Capacity
It is the total working capacity of the freezer. A larger capacity allows you to accommodate more products but affects the dimensions and cost of the unit. Therefore, when choosing according to this parameter, you should not chase after the maximum capacity but the capacity you really need. For example, the average required capacity is 50 litres per person. And when choosing a display chest freezer (see "Product type"), you need to take into account the number of products offered for sale.
It is also worth considering that the freezer is often divided into several compartments (see below) - which means that a large capacity does not guarantee that large pieces of food can fit in the device.
Number of compartments
it is the number of compartments provided in the design of the freezer. In some models, it is possible to set different temperatures for different compartments. It is worth noting that a large number of boxes does not always mean maximum convenience, since, with an increase in their number, the volume of each individual box inevitably decreases.
Big drawer
The presence of an oversized drawer in the freezer. Such large containers allow you to store a whole turkey and other bulky products. It is worth noting that each manufacturer has a different concept of a large drawer. And in some models, it is quite possible that the large drawer will be commensurate with the classic drawer of another model.
Telescopic rails
Retractable guides allow the drawer to roll smoothly on a special roller. The main advantage of telescopic rails is that you do not need to make much effort. On the other hand, such devices are more expensive and are used in premium segment devices.
Power failure autonomy
The amount of time the freezer keeps food cold enough when the refrigeration system is turned off, for example, due to a breakdown or power outage. Technically, the power failure autonomy for each model is calculated differently; For example, for a freezer with an operating temperature of -18 ° C, this is the period during which the products in the chamber heat up from -18 ° C to -9 ° C. To sum up, the time is indicated during which the frozen products are guaranteed not to heat up to a temperature at which they could lose their properties.
Freeze capacity
One of the main indicators of freezer performance is the approximate amount of fresh food that the freezer can completely freeze from room temperature to the minimum operating temperature in 24 hours. For domestic use, a power of 10-15 kg/day is considered quite sufficient. More performant models may be required if you have to freeze a lot of food at a time or for industrial purposes.
Ice maker
It is a separate device for producing edible ice in the freezer. One of the advantages of such freezers is that the ice is produced and stored separately from other products and thus does not absorb foreign odours.
Lighting
Freezer interior lighting system. This function is very helpful given that the working chamber of the unit, even with the door open, is often shaded, and it is not so easy to see its contents. The lighting usually works automatically — similar to how it is implemented in refrigerators: the light turns on when the door is opened and turns off when it is closed.
Energy consumption per year
It is the average amount of energy consumed by the freezer in a year of operation. Of course, these figures are not absolutely accurate. The actual power consumption may vary depending on the specific operating conditions. However, this parameter makes it possible to evaluate the consumption of the device and compare different models with each other. At the same time, it often turns out to be more convenient and visual than the energy consumption class (see above) because, in this paragraph, we are talking about a specific figure (from which you can also calculate the cost of electricity consumed).
