Updated Sep. 11, 2024
Yes, this freezer is garage-friendly. But that's not the only reason we love the Hamilton Beach upright freezer! Our thorough testing uncovered plenty of smart features.
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There’s nothing wrong with storing soup containers and make-ahead dinners in the freezer. In fact, meal prepping is our favorite life hack that cuts down on the dinnertime rush. However, overstuffing the freezer is a surefire way to give yourself a headache. Not only does it usher in more freezer burn and lead to poor temperature consistency, but it can also prevent the freezer door from fully sealing. This uses up more energy in the long run (and can lead to spoilage and melted ice cubes—ick!). That’s why stand-alone freezers—like the Hamilton Beach upright freezer—are a lifesaver for excess storage.
“According to the Department of Energy, 34% of American households have a second fridge or freezer. Auxiliary food storage space has always been sought after for large families and homes that like to entertain—yet the pandemic popularized this trend and made it mainstream,” says Jessica Petrino, educator and appliance expert at AJ Madison. “An upright freezer is a great space-saving way to store more food. They’re perfect for small storage areas such as a pantry, garage or basement. Stock up on food at the store, buy protein in bulk, stash milk for a baby or flash freeze your favorite dinners, soup or sauces for later.”
Executive Culinary Director Sarah Farmer, who tested six upright freezers to find the very best, agrees. “Vertical freezers offer a more compact design while providing the same storage capacity as chest freezers,” she explains. Here’s why our Test Kitchen recommends the Hamilton Beach freezer for garages, basements and other places with regular temperature fluctuations.
If you’re unsure whether you want a chest or upright freezer, the bells and whistles on the Hamilton Beach freezer will almost certainly sway your opinion. A whopping 14 cubic feet of space is plenty of room for storing cookies, freezer organization products and frozen pizzas. This comes in the form of four removable tempered glass shelves, four shallow in-door shelves and a bottom slide-out bin. Do you need more fridge space? No worries—this two-in-one option can convert to a fridge, too. Additionally, the Hamilton Beach upright freezer is garage-ready, meaning that it’s rated for fluctuations in temperatures between 0ºF and 110ºF.
It’s also self-defrosting, so you won’t have to worry about frost coating your shelves or freezer containers. This also makes it easy to clean your freezer. A handy temperature control panel sits on the door, so you can easily see how cool it is at a glance. This feature also eliminates the need to open the door to make adjustments—bonus! Two adjustable legs allow for the freezer to sit level, and interior LED lights simplify making selections in low-light conditions.
TASTE OF HOME
To find the best upright freezers for garages, basements and rec rooms, we identified top-selling models from the most popular brands, including Whirlpool, GE, Hotpoint, Hamilton Beach, Maytag and Gladiator. Our tester is Executive Culinary Director Sarah Farmer, an appliance and kitchen expert. Sarah gathered six models to test, focusing on the best-reviewed picks.
During our evaluation, she looked at temperature settings, capacity and storage, noise level, durability, build quality and design. We also noted whether each pick is garage-ready and if there are any additional features, like self-defrost, reversible doors, alarms, interior lighting and adjustable leveling legs.
After thoroughly testing each potential inclusion and noting over 65 data points across all six freezers, our Test Kitchen pinpointed three top performers and two other solid options worth considering.
The Hamilton Beach upright freezer boasts a simple, handsome look. With a classic white finish and a single control panel in the center, it feels both modern and basic enough for most decor styles. The handle is recessed (making the door non-reversible), which also gives it a cleaner look.
The seal is very effective—almost to the point where you need to give the freezer a good tug for it to open. Testers had to exert pressure, and it took about two tugs to open the door. In the event that it doesn’t seal closed, a three-minute alarm alerts you when the door remains open. The freezer features four preset temperature modes: Fridge, Subzero, Freeze and FastFreeze.
Both the shelves and lower freezer bin are solid and sturdy. However, the freezer door bins are somewhat lightweight (though not flimsy). Overall, Sarah feels that this is a perfect pick for families who want a little extra storage room for ice pops, frozen meals and bulk meats.
Not all upright freezers are garage-friendly. They must resist very low temperatures and often have thicker insulation than their indoor counterparts. Luckily, the Hamilton Beach upright freezer is rated for temperatures 0ºF to 110ºF, making it the perfect pick for places like the garage with fluctuating temperatures.
According to Jessica, one popular trait in upright freezers is an automatic defrost. “For low maintenance, better efficiency and performance, look for a freezer that will defrost automatically,” she says. “Otherwise, you must remove all the food from the freezer a few times yearly, unplug the freezer, and let ice accumulation melt. Defrosting a freezer can be a messy and labor-intensive process. Skip the extra work and get one that will defrost automatically.”
Jessica notes that if you plan to place your freezer in an area of the home that experiences seasonal changes, it’s important to spring for a garage-ready fridge or freezer. Sometimes, the garage-ready accessory is a part sold separately on select models, but freezers often offer this as a built-in feature.
“How do you know if you need it? To put it simply, if you place a refrigerator or freezer in an area where the temperature dips colder than the temperature setting inside the fridge, it will stop ‘refrigerating,'” she says. “Therefore, outdoor fridges, or ‘garage-ready’ units, have a special feature that tricks the appliance into thinking the outside air temperature is always warmer than the temp setting of the appliance. In short, if you live in a cold weather climate and plan to place a freezer in your garage, porch or shed, it’s recommended to seek a garage-friendly unit.”
Sarah Farmer is the heart of the Taste of Home Test Kitchen. On top of leading the culinary team, she develops, tests and styles recipes, balances budgets, connects with vendors and oversees the product testing process for pantry foods and cooking gear. You might spot her in our videos on social media and TV, gushing about the latest food trends or must-have kitchen gadgets.
Sarah joined Taste of Home in 2004 as a food stylist. She’s still head over heels for her job, and loves spending every day surrounded by people who share her enthusiasm for food, cooking and the Taste of Home community.
For this piece, we also spoke to Jessica Petrino, educator and appliance expert at AJ Madison.
TASTE OF HOME
The Hamilton Beach upright freezer is available from many online retailers, including Walmart, Wayfair, Home Depot and Amazon. It typically retails for well under $1,000, making it more budget-friendly than a number of the other upright freezers we tested. It’s also the only truly garage-friendly freezer on our list and the only one that converts to a refrigerator, making it an excellent value!
Originally Published: August 12, 2024
