We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more.

The 7 Best Upright Freezers of 2024

These standalone freezers offer substantial storage in a convenient design

An upright freezer we recommend on a green background

The Spruce / Amelia Manley

Upright freezers take up less floor space than chest models, and convenient storage designs like flexible shelf placement, spacious door bins, and removable baskets offer quick access to everyday items.

Maverick Davis, appliance expert for Frontdoor, recommends an upright freezer if you need an appliance that’s easy to organize and makes efficient use of space. “Plus, you won't have to strain your back by bending down every time you need something out of it,” says Davis.

The most important thing to look for when shopping for an upright freezer is the proper size for your household. Davis suggests multiplying the number of people by 2.5 to get the cubic feet you'll want to look for. A family of four will want at least 8.5 cubic feet of space in a freezer. Be careful not to overestimate your storage needs too much—the more empty space you have, the more air is moving around, which will cause the machine to use more energy and increase the risk of freezer burn.

Another important factor to consider when shopping is whether you want a manual defrost or frost-free model. Davis recommends frost-free upright freezers because they require less work, and they keep your food from icing up from frequently opening the door. However, manual defrost models tend to be less expensive and use less energy than their frost-free counterparts, saving you money both upfront and in the long run. And they’re better suited for those who want a freezer for dedicated long-term storage, as opposed to short-term storage of everyday items, since they do not circulate warm air throughout the unit, keeping your frozen items at a more consistent temperature. 

With these considerations in mind, we researched dozens of upright freezers from all the most popular manufacturers, including Frigidaire, Whirlpool, Amana, KoolMore, Whynter, and more. We looked at storage capacity and overall footprint, organization options, energy efficiency, and a variety of other factors to find all the best options for a variety of needs.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

GE Garage Ready Upright Freezer

GE Garage Ready 14.1-cu ft Frost-free Upright Freezer

The Home Depot

What We Like
  • See-through shelves and bins

  • Turbo freeze mode

  • External temperature controls

  • Quiet operation

What We Don't Like
  • Doesn’t show internal temperature

  • Limited shelf adjustability

The GE FUF14DLRWW provides flexible storage with easy access to items that you need on a daily basis, in addition to accurate temperature controls and frost-free operation, which is why it’s our favorite upright freezer.

The 14.1-cubic-foot volume is enough room to store several dozen chickens or a half share of beef with room to spare for your daily needs. To that end, it provides flexible storage options that include adjustable shelves and two slide-out bins that help a lot with organization.

Other useful features include bright LED lighting that helps you find exactly what you’re looking for, a lock to prevent kids or pets from getting into your frozen food storage, and a turbo freeze mode to rapidly cool things down when you’re done stocking up on your favorite frozen foods.

This freezer is the ideal size to provide storage for a family of four or five, with four glass shelves, two transparent drawers, and see-through door bins that are perfect for holding frozen treats and other grab-and-go items. Only two of the shelves are adjustable, but there’s plenty of flexibility to store all sorts of frozen goods, from large turkeys and bulky frozen pizzas, to tubs of ice cream, bags of frozen veggies, and anything else you like to stock up on. GE also offers versions with 17.3 and 21.3 cubic feet of storage capacity that include all the same features as this model.

The temperature controls are located on the door, so you don’t need to open the freezer to make adjustments. It’s a digital panel that provides tight control over the temperature, although it is important to note that the display only shows the temperature that you set, and not the actual internal temperature. However, it’s just one of two models on our list that comes with an audible temperature alarm (the other is the Frigidaire FFUE2022AW, our best large pick), so there’s no need to worry about the internal temperature being too high—if the temperature rises to an unsafe level, you’ll be sure to hear about it immediately, even if you install this freezer in your garage.

