Can You Put A Deep Freezer In An Apartment? (Find Out Now!)

Matthew Mountain
by Matthew Mountain

Freezers are useful appliances that have been around for a long time, and you can find freezers in most homes and a lot of businesses. One can use a freezer to preserve leftovers and keep perishable foods frozen, and some freezers are so small that they can be integrated into refrigerators.

While many homeowners utilize refrigerator/freezer combinations, a lot of homeowners still use stand-alone freezers, e.g. upright freezers and deep freezers. Often, there’s debate regarding which of these two systems is superior, and in the midst of debate it’s often asked: Can you put a deep freezer in an apartment? Such is the question this article answers.

While you can technically use a deep freezer in an apartment, doing so is not recommended. Deep freezers take up more space than upright freezers, and most individuals don’t need the additional freezer space, especially when there’s limited space already. If you do, however, need to keep a lot of things frozen, then you should get a deep freezer.

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Deep Freezer vs. Upright Freezer

There are two main kinds of stand-alone freezers these days. One is called a deep freezer, and this system opens like a chest. Then there’s the upright freezer, and this opens horizontally. Upright freezers are often incorporated into refrigerators, but there are stand-alone upright freezer models on the market right now.

Although both systems possess a lot of the same capabilities, there are some important distinctions that must be noted. These distinctions are discussed in the section below.

Organization and Capacity

If you want to easily store items in an organized fashion, then going with an upright freezer is a good move, as these freezers utilize shelves, drawers, and racks. A deep freezer, on the other hand, is pretty much just a large box that’s extremely cold on the inside.

Upright freezers often have up to 150 L of capacity, whereas a deep freezer’s capacity could be anywhere from 150 L to 510 L. If you don’t care about organization, then you may find a deep freezer to be quite effective.

Say, for example, you’re storing dozens of ice cream pints for a party. In this instance, it’s likely you won’t care how they’re arranged, so using a deep freezer would be ideal.

Energy-Efficiency

Deep freezers are more energy-efficient than upright freezers, and some deep freezers utilize 10 to 25% less energy than their upright counterparts. One reason for this is that deep freezers are insulated better, and the other reason is that these freezers are not opened as frequently.

When the freezer is able to maintain a cold interior temperature, there’s not a lot of demand for power. The demand for power comes when the freezer has to replace the cold air that was lost from the door being lifted.

Pros and Cons of Deep Freezers

While deep freezers aren’t as common as their upright counterparts, there are numerous benefits associated with using a deep freezer. But there are some downsides as well, and the pros and cons should be considered before you purchase one of these appliances.

Pros

Most deep freezers come with removable hanging baskets and dividers, and these are ideal for those who care about organization. And of course there’s plenty of space, especially when a deep freezer is compared to an upright freezer.

These systems are energy-efficient as well, and because airflow is seldom, you don’t have to worry about food being subjected to freezer burn. A deep freezer can also keep the interior temperature very low at all times, and food will stay colder for longer in an instance of the power going out.

Deep freezers are also quieter than upright freezers, and most have a self-defrost setting as well.

Cons

Organizing can be challenging with these systems, even when the baskets and dividers are utilized. Moreover, retrieving items from the bottom of a deep freezer can be difficult. Also, these systems take up more space than upright models. Lastly, manually defrosting one of these systems takes a lot of time.

Pros and Cons of Upright Freezers

Upright freezers provide a lot of utility, and such is a big reason why these freezers are often built into refrigerators. There are, however, some notable downsides as well, and both the pros and cons of upright freezers are discussed below.

Pros

Upright freezers are space-saving when compared to deep freezers. It’s also easy to organize an upright freezer, and these are usually equipped with adjustable shelves, bins, racks, and drawers.

These systems can be manually defrosted, or the auto-defrost feature can be utilized. Lastly, there are a variety of finishes to choose from, including slate, stainless steel, and turtle-shell black.

Cons

Upright freezer doors never get as cold as the rest of the freezer’s interior. Additionally, these systems are noisier than deep freezers. And because there’s more air circulation, items stored in the freezer are more likely to be affected by freezer burn.

If the shelves and bins occupy more than 20% of the total interior space, then you won’t have as much room to store items. Moreover, these additional components can make the freezer’s interior seem cramped and smaller than it really is.

Upright freezer doors are also easy to open, and sometimes this is a bad thing. Like, for example, when a child inadvertently opens the door and is immediately struck on the head by falling frozen food items.

What Size Freezer Is Ideal for an Apartment?

Since most apartments don’t have loads of room, it’s best to use an upright freezer—ideally one that’s attached to the refrigerator—instead of using a deep freezer. Most individuals who’ve opted for apartment-style living don’t require a lot of freezer space, so valuable apartment space should not be afforded to a stand-alone freezer.

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Where Should a Deep Freezer Go In an Apartment?

Where you should place your freezer largely depends on what kind of freezer it is. The most important thing to be aware of is how the doors open. If you’re using a deep freezer, you need to compensate for a door that opens vertically. If you’re using an upright freezer, you need to compensate for a door that opens horizontally.

Matthew Mountain
Matthew Mountain

Matt loves everything DIY. He has been learning and practicing different trades since he was a kid, and he's often the first one called when a friend or family member needs a helping hand at home. Matt loves to work with wood and stone, and landscaping is by far his most favorite pastime.

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