The 7 Best Upright Freezers of 2023

If you’re running out of space in your kitchen freezer, these appliances will give you more storage for your frozen goods.

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Better Homes and Gardens / Brian Kopinski

To increase your cold storage capacity, a standalone upright freezer is a smart appliance to add to your home. Whether you have a large family, love to bulk buy frozen food, or just want additional freezer space, there's an upright freezer on the market to fit your needs. Unlike chest freezers, which are more like one big icy compartment, an upright freezer has a swinging door and may have drawers, shelves, and door storage.

"For those who are space-constrained, an upright freezer is a great addition," says Trent Jacobi, executive director of product management for refrigeration at GE Appliances. "They take up less floor space than a chest freezer, and their upright design and adjustable shelves make it easy to open the freezer door and find items."

Whether you’re adding it to a basement storage room, a kitchen addition, or in a garage, you’ll want to ensure the freezer has adequate room and is easy to access. "Make sure whatever space you’re putting it is dry," says Greg Fetter, who is an associate merchant at The Home Depot. "Try to keep your freezer away from direct sunlight and windows. Being exposed to direct sunlight will make your freezer work harder to maintain the right interior temperature."

The Home Depot

Our top choice, this comes with a lock and key to keep valuable frozen foods safe and secure.

The right-hand door opening is the only option on this freezer model.

Our top choice, this mid-priced upright freezer is a workhorse that’ll store everything you need to freeze, plus more. The freezer comes with four glass shelves, two of which are adjustable.

Glass shelves are sturdy, easy to clean, and see-through, which is a bonus when searching for icy cold food. Clear slide-out freezer bins make it easy to stay organized, and added storage on the freezer's door means you won't be digging through a cold freezer looking for smaller items.

Billed as a "garage ready" freezer, this appliance is proven to maintain its cold temperature in a range from 0°F to 110°F. We love that there's an exterior temperature control, so there's no need to open the freezer door to adjust the inner temperature. A built-in audible temperature alarm will alert you if the temperature starts to rise. There's also a function that blasts an extra boost of cold air to restore the interior temperature back to your preferred temperature setting.

In addition to the shelves and bins for easy storage, an automatic interior light makes it easy to see what's inside this appliance. Speaking of what's inside—keep out hungry teens or other unwanted guests with a built-in lock and key.

The only drawbacks to this upright freezer are that it's only available in white, and the right-hand door is the only option. If you don't have any flexibility regarding where this appliance can go, double-check that a right-hand door (hinges on the right, opens from the left), works for you and your space.

Price at time of publish: $899

Product Details: Dimensions: 28 x 62 x 32 inches | Capacity: 14.1 cubic feet | Temperature Control: Exterior electronic | Shelves: Four glass shelves

Home Depot

With the turn of a knob, this appliance can easily switch between a freezer and a refrigerator.

At 7 cubic feet, this appliance has less storage capacity than others on the list.

If you’re searching for a budget-friendly option with flexibility, this convertible upright appliance is the best choice. This freezer can easily convert from a freezer to a refrigerator and back again. With a turn of a knob, transform this appliance to be a refrigerator before a big holiday and then a freezer afterward to store all the leftovers.

Made with a slim profile and a high-end stainless steel look, the unit has a recessed handle and can be set up with either a left or right-hand door open. There are four removable and easy-to-clean glass shelves and one drawer on the bottom. While there's no door storage, the ability to remove the shelves does give you lots of flexibility for varying storage needs.

This freezer is a great value for versatility as long as you don't need immense storage space since this freezer only has a capacity of 6.9 cubic feet. If you like the small size, you could even purchase two for less than the cost of one freezer of a different model—you could use one as a freezer and one as a refrigerator.

Price at time of publish: $349

Product Details: Dimensions: 56.3 x 21.65 x 22.44 inches | Capacity: 6.9 cubic feet | Temperature Control: Convertible between freezer and refrigerator | Shelves: Four glass shelves

Best Buy

This freezer will keep food frozen for 48 hours if the appliance loses power.

The door is right-side only, and it's only available in white.

This "garage-ready" upright freezer is a good addition to households that need a lot of freezer storage. It can perform in temperatures from 0°F to 110°F, making it perfect for cooler or warmer climates.

Inside, the freezer is packed with helpful storage options. There are four glass shelves, two of which are adjustable. A slide-out freezer bin and three shelves of on-door storage mean there's lots of space and flexibility to store items, both big and small. Built-in LED lights spotlight the food when the door is open.

At 17.3 cubic feet, it's one of the biggest (and most expensive) upright freezers on the list. Because it's so big, make sure you have the proper room for it in your garage (or wherever you plan to put it). While measuring space, note that the door is on the right side only, so there's no flexibility if the door direction doesn't work for your needs.

