Best freezers 2025: Which? Best Buys and expert advice

Food needs to be kept below -16°C to preserve it, and the quicker it gets down to that temperature the better. The best freezers will freeze food quickly to keep it in the best condition, and are cheap to run.

When the best freezers cool more than twice as quickly as the worst in our tests, it’s easy to see which are likely to keep your food as nutrient-rich as possible and give you better value for money.

Looking for a fridge freezer or fridge instead? See our round-up of the best fridge freezers and the best fridges.

Best freezers for 2025

These freezers are the models we recommend right now. They top the tables when it comes to our stringent lab tests, so will keep your food safely frozen and won't cost a lot to run.

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Freezers reviews by type

• Freestanding freezer reviews
• Integrated freezer reviews
• Chest freezer reviews

Freezers by price

• Freezers under £400
• Freezers under £700
• Freezers over £700

Why you can trust our freezer reviews

We buy every single freezer we test – that means no 'free samples'.

We then subject every model to the same independent lab testing and assessments. These unbiased tests root out the freezers that are quick to freeze, and don't use too much energy. These are our Best Buys.

Our testing completely ignores price, so our reviews are accurate and comparable, regardless of of how cheap or expensive the freezer. 

Find out more about how we test freezers.

Where to buy a freezer

• AO stocks more than 130 different types of freezers online. AO members can access discounted prices. Monthly instalment plans are available, and you can pay extra for unpacking, door reversal and recycling.
• Currys sells a huge range of freestanding, integrated and chest freezers. At the time of writing, there are almost 40 models listed under this filter. You can add installation, door reversal and recycling of your old appliance for an additional fee.
• John Lewis has 36 freezers stocked online, including a small selection of own-brand products. Prices start from around £240 and go up to around £1,350.

Freezer types explained

Find out the key dimensions of these different types of freezer and how much you'll expect to pay for each.

Tall freestanding freezers

These stand at between shoulder and head height, and offer a huge amount of storage space for frozen food. However, they take up a fair amount of space and can look bulky, particularly in small kitchens.

Most are 50-60cm wide and 60-65cm deep, although heights can vary from 130cm to more than 185cm.

Prices start at at around £230 for a basic model, but can rise to over £1,000 for a large, frost-free Miele or Samsung model. 

Pros: 

• Lots of choices of models, colours and finishes
• Easy to take with you if you move house or want to put it somewhere different
• Flexible storage options make it simple to organise your food and access small items

Cons: 

• Retrieving items from the top shelf or upper compartments can be tricky
• Takes up valuable floorspace in your kitchen or utility room

See all our tall freestanding freezer reviews to pick the best one for your budget. 

Chest freezers

Chest freezers give you the option of storing lots of food, so they're great if you buy and cook in bulk or need to store large items like joints of meat. Most are more bulky than freestanding freezers though.

Small chest freezers are between 55-65cm wide and between 50-60cm deep. Larger chest freezers are between 90-120cm wide and 65-75cm deep.

Prices start around £150 for a smaller chest freezer, but expect to pay around £400 for a large chest freezer. 

Pros:

• Offer plenty of storage space for a large amounts of food
• Ideal for storing bulky items such as joints of meat and boxed frozen foods
• Unlike regular freezers, more of the internal space is usable
• Cost less upfront than many tall freezers

Cons:

• Tend to be big and bulky – some models won’t fit into a lot of kitchens or utility rooms
• Storage features are limited and it’s easy to lose smaller or opened items
• Most models aren’t frost-free, so you have to defrost manually when ice builds up. See our tips on how to defrost a freezer.
• Can be unattractive - you might not want a big white box on display.

To see more great chest freezers, take a look at the best chest freezers

Under-counter freezers

Under-counter freezers fit under your kitchen worktop, so they’re ideal if you're short on space.

They are usually 85cm high or less so they fit under the average kitchen counter – but check there’s enough clearance under your worktop before you buy. Most are 60cm wide and 50-60cm deep.

It’s also possible to buy slim models which are less than 55cm wide and 50cm deep – these are useful if you don't have a lot of room and you don’t want your freezer to protrude out on your kitchen floor.

The price you pay will largely depend on the brand you choose. Some low-priced manual-defrost freezers are available for £200 or less, while frost-free models start at around £400. 

Pros: 

• Good option if you don't tend to freeze very much food and want to keep the essentials accessible
• Won't take up much floor space in your kitchen 
• Make small items easy to access 

Cons: 

• Not as much freezer space available as with larger models
• Not the best for storing bulky items  

Head to our under counter freezer reviews to see all the models we've tested. 

Integrated freezers

Both tall and under-counter freezers are also available as integrated appliances which are concealed (or integrated) into your kitchen cabinets.

