What Size Freezer Do You Need for Your Frugal Family?

by Miranda Jackson

How To Determine What Size Home Freezer You Need photo

A freezer is a great money-saving tool. Use these guidelines and tips to determine what freezer size is right for your frugal family.

Are you considering investing in a second freezer for your home? More freezer space will allow you to take advantage of bulk purchases and help reduce food waste, possibly saving you hundreds of dollars each year.

So what size freezer do you need? Is a chest freezer large enough? Or would an upright deep freezer be more convenient?

Read on for some factors you should consider to determine how much freezer space you need and what size freezer to get, and some tips from some of our frugal readers for choosing a new freezer.

Factors for Evaluating What Size Freezer You Need

Consider these factors that can help you determine the right size freezer for your family. You want a freezer that will accommodate your storage needs but that isn’t so large you’re wasting electricity and money cooling empty space.

Freezer Type

There are two main types of freezers: upright and chest.

Upright freezers are more convenient for organizing and accessing food but may have less overall storage capacity. Chest freezers tend to offer more storage space but may require more floor space and can be harder to organize.

Available Space

Measure the space where you plan to place the freezer. Take note of the height, width and depth to ensure that the freezer you select will fit comfortably. Also, consider ventilation and door opening space.

Sign Up for Savings

Subscribe to get money-saving content by email that can help you stretch your dollars further.

Twice each week, you'll receive articles and tips that can help you free up and keep more of your hard-earned money, even on the tightest of budgets.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Household Size and Eating Habits

The size of your household and your family’s eating habits play a significant role in determining the appropriate freezer size.

Generally, you’ll need more storage capacity for larger families or if you tend to buy in bulk or cook large batches of food. A couple or small family may get by just fine with a compact chest freezer.

Type of Food Storage

Think about the types of food you typically store. If you mostly store pre-packaged meals or smaller items, a smaller freezer may suffice. However, if you store larger items like whole turkeys or big cuts of meat, you may need a larger freezer.

Budget

Determine how much you’re willing to spend on a freezer. Larger freezers may cost more upfront but may provide better long-term storage solutions. Smaller freezers can be more budget-friendly but might not offer enough storage capacity for your needs.

Guidelines for Estimating “What Size Freezer Do I Need?”

According to Maytag.com, “allow for 2.5 cubic feet of freezer space for each household member.

Other sites recommend the following guidelines:

1.5 cubic feet per person in the household for moderate food storage needs.
2.5 cubic feet per person in the household for more extensive food storage needs or if you frequently buy in bulk.

So a good freezer size for a family of four would be 6.0 cubic feet to 10 cubic feet, which is a small to medium size chest or upright deep freezer according to Whirlpool.com.

Remember that these are just guidelines, and your specific needs may vary. It’s always a good idea to choose a slightly larger freezer than you think you’ll need to accommodate any changes in your household or food storage habits.

Tips From Our Frugal Readers for Choosing the Right Size Home Freezer

We asked our frugal readers the steps they took to figure out what size home freezer to buy. Read on for their recommendations for choosing the right size home freezer for your frugal family.

Buy a Used Freezer if Possible

When I had several children at home and a large garden every year, I needed a large (21 cubic feet) freezer. After the children left home, I sold the large one and bought a small (9 cubic feet) freezer. It has plenty of room for two people. The small freezer was bought second hand almost 20 years ago and is still working fine. Whatever size you choose, look for a used freezer before you spend hundreds for a new one.
Anita

Consider What You Want to Freeze

It depends on what you want to freeze. If you want to freeze a whole side of beef, then you may want a 14-cubic-foot freezer. If it is to be strictly an extension of your refrigerator/freezer, then 5 cubic feet may be enough.

The other factor to consider is the size that will fit. A 10-cubic-foot freezer and smaller can be the depth of kitchen counters. I got a 10-cubic-foot freezer because it was energy efficient and had two rows of baskets, which I appreciated because I’m so short. It took two months for my freezer to come in this summer, but it was well worth the wait. The new ones are so light weight, too. Save money on delivery and pick it up yourself (with a friend).

If you choose a 7-cubic-foot freezer or smaller and it turns out to be too small, it is an easy size to resell.
Merrie

A Chest Freezer is Recommended

The best freezer to buy according to Consumer Reports is the chest-style freezer. I have three freezers. One is the chest type and two are upright. Friends who were moving and did not want to take them along gave two of these to us. The most practical solution for the upright freezers is for the storage of packaged frozen goods. In the event of a power failure, the upright will not stay cold as long as the chest freezer. Therefore, we store our meats and other more expensive perishables in the chest freezer. Obviously, it is more difficult to see what is in the chest freezer, so I have a write on/wipe off board on the side. I keep track of the contents of all my freezers this way.

To make any freezer more energy efficient, if there is unused space, use old bleach bottles. They have never broken in all the years we have been using them. Fill them about 3/4 full with water and put them in any unused space. The freezer will not have to cycle as often if it is full. When the space is needed for frozen food, just put the bottles beside the freezer for future use.

I also keep one old packing blanket for each freezer in a plastic bag on top of one of the uprights. I got these for $1 each at a moving-storage facility. In the event of a power outage, I put the blanket over them to keep them cool and to prevent the kids from needlessly opening them.

You will find that the opportunity to stock up on sale items and being able to have a source of last minute meals will be worth the investment and the freezers will pay for themselves in no time.
Linda, Lawrenceville, Ga.

Base Freezer Footage on Size of Household

I have a fairly large upright freezer at my house because my husband does a lot of big game hunting, and on “slow” years, we buy one-half of a beef or more. I also like to have room to take advantage of frozen vegetable and poultry sales and surplus from the garden. (See A Grocery Stockpiling Guide: How and When to Save.)

I have worked at a retail furniture and appliance store for the last 20 years and this is the information I found.

A cubic foot of freezer space holds about 35 pounds of food. Some manufacturers suggest you calculate 1.5 cubic feet of space for each person eating at home. For energy efficiency, a freezer should be kept at least two-thirds full.

If you are not able to keep your freezer 2/3 full, then you should freeze water in leftover milk containers. I would also suggest you buy a newer model versus an old model from someone. The newer models are much more energy efficient. Of course, it will be up to you to decide if you prefer an upright or a chest. I would also recommend a manual defrost. You don’t have to defrost very often and a self-defrost model tends to dry everything out.
Sandy

Reviewed April 2023

Wouldn't you like to be a Stretcher too?

Subscribe to get our money-saving content twice per week by email and start living better for less.