The Best Chest Freezers

Chest freezers generally all perform about the same and tend to be reliable, so any model you buy should work fine. That said, we like the GE FCM11PHWW because it has all the most critical features you should expect from a chest freezer, including a power-on indicator light, a safety lock to keep kids out, and an interior light. It also has leveling legs for uneven flooring, three sliding storage baskets, and front temperature controls.

Although the 10.6 cubic feet of capacity in the GE FCM11PHWW might seem small, chest freezers actually have more usable space for a given capacity than upright freezers, so this model should offer plenty of room for the goodies from big Costco trips. GE does make larger chest freezers, but owners don’t rate them as highly, so we suggest looking at our runner-up pick if you need more space.

If you’d prefer a bigger chest freezer, get a Frigidaire. The 14.8-cubic-foot Frigidaire FFFC15M4TW is the most popular version, though models measuring 12.8, 19.8, and 24.8 cubic feet are available as well. They all have the key features you should expect: a power-on indicator light, a safety lock, two storage baskets, an interior light, and external temperature controls. Unlike the GE, the Frigidaire models also have detachable casters, which will come in handy if you need to move your freezer regularly.