If you’ve got a big whānau or just like stocking up when food’s on special, having a separate freezer at home can be a real win. Most fridges only have a small freezer, so if you’re into bulk buying or freezing leftovers, a chest or upright freezer could make life easier.
What to Think About First
Before you head to the shops or jump online, ask yourself:
- How much space do you need? Don’t go too big if you’re not filling it. A full freezer runs better and uses less power.
- Chest or upright? Chest freezers hold more and are cheaper, but they take up more room and are harder to dig through. Upright ones are easier to organise and take up less space.
- Where will it go? Most freezers are made for indoor use. If you’re putting it in the garage or shed, make sure it’s rated for New Zealand’s climate. Some models can handle temps from 0°C to 43°C
Upright vs Chest Freezers
If you’re tossing up between an upright freezer and a chest freezer, here’s what you need to know.
Upright freezers stand tall, like a regular fridge. They’ve got shelves and drawers, which makes it easy to keep things tidy and find what you’re after. They’re great if you want to organise your frozen food and don’t have heaps of floor space. Most uprights are frost-free these days, so you won’t need to defrost them often. But they usually cost a bit more and don’t hold as much as chest freezers.
Chest freezers are wider and sit low to the ground. They’ve got loads of space, which is perfect if you buy in bulk or freeze big cuts of meat. They’re usually cheaper and better at keeping things frozen during power cuts. The downside is they’re harder to organise — you might end up digging around to find stuff. Some come with baskets to help, but it’s still not as tidy as an upright.
So, if you want easy access and a tidy setup, go for an upright. If you need loads of space and want to save a bit of coin, a chest freezer might be the better pick.
Handy Features to Look For
- Size: Multiply the number of people in your house by 2.5 to get a rough idea of how many litres you’ll need. For example, a family of four might need around 10 cubic feet (280L).
- Defrosting: Manual defrost is quieter and uses less power. Frost-free is easier but can cost more.
- Drain plug: Makes cleaning and defrosting easier.
- Quick freeze: Good if you freeze big batches of food.
- Soft freeze zone: Handy for things like ice cream.
- Lighting: LED lights help you see what’s inside, especially in chest freezers
Popular Picks in NZ (2025)
Fisher & Paykel RC519W2
🧐 Who’s It For?
- Big families or flatmates
- Hunters, gardeners, or bulk buyers
- Anyone needing serious freezer space for long-term storage
Total Capacity: 507L
👍 What’s Good
- Fast Freeze: Chills food quickly to lock in freshness — ideal for big meat packs or leftovers
- Removable Wire Baskets: Keeps things sorted so you’re not digging around at the bottom
- Defrost Drain: Makes cleaning out the freezer way easier
- LED Lighting: Built into the lid so you can actually see what’s inside
- Garage-Ready: Works in temps from 0°C to 43°C — good for sheds or garages
Haier HVF260WH3
🧐 Who’s It For?
- Small to medium households
- Folks who want easy access and tidy storage
- Anyone short on floor space but needing decent freezer capacity
Total Capacity: 258L
👍 What’s Good
- Frost-Free: No need to manually defrost — saves time and hassle
- Seven Clear Drawers: Makes it easy to see and grab what you need
- Reversible Door: Handy if your kitchen layout needs the door to swing the other way
- Electronic Controls: Simple to adjust the temp without mucking around
- Slim Design: Fits nicely into tight spots without sacrificing storage
