Whether you’re single or have a small family, having an extra freezer can be extremely helpful to reduce your expenses. Food prices rose by 0.9% in Jan. 2022 (representing a 7% increase over the last 12-month period) driven by supply chain disruptions and increased consumer demand for goods.

“With current supply chain disruptions and people staying closer to home these last couple of years, a freezer is a popular investment, even in smaller spaces. Consumers are looking for ways to take advantage of special buys and product availability, but storage space can be an issue,” says Danby’s Product Trainer Kimberly Mann who has over 15 years of experience in the appliance industry.

Shopping for groceries can be time consuming and expensive, one of best ways to save time and money is to buy in bulk. Chest freezers have about 20% more usable space than an upright freezer. As a result, chest freezers allow you ample space to take advantage of storing large quantities of frozen fruit, vegetables, and meat. They also offer many benefits regarding price, storage capacity, and energy consumption. Have all your questions answers about chest freezers in our blog, Frequently Asked Questions: Chest Freezers.

Choosing Your Chest Freezer 

Danby makes 2 chest freezers that are ideally suited for small space living, such as in a condo or apartment, while still being energy efficient and environmentally friendly! One cubic foot of freezer space accommodates approximately 35 pounds of food. To help determine the size you’ll need for your family. We suggest multiplying the number of people in your family by 2.5 cubic feet.

“Danby’s 5 & 7-cu. ft. chest freezer comes in at just under 2’ x 3’ (58 x 84 cm) and both are under 3’ tall. And once in place, these freezers feature front temperature controls and drain access, so setting the temperature or defrosting in place is easy. Both the 5 & 7 cu. ft. are also “Garage Ready,” so if you have a small space but access to a garage. These freezers are tested to operate at 0 °F – 110 °F (-17 °C – 43 °C).

Are you concerned about the environment and energy conservation? Danby has you covered! Both chest freezers use R600a as the refrigerant. So, what does that mean? R600a has a GWP – Global Warming Potential of “3” compared to its predecessor’s “150” and an ODP – Ozone Depletion Potential of “0”. Lastly, the 5 & 7-cu. ft. is ENERGY STAR® rated,” says Mann.

Save By Switching to ENERGY STAR Rated Freezers

Saving energy is essential, not just for your monthly hydro bill but for the environment too. ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing credible and unbiased information that consumers can use to make well-informed decisions. Learn more about the ENERGY STAR®  Certification, how you earn the label, and more certified products on our blog Energy Star “Most Efficient” Danby Products.

Freezers run 24/7 and are some of the most significant energy users in a home. The payback from buying a Danby ENERGY STAR® freezer will shock you! The ENERGY STAR® program has a calculator that can calculate how much old your freezer costs to operate and how much you can save by upgrading to an ENERGY STAR® model. In addition, you will need to know how much you pay for electricity in terms of cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and your freezer’s approximate size and age.

For example, say you own a 30-year-old 7 cubic foot chest freezer. If your cost of electricity is $0.160000, you will save $368.00, 793 lbs of carbon pollution, and 10,509 lbs more of carbon pollution when you properly recycle your old freezer over 5 years.

A new ENERGY STAR® certified Danby Diplomat 7.2 cu. ft. Chest Freezer costs $400 (prices will vary). If you divide $400 (your upfront cost) by $123.68 (your annual savings), you get 3.23, which equals the years’ payback. So, in your third year of owning the freezer, you will have already paid for your new freezer through energy savings!

The calculator is in USD dollars, so Canadian users will need to manually convert the inputted energy cost and the resulting saving amounts.

To help save money, you should consider replacing your old chest freezer with an ENERGY STAR® rated unit. Here are 2 models to consider for small spaces.

Danby Designer 5.1 cu. ft. Chest Freezer

Add additional storage space for mass frozen household items with the Danby Designer 5.1 cu. ft. chest freezer. This unit is ENERGY STAR® rated and highly economical. Freezers that have earned the ENERGY STAR are at least 10 percent more energy-efficient than the minimum federal standard. An ENERGY STAR certified chest freezer uses about 215 kWh of electricity and costs less than $30 per year to run. ENERGY STAR certified freezers utilize advanced technology and offer high-performance features such as high-efficiency compressors and evaporators, improved design and insulation, and temperature and defrost mechanisms that deliver substantial energy savings. In addition, this freezer comes with Danby’s industry-leading 5-year warranty on parts and labor with in-home service.

Danby Diplomat 7.2 cu. ft. Chest Freezer 

Store more of your favorite frozen foods and optimize bulk food storage with the Danby Diplomat Chest Freezer, ideal for basements, kitchens, or garages. Enjoy a generous 7.2 cubic feet (205 L) of freezer space, making it the perfect capacity for couples and small families. All your frequently used food items can be stored near the top with two convenient storage baskets, keeping your frozen dishes accessible and organized. Save money and energy with this ENERGY STAR® rated product. Lastly, this freezer comes with Danby’s industry-leading 5-year warranty on parts and labor with in-home service.

Not yet following us on social media? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn, or subscribe to our YouTube channel!