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An upright freezer stores holiday turkeys, bulk meat and batch-cooked meals on shelves you can actually see, instead of at the bottom of a chest. The best upright freezers add frost-free defrosting, a garage-ready rating if yours lives outside the kitchen, and alarms that warn you before food thaws. We compared specs, expert testing and owner reviews to pick eight models, from 21 cu. ft. workhorses to compact freezers that fit a closet.
Part of our Home Comfort, Backup Power & Tool Guides.
Quick picks
Price tiers: $ under $500, $$ $500-$1,000, $$$ $1,000-$2,000, $$$$ $2,000+. Appliance prices change often, so check the current price.
| Product | Best for | Price range | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE 21.3 cu. ft. Garage-Ready Upright Freezer (FUF21DLRWW) | Best overall | $$$ | See price |
| Frigidaire 20 cu. ft. Garage-Ready Upright Freezer (FRUF2020AW) | Best value full-size | $$ | See price |
| GE 17.3 cu. ft. Garage-Ready Upright Freezer (FUF17DLRWW) | Shorter spaces | $$$ | See price |
| Frigidaire 21 cu. ft. Convertible Upright Freezer (FFUV2136AW) | Freezer or fridge, feature-rich | $$ | See price |
| Insignia 13.8 cu. ft. Convertible Upright Freezer (NS-UZ14SS0) | Mid-size garage freezer | $$ | See price |
| Frigidaire 7.0 cu. ft. Compact Upright Freezer (FFUE0726AW) | Compact garage-ready | $ | See price |
| Midea 7.2 cu. ft. Convertible Upright Freezer (MRU07M4BWW) | Compact fridge-freezer flexibility | Check price | See price |
| Midea 3.0 cu. ft. Compact Upright Freezer (MRU03M2ABB) | Small spaces | $ | See price |
1. GE 21.3 cu. ft. Garage-Ready Upright Freezer (FUF21DLRWW): Best Overall
GE’s FUF21DLRWW checks the most boxes of any freezer we compared. It is frost-free, ENERGY STAR certified and garage-ready from 0°F to 110°F, and it adds a key lock, an audible door and temperature alarm, Turbo Freeze for fast chilling and an exterior electronic control panel. Four glass shelves, four door bins and three clear drawers keep a big haul organized. It is tall at 76.5 inches, and the door is not reversible, so check your layout.
Key specs
- Capacity: 21.3 cu. ft.
- Defrost: frost-free
- Garage-ready: 0-110°F
- ENERGY STAR: yes (about 495 kWh/yr)
- Size: 76.5 x 32.88 x 31.38 in (H x W x D)
- Features: lock, door and temperature alarm, Turbo Freeze, LED lights
👍 Pros
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👎 Cons
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What owners say: Owners like the roomy, organized interior, quiet running and the outside temperature display. A few mention a tight door seal and tall items catching on the door shelves.
2. Frigidaire 20 cu. ft. Garage-Ready Upright Freezer (FRUF2020AW): Best Value Full-Size
Frigidaire’s FRUF2020AW is the most affordable full-size garage-ready freezer here. It is frost-free, rated for garages from 0°F to 110°F, and includes EvenTemp cooling, a reversible auto-close door, LED lighting and casters for moving it. Frigidaire says it can hold temperature for about two days during an outage. It skips the lock and alarms, and it is not ENERGY STAR certified.
Key specs
- Capacity: 20 cu. ft.
- Defrost: frost-free
- Garage-ready: 0-110°F
- ENERGY STAR: no (531 kWh/yr)
- Size: 71.75 x 32.62 x 28.25 in; needs 58 in depth with door open
- Features: reversible door, LED lights, 4 adjustable glass shelves
👍 Pros
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👎 Cons
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What owners say: Owners like how easy it is to see and reach food, the roomy interior and quick cool-down. Some say the seal needs a firm pull and that reversing the door is fiddly.
3. GE 17.3 cu. ft. Garage-Ready Upright Freezer (FUF17DLRWW): Best for Shorter Spaces
The FUF17DLRWW gives you the same feature set as GE’s 21 cu. ft. model, including a lock, temperature alarm, Turbo Freeze and LED lighting, in a body about a foot shorter at 64.75 inches. That makes it easier to fit under a basement soffit or garage shelf. It is frost-free, ENERGY STAR certified and garage-ready from 0°F to 110°F. Like its bigger sibling, the door is not reversible.
Key specs
- Capacity: 17.3 cu. ft.
- Defrost: frost-free
- Garage-ready: 0-110°F
- ENERGY STAR: yes (about 441 kWh/yr)
- Size: 64.75 x 32.88 x 31.38 in
👍 Pros
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👎 Cons
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What owners say: Buyers rate it highly at major appliance retailers, citing dependable temperatures and the useful alarm. Availability varies by retailer, so check stock.
4. Frigidaire 21 cu. ft. Convertible Upright Freezer (FFUV2136AW): Best Convertible Full-Size
Need a second fridge for the holidays and a freezer the rest of the year? The FFUV2136AW converts between the two. It is frost-free and garage-ready, with a door alarm, fast freeze, a child lock, LED lighting and a reversible door. At about 29.7 inches wide it is slimmer than most 20-plus cu. ft. models. It is not ENERGY STAR certified.
Key specs
- Capacity: 21 cu. ft.
- Defrost: frost-free
- Convertible: freezer or refrigerator
- Garage-ready: yes
- Size: 66.63 in tall x 29.69 in wide
- Features: door alarm, fast freeze, child lock, reversible door
👍 Pros
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👎 Cons
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What owners say: Shoppers choose it for the fridge-or-freezer flexibility and its narrow footprint. Confirm the model number on the listing before you buy.
