Chest freezers have around 20 percent more usable space than a upright freezer.
The temperature in a chest freezer stays consistent because it doesn't have a self-defrost system. Here's how to defrost a chest freezer.
Air doesn't circulate as much in a chest freezer. This helps prevent freezer burn better than uprights.
If there is a blackout, the chest freezer will keep your food frozen longer than an upright.
They also tend to use less electricity than uprights, but be sure to compare Energy Saver tags while you're shopping to see which models are more energy-efficient.
It's really hard to find the food you need in chest storage without rearranging and searching.
Upright freezers:
Upright freezers are easier to organize because they have shelves.
Upright freezers take up less space. A 22-cubic-foot chest freezer uses a rectangle floor space of 2 feet by 6 feet, while an upright 22-cubic-foot freezer only takes up 2.5 feet by 2.5 feet of floor space.
They usually come in a variety of finishes.
Chest freezers tend to be around $100 cheaper than upright versions.
Though they are convenient, the temperature of door shelves are often warmer than the inside of the freezer.
Uprights are typically noisier than chest freezers.