I am thinking of buying a small chest freezer and was wondering if anyone highly reccommends one brand over the other. I know my Mom had a Kenmore, well, still does actually, for 25 years, but I'm interested in a small one and workmanship has gone straight down the tubes in these few decades, so I am trolling for opinions. Thanks a bunch!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), May 20, 2001

Answers

Doreen, All we use are the small ones. When I lived in apartments that was all that would fit. Now that we have space ,I prefer using 2 small ones in case 1 breaks and I can put em in deeadspace areas . If one should quit working I can move most of the important frozen stuff into the other and the house freezer while getting it repaired. Been using Holiday brand from Lowes, haven,t had one break yet (the oldest is 14 years old). I bought the newer one last summer there on sale for $149. They stand about 4 1/2 ft high and the o.d. is about 30 inches square.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 20, 2001.

We don't have a chest freezer, just an upright that is almost 20 years old. It is a Kenmore. I used to use only Kenmore and then decided that there probably wasn't really a difference in appliances. Boy was I wrong! We will go back to only Kenmores... Deena in GA

-- Deena in GA (dsmj55@aol.com), May 20, 2001.

Thanks, folks! I hope I get more opinions, though. I was thinking small like Jay, because it's just me here and if things need to be moved, yours truly needs to be movin' it. I am no longer 20 foot tall and bullet proof.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), May 21, 2001.

I have both a chest and upright. We bought the upright from J.C. Penny at least 25 years ago and it is still running strong. The chest freezer is not quite as old, maybe 15 years it's a Gibson, it was my mom's, and is doing great.

The chest freezer fits in my laundry room better than the upright and I can use the top for folding clothes, etc.

The upright freezer is in the shop and I use it when I get 1/2 beef and in the fall when the chest freezer just isn't enough, like when we butcher chicken, etc. Didn't even think about it being a backup too. I try to lay the fresh packaged meat out on the shelves to make sure it freezes through nicely.

The chest freezer can be a pain in the neck, literally, since you have to dig for stuff all the time. Seems whatever I want is always close to the bottom of the darn thing. It is more economical to run I guess and it's more difficult to leave the door ajar.

Have you considered picking up a used freezer? Sometimes (especially with the Y2K thing) people find they just don't need it and would like to get rid of it. Check the classifieds.

-- Betsy (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), May 21, 2001.

Doreen, I agree with what everyone says about Sears Kenmore appliances. We have had Kenmore appliances for over 30 years and have always been very happy with them. I have a Kenmore freezer too. I would say I steer away from anything GE anymore. GE just isn't as good as it used to be. One thing I might suggest, if you can buy one made in the USA. They generally are better.

-- Barb (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), May 22, 2001.

My Mom's Kenmore was bought second hand over 25 (at least) years ago, and is STILL going strong... Replaced the innards on the top lid, but she's workin just fine.

My personal preference is, of course, the smaller Kenmore - it can be run for an hour per day, off a generator, and if you don't go in it all the time, you don't have to keep the little bugger plugged in.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 23, 2001.

Allright, the votes are all in, A kenmore will be the object of my search...a little kenmore. I rather like the idea of not having to keep it plugged in all the time. I have a small solar array on my barn, probably not strong enough to cover the surge from the compressor, but it might be...have to check. I also have straight ac in and can switch them back and forth without a problem. Thanks a bunch for all of your answers!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), May 23, 2001.

We bought a large Kenmore chest freezer in 1970 and it has just failed in 2001. It had one service call about three years ago. At that time we were warned that parts would not be available and it would not be worth repairing next time. We will buy another.

-- Joanne Greer (jgreer@loyola.edu), September 17, 2001.

Actually, I have a question. I own a second hand Holiday chest freezer. It continues to "ICE UP " I've tried defrosting it, a week or so later same problem. I think I might need a new seal or something. Where can I buy one? THanks

-- Marjorie Sanders (sanders6@cfl.rr.com), November 10, 2002.

