Review Kenmore 22742 166 Cu Ft Frostfree Upright Freezer

The research

• Why yous should trust united states
• Who should get this
• How we picked
• Our selection: GE FUF17DLRWW Upright Freezer
• Runner-up: Frigidaire FFFU16F2VW Upright Freezer
• Care and maintenance
• The competition

Why you should trust us

We spent more than than 40 hours researching upright freezers. Although we weren't able to test whatsoever of them physically, we relied on the kind of research few people have the time to commit to, starting with the experts nosotros interviewed: Heather Marold Thomason, a butcher and founder of Primal Supply Meats in Philadelphia; Michael Dulock, a butcher and owner of M.F. Dulock Pasture-Raised Meats in Somerville, Massachusetts; Benjamin Liebert, former vice president of cold products at Frigidaire; as well as some anonymous hunters in an online hunting forum.

We did what any serious shopper would do, only to the farthermost: We pored over hundreds of customer reviews for a multitude of models, comparing all that we could with professional reviews, established wisdom, and our own research into what makes a skillful upright freezer.

Tyler Wells Lynch, who wrote the original version of this guide, covered appliances for more than three years at Reviewed.com, and then for nearly 3 more than years at Wirecutter. Winnie Yang is Wirecutter's appliance editor and has also written and edited guides for kitchen tools also every bit for our baby and parenting gear.

Who should get this

Dedicated freezers are useful for anyone who wants extra space for long-term food storage, including large families, hunters, people who might accept problem getting to a store for an extended period—or really anyone who would like to make fewer trips to the grocery store.

Just make sure you go along information technology in a basement or an surface area of your home where the temperature tends to be stable. If you desire to put a freezer in your garage, yous should make certain it's built for an surroundings with wide temperature swings (such freezers are ordinarily described as "garage-ready" in the specs).

This guide covers upright freezers, which look and operate just like a regular refrigerator with shelves—just at subfreezing temperatures and with a single door. The other main blazon of freezer is a chest freezer, which looks more like a bury or, well, a breast. Uprights offer more space with a smaller physical footprint. Most of the experts we spoke with agreed that uprights are more convenient for retrieving and organizing food, because yous don't take to go earthworks effectually for items buried at the bottom of a pile, as you lot would probably accept to with chest freezers. Greg F, a hunter from California with decades of experience, told us that uprights are ideal for the same reason. "I piled elk on top of ducks and dove in a breast freezer and had to movement the elk meat every time I wanted duck or dove," he said. "I had a hell of a time just finding the dove." Also, unlike many chest freezers, the vast majority of uprights are frost-free, pregnant you'll never have to manually defrost the inside.

On the other manus, all of that shelving means at that place is more unused space than you lot'd observe in a chest-style freezer, which yous tin stuff with more than food. This makes uprights slightly less efficient than chests because all of that idle air forces the freezer to work harder to maintain temperature—costing you an extra $ten to $20 a year to operate, compared with chests. Uprights also tend to be a bit pricier than chest freezers in the first place. And uprights allow more air to motility around inside the freezer, exposing food to wider temperature swings, so it may be more prone to freezer burn down. Only you can avoid this run a risk by tightly wrapping or vacuum-sealing your food. Freezer fire may or may not be a trouble for y'all; it depends on a lot of factors: how often y'all open the door, how much empty infinite is in the freezer, where in your habitation you place the freezer, and what foods you are freezing.

How we picked

We weren't able to practise any hands-on testing, so nosotros devoted our time to researching, spreadsheeting, and reading almost all of the top available freezers—a process that took dozens of hours over the class of several weeks. In one case nosotros were washed with the inquiry, nosotros sifted through all of the data to observe the freezers that struck the best balance of features, specs, reviews, cost, and availability.

First, we eliminated whatsoever model that lacked a few crucial features:

• Capacity between 14 and 22 cubic feet: We think this is the sweet spot—non also big, not besides small-scale. It'due south also the most popular range of capacities, based on what manufacturers are selling. Nearly experts concord it's wise to overestimate rather than underestimate your needs. "If you chase big game, yous are likely to need a lot more than freezer space when successful," said rodngun from the hunting forum. "Larger is better for the times y'all demand more room like storing ice earlier a party." Heather Marold Thomason, a butcher at Key Supply Meats, told us in that location'due south nada worse than running out of space. "Freezers are like purses," she said. "The bigger they are the more y'all make full them up." Of course you desire to exist realistic about your needs, not just because bigger freezers price more, just considering a full freezer is an efficient freezer. Less empty space ways less air moving around inside, and it's air that forces the machine to work harder while increasing the risk of freezer burn.
• Power-on indicator lite, leveling legs or wheels, interior light: A ability-on light lets yous know at a glance whether the freezer is working, which is useful for preventing spoilage. Leveling legs allow you to properly residual the car on uneven floors. An interior light makes it easier to see inside your freezer. All three are common enough and useful enough that they gave us a reason to dismiss any freezer that lacked one or more of them.
• At least 3 adjustable storage shelves: This is the standard number of shelves in an upright freezer, though plenty of models (particularly at larger capacities) take four. All shelves should be adjustable and removable.

