Freezers These Days

[SPYDERLK]

Whats with home freezers these days. Older freezers would do 20 Below. Now its -5 and maybe -10. This leaves no performance margin at all for good preservation. I had an older one, bought used, that I ran it for an additional 20 yrs myself. It would do a solid -20F til it wore out. We replaced it naively, assuming the experienced performance range was a given value for the purpose. The warm ones just dont keep food as well, and are too sensitive to a power outage.

Does anyone have a lead on where to look for Cold ones? The standard suppliers seem to be stuck in the warm range? :confused2:
Thanks,
larry

 

[bp fick]

The majority are now coming from China. Plus, the use of freon types keeps changing for environmental regs.

We just got a three year old one off Craigs. Like new. $100. Very pleased, but as you say, I have doubts about it getting as cold as previous generation models.

 

[twarr1]

I sure didn't know all this. We just bought a new freezer from Sears thinking the new models were better all the way around.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Take a look at the G/E ones. We have a couple of newer middle sized ones with adjustable temps. Put it all the way down when we are freezing stuff then can turn it down/up after it is frozen. It shows 30 below at the coldest setting on a thermometer (or however it is spelled) Advantage of having 2 is we can unplug one in the spring after we have been eating out of it all winter.

 

[randy41]

There's only like 2 manufacturers of freezers. my freezer that i bought new last year gets to 0 and thats it.

 

[chopped]

probably energy conservation regulations?Why must they be set so low? just to have that extra ooomph in a powerfailure?

 

[tulenutn2o]

I would look at a commercial freezer. Little pricey to run, but does the job. I had a 3 door TRUE given to me that had a compressor out, I fixed( I do refrigeration/HVAC) and works like a champ. In fact, cold control went bad and temp at -45. Auctions at closed restaurants are a good source. 72 cu ft. chuck full of fresh frozen meat, veggies, leaves a warm fuzzy feeling.::licking:

 

[SPYDERLK]

Take a look at the G/E ones. We have a couple of newer middle sized ones with adjustable temps. Put it all the way down when we are freezing stuff then can turn it down/up after it is frozen. It shows 30 below at the coldest setting on a thermometer (or however it is spelled) Advantage of having 2 is we can unplug one in the spring after we have been eating out of it all winter.

Thanks! That sounds like a good lead. I will check. Could you post Model #s?
larry

 

[Rod in Forfar]

Interesting thread. I've been thinking about a newerer, more efficient freezer because hydro bills are creeping up above $215 per month. Maybe that's not such a great idea.

 

[tallyho8]

An average non-self defrosting chest freezer will take 6 months to use as much electricity as your average frost-free refrigerator uses in 1 month so energy use of a freezer is not nearly as important as that of a refrigerator.

There are no major freezer manufacturers left in the USA and only one that I know of in Canada and the rest are made in Asia.

Lowes and many other stores sell "commercial" models that will go down to -25 degrees.

 

[Jstpssng]

An average non-self defrosting chest freezer will take 6 months to use as much electricity as your average frost-free refrigerator uses in 1 month so energy use of a freezer is not nearly as important as that of a refrigerator.

There are no major freezer manufacturers left in the USA and only one that I know of in Canada and the rest are made in Asia.

Lowes and many other stores sell "commercial" models that will go down to -25 degrees.

Definitely the case. Also running a full freezer costs less than a nearly empty one, even if you just use gallon water jugs for fillers. Frequent opening of the door adds more cost. Being excessively cheap, I'll take out several meals at a time to put in the top chest of the fridge; by opening the freezer once a week I barely notice it on my power bill.

One last suggestion; I have the sensor from an indoor-outdoor thermometer in my freezer. Ican tell at a glance if it's working properly, which has saved me a couple of times when the freezer failed.

 

[dooleysm]

I've been thinking about replacing our old chest freezer, based simply on the economic comparisons I've seen. The new ones use so much less electricity, that that they pay for themselves in 5-10 years (depending on the age of your current freezer). A friend of mine ran the calculations himself as part of his MS EE coursework.

Of course, the need for a bigger freezer to accomidate our growing family is part of that too.

 

[MossRoad]

...?Why must they be set so low? just to have that extra ooomph in a powerfailure?

I'd like to know that, too. Why so cold?

 

[SPYDERLK]

probably energy conservation regulations?Why must they be set so low? just to have that extra ooomph in a powerfailure?

I'd like to know that, too. Why so cold?

Better preservation of the food and yes more reserve below freezing holds longer in a power failure. Quicker freeze too for less crystal growth. The old ones had a dial thermostat that could be adjusted from 1 to 7 or so as I remember. If you wanted it warm you set it to 1 to get soft ice creme. If you wanted stuff to be still good even after yrs you set it to 7 and just dealt with the rock hard ice creme by letting it thaw a bit in the refrig freezer. #7 was -20F measured on the top shelf of our old, now dead upright freezer.
larry

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Sorry Spyderlync had to run a load of crab to town and weather hung me up. My model numbers are fcm__suaww. the blank is the cubic feet. I have a 12 and a 15 that way when food levels drop I move it all into one and as one poster said they use a lot less energy when full. Make sure you DON'T get the frost free ones as they use more energy and dry out your stuff the seafood especially.
Rick

 

[doall]

there are american made freezers, I don't know about consumer ones though. Sub zero, Viking, Master bilt, Brown are a few.

 

[tulenutn2o]

there are american made freezers, I don't know about consumer ones though. Sub zero, Viking, Master bilt, Brown are a few.

Unfortunately, they all are going to chinese components. Product is only as good as its weakest link.

 

[MarkV]

When we bought our last one 4 years ago we were advised that the frost free or auto defrosting models do not get as cold as the regular freezers. The local appliance guy recommended the regular type because of the colder temps.

MarkV

 

[MossRoad]

Unfortunately, they all are going to chinese components. Product is only as good as its weakest link.

I'm going to have to comment on that one....

Keep this in mind.... when you see "made in China" on something in an American store, that store ordered it that way. It was made to spec and approved by the American company that ordered it.

 

[RonMar]

The higher running temps might also be how they are making their "Energy Star" rating. A freezer closer to ambient temp absorbs less heat due to a lower temperature differential, so uses less energy to maintain that temperature in a given situation without having to increase the ammount of insulation/size, or decrease internal capacity...