If your restaurant needs additional freezer space, chest freezers are a great option. With a variety of sizes and styles, it's easy to find a model that will meet your needs.
But with so many options, choosing a freezer can be overwhelming. What are the top chest freezers? What should you look for when selecting a freezer? We'll cover all this and more in our detailed chest freezers guide.
What to Consider When Buying Commercial Chest Freezers
Commercial chest freezers are designed to withstand heavy use, and many models offer additional features that can help streamline your kitchen operations. However, not all freezers are created equal.
There are several things that you need to consider when choosing a chest freezer for your restaurant.
Size
One of the first and most important things to consider is size. There are two things to keep in mind here: your needs and your space.
Where will you place the freezer? Do you have the space for a freezer large enough to meet your needs? Take the time to measure your space to make sure you have enough room for your chest freezer.
Fortunately, you have many options when it comes to size. You can find commercial mini chest freezers and big chest freezers. If you have a smaller kitchen and do lower volume, you can easily find compact chest freezers that will fit in your space. For larger operations with bigger kitchen space, there are large chest freezers that can accommodate your needs.
Along with the overall size of the freezer, consider the pan or shelving capacity. Freezers with ample shelving have plenty of space for storing inventory, but keep in mind that they may also consume more energy.
Maintenance and Cleaning
Cleaning and maintenance are a crucial part of owning a chest freezer. For food safety, it's essential to give your freezer regular deep cleanings. But if maintenance and cleaning are tedious and cumbersome, staff may skip this crucial step and put your restaurant at risk.
Check to make sure that the chest freezer is easy to keep clean and maintain.
Condenser Location
Every freezer needs a condenser to ensure food is stored at the optimal temperature. Condensers can be either top- or bottom-mounted. Consider which position is the right choice for your kitchen.
- Freezers with a top-mounted condenser typically come at a higher price, but they do offer advantages. Because the unit is mounted on top of the freezer, it won't be exposed to grease. Grease can clog the unit and lead to more maintenance over the long run. They also pull the warm air from the ceiling, which can help keep the space cooler.
- Freezers with bottom-mounted condensers work best in warm rooms because they won't have to work as hard to maintain temperatures. However, these freezers tend to trap more grease, dust, and debris, so they require more frequent maintenance.
Doors
Finally, you want to consider how many doors are on the chest freezer. You can find one, two, and three-door models. Some slide or swing open. Others have automatic closing features.
A sliding chest freezer is ideal for compact spaces. Consider the size of your space and your needs when choosing a door configuration.
Best Chest Freezers
Are you looking for top-rated chest freezers? Here are some of our best-selling models.
Atosa MWF9010
Atosa MWF9010 offers a 50-inch, one-door top chest freezer that offers immense insulation even during power outages. These small chest freezers can maintain temperatures below 32В°F for up to 48 hours even if the unit loses power.
Energy-efficient and spacious, the freezer empowers you to keep foods between -10В°F and 10В°F.
However, this freezer doesn't have an automatic defrosting feature, so you'll need to defrost it manually.
If you want to keep the freezer's contents safe, there is a key lock that owners can use. Finally, if your facility is on uneven ground, leveling legs can be adjusted to keep the freezer level.
The dimensions and weight of this chest are:
- Length: 26.5"
- Width: 49.6"
- Height: 34.5"
- Weight: 106 pounds
Maxx Cold MXSH15.9SHC
Maxx Colds MXSH15.9SHC freezer chest offers a large interior space of 15.9 cu. ft. with a single lid, solid top that also boasts a manual defrost. Caster wheel options are available to maximize portability, and the unit also comes with a white wire storage basket.
Low-profile roller wheels are available, too.
Holding temperature ranges of 0В°F - 11В°F are offered. The entire unit is made with stainless steel, and the exterior is painted white to match any commercial kitchen. Additionally, there is a security lock to keep food safe from theft.
The dimensions and weight of this chest are:
- Length: 29.7"
- Width: 60.2"
- Height: 33.6"
- Weight: 165 pounds
Coldline RI-160
Coldline RI-160 offers upright chest freezers with top sliding doors that are perfect in retail and food settings. These merchandising chest freezes boast 5.5-cubic feet of space and dual, flat glass sliding tops.
The interior is made from steel, and you'll need to have a 115v outlet to power the unit.
Temperatures can be set as low as -15В°F. If you need to defrost the unit, this is a manual model that can be easily defrosted for advanced cleaning.
The dimensions and weight of this chest are:
- Length: 26.2"
- Width: 28.1"
- Height: 34.4"
- Weight: 110 pounds
Coldline CF76
Coldline CF76 is one of the largest chest type freezers on this list. This commercial chest freezer offers 26.5-cubic feet of interior space. The unit spans an impressive 76 inches in length, and it comes pre-installed with caster wheels to easily move the freezer when necessary.
Embossed aluminum is the interior material used in this model, and temperatures can easily be adjusted between -4В°F and 19В°F.
Dual top lids open independently, allowing you to avoid food contamination.
The dimensions and weight of this chest are:
- Length: 76"
- Width: 28"
- Height: 33"
- Weight: 165 pounds
Coldline SD180
Coldline SD180 flat glass top chest freezer offers temperature options of between -13В°F and 0В°F. Interior material includes aluminum to provide superb insulation and keep food items cool even during short power outages.
Internal wire baskets make it easy to organize food, and temperature settings are easily controlled on the bottom of the unit's exterior.
The dimensions and weight of this chest are:
- Length: 34"
- Width: 21"
- Height: 33"
- Weight: 78 pounds
These are our top picks for the best chest freezers. However, if you didn't find the right option for your commercial kitchen in the list of chest freezer reviews above, our site has a wide array of other freezers to pick from.