required with this frost-free model. It has a factory-installed lock for security, and you can control the temperature with the thermostat at the bottom.

If you’re in the market for an extra-large upright freezer that requires minimal maintenance, this frost-free model from GE is the way to go. It has a dynamic cooling system that prevents ice from building up on the walls, and its spacious 21.3-cubic-foot capacity is ideal for large households.

Highlights include four wire shelves, a large slide-out wire basket, and four door bins. It has an audible alarm that goes off if the interior temperature rises too much, and you can easily adjust the temperature using the exterior electronic temperature control. There's also a door lock as an extra safety measure, which is handy if you have little ones.

Most upright freezers aren't compatible with ice makers, but the Whirlpool SideKick can be outfitted with one if you want to use it to make and store ice.

This freezer can be paired seamlessly with the brand's SideKick refrigerator for a side-by-side solution in your kitchen, but it also works well on its own with 17.7 cubic feet of storage space for frozen goods. It has four shelves, four door bins, and a slide-out drawer, and its Fast Freeze setting drops the temperature to its lowest setting to freeze food quickly when needed.

Samsung's frost-free upright freezer has a tall, narrow design that's easy to tuck into a tight corner of your home—it's only about two feet wide. It has a sleek silver exterior with an easy-to-grab handle, and inside, there are 11.4 cubic feet of storage space for all of your family's favorite frozen foods.

If you like organizing food in drawers, you’ll be happy to find four pull-out bins inside, as well as three upper shelves and three adjustable door bins. The LED light makes it easy to find what you’re looking for, and the frost-free design minimizes the maintenance required to keep the appliance running properly.

Not just any upright freezer will withstand living in your garage. Because these spaces are generally unheated and uninsulated, you need a garage-ready model like this one from Frigidaire. This appliance has a wider ambient temperature range than other upright freezers, allowing it to operate in temperatures ranging from zero to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Inside this freezer, you’ll find 15.5 cubic feet of storage space, including four wire shelves, a mesh basket, and several door bins. The door is reversible to fit any space, which is especially handy in too-full garages.

If you’re storing food in bulk or running a business, this KoolMore freezer has plenty of room for all your supplies. This commercial upright freezer offers a whopping 41.3 cubic feet of storage, including six adjustable wire shelves that are extra deep for bulky items.

This oversized freezer sits on four caster wheels—two of which can be locked—making it easy to move around, and its doors can be locked for security, if needed. The unit is ETL Listed for Safety and Sanitation, and it uses eco-friendly R290 refrigerant as well.

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer specializing in home, kitchen, and pet products. In her four years as a product tester, she's tested hundreds of items firsthand, and her work appears in publications such as Forbes, USA Today, The Spruce, Food52, and more.

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