teachermom2834 Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I've gotten into bulk buying/couponing/stockpiling trying to feed a housefull of growing boys. I need more freezer space and have been looking at chest freezers to put in the garage but then I keep thinking how nice it would be to have the extra refrigerator room for drinks, cheese, etc. I keep going back and forth so I need you women to help me decide. The freezer would be less costly to purchase... I haven't figured out the energy costs... Anyone btdt with an opinion? Thanks, Marie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 We have a chest freezer and a fridge/freezer in the basement, in addition to the hated side-by-side fridge in the kitchen. I would be lost without them. Ria (mom of 5 boys and 1 girl) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girligirlmom Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Do I want a freezer or second refrigerator? Yes. In the garage have both a stand up meat freezer, and a spare refrigerator mainly for CSA veggies and extra things that we purchase once a month from a meat/dairy co-op - but no meat. Extra milk, eggs, cheese, cream stay in this refrigerator, plus any unusual things like pies, or other rare treats. The meat freezer is NOT frost free. Frost free is generally incompatible with meat freezers since it will thaw and freeze and thaw and freeze, bad for the meat. The weird thing is that the freezer compartment on my refrigerator in the garage does not work in the winter. It is working as designed. The temperature of the refrigerator is set at about 36 F and this regulates the temp of the freezer. If it is colder in the garage, the refrigerator cooling system will not kick on, and therefore the freezer will not freeze if it's too cold. This happens when it's very cold at night so we decided to not try to use it until March, and stop using it in December. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I have 2 chest freezers and would trade them both, in a heartbeat, for an upright freezer and second refrigerator. And probably just for an upright freezer. Even with the energy loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in NH Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 we have an upright freezer in the basement and a spare refigerator right next to it. My freezer is chock full of meats bought at very low prices. I love being able to buy 4 turkeys around Thanksgiving at rock bottom prices! it is almost time for my annual corned beef buying spree! Our spare refrigerator only gets used about once a year. We keep it unplugged until, usually around Christmas, we have a party or a family gathering. I love having it, but we just put our old one down there. we certainly did not go go out and buy a spare refrigerator. keep in mind when you are looking, that chest freezers are cheaper to run, but food has a tendency to get "lost" in there! I also like to freeze pies and other baked goods as well as prepared meals. I think those are better off in an upright freezer. Of course, my opinion is very biased toward uprights, since that is what we use.;) good luck with your descision! I do love being able to stock up on food when it is on sale! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in NH Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Oh I forgot to add this; we recently were givien a cooler chest that plugs into the wall and acts as a small refigerator. I wouldn't use it all the time, but every now and again it comes in very handy when i have bought too much at the store! i have no idea of the cost, but it would be cheaper than a fridge if all you are looking for is occasional use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 The weird thing is that the freezer compartment on my refrigerator in the garage does not work in the winter. It is working as designed. The temperature of the refrigerator is set at about 36 F and this regulates the temp of the freezer. If it is colder in the garage, the refrigerator cooling system will not kick on, and therefore the freezer will not freeze if it's too cold. This happens when it's very cold at night so we decided to not try to use it until March, and stop using it in December. Your freezer needs to meet my microwave...which doesn't work properly if the house temperature gets down to 65 or lower. We have to keep it unplugged during the winter. When we need it, we plug it in and then have to fiddle with pushing specific buttons (mainly the popcorn and on/off button since they are the only ones that work) until we've administered sufficient "CPR" to get it working again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 We have a second upright freezer. We use it to stock up on meat, frozen juice concentrate, milk, bread products, cheese, frozen vegetables and other things when they are on sale. If it weren't for having it, we wouldn't be able to save a significant amount on groceries because our regular freezer only holds about a week's worth of meat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnetteB Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 We were given a freezer (when a friend got a newer second one) and it added over $40 to our monthly electric bill. Their "new" one broke and we gave it back, whew! I was worried about stocking up, anyway, since we lose power sometimes for up to five days. It would be awful to lose all the frozen foodstuffs. I prefer fresh foods and it was dh that thought a freezer would be cool, pardon the pun. We've managed just fine raising a family of eleven with just one fridg. my $0.02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 A second refrigerator is nice but a freezer is essential. I have a very large side by side (which I like because it