Freezers are not created equal. You need to choose one that will meet your needs in terms of capacity, extra storage space, and budget. With the best chest freezer, as long as power remains connected, the food will stay fresh. Below are some of the top small chest freezers on the market.
TOP 10 Rated Small Chest Freezer
Small chest freezers offer you a lot of space to store huge chunks of meat or other bulky food. They are ideal for people who have enough room to keep them and need to freeze a lot of food. Even then, there are some that are small if you are pressed for space. Some are offered with extra storage space when you need to separate different foodstuffs. There are different aspects to consider when buying small chest freezers. They should have a long functional life and will not break down on you when after you have stocked them with food.
Freezers are not created equal. You need to choose one that will meet your needs in terms of capacity, extra storage space, and budget. With the best chest freezer, as long as power remains connected, the food will stay fresh. Below are some of the top small chest freezers on the market.
Danby DCFM036C1WDB 3.5 cu.ft. — Best for Home Use
| Dimensions | ? D 25 W 25 H 36 inches |
| Item Weight | 68.3 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | Danby |
| Features | ✅ 3.5 Cu.ft (98L) Capacity Chest Freezer ✅ Environmentally Friendly R600a Refrigerant ✅ Front Mount Mechanical Thermostat |
| Model number | DCFM036C1WDB |
Danby DCFM036C1WDB is one of the small freezers designed for home or commercial use. While large commercial establishments might need extra space, it will suffice for small establishments, and it is more than enough for home use. It sports smooth interior and exterior surface, making it easy to maintain irrespective of the food stocked.
The freezer is recommended for home use and for small business establishments.
✅ Large storage for a small chest freezer
✅ Easy to clean thanks to smooth surfaces
✅ Top loading and fitted with a tight door
✅ Lightweight and easy to move
❌ Do caster wheels for mobility
Koolatron KTCF99 3.5 cu. ft. — Easiest To Clean Chest Freezer
| Dimensions | ? D 22 W 24 H 32.9 inches |
| Item Weight | 64.9 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | Koolatron |
| Features | ✅ Net capacity: 3.5cu.ft/99L ✅ Single flip-up lid for easy access ✅ Recessed handle |
| Model number | KTCF99 |
The Koolatron KTCF99 3.5 has the same storage space as the Danby reviewed above, which is the standard size for small chest freezers. It comes as an ideal addition to any home, workplace, or cottage. Small businesses can also use it to stock a lot of food. It is fitted with a front mount thermostat, which is adjustable. This lets you program your freezer to the exact temperature you need. Unlike other chest freezers, which are created big and bulky, the Koolatron KTCF99 is designed to compact to save space. It is still large enough, holding up to 99 liters.
✅ Fitted with an easy to clean interior liner
✅ Convenient defrost drain makes it easy to maintain
✅ Designed to offer environmentally friendly freezing
✅ Its interior basket makes it easier for you to organize food
❌ Relatively heavy to move
Midea WHS-129C1 3.5 Cubic Feet — Best Energy Efficient Chest Freezer
| Dimensions | ? D 21.7 W 33.5 H 22.2 inches |
| Item Weight | 59.5 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | MIDEA |
| Features | ✅ Mechanical Control with Adjustable Thermostat from -12 to -28 Degrees ✅ Contains 1 Hanging Wire Storage Basket ✅ Hinge-Style Door Remains Open from 45 to 75 Degree Angles |
| Model number | WHS-129C1 |
The Midea Small Chest freezer is designed to operate swiftly under different conditions. It is a standard 3.5 cubic feet chest freezer designed for home use and for small businesses. Midea designed this freezer to save on energy use with DOE energy class. This model is designed compact to save on space, but still, hold as much food items as other standard chest freezers. It has a load capacity of 245/40 HQ.
It is recommended for all home and business owners thanks to its swift operation and ease of maintenance.
✅ Created compact to save space
✅ Interior basket separates foods
✅ Lightweight and easy to move around
✅ Saves energy
❌ Frost builds up on the gasket
Avanti CF35B0W 3.5CF — Best Chest Freezer with Caster Wheels
| Dimensions | ? D 22 W 21.5 H 33.2 inches |
| Item Weight | 58 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | Avanti |
| Features | ✅ Adjustable Temperature Control ✅ Power Indicator Light ✅ Integrated Handle |
| Model number | CF35B0W |
Avanti CF35B0W is easy to use chest freezer fitted with a single flip-up lid at the top, for easy access. The door opens smoothly and locks tightly to keep your food frozen. The unit has an integrated handle through which users can drag it from place to place. When moving the freezer slides smoothly, thanks to the large caster wheels fitted at the bottom. It has a defrost drain through which you can manually defrost it. The interior sports an easy to clean liner, letting you maintain it with ease. The thermostat on the front part of the freezer lets you program it to the exact temperature you need for your food.
