Freezer Recommendations

[2ski]

I'm looking to buy a chest freezer. I'd like to keep it under $400 or so. Any recommendations? I'm looking to fit a deer and and elk, some fish and some birds in it.

 

[UtahJimmy]

I'd recommend an upright over a chest. Easier to keep organizer IMO. Check out Craigslist... quick search turned up one in Bozeman for $250. Not sure if you have other classifieds locally (we have ksl.com in Utah that's pretty awesome!) But I'd check that out too. Might be able to pick one up for under $100 if you are willing to drive to Idaho? Good luck!

 

[rileybassman]

I have a 6.9 cu. ft magic chef from home depot, and it has been a good little freezer for the money (200 bucks).
It will fit a packaged elk, packaged deer, and a little room left over veggies etc (not tons).

I also have a 15 cu. ft. chest freezer, and that has two packaged elk in it, and would fit 2 more easy.

 

[rileybassman]

I'd recommend an upright over a chest. Easier to keep organizer IMO. Check out Craigslist... quick search turned up one in Bozeman for $250. Not sure if you have other classifieds locally (we have ksl.com in Utah that's pretty awesome!) But I'd check that out too. Might be able to pick one up for under $100 if you are willing to drive to Idaho? Good luck!

My dad likes uprights more as well... personally, I like chest freezers more, easier to transport (don't have to lay down), when power is out, they seem to stay colder because cold air sinks. I will say that you need to be organized in a chest freezer, but that hasn't been a problem for us.

All comes down to preference.

I used one of mine as a "cooler" last week for my wife's elk - quartered it up, tossed it in the chest freezer with some ice, plugged her in for a couple hours, then drove home. Worked great!

 

[rklein]

I grew up on a farm/ranch in NM where we raised out own beef. We always had chest freezers. I had a roommate in college bring in a upright we had at the college house for a couple years, and like the posters above mentioned, it is easier to keep organized. But as soon as you open the door all the cold air sinks and runs out the door. I also feel that you're unable to use all the space in as you inevitably lose space at the end of the shelves as you stack towards the door. Best solution I have found is small plastic crates(found at target), that fit into my current chest freezer almost perfect. so I have a modular system in my freezer now, helps me keep the freezer very well organized, but I am still able to use all of the space.

As far as where to buy them I have always hit up Sears when I have been looking for one. They often have scratch/dent or display models at discounted prices. I seem to always have mine in a basement of freezer so minor cosmetic issues do not bother me.

 

[Riplip]

Costco has 7.2 cu ft chest freezer for $149.00

 

[2ski]

Well I went with a 17 cu ft. Kenmore from sears. It was 400 instead of 750. It's a hot buy right now. Plus with the Sears card for 6 months no interest it made sense. Now to fill it......

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[mtswampfox]

Have the second smallest chest from lowes. Been a good one so far,two years, reason being bought the warranty. Have found the cloth totes from grocery store make excellant storage bags to keep things seperated. Have bunch of blueberries in quart zippers stacked in a cardboard box. Lots of ways to keep it from becoming a challenge when the lid is up

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I got the two medium and one largest chest freezers from Lowes for my bison. Any sub zero model will do as long as it DOESN'T HAVE auto defrost. While uprights are more easily organized, they dump their cold whenever you open em. A chest freezer doesn't. I only put items in em that are intended for long term storage.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I prefer chest freezers. The lid always stays closed just from the weight of it. With an upright, if the packages shift and fall against the door, it could open the door, and if you keep it in the garage, you might not know for a day or two. I also don't prefer "frost free". The layer of ice in the freezer helps keeps things cold if there is a power failure. Also with a chest freezer, if your other freezer fails, you can pile everything into the chest freezer, and as long as you can close the lid, you are good.

 

[jeffpg]

Lot of good info shared here. I have both and like both but if I had to lose one I'd keep the chest freezer.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I got the two medium and one largest chest freezers from Lowes for my bison. Any sub zero model will do as long as it DOESN'T HAVE auto defrost. While uprights are more easily organized, they dump their cold whenever you open em. A chest freezer doesn't. I only put items in em that are intended for long term storage.

Just curious, how much packaged meat did the Bison yield?? Those things look huge on TV. I can only imagine the size when you walk up to one and have to start field dressing. Looks like an all day job.

 

[Pontius]

With an upright, if the packages shift and fall against the door, it could open the door, and if you keep it in the garage, you might not know for a day or two.

Happened to me this week, while I was out of town.

 

[archer wapiti]

Happened to me this week, while I was out of town.

That's awful! hope you didn't lose too much.

While we're on the subject of freezers... I'm not sure if they make frost free chest freezers, but frost free is NOT what you want. Frost free freezers defrost by warming up periodically. Not good for long-term meat storage. Make sure it stays at temperature for the duration.

 

[missjordan]

Bummer! We lost our whole freezer and about 60lbs of game meat a month ago, I was so mad. Didn't take too long for it to spoil in a hot garage


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[Where's Bruce?]

Just curious, how much packaged meat did the Bison yield?? Those things look huge on TV. I can only imagine the size when you walk up to one and have to start field dressing. Looks like an all day job.

Once cut/ground it was 511lbs.