Upright freezer - how economical or power hungry is one?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Upright freezer - how economical or power hungry is one?

Batman

Mad Scientist
29766 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#189368 26-Dec-2015 16:06

I've held off buying the missus a freezer for about a decade, and now I am about to get one. Was told must be an upright one.

But like to hear thoughts and experiences of peeps.
- how much power will it cost? [i understand keeping it full helps to lower power consumption]
- what is the most efficient one?
- maybe I should get a giant fridge with a giant freezer?
- there is a Haier in HN that alleges 190kw a year when the ultra expensive F&P one rates at 550kw ... ??

1 | 2

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1457435 26-Dec-2015 16:22

Does it have to be upright? If you are after economy then a chest freezer is the way to go. Cold air "falls out" of an upright freezer every time you open the door, whereas in a chest freezer it just lies there.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1457438 26-Dec-2015 16:26

Uprights are a million times easier to find things and to manage the items in the freezer. As for energy usage check the sticker on the units to compare

l43a2

1779 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1457470 26-Dec-2015 17:53

also the upright ones are frost free (the one we have is)

Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#1457484 26-Dec-2015 18:01

Check if they are frost free or not. Alot of the upright ones are not. And frost free uses alot more power compared to manual defrost. As to defrost, a heating element needs to switch on to warm the freezer to 9deg or so to get rid of the frost. Then it has to quickly refreeze again.

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1457496 26-Dec-2015 18:24

Aredwood: Check if they are frost free or not. Alot of the upright ones are not. And frost free uses alot more power compared to manual defrost. As to defrost, a heating element needs to switch on to warm the freezer to 9deg or so to get rid of the frost. Then it has to quickly refreeze again.

I always thought that how ever we have a chest freezer in the garage and an upright in the kitchen, the chest freezer frost
Quite a lot and the upright virtually frost free.

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1457497 26-Dec-2015 18:26

joker97: I've held off buying the missus a freezer for about a decade, and now I am about to get one. Was told must be an upright one.

But like to hear thoughts and experiences of peeps.
- how much power will it cost? [i understand keeping it full helps to lower power consumption]
- what is the most efficient one?
- maybe I should get a giant fridge with a giant freezer?
- there is a Haier in HN that alleges 190kw a year when the ultra expensive F&P one rates at 550kw ... ??

F&P and Haier are twins now, we avoid them as the quality has suffered a bit over the last few years

Huchiz

221 posts

Master Geek

#1457499 26-Dec-2015 18:30

Haier doesn't market their mid/high end appliances here in New Zealand as the F&P is supposed to fill the spot.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

richms

28189 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1457502 26-Dec-2015 18:54

Frost free ruins icecream so IMO its a negative to have that on a freezer.

Richard rich.ms

Huchiz

221 posts

Master Geek

#1457503 26-Dec-2015 18:58

richms: Frost free ruins icecream so IMO its a negative to have that on a freezer.

Never thought of that. But yes!! Now I understand why the service manual says my fridge/freezer has heating elements. I didn't understand. lol

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#1457545 26-Dec-2015 20:07

richms: Frost free ruins icecream so IMO its a negative to have that on a freezer.

I have never had any problem, at least with proper homemade icecream.

I would recommend vertical freezers, although I don't think they will last as long durability wise, than a chest freezer. Had a chest freezer that was going after 30plus years, while a vertical freezer has developed two major electrical faults within 3 years, and had to be replaced, and has clear plastic door flaps which are easy the break.

raytaylor

4014 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1457583 26-Dec-2015 23:19

Lets put the power consumption into perspective

550kw (F&P E308R upright - 304ltr) is only $137 a year - probably less in most areas of the country.
424kw (F&P H320 chest - 320ltr) is is only $106 a year

Thats not much of a difference for a similar sized capacity.

I forget how the energy rating calculation works - I couldnt find the info on their website but i think the sticker tells you. It goes something like you will open the freezer four times a day, at two hour intervals or something like that.

An upright freezer is much much more efficient if the air is replaced by water or mass that can be cooled and stays inside it. This is why most new freezers have drawers rather than shelves. It prevents as much air falling out when you open the door.
When the air falls out, warm air from the room is sucked in to replace it and then requires cooling.

However if you dont use the full capacity of the freezer, then fill milk bottles up about 90% with water, and squeeze the remaining air out before screwing on the cap to prevent them blowing apart when the water expands. You can also use soft drink bottles but 2L milk bottles are more "square" and stack nicer so there is less air and more water mass in the space that the bottles occupy.

Now when you open the door, the air wont fall out because its been replaced with water, and the bottles hold it in place. When the door closes, less air requires cooling.

But anyhow I say get her one.

Ray Taylor

There is no place like localhost

Spreadsheet for Comparing Electricity Plans Here

Huchiz

221 posts

Master Geek

#1457584 26-Dec-2015 23:30

Thanks Ray! Really good advise.

We have a new Mitsubishi 370L fridge/freezer using about 1.2Kwh per day as I measured which is not far from the 500Kwh label. I will try your milk bottle thing.

jonathan18

7413 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1457634 27-Dec-2015 07:15

I asked for advice on upright freezers here a year or so ago, and based on feedback received we bought a Samsung unit. It's been excellent and would totally recommend it.

I recall seeing that Haier's apparent efficiency (made obvious by its star rating), but was more convinced by comments re Samsung quality, reliability etc.

pctek

807 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#1459717 1-Jan-2016 08:46

scuwp: Does it have to be upright? If you are after economy then a chest freezer is the way to go. Cold air "falls out" of an upright freezer every time you open the door, whereas in a chest freezer it just lies there.

Yeah...husband used to say that.
Eventually I ignored him and bought an upright.

Maybe the air falls out, but I open it, select my item from the brilliant easy to see shelves and shut it.
The damn chest freezer, that was open it, lean in, rummage through the pile - in baskets or whatever or not - rummage around moving things, eventually find the item at the bottom - of course, then get out.
Then go defrost my tits.

So how long was the chest freezer open? And thats why they call it a chest freezer - it sure does.
Even husband has grown to like the new one now, air falling out or not.

Power consumption? Bugger all that I have noticed. It's not like a dryer or electric heater.
Modern ones are pretty efficient.

And we save far more by buying meat on special. Most I have paid for anything is $11 a kg.
Most things $9 a kg.

Can go buy 1/2 and animal and have it cut and then freeze.
We freeze garden produce too.

I love my upright freezer....

Batman

Mad Scientist
29766 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1459725 1-Jan-2016 09:11

I ended up for the same price of an upright freezer, buying a new Samsung upright "side-by-side" fridge-freezer.

1 | 2