Dimensions: 61.9 x 28 x 31.9 inches | Capacity: 14.1 cubic feet | Defrost Type: Frost-free | Temperature Range: -5 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit | Garage-Friendly: Yes | Annual Energy Use: 397 kWh | Energy Star Certified: Yes

Best Budget

Insignia Garage Ready Convertible Upright Freezer

Best Buy Insignia 13.8 Cu. Ft. Garage Ready Convertible Upright Freezer

Best Buy

What We Like
  • Touchscreen display

  • Also works as a fridge

  • Energy efficient

What We Don't Like
  • Doesn’t display internal temperature

  • Power indicator light is dim

The Insignia NS-UZ14WH0 is an upright freezer that provides ample storage for a family of four or five and priced over $200 below our best overall pick. This budget-friendly model offers frost-free operation all the way down to -11 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as built-in lighting, adjustable shelves, and a digital touchscreen temperature control panel. The temperature control panel shows the temperature that you set instead of the actual internal temperature, but it’s still one of the best control panels you’ll find on an upright freezer. It’s Energy Star certified as well, which means it's at least 10 percent more energy efficient than the minimum federal standard. (Jump to learn more about why energy efficiency matters.)

This is a convertible freezer, meaning it can switch between fridge and freezer modes, which is a feature that’s hard to come by, even in more expensive models. There’s no complicated conversion process either, as switching from freezer to refrigerator mode is accomplished simply by changing the temperature on the touchscreen control panel. It’s only garage-ready in freezer mode though, so keep that in mind if you plan on using it in an area that isn’t climate controlled. In freezer mode, it works in a wide range of ambient temperatures from 0 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can place it in an environment with wide temperature swings, such as a garage. It also includes a fast-freeze mode to rapidly reduce the internal temperature when switching modes or after adding a load of groceries.

Dimensions: 61.81 x 28 x 29.56 inches | Capacity: 13.8 cubic feet | Defrost Type: Frost-free | Temperature Range: -11 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit | Garage-Friendly: Yes | Annual Energy Use: 394 kWh | Energy Star Certified: Yes

If you're placing the freezer in your garage, make sure it's 'garage-ready,’ meaning it can withstand outdoor external temperatures from 0 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Best Splurge

Dacor Panel Ready Built In Column Freezer

Best Buy Dacor 13.6 Cu Ft Panel Ready Built In Column Freezer

Best Buy

What We Like
  • High-end stainless interior

  • Makes standard and craft ice

  • Wi-Fi connectivity

  • Power-freeze mode for flash freezing

What We Don't Like
  • Higher annual energy use

  • Ice maker takes up space

If you’re going to splurge on an upright freezer, the Dacor DRZ24980LAP is a worthy choice. This column model is packed with features you usually won’t find in a standalone freezer, including a dual-mode ice maker, a high-end stainless steel interior, and integrated LED lighting that illuminates every shelf like it’s a showcase for your frozen food. It’s designed to pair with a Dacor column fridge, with your choice of stainless or graphite finishes, but the panel-ready version can also disappear into your kitchen decor like a chameleon.

This freezer leverages Dacor’s PreciseCooling technology with a digital inverter compressor to provide remarkably even temperatures with frost-free operation and a power-freeze mode to flash freeze new purchases when you’re done loading up. The interior is a bit narrow due to the column freezer design, so you’ll have trouble fitting anything wider than a frozen pizza box. It includes two large storage drawers though, along with three spill-proof shelves and deep door bins, all done in a high-end stainless steel finish.

The ice makers take up a significant amount of space, but that’s one of the major selling points, since this freezer is capable of making both standard and craft ice. It includes some nice design touches that make excellent use of the available space as well, like a control panel above the top drawer that would otherwise be wasted space. It includes Wi-Fi connectivity as well, allowing you to monitor and adjust the internal temperature from an app on your phone. And while it is Energy Star certified, keep in mind that the estimated annual energy use is higher than others on our list at 500 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year.

Dimensions: 83.38 x 23.75 x 25 inches | Capacity: 13.6 cubic feet | Defrost Type: Frost-free | Temperature Range: -8 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit | Garage-Friendly: No | Annual Energy Use: 500 kWh | Energy Star Certified: Yes

Best Large

Frigidaire Upright Freezer

Best Buy Frigidaire FFUE2022AW 20.0 cu. ft Upright Freezer

Best Buy

What We Like
  • Large capacity but relatively small footprint

  • Bright power indicator

  • Air circulation system

  • Audible temperature alarm

What We Don't Like
  • Temperature dial located inside

  • Noisy operation

The Frigidaire FFUE2022AW is our favorite large upright freezer because it has 20 cubic feet of storage (second only to our best for garages pick, the KoolMore KM-FMD20WH), yet it takes up about the same amount of floor space as a traditional 17-cubic-foot model. That’s enough extra space to hold about 15 extra frozen chickens, 75 pounds of frozen veggies, or about 12 gallon tubs of ice cream.

