Freezers & Nic: Upright or Chest, Auto or Manual Defrost?

[Fozzy71]

I bought this one. Enough room for 5 gallons of nic and a bunch of meat and ice cream.
IGLOO 5.1 cu. ft. Chest Freezer in White-FRF452 - The Home Depot

I got this one for under $150 delivered with some rewards from my best buy rewards account - Insignia™ - 5.0 Cu. Ft. Chest Freezer - White

 

[ScandaLeX]

When Mike posted the link I followed it and purchased the freezer.
It did arrive with a small dent on the side - no biggie.
It also was missing the key for the lock. No big deal because I already have a locking freezer that came with two keys so I didn't make a stink about it because I had a spare key. All in all the freezer runs great. Very cold and no humidity accumulating. It was my understanding that I could return it in exchange for a replacement unit if the freezer didn't work upon arrival. I followed the included instructions and let the freezer sit for 24 hours after unboxing it and placing it in it's location prior to powering it on. I holds at least 6 liters. 5 full one liter bottles on the bottom and over a liter of 120ml stacked on top. The one liter bottles are slightly too tall to fit under the included shelf so I simply cut a piece of card board and laid it on top of the one liter bottles and use the card board as a shelf. Was a good purchase.

I remembered to do this AFTER I'd already plugged it in about an hr after delivery.

 

[mikepetro]

Thank you @leftyandsparky !!!

Hopefully @mikepetro will come in & share here his opinion of the freezer for those who are curious about it.

I have had zero problems, mine came with a dented back corner, which you dont even see once it is against the wall. I have had it for about 2 months and their is just the slightest coating of frost on the bottles and drawers. No where near enough to even remotely consider having to defrost.

I got the:
FS407LSD - (1) Summit 2.8 Cu. Ft. Freestanding Freezer with Drawers

I am not sure if that one is still available or not, I know they sold out of this one about a day after I bought mine, dont know if they got more.

Currently holds 6liters divied up into 4oz bottles, and room for at least double that if not more.

Oh, and I did let it sit for a couple of hours after unpacking, before I plugged it in. Took about a day for it to stabilize at 0-10 degrees.

 

[bwh79]

It also was missing the key for the lock. No big deal because I already have a locking freezer that came with two keys so I didn't make a stink about it because I had a spare key.

Wait so the key from your other freezer is able to open the lock on this freezer? Not a very effective lock, then, is it?

 

[Smoke_too_much]

Wait so the key from your other freezer is able to open the lock on this freezer? Not a very effective lock, then, is it?

It was only made to protect from food junkies not nic addicts.

 

[mikepetro]

Wait so the key from your other freezer is able to open the lock on this freezer? Not a very effective lock, then, is it?

Main purpose, in my eyes, is to protect against toddlers and such. If they are old enough to figure out one freezer key works in a different freezer, then they are old enough to figure a way into the thing if they want to.

 

[KentA]

Wait so the key from your other freezer is able to open the lock on this freezer? Not a very effective lock, then, is it?

My kids are grown & the grandchildren are far away, but I'd still like a lock to keep the door from inadvertently being left open from a clumsy bump.

 

[avpx1]

Wait so the key from your other freezer is able to open the lock on this freezer? Not a very effective lock, then, is it?

Yes that is correct. And the two freezers are made by different manufacturers.

 

[house mouse]

When Mike posted the link I followed it and purchased the freezer.
It did arrive with a small dent on the side - no biggie.
It also was missing the key for the lock. No big deal because I already have a locking freezer that came with two keys so I didn't make a stink about it because I had a spare key. All in all the freezer runs great. Very cold and no humidity accumulating. It was my understanding that I could return it in exchange for a replacement unit if the freezer didn't work upon arrival. I followed the included instructions and let the freezer sit for 24 hours after unboxing it and placing it in it's location prior to powering it on. I holds at least 6 liters. 5 full one liter bottles on the bottom and over a liter of 120ml stacked on top. The one liter bottles are slightly too tall to fit under the included shelf so I simply cut a piece of card board and laid it on top of the one liter bottles and use the card board as a shelf. Was a good purchase.

I can add my 2 cents in on defrosting this. I bought it as a non scratch and dent item about 2 years ago. It lasts about a year before defrosting is needed(have done it twice so far). Takes about 30-40 minutes to defrost with the assistance of the small plastic scraper that was included. I didn't really have space for a freezer anywhere that normal people would put one so I put this one on a small shelf in an unused bedroom in my house. It's packed tightly with bubble wrapped items so nothing can shift around in there. I keep the door locked so if an earthquake happens to shake it off the shelf the door won't fly open and hopefully, since it's packed to prevent shifting, damage to the internal contents will be minimal.

EDIT: Oh, and I didn't mount the handle on it. Liked it better without and it's small enough to open easily without one.

 

[Tempesta]

My stuff is in a Kenmore chest freezer, along with food. The freezer is about 30 years old and still chugging away with zero problems.