More Freezer Room Please! Chest Vs Upright Freezers

Should I buy a chest or an upright freezer?

This is a common question we hear from our customers. Should I buy an upright freezer or a chest freezer? You might have a bigger family or buy in bulk to save money and time from going to the grocery store. If this is the case, you might need extra freezer space for frozen foods, meat, and other snacks besides the room that you currently have in your refrigerator unit in your kitchen.

Think about your options. Decide how much extra space you need. Do you need more refrigerator space too? If so, you might want to consider a second refrigerator unit to store in the garage or basement. You may find yourself coming to the conclusion that a second refrigerator still is not enough room for freezer space. If this is the case, your best option is to look at getting a freezer unit.

There are two main different types of freezers. There's the chest freezer that looks like a large box or chest with one top side having hinged pieces to open and close a lid upward. The other option is an upright freezer which looks a lot like a normal refrigerator where the doors open in the front, but just has a freezer compartment.

Take a look at these categories to evaluate the differences and determine which option is best for you: 

Area Space:

A chest freezer requires space above the unit to open and close the door. For easy access inside, you should not put or store anything on the top of the unit. With a chest freezer, you will want to consider not putting things in the front of the unit so that you have room to stand and dig around in the freezer. Some chest freezers have wheels on the bottom for easier movement. A upright freezer needs more space in the front as the door swings open and to the side. You could store just a few things on top of the unit as it won't interfere with accessing the interior.

Size:

If you need something bigger (20+ Cu. Ft.) and have bulky food items than a chest freezer might be best as it typically has bigger capacity space for storage. Most people will store their most bulky foods at the bottom to keep them frozen solid for longer periods of time. Most chest units have baskets on the top, so you can put smaller items like veggies and ice cream in for easier access. If you need a unit where you don't need tons of space for bigger sized meats, than you should consider an upright freezer.

Organization:

Most chest freezers don’t have many dividers or bins, whereas most upright freezers have shelves, bins, and drawers. If you like to stay organized and see all of your food when opening the door you will probably lean more towards an upright freezer unit. Remember, the more time that you leave the door open the more energy it takes to keep all of the food cold.

Frost free or manual defrost?

One big difference is how the two styles defrost. Almost all chest freezers are manual defrost, meaning that a few times a year you would have to take all your food out and leave the freezer open and unplugged to allow all the frost build up to melt.  Most have a drain in the bottom that you can remove to let the water drain out. The benefit of this type of system is that food tends to last longer because it stays colder. The downside is they build up ice or frost. Most upright freezers are automatic defrost although there are some models that are manual. With an automatic defrost the way the freezer eliminates frost is by fluctuates the temperature a few degrees every so often to automatically to eliminate the frost. The trade off is that food tends to not last as long because the food gets exposed to warmer temperatures.

We hope that this guide made it a little easier to know what the differences are between a chest and an upright freezer. With a variety of shapes and sizes it is easier to find the perfect unit for your specific needs. Please contact our team today if you have any more questions about what is best for you.

FRONT-LOAD VERSUS TOP-LOAD WASHERS

Does front-load or top-load washing machines best suit your needs, that is the question. If you’re in the market for a new washer you might need to take a look at some of the great new technologies with the appliances. Take a look at these pros and cons of both front-load and top-load washers before deciding which one is best for your needs.

Energy Efficiency

The most energy-efficient washers tend to be high-efficiency top-loaders. Research and testing indicates that the highest-efficiency is the top-load washer vs. front-load or top-load with a center agitator. You can save on energy, water, detergent,  and money when you decide to get an appliances that is Energy Star Certified.

The difference between a front-load washer and top-load washers is that a traditional top-loader will float your clothes in water and rotate them with a center agitator. A front-load washing machine rotates the drum to move the clothes, rather than having an agitator in the center.

Most high-efficiency top-load washers don’t have an agitator. Instead, there’s a wash plate at the bottom that creates turbulence for the clothes. A test between a high-efficiency top-load washers vs. front-load machines, high-end front-loaders tended to use less water and were more effective at cleaning clothes.

