Choosing your freezer well: upright or chest, No Frost, garage
A separate freezer means the freedom to do big shops, freeze garden produce or Sunday meals. But between upright and chest, No Frost and static cooling, cellar and garage, there are a few pitfalls. Here's how to choose, with our models in the shop.
- Cabinet : drawers, easy storage, often No Frost
- Chest : more litres for the price, very energy efficient
- Garage : check the climate class on the rating plate
- Power cut : door closed, often one to two days of autonomy
Upright or chest: the main choice
Both do the same job, but not in the same way. The right choice depends mainly on where you're going to put it and how you freeze.
Upright freezer
- Drawers: everything is visible and within reach
- Little floor space, fits in a kitchen or cellar
- Often No Frost: no more defrosting
- Available as a table top (around 85 cm) or as an upright up to 1.85 m and more
from €349.99 to €1,399.99
Chest freezer
- More volume for the same price
- The cold stays at the bottom when opened: very economical
- Ideal for large stocks and bulky items
- Manual defrosting, and you have to dig through the baskets
from €299.99 to €1,299.99
No Frost or static cooling?
In a freezer static, moisture in the air turns into frost on the walls. Beyond 3 to 5 mm, the frost insulates and makes the appliance consume more: you have to defrost it, two to four times a year depending on use. This is the principle of most chest freezers.
The No Frost circulates cold, dry air. Moisture is captured on a hidden evaporator that defrosts by itself. No more frost, no more ice blocks around the drawers, and a uniform temperature. On the other hand, it consumes a little more and dries out poorly packaged food: use good freezer bags or airtight boxes.
In between, systems such as Low Frost or StopFrost from Liebherr greatly reduce frost, without eliminating it completely: you will still need to defrost, but much less often.
What volume?
| Use | Recommended capacity | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Top-up for 1 to 2 people | 80 to 120 L | Table-top upright or small chest |
| Family that supplements the fridge-freezer | 200 to 300 L | Upright of 1.45 to 1.85 m |
| Vegetable garden, bulk meat, large family | 300 to 400 L and more | Large upright or chest |
Think about the freezing capacity (in kg per 24 hours) shown on the data sheet: this is the quantity of fresh food the appliance can freeze properly in one day. For a large delivery, start the super-freeze function a few hours beforehand.
Garages and cellars: the climate class
This is the number one trap in Belgium. Every appliance has a climate class, which indicates the room temperature in which it works properly:
| Class | Room temperature |
|---|---|
| SN | from 10 to 32 °C |
| N | from 16 to 32 °C |
| ST | from 16 to 38 °C |
| T | from 16 to 43 °C |
| SN-T (common) | from 10 to 43 °C |
Values commonly cited by manufacturers. The rating plate and the manual of each model are authoritative.
An unheated garage often drops below 10 °C in winter. A freezer rated SN-T may then regulate poorly. For a truly cold garage, you need an appliance rated for these conditions (some "garage" models are designed for sub-zero temperatures: read the data sheet carefully) or place it in a more temperate room. In summer, a garage under a flat roof can, on the other hand, exceed 32 °C: here too, the class matters.
Autonomy during a power cut
The data sheet indicates a autonomy (or "time to warm up"): the number of hours during which food stays frozen, door closed, after a power cut. A full freezer keeps cold better than a half-empty one, and a chest generally performs better than an upright. Example verified on the official data sheet: the chest Liebherr CFd 2085 advertises 50 hours of autonomy.
- During a power cut: keep the door or lid closed.
- Afterwards: if the temperature alarm has sounded for a long time, check the food. Thawed food should not be refrozen as is (unless it has been cooked in the meantime).
- On a circuit protected by a residual-current device, a trip can go unnoticed in a cellar: a temperature alarm, or even an alert on your mobile phone for connected models, provides peace of mind.
