Should I Buy a Manual or Frost Free Upright Freezer?
-
Frost Frees Offer Reliability and Convenience
-
Frost-free upright freezers offer convenience. Designed to defrost periodically, they employ a heating coil that melts any ice buildup. The resulting water is drained into a shallow pan at the bottom of the freezer and evaporated by a fan or condenser. Consumer Reports notes that frost free refrigerators maintain a consistent temperature, although the heating coil makes them less energy efficient.
-
Manual Freezers Are Energy Efficient
-
Manual upright freezers are up to 40 percent more energy efficient than frost free ones. Additionally, the extra moisture inherent in manuals creates less freezer burn. Manual freezers, however, require more maintenance, since you must eliminate ice build-up manually. This requires removing food and turning the freezer off to allow any ice to melt. Some models have a front drainage hook up for convenience.
Bottom Line
-
Consumer Reports tested both manual and frost free freezers and determined that the manual models did not maintain a consistent temperature, showing a 9 to 19 degree difference from the outer to inner shelves. Considering the manual freezer's unreliability and the frost free freezer's convenience, the frost free freezer represents the better choice.
References
- Photo Credit Frozen peas image by Acqua Alta from Fotolia.com
