Mom-ninja. Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 We found a freezer for 50% off. It's manual defrost though. I've never had one. Is it a huge pain? Should I return it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Many of us grew up with these... People defrost different amounts of ice build up. It doesn't take long if you do it more often. haha You have to empty the freezer, put in a pan of boiling water, replace, wait for ice to melt enough to take out. Don't use sharp objects. It's not hard. It's one of those time versus money things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Well, I only do mine maybe a couple times a year, if that. I just take everything out, use the blow dryer to heat up the ice around the edges, and what doesn't just fall off, I scrape off with a plastic scraper. Doesn't take long at all. Much easier to take out the hunks of ice than to thaw it all the way and drain the water out, by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 A manual defrost will keep your food fresh for much longer too. An auto defrost has to raise the temp in cycles, and stuff goes bad much faster, being partially thawed and frozen over and over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I forgot about the hairdryer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Well you need somewhere to store your stuff while you defrost. Here we pick a cold day in winter. You're going to need a plan b :) other than that no problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Manual defrost chest freezers are more energy efficient, so that's why we've used them. Ours is in the garage, we open it once or twice a day here in humid VA, and it only needs defrosting about once a year. We wait until it gets cold, empty it, turn it off, and set a thick hotmat or two on the bottom. We put a lasagna pan on the hotmat and pour boiling water into it. Then we close the freezer and let it sit. 1/2 hour later the ice is defrosted enough to come off in large sheets and chunks, and we scrape it into a bucket with a plastic pancake turner. The rest of the moisture is then wiped off with towels, the food is put back in, and we're done! Don't forget to turn your freezer back on! Oh, and one more thing...spend the $10 and get a freezer alarm. One of those saved us a whole lot of food a few years ago when our old unit conked out. A friend of mine lost a whole side of beef when hers died. She had meant to get an alarm but never got around to it. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Mine is small. I try to have it empty and off for the month of August, or so. By then we've eaten the pork and it forces me to rotate out the rest of the stuff. I leave the lid open and once all the ice has melted I drain it out and wipe down the inside. Then I can start it up for the fall garden and the next half-hog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 We defrost about once a year, in spring when we've eaten most of the frozen berries and when we're about due for a Costco run (i.e. out of meat and freezer convenience foods). It's no big deal--move whatever food is left to kitchen freezer, unplug, leave top open, come back in a half hour or hour and lift out chunks of ice. Clean walls and bottom surface. Close lid, plug back in. Put the food back in maybe the next day (I have no idea how long it takes to get cold enough for food safety). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted August 3, 2014 Author Share Posted August 3, 2014 It's an upright. Sounds like it won't be a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 We move so often that I just defrost every move! 😀 I actually don't recommend this method, LOL. It is way less of a pain to defrost and move a few frozen items than your whole house. We eat down our food before a move and give away any leftovers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I have a manul defrost upright freezer in my garage that was purchased by my grandparents in 1977 and then given to me after I got married and they didn't need it anymore. It's still going strong, but I do hate that I have to defrost it. It's not really that hard- I unplug it and let it thaw since it's in the garage, the water just trickles out the door. I'm just lazy and would prefer if it defrosted itself, but if the freezer would be a great deal I'd probably buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I've owned our manual defrost freezer for 8 years now and I am just now thinking I need to defrost it. I really wouldn't worry about it either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Manual defrost is better for long term storage of your food. I wouldn't consider anything else for a freezer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Well, it's kind of a pain, but it used to be the only way we ever defrosted our freezers so we just got used to it. :) I'd do mine about once/year, and it was kind of a day-long project, although it didn't need my attention that whole time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 If you don't keep the door open too long, especially in a humid place, then you shouldn't have to defrost too often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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