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.

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.