They're a popular choice for open-plan living spaces because they give your kitchen a sleek, uncluttered look. 

Pros: 

• Sit behind kitchen cupboard doors and are hidden from view
• Not as deep as some freezers so won’t protrude into your kitchen

Cons: 

• More expensive to buy than freestanding models, and you'll pay more in running costs
• Not as many models to choose from
• Can't easily be moved if you want to redesign your kitchen

Head to our freezer reviews to see all the models we've tested.

Best freezer features to consider

Modern freezers have plenty of useful features, but it's only worth paying extra for features you'll actually use. Consider which of these features is most important to you before you go shopping. 

• Capacity The average under-counter freezer contains around 70 litres of usable space, while tall models tend give you an extra 100 litres on top of that. Chest freezers can contain anything between 90 and 400 litres of usable space, so you’ll need to think carefully about how much space you need.
• Colour White is by far the most common colour for a freezer, but other colours are available. We’ve tested silver, stainless steel and black fridges in all shapes and sizes. If you’re looking to add a splash of colour to your kitchen, retro models tend to be available in colours such as red and blue. 
• Control panel A simple plastic thermostat will do the trick if all you’re doing is adjusting the temperature. But some freezers may come with a larger control panel, which will allow you to adjust settings and use warning lights to tell you if the freezer is becoming too warm. 
• Counterbalanced lid (chest freezer) Rummaging around in a chest freezer is easier with a counterbalanced door or lid because it will stay up of its own accord.
• Fast freeze Gives a boost of cooling power for freezing a large load of fresh food quickly. The faster food freezes, the fresher it will be when you defrost it.  
• Frost-free This prevents ice from forming, so you’ll never have to defrost your freezer. Affordable under-counter or tall frost-free freezers are becoming common, frost-free chest freezers are few and far between at any price. 
• High temperature warning alarm Lets you know if the freezer temperature starts to rise, so you can investigate and hopefully fix any problem before the food in your freezer starts to thaw. Read more about what temperature your freezer should be.
• Open-door alarm Lets you know if you inadvertently leave the door ajar.
• Shelves and drawers Unless you buy a chest freezer, your new freezer will probably contain plastic drawers, and perhaps a shelf or freezing tray. If you tend to fill your freezer to the brim, transparent drawers might make it easier to spot what you’re looking for.

See our guide to the best freezer brands to find a brand that will fit your needs and budget. 

Can I buy a freezer designed for the garage?

Keeping your freezer in an unheated utility room or garage means it'll be subjected to colder temperatures than if it were in your kitchen. Some manufacturers, such as Beko, Russell Hobbs and Fridgemaster claim many of their freezers are suitable for use in temperatures as low as -15°C. 

If you want a freezer for your garage, check with the manufacturer whether the model you have your eye on is suitable. It’s also a good idea to check whether they’ll honour the warranty if you do keep it in an outbuilding.

Find out more about freezers for garages in our guide to the best freezers and chest freezers for garages. 

What size freezer should I buy?

This will depend on the size of your household and kitchen. Whichever model you're buying, check the dimensions carefully and consider whether you need to factor in extra space at the sides, back and/or top for air to circulate.

If you're planning on freezing a lot of food you're going to need a freezer with lots of storage space inside. However, you can't rely on advertised freezer capacities, as manufacturers typically remove all of the shelves, drawers and door racks when measuring. 

We leave everything inside and measure the space you can actually use for storing food. We find big differences between claimed and actual capacities - some freezers have as much as 29% less space than advertised.

Our usable storage volumes give a realistic idea of how much food you can store inside one model when compared with another. You can find these measurements on the 'tech specs' tab of each of our freezer reviews.

Freezer energy label changes

From 1 March 2021, a new energy label came into force, which replaced the confusing A+, A++ and A+++ ratings and reset the scale from A to G.

The change was designed to reinvigorate the sustainability race for manufacturers by completely emptying the top A-rating to encourage development of even more efficient appliances.

The new label for refrigeration (pictured above) states the capacity of chilled and/or frozen compartments in litres. There's also a new measure for noise emissions, as well as a QR code for more product information, which links to the product on the manufacturer’s website.

Head to our guide to the best energy efficient fridge freezers to read more about energy labels.

How can I dispose of, or recycle, my old freezer?

Finding a way to dispose of a freezer is no mean feat, especially if you want to get rid of it in a responsible and environmentally conscious way.

Like other large household items, such as mattresses, disposing of a freezer requires a bit more care and attention. The insulation and refrigerant contained inside are classed as hazardous waste, not to mention the risk of harmful gases leaking from the appliance if it's not disposed of safely.

Read how to dispose of or recycle a fridge freezer for advice on responsibly getting rid of an old appliance.