Our freezers in store
| Type | Model | What you need to know | Public price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet | Candy CNUQ2L513EWH | The entry-level price for an upright | 349,99 € |
| Cabinet | Bosch GTV15NWEB | Small under-counter freezer | 419,98 € |
| Cabinet | Hisense FV245N4AW2 | Hisense FV range, No Frost | 499,99 € |
| Cabinet | Haier H4F226WEH1 | Haier upright freezer, covered by the Haier appliance extension (see conditions) | 599,99 € |
| Cabinet | LG GFT61SWCSE | About 324 L for this range, No Frost, Smart Inverter; twin of the GLT71 fridge | 999,99 € |
| Cabinet | Liebherr FNE5016-20 | Large Liebherr upright | 1 099,99 € |
| Chest | Haier HCE100E | Small top-up chest | 299,99 € |
| Chest | Whirlpool W3RHS14EW | Budget-friendly small chest | 299,99 € |
| Chest | Haier HCE200E | Mid-sized chest, good value for the volume | 379,99 € |
| Chest | Hisense FT546D4AWLYE | Large Hisense chest | 599,99 € |
| Chest | Haier HCE420E | Large volume for big stocks | 699,99 € |
| Chest | Liebherr CFD2085-26 | 248 L, SN-T, 162 kWh per year, 33 dB, StopFrost, 50 h autonomy | 1 099,99 € |
Public prices checked on nimestore.com on 15 October 2026. Prices change: the product page prevails. Nimesclub members often benefit from a reduced price. Features cited based on the official brand data sheets.
Energy: a chest freezer uses little
A freezer runs continuously: its energy class matters as much as that of a fridge. To compare, look at the kWh per year of the label rather than the letter alone, and multiply by the price of a kWh (about €0.35 on average in Belgium). Example: 162 kWh per year represents about €57 per year. More explanations on our page on the energy label.
Before you buy, put a thermometer in the garage on a frosty night, or think back to the worst January you can remember. If it drops below ten degrees, we'll look together at the models designed for that, or find another spot in the house. It's the one criterion that doesn't forgive.
Maintenance in three steps
- Set it to -18 °C: colder doesn't keep food any better and uses more energy.
- Chest or upright: defrost as soon as the frost layer exceeds 3 to 5 mm, and never scrape it with a knife (the cooling circuit is fragile).
- Dust the rear grille once or twice a year and check the seal (the paper test: close the door on a sheet of paper).
Looking for a fridge with a large built-in freezer instead? See our fridge buying guide, or pop in and see us at Haier, Beko or Bosch, where our range of freezers is wide.
Our upright and chest freezers in store
Upright freezer CANDY CNUQ2L513EWH€349.00
Hisense FV245N4AW2 Upright Freezer€497.00
Upright Freezer HAIER H4F226WEH1€496.00
LG Upright Freezer GFT61SWCSE€820.00
Upright Freezer LIEBHERR FNE5016-20€1,099.00
Chest Freezer HAIER HCE100E€220.00
Chest freezer HAIER HCE200E€230.00
Hisense FT546D4AWLYE Chest Freezer€453.00
Chest freezer HAIER HCE420E€522.00
Chest freezer LIEBHERR CFD2085-26€1,099.00Frequently asked questions
Is an upright or a chest freezer better?
The upright is handier day to day: drawers, everything is visible, and it takes up little floor space. A chest gives you more litres for the same price and holds the cold better, but it takes up more room and you have to rummage through the baskets. For a kitchen or a utility room, go upright; for a cellar and large stocks, go chest.
Can you put a freezer in an unheated garage?
Only if its climate class covers your garage's temperatures. Many appliances are designed for 10 to 43 °C (SN-T): below 10 °C, they may not work properly. Some models are rated for colder garages: the rating plate and the instruction manual are the reference.
How long does a freezer keep food frozen during a power cut?
With the door closed, a well-stocked freezer keeps its cold for about a day, often longer for a chest. Each model's spec sheet gives its holdover time: for example, 50 hours for the Liebherr CFd 2085 chest. Don't open it to check.
Does No Frost use more energy?
A little, and it dries out poorly wrapped food more. In return, you never have to defrost. On a chest, defrosting is still manual, but it's rare and static cooling is very economical.
What freezer capacity should you choose?
Allow about 50 litres per person if you freeze a lot (vegetable garden, bulk-bought meat, home-cooked meals). An upright freezer of 200 to 300 litres suits most families who use it to supplement the freezer compartment of their fridge-freezer.
Come and see the appliances in person
At our Temploux shop, we open the doors and compare drums and finishes. Or ask our expert sales adviser online, right now.
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