Cost & Features

When making any major appliance purchase, your two primary considerations are likely to be cost and features.

Front-loaders use less electricity. According to research front-load washers cut electricity use by up to 50% when paired with an electric hot water heater.

Front-loaders leave clothes less wet at the end of a wash cycle.  Front-load machines spin faster than top-loaders, and therefore leave clothes 10% drier, which means that your dryer doesn’t need to work as hard or dry as long, which also translates to energy savings.

Front-loaders can be more costly at purchase. As with any appliance, the upfront cost will depend on the brand and how many features you choose. But, on purchase price alone of comparable models of top-load vs. front-load washers, the front-loaders tend to be more costly.

Pros and Cons of Top-Loaders

Even if you have already made a determination that a top-load washer is right for you, you still want to understand the top-load washing machine pros and cons so that you can make a well-reasoned purchase. Here are things to consider when purchasing a top-load washing machine:

Clean and Gentle. High-efficiency top-loaders tend to clean clothes better and be more gentle on fabrics. 

Faster spinning means less drying. While one of the high-efficiency, top-load washing machine benefits is that it spins faster than a machine with an agitator, it also means that fast spinning could cause clothes to tangle, so you want to be sure to untangle items before placing them in the dryer.

Large capacity. Because of the high-efficiency of a  top-loader has no center agitator pole, it has more room and can accommodate a bigger load of laundry.

Less vibration. One common washing machine complaint is that the appliance can cause a vibration on certain kinds of floors. Often this is less of an issue for a front-load washer versus top-load washer, but the high-efficiency top loader versus front-loader has an even better Consumer Reports score on vibration.

Less opportunity for mold growth. Mold growth in front-load machines has been a problem for a long time, and it actually has been the reason for lawsuits against some large appliance manufacturers. However, Consumer Reports indicates that mold doesn’t seem to be an issue for high-efficiency top-load washing machines.

Significant potential for repair costs. High-efficiency top-loaders tend to be more complex than standard top-load washers, and the more features that are added to an appliance, the more opportunity there is for something to go wrong. In the comparison of high-efficiency top-load versus front-load washers; there are similar maintenance and repair costs because of the complexity of both.

We hope this is a great guideline for you to understand the difference in features between a front-load washer versus top-load washer. Please contact us if you have specific questions for your laundry needs and our team can definitely find you a solution that works best for your needs.

The True Value of Green

                Who doesn't want to improve their quality of life, be less impactful on our environment, and save money all at the same time? One way to do all three of these things is by buying energy efficient appliances. Our home appliances take up most of our energy consumption and take a toll on our environment. In the US most of our energy is still from nonrenewable sources, such as fossil fuels and nuclear energy, which has a huge impact on our planet! When we have appliances that are not energy efficient it wastes important resources and costs more money!

                By going green, we can save green! Buying energy efficient appliances can save you 30 % or more on your energy bill every month! This is something everyone can be pleased with; at the same time these appliances are lessening our energy use which helps our environment. An easy way to go green with buying new appliances is by looking for Energy Star rated or certified appliances. Energy Star is a voluntary U.S. Environmental Protection Agency government program that assists both businesses and consumers in saving money and protecting our planet by being more energy efficient. Different examples of energy efficient appliances are dishwashers and washing machines. They can use less water and a more efficient shorter cycle. Dryers that are energy efficient use less energy in a drying cycle.

Buying appliances that are produced using recycled materials can be a cheaper option, but won’t save you on your energy bill. It can be less impactful to keep on using older machines and replace some of the parts. You can even look into buying reclaimed and used appliances as an option, but is not as energy efficient as buying an Energy Star rated machine.

                The process of living a greener lifestyle can be overwhelming, from a first glance. We have been conditioned to live a life in the manner that is not always thoughtful towards our environment. The good news is that going green with your appliances can’t be any easier now-a-day, and will not only help our planet, but will also save you money! So when shopping around always look for the Energy Star certification logo or ask your sales representative if the appliance is Energy Star rated.