Fantastic Freezers 5/4/15

Consumer Reports just tested dozens of chest freezers and uprights

In today’s On Your Side… Consumer Reports just tested dozens of chest freezers and uprights.
Like most people who own a freezer, Jeanne Coppola says it’s not only convenient but saves her money.
Jeanne Coppola, “I can buy in bulk I’ll get like huge bags of you know broccoli or something and it would take up the whole freezer upstairs.”
There are two main styles of freezers – uprights, like Jeanne has and chests.
“Chest freezers are generally cheaper. But they take up more floor space and they need to be defrosted manually to melt off the ice build-up.”
Jeanne switched from a chest freezer to an upright.
Jeanne Coppola, “It’s very convenient for me to be able to open the door and see everything I have at one glance. “
Many uprights are self-defrosting. One drawback – they tend to be less energy efficient.
Consumer Reports tests both types by filling them with frozen spinach and checking for temperature consistency throughout the compartment. Testers also measure energy usage and ability to stay cold after a power outage.
The Sears Kenmore 12702 earned low scores.
Dan DeClerico, “The temperature performance of this Kenmore is only fair. It’s noisy and it did poorly in our power outage test.”
The top chest freezer is this 370-dollar GE. It maintains a steady temperature and is the quietest freezer tested.
For uprights, Consumer Reports names this Sears Kenmore a Best Buy. It holds even more food and costs 450 dollars. Consumer Reports also named a bargain chest-style freezer a Best Buy. It’s the Idylis model
ICM-070-LC.
It’s noisier than the top-rated GE freezer. Also it doesn’t stay quite as cold in a power outage and doesn’t have an interior light. But it’s just 190 dollars.

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