If you plan to keep this in the garage, the helpful audible alarm will alert you to any temperature changes, and there's a lock and key so your foodstuffs are secure even if you’re not near the freezer. GE's "Power Outage Promise" ensures food will stay frozen for up to 48 hours if the appliances lose power, which is helpful peace of mind if you’ve invested in filling the freezer with lots of food.

Price at time of publish: $999

Product Details: Dimensions: 32.9 x 65 x 31.4 inches | Capacity: 17.3 cubic feet | Temperature Control: Exterior electronic | Shelves: Four glass freezer shelves

The Home Depot

Besides the frost-free technology, this freezer has a helpful floor-projected power-on light so you can tell at a glance that it's working.

The temperature control is inside the unit.

A frost-free freezer means that it's made with an energy-efficient cooling system that maintains temperatures, moves cool air throughout the unit, and prevents frost from building up inside the appliance.

In addition to the frost-free technology, this large freezer has a lot of convenient features. Boasting 16 cubic feet of storage space, the versatile storage includes four adjustable wire shelves, one removable wire basket, and five-door bins for smaller or odd-sized items.

Garage-safe, the appliance can withstand a range of temperatures from 0°F to 110°F. Bright LED lights on the inside make it easy to find what you’re looking for and there's a handy power light that projects light onto the floor so you can tell at a glance that the unit is on and working.

Depending on your needs, the door is reversible for both left and right open, and a door alarm will alert you if that door is ever left ajar. Keep in mind that the temperature control is located inside the freezer, so you’ll have to open the door to change the temperature.

Price at time of publish: $1,199

Product Details: Dimensions: 67.75 x 27.75 x 29.13 inches | Capacity: 16 cubic feet | Temperature Control: Internal dial | Shelves: Four adjustable wire shelves

Amazon

The stainless steel appliance fits in with high-end kitchen decor.

There's a prominent logo on the top of the upright freezer, and none of the shelves are adjustable.

Small but mighty, this mini upright freezer boasts 6.5 cubic feet of storage, so unlike some other super small models, there's still significant storage space in this freezer. Some of the very small freezers on the market seem too small to be worth the investment or are only helpful if freezing one item.

Made with a stainless steel door and space-saving flush back design, this freezer looks high-end and is attractive enough to add to a kitchen instead of banishing it to the basement or garage. We love that the door is reversible, so the left or right opening will work in a wider range of spaces. Three temperature settings are easily controlled via an intuitive dial making it easy to maintain your preferred cold temperature.

Inside the freezer, there are five shelves, and none are removable, so if you’ve got an oversized cut of meat or a big Thanksgiving turkey, you won't have the flexibility that other upright freezers have with removable shelves. There's also no door storage, so if you plan to freeze many small items, you may want to add wire baskets to stay organized.

Price at time of publish: $438

Product Details: Dimensions: 21.26 x 22.24 x 55.9 inches | Capacity: 6.5 cubic feet | Temperature Control: Three settings on a dial | Shelves: Five shelves

Amazon

The slim design and top opening design make this a cross between an upright and a chest freezer.

There are no shelves, just one removable storage basket.

Ideal for small spaces, this upright freezer is like a cross between a standard upright freezer and a deep chest freezer. "The term deep freezer can apply to both upright and chest freezers," Jacobi says. "The difference between a deep freezer vs. a regular refrigerator freezer is primarily around size and space. Deep freezers are standalone appliances ranging from 5 cubic feet to 22 cubic feet of freezer space. They have larger capacity allowing for more bulk storage and improved organization."

With 5 cubic feet of storage in this appliance, it's compact yet offers plenty of space for organizing frozen goods. Unlike deep chest freezers, this mid-sized freezer is big enough to store a lot of food, but not so big that food gets lost. The upright design features one large cavity and a removable storage basket that is helpful for small or commonly used food items.

Useful as a deep freezer, the external temperature control means you don't need to open the freezer door to adjust the levels. When you do open the door, there's a helpful stay-open lid design, which frees up both your hands to add or remove items from the freezer.

The lid can stay open anywhere from a 45 to a 90-degree angle, depending on your needs and where the freezer is placed in the house. A front access drain with a leak-proof plug makes this appliance easy to clean and defrost.

Price at time of publish: $581

Product Details: Dimensions:‎ 22.25 x 20.75 x 33.25 inches | Capacity: 5 cubic feet | Temperature Control: External thermostat control dial | Shelves: No shelves, just one removable storage basket

Amazon

The door hinge is reversible, so it can be left or right open.

The manual defrost function may result in a wet floor.

Many upright freezers will automatically defrost or have frost-free capabilities. If you prefer an upright freezer with a manual defrost function, this trusty appliance will work well.

To use the manual defrost, you’ll need to empty your freezer of all foods. Then simply turn the manual temperature dial to zero, unplug the unit, and open the door. The entire freezer will defrost. When defrosting your unit, plan to place a towel under or around the unit to catch any drips from the melting process.

