Freezers

A freezer shelf splits first into chest and upright. The chest opens from the top, so the cold air stays in the box when you lean over it. The upright opens like a refrigerator, which makes packages easier to find and lets more cold spill out each time.

Defrost

Manual defrost has no heater cycle. Frost builds on the walls until you empty the box and melt it. Frost-free runs a defrost heater and a drain. It costs a bit of energy and it saves the Saturday with a hair dryer. A chest in a garage is often the manual kind because there is no need to see the back of a shelf.

Rooms that are not kitchens

The compressor on a freezer sold for a heated kitchen can refuse to start when the garage is very cold, and it can overheat when the garage is closed up in summer. The rating is printed on the model label: indoor, garage, or a stated outdoor range. That line is the one to read. A freezer that lives on an enclosed porch also needs a dedicated outlet. A long extension cord drops voltage and heats the cord.