That extra storage space makes this freezer great for large families that go through a lot of frozen food, and for anyone who needs a lot of frozen storage but doesn’t have a lot of available floor space. This is a frost-free model, so it works best for shorter term storage of items that you use every day, but it is garage-ready and gets cold enough for long-term storage if that’s what you need. It doesn’t lock though, so keep that in mind if you prefer to secure your stored food from kids, pets, or neighbors in a shared space.

This freezer features a flexible layout, with four wire shelves that slot into 10 different positions, a large storage basket, and deep door bins that are great for holding items like frozen treats and microwave dinners for easy access. The storage bin is shorter in front than in back so it’s easy to grab small items from it as well, with the unfortunate side effect that it can’t hold as much as a full-sized basket. 

The wire shelves and basket help facilitate air circulation though, which this freezer uses to maintain even internal temperatures. The temperature control itself resides inside the unit, but there’s a very bright, floor-projected LED power indicator on the front of the freezer that lets you know it’s on and working without opening it to check. And it’s one of two units on our list with an audible temperature alarm that will alert you when the freezer’s temperature rises (the other is our best overall upright freezer, the GE FUF14DLRWW)

Dimensions: 71.75 x 32.63 x 28.25 | Capacity: 20 cubic feet | Defrost Type: Frost-free | Temperature Range: -10 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit | Garage-Friendly: Yes | Annual Energy Use: 399 kWh | Energy Star Certified: Yes

Best Compact

Whynter Stainless Steel Freezer with Lock

Whynter CUF-210SS Energy Star 2.1 cu. ft.

Amazon

What We Like
  • Very energy efficient

  • Fits under desks and counters

  • Reversible door

What We Don't Like
  • Can’t use in garages

  • Unclear temperature controls

This mini freezer from Whynter is small enough to slide under a counter or desk, which makes it the ideal choice for stashing frozen treats in your office or dorm room or adding a little extra frozen food storage to your home. With a minimum operating temperature of -10 degrees Fahrenheit that’s perfect for long-term storage, it isn’t just limited to holding novelties. The door is reversible, meaning you can switch the direction of how it opens depending on your space. It also includes adjustable leveling feet, so there’s no need to worry if the floors in your office aren’t quite even.

This freezer is spacious enough to hold a supply of frozen food for one person if it’s your only frozen storage, or to add a little extra if you already have a full-sized freezer.  It doesn’t have any internal lighting, storage baskets, or door bins, which means that the entire internal volume is available for food storage. You can store meat, veggies, frozen dinners, and even frozen pizza boxes in this freezer, or stock it up with your favorite ice cream. The adjustable shelves are the perfect size to hold ice cream pints, but they’re removable if you need to store larger items.

Dimensions: 27 x 17.25 x 20 inches | Capacity: 2.1 cubic feet | Defrost Type: Manual | Temperature Range: -10 to 2 degrees Fahrenheit | Garage-Friendly: No | Annual Energy Use: 228 kWh | Energy Star Certified: Yes

Best for Garage

KoolMore 21 Cu. ft. Commercial Reach-in Freezer

Amazon KoolMore KM-FMD20WH 21 Cu. ft. Commercial Reach-in Freezer

Amazon

What We Like
  • Digital control panel

  • Heavy-duty construction

  • Six shelves

  • LED lighting

What We Don't Like
  • Shelves aren’t adjustable

  • No storage basket

  • No door bins

Garage freezers are great for long-term storage and holding items that you don’t need every day, so the ideal feature set is a little different from a kitchen freezer. You can use any garage-ready freezer in your garage, but we recommend the KoolMore KM-FMS20WH because of its heavy-duty construction, accurate digital control panel and temperature settings, sub-zero operating range, and a no-nonsense shelf layout that lets you store the most possible food in the available space. 

It’s the only model on our list that is ETL Listed for safety and sanitation, which means it’s certified to stand up to the intense use of commercial applications. That might be overkill for home use, but it’s perfect for the rough service environment of a garage.

This freezer doesn’t have a lot of advanced storage options, but leaving out door bins and a storage basket maximizes the amount of shelf space for long-term storage. The six strong shelves provide enough room to hold a full share of beef with plenty of room to stock up on other frozen favorites whenever you find a sale. The digital control panel allows you to keep it at the precise temperature you desire, and it’s a manual defrost model, which is preferred for long-term storage.

