An upright freezer has a small footprint and keeps all of your items organized. If you tend to "lose" items in a chest freezer or hate digging through layers of frozen goods, an upright freezer might be for you. If you're in the market for a new upright freezer, take a look at our reviews of the best upright freezer models of 2021! They're numbered for your convenience but are listed in no particular order.
Table of Contents
- Frigidaire FFFU16F2VV (15.5 cu ft)
- Danby DUFM085A4WDD (8.5 cu ft)*
- GE FUF14DLRWW (14.1 cu ft)*
- Whirlpool WZF56R16DW (16 cu ft)
- Danby DUFM059C1WDD (5.9 cu ft)*
- GE FUF21DLRWW (21.3 cu ft)*
- Whirlpool WZF79R20DW (20 cu ft)
Models marked with a * are garage ready - they can handle ambient temperatures from 0-110 °F!
3 Quick Tips for Buying an Upright Freezer
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Planning to install your upright freezer in the garage? You'll need a model specifically rated for installations in non-temperature controlled areas. While your home may fluctuate between 60 to 85 degrees, your garage can get a lot hotter and a lot colder depending on the time of year! Know the temperature range your garage experiences throughout the year. Check the installation section of the freezer's owner's manual to make sure it can tolerate that range! Garage freezers are insulated better. If your garage gets very cold in the winter, this can actually harm your freezer's performance - your items might actually thaw out and spoil! You should also know that models labeled for "outdoor" use have been tested to withstand wet weather, and this doesn't necessarily mean they can handle big ambient temperature fluctuations. Read our upright garage freezer reviews here.
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Automatic vs Manual Defrost. Today, it's easy to find "frost-free" freezers that automatically defrost the evaporator coils throughout the day. Terms like "automatic defrost," "frostless," or "no-frost" all refer to this technology. Read more about it in our article on frost-free freezers. A manual defrost freezer requires a bit of regular maintenance but will cost half as much to operate.
- Temperature and Door Alarms. Some models have the capability of letting you know if the door hasn't been shut all the way or something funky is going on with the temperature via indicator lights or audible alarms. These are useful features to quickly cue you in on issues that could otherwise result in food spoilage.
For more information, check out our freezer buying guide!
1. Frigidaire FFFU16F2VV - 15.5 cu ft - $799 MSRP
Looking for a sleek upright freezer? The stainless steel Frigidaire FFFU16F2VV might be a perfect fit. Its brushed steel look door with no handle is modern and upscale (although it's not actually stainless steel). We originally featured the 20.5 cubic foot stainless steel convertible fridge/freezer Frigidaire Gallery FGVU21F8QF with a price of $1,299 MSRP, but it was discontinued this year. Now Frigidaire is offering this 16 cubic foot model retailing at $799 MSRP.
This freezer features a flexible interior organization system complete with an internal dial temperature control and bright LED lighting. The Frost Free design means you don't have to worry about manually defrosting once a year. A power-on indicator projects on the floor to let you know that the freezer is working. There's also a door alarm and high temperature alarm. This model can keep food frozen for two days if there is a power outage. It is not Energy Star rated.
If you're looking for a basic upright freezer that looks a little nicer than the competition (but is still affordable), this is a great option. It's also available in white at $769, model FFFU16F2VW. They also offer a 13 cubic foot version, the FFFU13F2VW, which has a shallower depth.
Features
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EvenTemp cooling system
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Door ajar and high temp alarm
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Floor-projected power indicator light
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LED lighting
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Frost free defrost
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Reversible door
Dimensions
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Height: 67.75"
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Width: 27.75"
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Depth: 29.125"
Click here to read over 285 real customer reviews of this product!
Frigidaire FFFU16F2VV - $799 MSRP - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT PRICING
2. Danby DUFM085A4WDD - 8.5 cu ft - $539 MSRP
Danby upright freezers have been popular lately, and customers seem to like them. They offer reasonably priced upright freezers in a variety of sizes and feature packages. The Danby DUFM085A4WDD is a slim 8.5 cubic foot upright freezer with an impressive five year warranty on parts and labor with in-home service. Wow! That's definitely a standout when most manufacturers offer one year parts and labor.
This manual defrost freezer is Energy Star rated and uses environmentally friendly R600a refrigerant. Inside, you'll find four door shelves plus three "quick freeze" shelves with coils that... you guessed it... help things freeze more quickly! It has a 5 foot extension cord and a reversible door (with an integrated pocket handle) for installation flexibility. It comes with a drip tray for the defrost cycle and has a smooth covered back, so dust won't build up on the coils. This is definitely a more nicely put together manual defrost freezer than you'll typically find. It's a great compact choice!
Danby also offers larger 10-21 cubic foot models, including convertible fridge freezer models and options with digital temperature controls on the outside of the door. Many if not all of these models come with their stellar 5-year full parts and labor warranty! Click here to explore Danby upright freezers.
Features
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Energy Star rated
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Manual defrost
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Adjustable temperature control
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Reversible door
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5-year in-home parts and labor warranty!
Dimensions
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Height: 59.1"
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Width: 23.94"
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Depth: 25.68"
Danby DUFM085A4WDD - $539 MSRP - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT PRICING
3. GE FUF14DLRWW - 14.1 cu ft - $799 MSRP
The GE FUF14DLRWW is one of the best upright freezer models in the 14 cubic foot capacity range, offering slightly more advanced features than the previous Frigidaire model. With four glass shelves in the main cavity, two of which are adjustable, and touch panel controls, this upright freezer offers a premium feel in a classic white finish.