When in use, this freezer has a temperature control dial on the inside of the unit. There are three wire shelves and three door shelves that hold smaller or often-used items. With an overall capacity of 4.3 cubic feet, this unit is in the smaller range of our top upright freezers, but the brand makes larger models. For a good comparison, check the size of your current refrigerator/freezer unit to see your freezer's capacity and know how this size will compare.

Price at time of publish: $594

Product Details: Dimensions: 39 x 27 x 26 inches | Capacity: 4.3 cubic feet | Temperature Control: Dial located inside the freezer | Shelves: Three door shelves and three wire shelves

The GE Garage Ready Frost Free Upright Freezer is a well-made appliance that boasts lots of storage in a space that's easy to organize and flexible for a range of needs. The Frigidaire EFRF696 AMZ Upright Stainless Steel is an attractive appliance that is small, but mighty, and can help boost the capacity of a standard freezer.

To reduce the cost of running your upright freezer, keep it as full as possible, don't leave or open the door often, and check that the door seals are properly closing. Any freezer with the Energy Star label will indicate that your appliance has passed strict energy efficiency specifications.

If you plan to keep your upright freezer in a garage or other space with minimal temperature control, you may pay for extra energy use. "Since garages experience more extreme temperatures than the rest of the home, if the freezer isn't designed to withstand these temperatures, it will have to work harder and use more energy to prevent contents from thawing," Jacobi says.

Follow your appliance manual for all temperature control options, especially for appliances that switch between upright freezers and refrigerators. Some temperature controls are located inside the unit while others are on the outside.

Temperature controls will have a range and may vary a few degrees, but in order to stay frozen, the freezer needs to remain set at least 0°F. It's recommended a freezer be set to no higher than 0°F and a refrigerator set to around 32°F. Temperature control can be used if and when you defrost your appliance and may need to be adjusted slightly, accounting for factors like outside temperature and appliance location.

All upright freezers are measured in cubic feet, which is defined as a cube with sides one foot in length. When considering what size freezer to get, think about what and how much you will be storing.

If you have a large family and need a lot of extra storage space, opt for a freezer with a larger capacity like the GE Garage Ready 17.3 Cu Frost Free which has a capacity of 17.3 cubic feet. If you just need a little bit of extra storage space, the Frigidaire EFRF696 AMZ Upright Stainless Steel, which has a capacity of 6.5 cubic feet, would be the best upright freezer for you.

"When choosing which type of freezer to buy, it is important to consider your food storage needs," says Fetter. "As a rule of thumb, you’ll need 1.5 cubic feet of space per person. Using this formula, a family of four would need at least a 6 cubic foot freezer."

For a good frame of reference, check the owner's manual of your current refrigerator/freezer appliance to see your current storage capacity.

For many upright freezers, there is built-in flexibility in the storage capacity. Appliances with removable shelves give you the option to increase storage areas to hold bigger items. Freezer-safe wire baskets, shelf dividers, or other storage containers are helpful ways to store small or often-used items.

Items you frequently reach for should be easily accessible—put them on the door or easily in view. Many upright freezers come with shelves or storage baskets, which you can use to group together similar items. Purchasing additional bins, dividers, or baskets will keep your foodstuff organized. Clearly label and date any items that are in freezer bags or containers.

While it's not recommended to keep your freezer in a horizontal position, it's okay to do so temporarily. If you must lay an upright freezer down, lay it down on the compressor side of the unit. Always secure the freezer door during a move and ideally, wrap the appliance in moving blankets.

Upright freezers should never be permanently stored laying down. "Once it is in the final location, set it upright and allow the freezer to sit for the same amount of time that it was on its side (24 hours maximum)," Jacobi says. "Do not plug the unit into the electrical receptacle without allowing this settling time, as the unit can be damaged if it is plugged in prematurely."

Buy what works best for your needs and storage space. If you tend to buy large quantities of a few bulk items or purchase oversized sides of meat, a chest freezer will be better for storing your food.

Chest freezers are often harder to organize and with one big area, smaller items can get lost. In speaking about upright freezers, Fetter shares, "food is kept in sight and easily accessible. You don't have to bend over or move things around to find what you’re looking for."

Upright freezers are easier to organize and can hold higher quantities of smaller items (think frozen foods from the grocery store or hand-labeled leftover containers). For everyday food items that you need to access often, an upright freezer is probably a better fit.

Most upright freezers have a long lifespan. "Standalone freezers typically last between 14 to 17 years depending on factors such as the quality of the freezer, maintenance, repairs, usage, and environment," Fetter says.

To prolong the life of your appliance, Fetter recommends cleaning your freezer regularly. "Clean your freezer with hot water and vinegar or soap and water monthly to maintain the quality of your freezer," he says.

Maya Polton is a freelance writer with an active (and always hungry) family of five. For this story, Maya researched the best standalone freezers by looking at sizes, prices, and features. She consulted with Greg Fetter, Associate Merchant, Refrigeration at Home Depot, and Trent Jacobi, Executive Director of Product Management for Refrigeration, GE Appliances.