We decided to focus our search on units that are 5 cubic feet or smaller, but you could easily go with a larger unit if needed-it is just likely to use more power. When looking at the energy ratings, we discovered that a larger unit uses more power than a similar smaller unit (all other things being equal). Next, since we had no intentions of using a freezer for any substantial portion of our food storage needs, we decided that even a very small unit would suit our needs well. They can be very inexpensive and are usually going to be more energy efficient. If you are looking for a stand-alone freezer as we were (as opposed to a combination fridge-freezer), I highly recommend going with a chest freezer. With that out of the way, let's talk freezers… Chest or Upright?įirst of all, we decided on a chest freezer. So our personal theory is that we'll treat the freezer as a convenience but not depend on it for any substantial portion of our food preservation needs. If you are on the ball and happen to catch it right when it happens, you could go into "emergency mode" and could can or use some other food preservation method before the food goes bad, but if you are depending upon that freezer for a substantial portion of your food preservation needs, you are risking a lot. If you doubt the likelihood of this happening, go online and read the reviews of several freezers-almost without exception, you'll read about someone who's freezer broke and all their food spoiled. And while this could happen from a power outage if you are on the grid, it could just as easily occur to an off-gridder when the appliance simply breaks. The problem is that for most (if not all) of the year, you are depending upon an appliance to keep your food frozen and if that appliance ever stops working for any reason, your food will go bad within hours or days (depending on the outside temperature at the time). It's not that freezing doesn't work-it works very well.
I must preface this by saying that I do not consider freezing to be a reliable method of long-term food storage unless you live in the arctic circle. Don't feel like you need to choose the same one (models are constantly changing), but I think the process and info I used will help you in making an informed decision. But if you are careful, shop wisely, and use a little strategy, you can end up with an excellent freezer that is super efficient. It will save you money now (on your power bill) and will save you a LOT of money when you do go off the grid in the future.īe aware that many freezers can add a lot of extra power usage and run up the cost of your off-grid power system. Also, having a freezer enables us to stock up on certain items when they are on sale, thus saving us money in the long run.Īnd anytime you buy a new appliance, it's an excellent opportunity to become more efficient-whether you are currently off the grid or not. Up until then, we had been doing fine with just a fridge, but there are some things that are just better when frozen, and it was a convenience thing for us. Last year we decided to add a freezer on our homestead.