✅ Designed simple for ease of use
✅ Easy to adjust thermostat at the front end of the freezer
✅ Ideal for home use and in small businesses
✅ Fitted with caster wheels for mobility
❌ Relatively pricey
Magic Chef MCCF35W2 3.5 cu ft — Best Adjustable Chest Freezer
| Dimensions | ? D 23.5 W 22.8 H 34.2 inches |
| Item Weight | 116.38 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | Generic |
| Features | ✅ 3.5 cu ft capacity ✅ Single storage basket provides access to frozen favorites ✅ Adjustable temperature control for optimal environment |
| Model number | MCCF35W2 |
Magic Chef MCCF35W2 is another standard size small chest freezer, holding 3.5 cubic feet of food. It is a manual defrost freezer with a defrost drain for easy maintenance. It comes with a single storage basket, which makes it easy for you to separate your food and also access food that has been frozen. On its front, the unit is fitted with an adjustable temperature control, letting you set the optimal environment for frozen food in the freezer.
Given its simple design and competitive price, the unit is highly recommended.
✅ Easy to adjust temperature control
✅ Designed with smooth interior and exterior surfaces for easy maintenance
✅ Has a single basket, making it easy to access frozen food
❌ No wheels for transportation
Insignia NS-CZ35WH7 3.5 Cu. Ft. — Easy to Organize Chest Freezer
| Dimensions | ? D 20.6 W 22.2 H 33.5 inches |
| Item Weight | 59.52 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | Insignia |
| Features | ✅ 3.5 cu. ft. storage capacity ✅ Power-on indicator light ✅ Adjustable leveling legs |
| Model number | NS-CZ35WH7 |
The Insignia NS-CZ35WH7 is a chest freezer for homeowners and businesses that need to create extra food storage. It sports a standard chest freezer design with a top loading easy to open the door, a thermostat on the front side for easy temperature adjustment, and smooth surfaces for easy cleaning. It holds 3.5 Cubic feet, a standard capacity too. Its integrated defrost drains hold water, allowing you to defrost it manually. Taking care of this freezer is easy as it has common freezer features.
✅ Storage basket makes it easy to organize food items in the freezer
✅ Compact and lightweight
✅ Easy to defrost with well laid out defrost channels
❌ No transport wheels
Avanti CF35B2P 3.5CF — Best Eco-Friendly Chest Freezer
| Dimensions | ? D 22 W 21.5 H 33.2 inches |
| Item Weight | 42 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | Avanti |
| Features | ✅ Adjustable Temperature Control ✅ Easy to Clean Interior ✅ Integrated Handle ✅ Power Indicator Light |
| Model number | CF35B2P |
The Avanti CF35B2P is one of the standard small chest freezers from the company. Most of the freezers in this line from Avanti have striking features with only minor differences in their construction design. The Avanti CF35B2P sports a single flip-up lid that opens with ease and closes tightly to keep your frozen food frozen. On this lid, is a small pouch that acts as an integrated handle, letting you open the unit with great ease.
✅ Integrated handle makes it easier to access your frozen food
✅ Fitted with an easy to control thermostat
✅ Runs on an environmentally friendly refrigerant
✅ Ideal for home and small businesses
❌ Not designed easy to move – with no mobility wheels
SMETA SXD-200-1 2.4 cu ft — Best Gas Chest Freezer
| Dimensions | ? D 27 W 25.8 H 20.3 inches |
| Item Weight | 81,6 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | SMETA |
| Features | ✅ 110V Gas/Propane 2 way absorption chest freezer ✅ Adjustable, removable shelves with tall container storage ✅ No noise, no vibration, no Freon, no pollution, low energy consumption ✅ The absorption system is totally silent that uses no compressors or fans |
| Model number | SXD-200-1 |
The SMETA SXD-200-1 is a gas/propane chest freezer. It is a 2-way absorption chest freezer that does not use compressors or fans. The absorption system operates silently and smoothly. By virtue of being gas operated, it means the freezer does not produce vibration, no Freon, it has low energy consumption and produces no pollution of any kind.
✅ Offers clean operation with no pollution and no noise
✅ Designed with shelves for easy food organization
✅ Compact design and lightweight for easy movement
❌ Relatively pricey
❌ Low storage capacity
Midea WHS-79C1 2.1 Cubic Feet — Best Small Size Chest Freezer
| Dimensions | ? D 21.1 W 19.6 H 33.8 inches |
| Item Weight | 59.5 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | MIDEA |
| Features | ✅ Mechanical Control with Adjustable Thermostat from -12 to -28 Degrees ✅ Contains 1 Hanging Wire Storage Basket ✅ Hinge-Style Door Remains Open from 45 to 75 Degree Angles |
| Model number | WHS-79C1 |
Midea WHS-79C1 has a relatively smaller capacity of 2.1 cubic feet. It features the same great quality of Midea electronics and offers a smooth operation as long as it is set right. It has a mechanical control with an adjustable thermostat. This lets you adjust the temperature from a max of -12 to a min of -28. This makes the unit ideal for storage of frozen food, ice, and ice cream among others.
