Types

Choose a type that fits your needs, budget, and available floor space

Chest freezers

Pros:The most space for the money. Chests are slightly more energy efficient than uprights and stay cold longer in power outages.
Cons:Space can be hard to organize. Retrieving items on the bottom can be especially difficult. Few models are self-defrosting.
Price:Self-defrost, $350 to $800; manual-defrost, $200 to $700.

Upright freezers

Pros:Take up less floor space than chest freezers. Like a refrigerator, shelves and bins inside this type of freezer and on the door make organizing and finding contents easier. Many models are self-defrosting.
Cons:Cost more to buy and operate, and shelves reduce usable space.
Price:Self-defrost, $350 to $900; manual defrost, $200 to $800.