We also cut any freezer that didn't have at least 150 reviews from at least ane major retailer, and we dismissed those with an average client rating of fewer than 4½ out of 5 stars. This was not a huge hurdle because most top-selling freezers at Dwelling Depot, Best Buy, Lowe'south, and the like have very positive client reviews.

Some specs and features are not necessary but nice to take. Usually it's just a thing of personal preference.

• Frost-complimentary: Frost-free freezers periodically rise from 0 degrees Fahrenheit (the ideal freezer temperature) to about 32 degrees Fahrenheit, to melt any frost buildup. This means you'll never take to manually defrost the inside, as yous would likely have to with a breast freezer. The downside to frost-free is a heightened risk of freezer burn. Once once more, you tin protect against this past vacuum-sealing or tightly wrapping your food. The bulk of upright freezers are frost-free, but there are some manual defrost options, which just hold a constant temperature. Manuals demand to exist defrosted once a quarter-inch of water ice has built up. Y'all do this by unplugging the freezer, elimination information technology, pulling a drain plug on the lesser, and letting the whole thing melt over the form of a few hours. How frequently you demand to do this depends on a bunch of factors, only at the nigh it volition need to be washed one time a yr. Some people may never have to do information technology, so it but comes down to personal preference and run a risk avoidance.
• Reversible hinge: Some freezers allow you to put the door swivel on either side, which gives you lot more than flexibility in where you can place them. If y'all need your freezer to open from the right, be sure to bank check that the model has a reversible hinge, considering the ones with a fixed hinge tend to open from the left.
• Temperature alarm: This is a dainty characteristic in some models that audibly alerts you if the freezer door is left open up or if the internal temperature gets too high. It'southward not a super-common feature, so nosotros didn't require information technology, just it can provide some peace of mind.
• Temperature control: The FDA-recommended setting for freezers is zero degrees Fahrenheit. There aren't many reasons why you'd desire to deviate from that, but precise temperature command could be helpful in a freezer that isn't properly calibrated.
• Door/safety lock: A lock helps ward off children or nosy guests and housemates.
• Storage bins: Some upright freezers come up with storage bins, sort of like the crisper drawers you detect in fridges. They can add together a chip more organization to your freezer, but they're not going to change your life.

With freezers, everything scales with chapters—peculiarly the price. The larger the machine, the more you pay for it. This makes for a pretty wide toll range, with "mini" freezers available for as low as $150 and giant upright models going for every bit much as $i,000.

Coordinating all of that with other information, including warranty info, almanac free energy consumption, and general availability, we were able to winnow our listing downward to ii upright freezers that best fit our criteria.

Just honestly, near of these machines should piece of work peachy, so don't stress over this purchase besides much. If our picks are out of stock, or y'all want something with dissimilar features or in a different size, go for it. They're all very well reviewed and reliable. If in that location's a item spec or feature that'due south crucial to you, just be sure to check for information technology in the listing on the freezer maker's website, every bit nosotros found some discrepancies on retailers' sites.

Our choice: GE FUF17DLRWW Upright Freezer

Photograph: GE

Our pick

The GE FUF17DLRWW Upright Freezer is the best upright freezer because information technology offers the best balance of necessary features, plus a few extras, with plenty of capacity for well-nigh people. Information technology's a frost-free machine with a 17.3-cubic-pes interior, a temperature warning, exterior temperature controls, storage bins, and a slightly better efficiency rating than most other models we've found. The owner reviews we've constitute are overwhelmingly positive.

The FUF17DLRWW has everything you should expect from an upright freezer: There'due south a low-cal to let you know that the motorcar is running, and there are leveling legs to balance information technology on uneven flooring. The GE has iv adjustable glass shelves, three baskets, and four in-door shelves, providing enough of options for storage.

Removable shelves, including in-door shelves, give you a lot of options for organizing your stash. Photo: GE

This model comes with some additional perks: The GE FUF17DLRWW is one of the few freezers we've come across with a temperature alarm. If the door is left open up or if the internal temperature gets besides loftier, the freezer volition beep a alarm. This freezer too has a door lock, which can be useful for keeping out children or neighbors in a shared infinite. Nosotros also similar that information technology has glass shelving (versus the wire shelving on many other models we looked at), which adds a nice aesthetic touch without any obvious price hike. The GE also has a slightly improve energy rating than comparably sized machines. With a power draw of roughly 441 kWh per year, on average this thing will toll nearly $53 per year to operate (according to the estimate on the EnergyGuide label). That's pretty typical, and slightly more efficient than many other freezers of the aforementioned size.