✅ Great price for budget shoppers
✅ Doors stays open for easy access
✅ Generous 2-year warranty
❌ Relatively low storage capacity
Haier HF50CM23NW 5.0 cu. ft. — Best Commercial Small Chest Freezer
| Dimensions | ? D 22 W 28.5 H 33.2 inches |
| Item Weight | 71.6 |
| Defrost | ❄️ Manual |
| Manufacturer | Haier |
| Features | ✅ Adjustable thermostat control ✅ Space-Saving Flat-Back Design ✅ Easy-Access Defrost Drain |
| Model number | HF50CM23NW |
When you need more space on a small chest freezer, the Haier HF50CM23NW offers you up to 5.0 cu. Ft., which is more than any other freezer on this list. You get extra storage space at the same cost you would buy a 3.5 cu. ft. freezer. It sports an upright design that saves time at home or in the office. The unit is designed to save space, letting you store perishables and frozen food. The white freezer comes with a removable basket, letting you organize your stocked food and also making it easier for you to access food items that you frequently cook.
✅ Relatively high storage capacity
✅ Easy to adjust thermostat
✅ Storage wire basket for organization
❌ Occupies more space
Small Chest Freezer Buyer’s Guide
Chest freezers come in handy for long term storage of bulk food. For those with a large family, chest freezer will make it easy for you to shop groceries. It also acts as a backup to your main fridge, ensuring that you never run out of food. These simple units save you money and also numerous trips to the supermarket.
Most chest freezers on the market sport the same technology and same design. They have an upright design with a lid at the top. The lid stays open at a range of degrees, giving you easy access to the chest. Some are accommodated by a storage wire basket, which make it easy for you to organize your freezer as well as access items that are used most of the time. A large majority of these freezers sport smooth surfaces interiorly and exteriorly, and this makes them easy to clean. Again, the freezers are fitted with manual defrost systems, with defrost drain channels from where water run.
Looking at the features, there are only a few factors that you need to consider when you are shopping for a chest freezer. Some of these factors include:
Storage Capacity
Small chest freezers range in size between 50L to about 170L or a little higher – this is between 2 Cu. Ff. to about 6 Cu. Ft. These small chest freezers offer enough space for home use, but they can also be used in small business, in lodges, offices, and other places. They are ideal when you need additional freezing.
Note that, the bigger the chest freezer, the more the energy it will consume. It costs money to run a freezer, which is half-empty and it is also not environmentally friendly. This means that you need to choose carefully to ensure you have just the right size for your family, office, or business.
You also need to keep in mind where you will place the chest freezer. The kitchen might be your obvious location, but for large models, the freezer might not fit in small kitchen. You might, therefore, consider an extra room where you place the freezer away from other items. The room should be easy to access and should allow room for ventilation.
Some people place their freezers in the garage, which makes it easy to transfer groceries from the car. A garage that is not insulated will mean the freezer using more power especially in the summer. When shopping, measure the space where you will keep it, taking into consideration the access points. Again, ensure there is power supply nearby.
Energy Efficiency
Chest freezers are general energy efficient unlike upright freezers. This is so as there is only less cold air that escapes when you open the door. However, you will have to manually defrost these freezers. Even then, the defrosting process is made easier as the unit has a defrost drain with a plug at the base. This lets you defrost fast.
Chest freezers, like other electrical appliances, have an energy efficiency star rating label. The more stars on the label, the higher the energy efficiency of the freezer. You should note that the larger the unit, the more energy the freezer will use.
Most of the freezers are powered by electricity, but some are powered by gas/propane. Propane chest freezers are relatively expensive, but they operate smoothly, silently and without any form of pollution.
Safety Features
On almost all chest freezers, users are able to adjust the temperature, allowing them to store different food items. A thermostat fitted on the front of freezer lets you adjust the temperature for easy management. Besides, the freezer might have a temperature warning light. The light alerts you when the temperature is too hot or too cold. This is one way to keep your fresher for long periods. When the temperature is well maintained, you reduce waste, save money and time spent shopping.
For better security and efficiency of the freezer, you need to ensure that children stay away from the freezer. A model that features a child lock on its door is a great option when you have kids.
Counterbalance Lid
A counterbalanced lid is the one that stays open without the need for you to hold it up. When the door is propped safely, in most cases between 45 and 75 degrees, it is easier for you to use both hands to access items from your freezer, limiting the time the freezer stays open. The counterbalanced door also comes in handy when you are unloading your groceries into the freezer.
Dimensions
The dimensions of the freezer will determine the space it takes. Some freezers are wide and short while some have a narrow base and are relatively high. This affects the size that the freezer takes. Again, the dimensions will affect how you organize your food items. Ensure that the freezer has an interior storage basket to enhance organization and accessibility. Some freezers also have shelves for better organization.
Conclusion
Some of the top performers in chest freezers include Avanti, Midea, and Danby among others. Even though these are the top freezers, buyers need to ensure that they get a freezer that meets their needs. When you need more freezing space in your house, office, or business, a chest freezer comes in handy. You will find that most of the freezers have the same technologies. This is where you need to be extra keen and look at minor aspects such as safety features.
Chest freezers are easy to setup and are nearly maintenance free. With their smooth and easy to clean interior and exterior surfaces, you only need to wipe them and defrost them, they will operate optimally. You should also consider your budget and the value that a freezer offers you. This is especially true when two or more freezers have the same features.
Are any of your choices better when you place them in your attached garage where the outside temperature can fluctuate from 30 – 100 degrees