Frost Free Chest Freezer?

[runwad]

Do they even make them? In the market for a small one. Like 7 or 8 cu ft. All the ones I see are manual defrost. Do you have a frost free one in that size? What brand? Where did you get it? Also do you know can your freezer go in an unheated space like a garage? Thanks for any info.

 

[clh2]

I have heard that a frost-free freezer isn't a good thing. It has something to do with freeze/thaw cycles for your food. Not to bad in your regular fridge - because food typically doesn't stay there as long as in a deep freeze.

Now - I live in Wisconsin - so the advice we were given is based on a very cold winter. When we bought our deep freeze, we asked this question, and the appliance store recommended to not put it in the garage. The temperature extremes apparantly wreak havoc on a freezer. They said it would last much longer in the basement.

 

[swilshire]

FWIW, I won't buy anything but a manual defrost. The self-defrosting process, which requires heating up the freezer, ruins the food in my opinion. I would rather defrost it myself once a year than put up with the food damage. It is a chore for an afternoon, but it is a good opportunity to sort through the food and discover things that you'd forgotten about at the bottom.

Sheila

 

[leight]

I have heard that a frost-free freezer isn't a good thing. It has something to do with freeze/thaw cycles for your food. Not to bad in your regular fridge - because food typically doesn't stay there as long as in a deep freeze.

Now - I live in Wisconsin - so the advice we were given is based on a very cold winter. When we bought our deep freeze, we asked this question, and the appliance store recommended to not put it in the garage. The temperature extremes apparantly wreak havoc on a freezer. They said it would last much longer in the basement.

MIL gave dh & I her old upright freezer 15 yrs ago- it was at least 10 yrs old at that time. SHe wanted a frost free one since this one has to be done 3 or 4 times a year. We moved to FL 8 yrs ago and its in my garage (no basements here!) and still going strong. I stock up on meats and items the family loves when on sale and couldn't live without it- well worth a few saturdays a year defrosting it. I just make sure that we eat out of the freezer for a few weeks to have less items to put into coolers the day I do the defrosting.

 

[swilshire]

The frequent need to defrost might be because of an old seal. Not sure how costly it would be to replace (or if it can even be done) but that is an option. It also might be because the door doesn't close just right. We always put a heavy iron tea kettle on top of our old one. That seemed to be just enough pressure to make it close more tightly.

Sheila

 

[StephMK]

We also went with a manual defrost for the same reasons listed above. Ours is 14 yrs old and *knock on wood* still fine and it sits in our garage.

I only defrost it once a year and even then, it only has maybe 1/2 in. of ice and just on parts of the walls. I wait til the frozen food stash is low, turn it off, let it melt, then just take a beach towel & sop up the water. Plug back in & it's good to go in a day. It takes very little time to defrost it.