Margie! Yep, the seal is bad somewhere. When room air gets inside a freezer it will frost up rather quickly. I'd check with a local appliance dealer. old hoot. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), November 10, 2002.

Hello, This is james from west africa i have what you need but i dont know how you want it so mail me so that we can talk better.

-- james (goodmarketers9@yahoo.com), February 13, 2003.

Marj, If you can't find a new seal or don't want to pay a high price for one, I replaced an antique freezer gasket with some self-stick foam stripping, I forget what size and it seems to work great. I expect it to smash flat after a while but it didn't cost much and was much less labor intensive than "doing it right".

-- Marty in Mo. (martys@iland.net), February 13, 2003.

Marty I asked you to add more than your one liners a few weeks ago ( on the Bananas post ) and you disappeared. I thought it possible You took my words the wrong way.The example of what I mean is like your above post.It's more than a one liner and highly imformative.I'm sure that it will help out people who don't have the cash to buy one of those artifically high priced seals that only the dealership of the brand make , sells.

On a car I owned it had copper tubing that ran the fluid fom the power stearing pump to go where it needs to,to work the power stearing . It had a 8 inch rubber hose in one part of the copper tubing that had factory sealed fittings , so when that hose got a hole in it and starting leaking power stearing fluid , the copper tubing and all , needed replacing.

I have no mechanic skills but I did posses the knowlege that I didn't have the $300.00 for the part replacement , never mind the labor cost that wasn't included.And only the dealer sold that part ( and they don't replace the hose , you need to buy the copper tubing and all ). Also because it was a car dealership exclusive part , I coulnd't go to the generic motor parts store to get one for any cheaper.

It was a , find a way to fix it cheap , or build a goat buggy and train the goats to pull it to town.. So I took the parts out , took it to a hydraulic place that fixes and sells parts for bob cats and back hoes , and told the guy there to change the hose between the copper tubing. It cost me under $10.00.

So what I ment by ," don't just shoot one liners " .I was refering to how you have stuff in your head you should share more of. Of chorse it just an option.

-- Steve (Un@hm.com), February 14, 2003.

Steve, I don't mean to be elusive. On a forum like this it seems that it's easy for a stranger to be taken as a smart-ass. Another thing is that I have been ignored and argued with so much through the years it's sometimes hard for me to give a damn about people's problems. Sometimes it seems to me that ignorance and/or stupidity are endearing qualities and "horse sense" and "make do" thinking is for backwards hicks. It could be that I have some things to contribute but I'll need to ease into it. Marty, Montrose, (pop440) Mo.

-- Marty in Mo. (martys@iland.net), February 14, 2003.

galaxy 1.5 cubic at sears 1.5' tall 3'w&l 3'square base

-- clinton dudd (chevy hottroder @hot mail.com), April 20, 2003.

Dear Marty,

I am writing with questions rather than answers. You seem to know a lot about small freezers. From what I have read in Consumers,it seems that small chest type freezers require drainage since they need to be defrosted manually and the water must go someplace. I have neither a garage nor a basement. I have a third floor condominium (downsized from a big house 5 years ago)and no place for the water to go. My Amana refrigerator with an icemaker was a big mistake. Vegetables freeze and go bad in the vegetable bins within two days; and the ice- maker takes up half the space of my bottom freezer compartment. I did see a small 2 or 3 cubic foot freezer on the net that opened from the front, with shelves on the door. It was called a "camp size" freezer. Do you or anyone else have any knowledge of these things? I would be grateful for whatever suggestions you might have.

Many thanks,

Marion

-- Marion Pokrass (Pokrass373@cs.com), May 17, 2003.

This is to Marion, My small chest freezer does have a drain plug in the bottom... I just use a sponge mop when I clean it and all is well... I leave the drain plug right where it is... no leaking. I also like Kenmore, the manufacturer of my smallish freezer... they are simple and yet long lived... like that little rabbit... they just keep going and going... and going..... good luck... paula

-- Paula Hodges (agapeagent@yahoo.com), November 20, 2003.