Chest Freezers

Chest freezers

If you prefer a chest freezer, the Whirlpool EH151FXR (*Est. $450) (*est. $450) is a 14.8-cubic-foot freezer that has earned some positive notices. This model is also available at Lowe's as the Whirlpool EHL151FXRQ. This ENERGY STAR qualified freezer is a manual-defrost chest freezer with an interior light and a temperature alarm. Its key-eject lock provides an extra measure of safety, as it means that the freezer can only be opened when the key is pushed in and turned. Four baskets (two upper, two lower) make it easier to organize the contents -- particularly at the bottom of the freezer, where consumers and critics say food can get easily "lost." The Whirlpool EH150FXR (*est. $400) is a similar model but it has two baskets instead of four; it also skips the interior light and has no temperature alarm.

For those with more modest freezing needs, we've also seen some positive recognition for the manually defrosting 7.2-cubic-foot Frigidaire FFC0723D (*Est. $250) . It's not as feature-loaded as the Whirlpool above, but the important features experts recommend, like a defrost drain and adjustable temperature control, are present. There's no interior light, but a power-on light assures you that the freezer is working.

At the other end of the size spectrum, if you need a huge amount of freezer space, the General Electric FCM25DSWH (*est. $650) is one of the largest models. This 25.1-cubic-foot manual-defrost freezer has four lift-out and sliding bulk storage baskets. Other features include a security lock for safety, defrost water drain and adjustable temperature control. If you want more features, consider the General Electric FCM25SUWW (*Est. $800) . This model has a 24.9-cubic-foot capacity, a temperature alarm, five storage baskets, a drain pan, power-on light and a second-level rail to help with organization and ease of use.

If you want a self-defrosting chest freezer, the 13.8-cubic-foot Kenmore 16572 (*est. $570) doesn't get a lot of feedback at Sears.com, but what's there is uniformly positive. Features include four baskets for easier organization, a power-on light, interior lighting and security lock. Users compliment its reliability and appreciate the fact that it runs fairly quietly. The Kenmore 16562 (*est. $570) is nearly identical.

The Frigidaire AFFC1466D (*Est. $550) (*est. $550) is another good self-defrosting chest freezer, and it is a bit less expensive The Frigidaire freezer has 13.8 cubic feet of interior space, an interior light, a power-on light, a locking door and four baskets. In one test, this freezer kept a consistent temperature throughout and scored well in energy efficiency, but was a little noisier than others. In general, you'll pay a bit more for a self-defrosting chest freezer, but you won't be faced with the occasional ordeal of defrosting it.