5. Insignia 13.8 cu. ft. Convertible Upright Freezer (NS-UZ14SS0): Best Mid-Size
Insignia’s 13.8 cu. ft. upright is a popular middle ground between compact and full-size. It is frost-free, ENERGY STAR certified, garage-ready and convertible to a refrigerator, with a door-open alarm and interior light. At 28 inches wide and about 62 inches tall it fits where a 33-inch freezer will not. It comes in stainless or white.
Key specs
- Capacity: 13.8 cu. ft.
- Defrost: frost-free
- Convertible: freezer or refrigerator
- ENERGY STAR: yes
- Size: about 61.8 x 28 x 29.6 in
- Features: door-open alarm, interior light
👍 Pros
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👎 Cons
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What owners say: Owners praise the value, quiet running and more space than they expected, including in garages. Narrow door bins and a display that only lights with the door open are minor complaints.
6. Frigidaire 7.0 cu. ft. Compact Upright Freezer (FFUE0726AW): Best Compact Garage-Ready
This 22-inch-wide Frigidaire is a compact garage-ready freezer that can also switch to fridge mode, handy for drinks and overflow during party season. It has five adjustable shelves and a reversible door. It is manual defrost, which uses less energy but means you will need to defrost it periodically, and it lacks an alarm and interior light.
Key specs
- Capacity: 7.0 cu. ft.
- Defrost: manual
- Garage-ready: yes; convertible to refrigerator
- Energy use: 296 kWh/yr
- Size: 56.13 x 21.31 x 22.38 in
👍 Pros
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👎 Cons
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What owners say: Owners like the size, quiet operation and the freezer-to-fridge switch. Missing alarms and some frost buildup are the usual complaints.
7. Midea 7.2 cu. ft. Convertible Upright Freezer (MRU07M4BWW): Best Compact Convertible
Midea’s 7.2 cu. ft. convertible upright switches between refrigerator and freezer modes and is rated for garage use, according to Midea. At 50 inches tall and under 22 inches wide, it slides into a laundry room or pantry corner. It is manual defrost and has a reversible door, and it is also sold in stainless (MRU07M4BSL).
Key specs
- Capacity: 7.2 cu. ft.
- Defrost: manual
- Convertible: freezer or refrigerator; garage-ready per Midea
- Energy use: 331 kWh/yr
- Size: 50 x 21.65 x 22.44 in
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What owners say: Shoppers pick compact Midea uprights for flexible overflow storage at a modest price. Plan on occasional defrosting.
8. Midea 3.0 cu. ft. Compact Upright Freezer (MRU03M2ABB): Best for Small Spaces
At under 34 inches tall and 48 pounds, Midea’s 3.0 cu. ft. upright fits under a counter, in an office or in a dorm. It is ENERGY STAR certified with a reversible door, two wire shelves and a removable drawer. It is manual defrost, and the thermostat dial sits low at the back, so adjusting it takes some reaching.
Key specs
- Capacity: 3.0 cu. ft.
- Defrost: manual
- ENERGY STAR: yes (240 kWh/yr)
- Size: 33.9 x 19.7 x 21.3 in; 48 lb
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What owners say: Owners say it keeps food solidly frozen and fits tight spots. Complaints include occasional shipping dents and some humming.
How to choose the best upright freezer
- Upright vs chest: Uprights take about half the floor space and are far easier to organize. Chest freezers hold bulky items better and are usually more efficient; ENERGY STAR figures put certified chest models around 215 kWh a year versus about 395 for uprights.
- Frost-free vs manual defrost: Manual-defrost models use roughly half the energy, per ENERGY STAR, but you have to defrost before frost passes about a quarter inch. Frost-free saves the chore.
- Garage-ready rating: If the freezer will live in a garage, check the published room-temperature range (several here list 0-110°F) against your local climate.
- Capacity: A common rule of thumb is about 2.5 cu. ft. per person, more if you buy in bulk, hunt or batch-cook.
- Energy use: Compare the kWh per year on the EnergyGuide label; models here range from about 240 to 531 kWh a year.
- Alarms and lock: A temperature or door alarm warns you of a door left ajar or a failure. A lock helps in shared spaces and garages.
- Size and clearance: Measure height, width and door swing, leave a few inches for airflow, and look for a reversible door if your space is tight.
FAQ
How long will food stay frozen in a power outage?
According to FoodSafety.gov, a full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours and a half-full one for about 24 hours, as long as the door stays closed.
Can I refreeze food that thawed in the freezer?
FoodSafety.gov says food that still has ice crystals or is at 40°F or below can be refrozen. When in doubt, follow official food-safety guidance.
What temperature should a freezer be set to?
ENERGY STAR recommends 0°F. A freezer thermometer is a cheap way to confirm your setting.
Is an upright or chest freezer more energy-efficient?
Chest freezers generally use less energy because cold air does not spill out when you open the lid. Choosing a manual-defrost model cuts energy use further.
Related guides
- Best Chest Freezers
- Best French Door Refrigerators
- Best Counter-Depth Refrigerators
- Best Power Stations for a Refrigerator
- Home Comfort, Backup Power & Tool Guides
Sources
ENERGY STAR freezers, FoodSafety.gov power outage guidance, Lowe’s freezer buying guide, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and manufacturer and retailer spec pages from GE, Frigidaire, Insignia and Midea. Owner feedback is summarized in our own words from public reviews. Photos courtesy of Unsplash.