We've constitute consistently glowing owner reviews for the FUF17DLRWW. Every bit of jump 2020 it has an boilerplate rating of iv.vii out of 5 stars on Dwelling Depot, beyond 548 reviews. If the 17.iii-cubic-pes fridge isn't quite the right size, GE makes versions that are 14.1 cubic anxiety (the FUF14DLRWW) and 21.iii cubic feet (the FUF21DLRWW), both of which have received mostly positive reviews.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The FUF17DLRWW does non have a reversible door, and it opens only from the left, so you should brand sure it works in the space you want to put information technology in.

We tin can't say what the long-term reliability will be similar since this model has been out for merely near 3 years. But so far, the small-scale per centum of reviewers who write that the FUF17DLRWW failed on them say that it didn't work from the start. Freezers are all pretty simple machines and operate more or less the aforementioned, though quality-control issues do happen from time to time. Just if a freezer works well when information technology's new, we think information technology'due south likely to keep working for a decade or longer.

Runner-up: Frigidaire FFFU16F2VW Upright Freezer

Photo: Frigidaire

Runner-up

Similar our top pick, the frost-gratis Frigidaire FFFU16F2VW Upright Freezer has all of the almost important features, though in a slightly smaller package (15½ cubic feet). The Frigidaire is missing some of the prissy perks found in the GE upright freezer nosotros like, however, including glass shelves, a door lock, and external controls. Only unlike the GE, the Frigidaire has a reversible hinge, and it comes in a brushed stainless steel finish besides equally the usual white.

Otherwise, they're very similar freezers. The Frigidaire is also marginally more efficient in its energy usage than other models of comparable size, and it gets similarly glowing reviews amongst owners. It'due south a frost-free machine with a floor-projected power-on indicator light, a temperature alarm, adjustable feet (which allow yous to level it on an uneven floor), and an interior light, then you lot can see what's inside. This model as well has iv removable wire shelves (which is one more than than a lot of comparably sized freezers have) and five in-door shelves, too as a convenient storage basket.

The Frigidaire FFFU16F2VW has wire shelves and a deep basket, as well equally five in-door shelves. Photo: Frigidaire

The Frigidaire is well liked by owners, with an average rating of 4.vii out of 5 stars across 488 reviews on Home Depot as of spring 2020. Nosotros can't be certain, only we assume the reliability is about the aforementioned as with other brands' freezers—if the Frigidaire works when it'south new, it should concluding at least a decade. If you're looking for a smaller upright freezer, the 13-cubic-foot version (FFFU13F2VW) could exist a adept option, and it has earned many glowing reviews. There'south also a 20-cubic-human foot model (FFFU20F2VW), though we're less confident in its performance because of fewer reviews and a lower average rating (four.1 out of 5) on Home Depot's website.

Intendance and maintenance

Freezers are set-it-and-forget-information technology appliances; the less you take to recall near it, the meliorate. To go along your freezer in tip-peak shape, yous should keep it well stocked and free of frost buildup. A full freezer limits air circulation, making the automobile more than efficient overall and also preventing buildup of duct-blocking frost.

The great thing about frost-free systems, which almost upright models have, is that you'll never need to defrost the machine yourself. Merely yous can continue yours nice and efficient by keeping it full. A well-stocked, low-frost freezer will live longer and go on your food frozen longer in the event of a power outage. Yous'll likewise want to properly seal or wrap anything you put in in that location, to ward off freezer burn and air exposure and maximize shelf life. Vacuum-sealing is platonic, simply a tight parchment wrap or Ziploc bag is likewise good.

The competition

A lot of the freezers nosotros looked at were pretty much identical, with slight differences in features and scaled up or downwardly for whatever capacity yous're looking for. Hither are some other options that nosotros think are decent if you can't notice our picks or are looking for something slightly dissimilar.

The Maytag MZF34X18FW has many of the aforementioned features as our runner-up choice, including a reversible door. And it comes with Maytag'southward 10-year warranty on compressor parts, in addition to the one-yr warranty that almost of the freezer makers offer. Unlike the Frigidaire FFFU16F2VW, the Maytag doesn't accept a ability-on indicator or a door-ajar or temperature warning, and its lesser compartment has a shallow storage gate that may non concord items as conveniently as the baskets in our picks. It also uses slightly more energy than either of our picks, just it'southward still a fine selection if the GE and the Frigidaire models are sold out. Maytag also makes a 15.seven-cubic-foot upright freezer (MZF34X16DW) and a twenty-cubic-human foot version (MZF34X20DW) with like features.

The 16-cubic-foot Whirlpool WZF57R16FW comes with all the features we think are nigh important, and information technology has an optional ice maker (sold separately). It has only three shelves, however, which is ane less than most other models of similar size. It tends to exist pricier than the other models we like, only if you lot find information technology at a competitive price, information technology'southward a fine option.

We were too impressed by the Gladiator GAFZ30FDGB—a heavy-duty, 17.8-cubic-foot freezer with caster wheels and a pace-lever to open the door. At more than than $ane,000, however, information technology's very expensive.

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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-freezer/

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