holds everything I need it to plus it has more freezer space than one on top or bottom), plus I have two upright freezers and will be getting a chest freezer soon from my grandmother. Occasionally my fridge is overfull and I wonder where to put things but that is only once every few months. On the other hand my freezers are anywhere from 3/4 to packed to the gills almost all the time. I stock up big when something is on sale and then I don't have to think about that for months. For example I buy my mixed veggies from Sam's which is about 1/2 hour away. So I buy 20-30 pounds when I am there. I also have just about every kind of meat we use in my freezers at all time. This gives me the freedom to make whatever I am in the mood for anytime becuse I will always have the ingredients on hand. I just don't keep refrigerator items stocked that heavily because they will go bad before we can use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 A fridge will cost you more if it's nearly empty, so if you get a second fridge, keep it relatively full. For us, a small chest freezer suits perfectly. The only thing I don't like is that it's harder to organize than an upright one, but they cost more to purchase and run and I wanted to save money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 We have a garage-sale freezer in the basement and it is GREAT! For extra milk we use hubby's old small dorm-size 'fridge from college...it holds three big plastic jugs of milk and two cartons of yogurt and some extra cheese. And a couple bottles of hubby's home-brew beer. Not having to run to the store mid-week for more milk is great. But the freezer hold meats, nuts, our stock of home-made pesto and tons of berries from the bushes out back, also heaps of bread I am getting free from I won't say where. And all the extra stock from chicken soup. And the occasional frozen pizza that does not fit in the upstairs side by side 'fridge/freezer. If you have a power outage, as long as a freezer is shut it will last a couple days. Refrigerators only for a day....so you might lose more if you ahd two fully-stocked 'fridges. That said - I'd love a second 'fridge if only to hold flours and grains etc. But I'd love a second oven more. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I vote for a freezer. We bought our first chest freezer when dh and I were first married and he thought I was crazy. We recently bought a second, small chest freezer, and I keep them both pretty full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsingscrapper Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 It doesn't even have to be a huge one. Our upright is around 3.5 feet tall. It's short enough, that it makes for a good microwave stand. We have a small kitchen and our basement is prone to leaking so it wasn't going down there! One other caveat either way, make sure that it does NOT lock. I shudder to think of what would happen if you were either getting rid of it or defrosting it and a little one crawled inside. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Buckin' Longhorn Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 who has both an upright freezer and a spare (HA! HA!) fridge in the garage. I could never feed this family without them. The outside fridge is pretty much just for my son's food. He's so greedy! BTW, if you are just getting a freezer, don't get that awful chest one that you'll have to practically climb into in order to get stuff out of, get an upright. It's heavenly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 The weird thing is that the freezer compartment on my refrigerator in the garage does not work in the winter. This is a consequence of the thermodynamic cylce on which a refrigerator operates. (Carnot Cycle, if my old brain isn't failing too badly today.) Suffice it to say that if your garage or basement or back porch or wherever you put your second refriegerator or freezer isn't insulated, the ambient temperature may be either too hot or cold, and cause the unit to operate inefficiently at best, or fail entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 A fridge will cost you more if it's nearly empty, so if you get a second fridge, keep it relatively full. . A couple of milk jugs filled with water and placed in the fridge or freezer will help keep the space full and help with cold retention after the door is opened. Simply take them out, if you need the space. Having two or three gallons of ice is also handy during homemade ice cream season. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 when she found them on sale. When we went camping, she'd put the frozen milk in the ice chest. It would act to keep the other foods cool, and wouldn't completely thaw for several days, so we'd have milk in the later days of our trip without having to go to a store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I have a side-by-side in the house, and in the garage we have a chest freezer (for larger items), an upright freezer (for everything else), and a side-by-side fridge (for home brews). And I keep flours in my house freezer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 If you get a foodsaver, it will make the fridge/freezer combo a better possibility, it makes your food much more compact, and also stores longer and has less freezer burn waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jzsnow Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I just bought an upright freezer from Lowes. I LOVE IT!! It allowed us to purchase a cow and eat locally and for lower cost! If I were to buy an extra fridge, I would find one off craigslist for $100. To me, it isn't worth more. jessica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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