Holiday weekends: President's Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving weekend (which generally begins with Black Friday and ends with Cyber Monday) tend to be when you'll see sales on large appliances.
The best time of year to buy household appliances is usually from Labor Day through the end of October. This is when retailers are looking to clear out inventory to make room for the newer models that show up in November. Shop early fall for great discounts on appliances.
Key takeaways. The best time to buy appliances is generally during big holiday sales, like those held over Fourth of July and Black Friday weekends, when stores offer deals that can save you hundreds.
Memorial Day Weekend is a great time to purchase a chest freezer because many retailers offer holiday sales and discounts, making it an ideal opportunity to save money on this essential appliance.
On average, the life expectancy of a refrigerator-freezer or chest freezer is 16 years. Freezers typically last anywhere from 12 to 20 years. Along with gas and electric ranges, freezers tend to be the longest-lasting kitchen appliances. But that's not a guarantee!
The main disadvantages of a chest freezer include the need for manual defrosting, difficulty organizing items, and the larger amount of floor space it requires.
If your quarter beef yields 80 pounds of meat, you will need approximately 5 to 7 cubic feet of freezer space. For a quarter beef yielding 100 pounds of meat, you will need approximately 6 to 8 cubic feet of freezer space.
An ENERGY STAR certified chest freezer uses about 215 kWh of electricity and costs about $30 per year to run, while an ENERGY STAR certified upright freezer uses about 395 kWh of electricity and costs about $60 per year to run.
Place the freezer where the surrounding external temperatures will not exceed 110 degrees F. or fall below 0 degrees F. Position the freezer in a dry, well ventilated room. Do not install it in a closet. Be sure to install the freezer on a floor strong enough to support it fully loaded.
What Temperature Is Too Low for the Freezer? While it's essential to keep your freezer sufficiently cold to maintain food safety and quality, extremely low temperatures, typically below -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 degrees Celsius), can lead to excessive energy consumption and the risk of items freezing too solidly.
The Best Times to Buy Appliances
You'll likely find the most savings by shopping during the following windows: September to December: The newer models are coming out around this time and retailers need to make room for them, so you'll typically be able to buy older models at lower prices.
Echoing this recommendation by appliance manufacturer Whirlpool, the representative told us, “75-80% full as a best operating condition seems reasonable, though it'd really depend on the air flow and spacing.” That is, in order to keep your freezer working properly, you need to keep food from blocking the air vents, ...
Consider how much you want to spend on a freezer
The cost of a deep freezer can vary depending on the type and size of the appliance, as well as the variety of features offered. Typically, chest freezer prices can range from $500–$1,500, while upright freezers generally cost between $700–$2,500.
The truth is that older appliances were often built with sturdier materials, like good ol' fashioned metal, instead of flimsy plastic. This means that they can withstand wear and tear much better than modern appliances.
Beginning of the Year. When stores aren't able to get rid of their inventory from the prior year, they often reduce the price of those leftover large appliances to move them quickly. So your best bet may be to go to stores in January to take advantage of the best appliance sales from the year before.
Because the compressor is on the exterior of the unit, exceptionally cold temperatures may cause a build-up of ice or reduce the viscosity of the oils used to lubricate moving parts. Any of these may result in compressor failure or malfunction resulting in a costly repair.
According to Consumer Reports, chest freezers have around 20 percent more usable space than upright freezers. When it comes to upright freezer vs chest freezer energy usage, chest freezers use up less energy than upright freezers, providing some relief to both the planet and your wallet.
Most chest freezers with feet only need one layer of foam tiles that are the right thickness.
Chest freezers provide a larger, horizontal space, making them ideal for storing bulk items. Deep freezers, on the other hand, are compact, and offer vertical stacking, saving floor space. Energy efficiency is another factor, with chest freezers generally consuming less power.
Heating and cooling: 45-50%
The largest electricity consumer in the average household is your heating and cooling appliance. By a long shot. Central air conditioners and heaters use tons of energy in order to keep your home set to the right temperature.
If you're just looking for economical frozen food storage while keeping energy costs at bay, a manual defrost chest model is more economical to buy and operate.
Chest (Box) freezer:
These will fit more meat, but will be less organized since you have to stack from bottom to top. Chest freezers can also take up a little more space, but typically stay cooler.
You'll need about 8 to 10 cubic feet of freezer space for a half cow. A half cow, once processed, usually weighs around 200 pounds of meat. To store all of this, think about the size of a large chest freezer.
As we said earlier, buying half a cow costs more at first than buying a little bit of meat at the store. But, if you add up how much you would spend at the store to get the same amount of meat, buying half a cow is cheaper. You save money over time.