This is definitely one of the best upright freezers for garage storage since GE freezers are proven to perform in ambient temperatures from 0 up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. If you need a place to store meats and other items throughout the year, this model can work well in your garage or in your home.
Features
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Energy Star rated
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Frost Free defrost
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Lock with pop-out key
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Exterior electronic temperature control touch panel
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Audible temperature alarm
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Turbo Freeze option
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Garage ready
Dimensions
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Height: 62"
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Width: 28"
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Depth: 32"
Click here to read over 800 real customer reviews of this product!
GE FUF14DLRWW - $799 MSRP - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT PRICING
4. Whirlpool WZF56R16DW - 16.0 cu ft - $719 MSRP
Next up on our list of best upright freezer models is a great option from well-known manufacturer Whirlpool. Available at $719, the Whirlpool WZF56R16DW offers 16.0 cubic feet of capacity. The optional icemaker makes this one of the best upright freezers for entertaining on hot summer days! With the Fast Freeze option, you can quickly chill newly added items. You can save time with the Frost-Free Defrost, too: no more manual defrosting by totally emptying the freezer!
This large-capacity upright freezer comes with five full-width door bins and three adjustable wire shelves to help you organize your space. The temperature alarm helps you avoid spoiled food by alerting you when the freezer's temperature rises.
If you're looking for a garage ready freezer, check out Whirlpool's Gladiator brand. Gladiator models are also designed to handle extreme temperatures - from 0 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit - which is impressive for garage refrigerators and freezers!
Features
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Frost-Free Defrost
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LED interior lighting
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Electronic temperature control
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Fast Freeze
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Temperature alarm
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Door lock
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Optional icemaker
Dimensions
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Height: 60.25"
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Width: 30.25"
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Depth: 30.25"
Click here to read over 190 real customer reviews of this product!
Whirlpool WZF56R16DW - $719 MSRP - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT PRICING
5. Danby DUFM059C1WDD - 5.9 cu ft - $399 MSRP
The Danby DUFM059C1WDD is a compact garage ready freezer that's Energy Star rated. Inside, you'll find five quick-freeze shelves plus two clear plastic bins. This smaller model does not have shelving in the reversible door. It comes with a stellar five-year parts and labor warranty!
If you're looking for an upright freezer with a small footprint that offers plenty of room, this is a great little model. This model is unusual among most other upright freezers in that it is manual defrost, not frost-free/automatic. While this means you'll need to clean it out once a year or so and defrost it to continue getting the best performance, the bright side is that it will cost half as much to operate as an automatic defrost freezer.
This model does not have features like a power-on indicator light, door alarm, a locking door, an interior light, or a temperature alarm. It's a simple freezer ideal for small spaces.
Features
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LED interior lighting
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Manual defrost
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Mechanical dial interior temperature controls
Dimensions
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Height: 56.3"
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Width: 21.46"
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Depth: 22.3"
Danby DUFM059C1WDD - $399 MSRP - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT PRICING
6. GE FUF21DLRWW - 21.3 cu ft - $1,049 MSRP
Looking for the best upright freezer with a large capacity? The 21.3 cubic foot GE FUF21DLRWW might be for you! For $1,049, you get deluxe features like exterior electronic temperature controls and extra organization options. Two adjustable and two fixed glass shelves, four door bins, and three slide-out bulk storage baskets help you make the most out of that cubic footage.
This upright freezer is also Energy Star rated to help you save money on utility costs. The Frigidaire Gallery model on our list is Energy Star rated, too, but this GE option is available at a lower price and has a larger capacity. Plus it's garage ready, so it's designed to handle external temperatures from 0-110 degrees. It's worth checking out!
Features
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LED interior lighting
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Door lock
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Energy Star rated
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Exterior electronic temperature control
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Frost Free Defrost
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Door Alarm
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Audible temperature alarm
- Garage ready
Dimensions
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Height: 76.6"
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Width: 32.9"
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Depth: 31.25"
Click here to read over 870 real customer reviews of this product!
GE FUF21DLRWW - $1,049 MSRP - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT PRICING
7. Whirlpool WZF79R20DW - 20.0 cu ft - $949 MSRP
Last but not least on our list of best upright freezer options is a spacious Whirlpool model. The XL Whirlpool WZF79R20DW provides 20.0 cubic feet of capacity for $949. If your current refrigerator lacks an icemaker, you may like the optional icemaker available for this model. LED lighting, Fast Freeze, Frost-Free Defrost, door-ajar and temperature alarms, and up-front electronic temperature controls are some of the premium features you get with this model.
There are a ton of storage options in this upright freezer, including a "pizza pocket" door bin, ice cream compartment door bin, four adjustable full-width wire shelves, and two full-width wire bins. The storage options combined with the large capacity make this one of the best upright freezers for large households.
Features
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LED interior lighting
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Optional icemaker
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Fast Freeze
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Frost-Free Defrost
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Temperature Alarm
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Door Alarm
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Up-front electronic temperature control
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Door lock
Dimensions
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Height: 66.75"
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Width: 33.25"
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Depth: 29.1"
Click here to read over 430 real customer reviews of this product!
Whirlpool WZF79R20DW - $949 MSRP - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT PRICING
Recommended Article: Freezer Buying Guide - 6 Important Steps!
That completes our list of the best upright freezers for 2021! From basic models to more feature-rich options, you have a lot of choices. If you're considering a freezer in your garage, a garage ready model that can handle the temperature changes of your area is a must.
Let us know which one you choose. Leave us a comment below - We’d love to hear from you!
Editor's Note: This blog was originally written in January of 2019 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy as of the publication date noted above.