Dimensions: 74.4 x 30.1 x 27.4 inches | Capacity: 21 cubic feet | Defrost Type: Manual | Temperature Range: -8 to 0 degrees Fahrenheit | Garage-Friendly: Yes | Annual Energy Use: Not listed | Energy Star Certified: No

Best Convertible

KoolMore Upright Freezer/Refrigerator Convertible

Amazon KoolMore Upright Freezer/Refrigerator Convertible

Amazon

What We Like
  • Easy conversion between fridge and freezer modes

  • Adjustable shelves

  • Large storage basket

What We Don't Like
  • Controls located inside freezer

  • No temperature display

  • Narrow door bins

The most important thing for a convertible freezer is that the conversion process between fridge and freezer modes needs to be fast and easy, which is why the KoolMore RUF-17C is our favorite convertible standup model. Our budget pick, the Insignia NS-UZ14WH0, is also a convertible model, but the KoolMore stands out because it’s garage-ready in both freezer and fridge modes. There's also no complicated configuration process, and the control panel includes a convenient indicator light that shows the current mode. 

If you find yourself in need of extra refrigerator space, or the other way around, all you need to do is hold the temperature button for three seconds to unlock the panel, then hold it for an additional three seconds to switch modes. The control panel’s location inside the freezer is a little inconvenient, but does provide a bit of extra security against unwanted temperature adjustments, since this model has a locking door.

This convertible freezer works well in both modes, with a frost-free operation that ensures you’ll never need to deal with large chunks of melting ice when you switch from freezer to refrigerator. Flexible storage options that include four adjustable shelves, a large storage basket, and convenient door bins. Each shelf has two primary positions, with plenty of space for large items. The storage bin is also spacious, with enough room to hold stacks of large items like frozen pizzas, or even a couple large frozen turkeys. The door bins are narrower than average though, so they’re better for holding thin items like TV dinners in freezer mode than larger items like drinks and condiments in refrigerator mode.

Dimensions: 65 x 32.8 x 28.5 inches | Capacity: 17 cubic feet | Defrost Type: Frost-free | Temperature Range: -10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit | Garage-Friendly: Yes | Annual Energy Use: 481 kWh | Energy Star Certified: No

Final Verdict

The GE Garage Ready Frost-Free Upright Freezer (FUF14DLRWW) is the best overall upright freezer because it provides ample capacity for most households with useful storage options that make it easy to keep track of your frozen food and quickly access whatever you need. This frost-free model includes a digital thermostat for tight temperature controls, it’s garage-ready, and it’s also Energy Star certified, so it’s affordable to operate. If you don’t need all the storage of a full-sized model, the Whynter Stainless Steel Freezer with Lock is our best compact upright freezer pick. This mini freezer is small enough to slide under a desk or counter, but it provides enough storage for a single person, or some extra room to hold your favorite frozen treats.

What to Look for in an Upright Freezer

Capacity

When you first start looking for an upright freezer, you need to decide on the right capacity for your needs. Capacity is measured in cubic feet and refers to how much food you can fit in the freezer, so you can consider the size of your household and the way you plan on using the freezer to figure out how big it needs to be. As a rule of thumb, you can multiply the number of people in your household by 2.5 cubic feet to determine your storage needs. 

“Additionally, having a full freezer is more energy-efficient than an empty one, so it's a good idea to aim for a size that can accommodate your needs without being too big,” says Davis.

In addition to the number of people in your household, it’s important to consider whether you will use the freezer for short-term storage of items that you use every day, stocking up on your favorites whenever you find them on sale, or as dedicated long-term storage. For example, you can fit about 35 to 40 pounds of cut and wrapped meat in 1 cubic foot of freezer space, two whole frozen chickens, or about 10 frozen pizzas in the same volume. Things don’t always line up perfectly though, and you usually end up with a significant amount of unusable space in an upright freezer due to oddly shaped items.

If you need long-term storage space, such as for large quantities of beef or game, then you’ll need more space, like the KoolMore KM-FMD20WH that we recommend as the best for garages, with a large 21 cubic-foot capacity and a no-nonsense six-shelf layout that maximizes the available storage space.

