Yeah, it's like your AC unit in tour house

Talk to me about Freezers.

BurningBright · 2025-04-15T14:39:32.451Z

We are looking at buying some sort of freezer to go in our garage (UDP not climate controlled). I'd prefer an upright freezer for space/accessibility issues but I'm open minded on that point. There is a 46 inch wide space where an upright would fit well. Height/depth not a huge consideration. Between Costco, hunting, some bulk meat sales a local butcher does, and looking at purchasing a 1/4 cow or pig, we need a decent bit of freezer space. Any thoughts on what to look for or avoid? I assume like all appliances I want to avoid Samsung and LG. Most of the upright freezers I see are "frost free." Some articles are telling me that these can impact food quality over time. Any experience with these? How big does it need to be to handle all my meat?

Known wife for 25 years now. Yikes.....anyway.......that fridge has been in that lake house almost as long as Lake Murray has existed. In 25 years they've been through 3 secondary fridges. They have to defrost it, but it works like a champ keeping beer cold.

My grandparents got a brand new Westinghouse "ice box" in 1936 as a wedding present. It died in around 2010. Also a memorable beer fridge.

Ask a showroom salesman why they can't make fridges that last and they will all say, as trained, well, the defrost mechanism is impossible to build to last that long. To which I ALWAYS reply, then sell me a fridge without defrost, and I will defrost it manually and use it for 80+ years. Crickets. ALWAYS.

If they're a GOOD salesman, they will then invoke the "refrigerant" laws, and how new fridges won't last because of new refrigerant laws. To which I reply I have no freaking clue the refrigerant in a 1940 fridge, BECAUSE IT"S NEVER LEAKED.

This was almost identical to dad's fridge:
https://youtu.be/KRlhyNqvpHM?si=aL2R6IlpSkYpOepO

jroberts®

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A non-garage ready will almost always have issues in the cold

Apr 15, 2025, 12:14 PM [ in reply to we didn't have a compressor fail, but we had issues with 2 different fridges in ]

We had an older fridge in the garage. When that thing had issues before it ultimately died, the tech who came out to see if it could be saved told us that the colder garage climate will cause the controller board to kick off the self-defrost cycle more often - which is why your freezer loses cold in the winter. You can do one of a handful things -

*- Buy a "garage ready" fridge and freezer where they've modified (or in some cases removed) the self-defrost features of the controller. I love paying extra for things with "less features."
*- Buy just a freezer that doesn't have self-defrost.
*- There's a heater pack that they sell which is intended to keep the controller at a temperature closer to indoors so it's not constantly triggering its self-defrost cycle. I have no idea if this works or not.
*- Find an old fridge/freezer combo on eBay and use that. Something from the late 70's or early 80's when they were still built as brick shithouses, serviceable and without self-defrost. My parents had an old Philco/Ford fridge/freezer combo that lasted #### near forever, even in the garage.

Anything you get without the self-defrost will need to be manually defrosted once per year, which is an annoyance. So pick your poison.

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Talk to me about Freezers.

I've heard to get a "garage ready" freezer or fridge if it's going to be in the

I was given an upright freezer by a coworker who retired in the mid-90s.

Inlaws 1942 Westinghouse fridge still working

we didn't have a compressor fail, but we had issues with 2 different fridges in

A non-garage ready will almost always have issues in the cold

Wait, some people dont have climate controlled garages?***

This is my secret shame but I thought this was a supportive and safe space.***

It's harder to put annoying neighbors in uprights.

Had a chest deep freeze in the garage for 15 yrs. Neer

It's where I put my extra batter.

There are a chitton of 44" chest freezers...

Best of luck with the new venture!***

Will keep this in mind.***

If they work right,

Chest freezer is much better for storing bodies.***

True, but that's only a need if you're into cannibalism.

Sure, but sometimes I get a little murder-y and my hogs can only handle

It sounds like you have weak hogs.

Re: Chest freezer is much better for storing bodies.***

Don't get a chest freezer, as stated above.

Pro tip ... only put as much food in it that you can eat in a 48 hr period

Re: Pro tip ... only put as much food in it that you can eat in a 48 hr period

Bought one back in October for wife

U will believe this so I'll tell you.

TigerBoard POTD

Talk to me about Freezers.

I've heard to get a "garage ready" freezer or fridge if it's going to be in the

I was given an upright freezer by a coworker who retired in the mid-90s.

Inlaw­s 1942 Westinghouse fridge still working

we didn't have a compressor fail, but we had issues with 2 different fridges in