Energy Efficiency

Upright freezers aren’t as energy efficient as chest freezers because the shelving leads to more unused space, which forces the freezer to use more energy to maintain the temperature. However, there are plenty of upright models that are very affordable to run. The easiest way to find an energy efficient model is to look for an Energy Star certification. “If it is Energy Star certified, it is more efficient and cheaper to operate,” says Davis.

It’s important to note that Energy Star certifications are based on the size and configuration of the freezer though, so similar models are compared to each other. Models with this certification are at least 10 percent more efficient than the limit imposed by federal regulations, so it’s a good idea to check the energy label and see exactly how much electricity the freezer actually uses. Energy use is measured in kilowatt-hours per year (kWh), which you can usually find on the EnergyGuide label, along with the estimated yearly cost of running the appliance. An Energy Star-certified upright freezer is estimated to use about 395 kWh and costs about $60 per year to run, but this varies based on the size and design of the model.

For example, the Dacor DRZ24980LAP that we recommend as the best splurge and the GE FUF14DLRWW that we recommend best overall are both Energy Star certified, but the Dacor model uses over 100 kWh per year more than the GE model despite being slightly smaller due to advanced features like a craft ice maker and Wi-Fi connectivity. Keep in mind that the trade-off of more bonus features is a less energy-efficient model.

Storage and Organization Features

Upright freezers have less usable space than chest freezers by design, but the trade-off is that they’re easier to organize. To that end, Davis recommends looking for a model with multiple shelves that you can move around where you need them. 

Other useful storage features include removable shelves for times when you need to store especially large items like big frozen turkeys, door bins that are deep enough to hold everyday items like frozen treats and microwave meals, and see-through bins for storing small items. Our recommendation for the best large upright freezer, the Frigidaire FFUE2022AW, has four highly adjustable shelves, deep door bins, and a slide-out storage basket, which makes organization a breeze.

In addition to flexible storage and organization options, other features like bright interior lighting can help you keep track of your food and find exactly what you’re looking for. Since a large freezer can easily hold hundreds of dollars worth of food, Davis also recommends selecting a model that includes a high temperature alarm. “This feature will give you peace of mind, knowing that your food won't spoil in the event of a problem,” says Davis. Our best overall recommendation, the GE FUF14DLRWW, has a high-temperature alarm, and it’s also rated to keep your cold frozen for up to 48 hours during a power outage. 

Temperature Control

Upright freezers need to have accurate temperature controls, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that analog controls are bad and digital controls are good. Freezers with analog controls are more difficult to dial in to a specific temperature, and you’ll typically need to use a freezer thermometer and some trial and error, but the important thing is that the freezer needs to be able to hold a steady temperature when you set it. All of our recommendations have that ability, and many of them are even garage-friendly models that can hold a steady temperature even when the ambient temperature is extremely hot or extremely cold.

If you want precise temperature control without any trial and error, then choose a model with a digital thermostat. Our best overall recommendation, the GE FUF14DLRWW has a digital thermostat that allows you to select the exact temperature you want, so there’s no guesswork involved. It doesn’t display the actual internal temperature of the freezer, but it does have a loud alarm that goes off if the internal temperature rises to an unsafe level.

Food needs to be held at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for long-term storage, so that’s the baseline requirement for all of our recommendations, and you shouldn’t settle for anything less. Many of our recommendations get even colder than that, including our best budget recommendation, the Insignia NS-UZ14WH0, which can hold a steady temperature all the way down to -11 degrees Fahrenheit.

Placement is also a crucial factor in choosing the right upright freezer, especially for those living in hot climates. If you’re going to be placing your freezer in a garage where it can be exposed to high external temperatures, be sure to consider whether your unit is “garage-ready” or not. This typically refers to models that can be placed in temperatures ranging from 0 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if you plan to keep it in a basement or another part of your home where the temperature is stable, then this is less of a concern. 

Why Trust The Spruce?

Jeremy Laukkonen is a commerce updates writer for The Spruce who has over a decade of experience writing about appliances, electronics, and other home goods. For this piece, Laukkonen considered options from all the most popular manufacturers for this roundup, including GE, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Amana, KoolMore, and many others. He researched and evaluated each model for capacity, storage options and layout, energy efficiency, safety features like alarms and locks, and looked specifically for hard to find special features like dual operating modes and ice makers.

Our Experts: