Many homes need don’t have enough space in their fridge/freezer combo. A stand-up freezer (also written as “stand up freezer”) a solution that might be a solution to this problem. These freezers are often cheaper than a new fridge/freezer combo. Plus, depending on the kitchen’s layout, they might provide a better flow in the workspace for some families.

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Kenwood UK If you're looking for classic good looking mixer with dough hook and everyday performance Kenwood Classic Chef KM336 is perfect place to start. The hOmeLabs Commercial Ice Machine will efficiently produce large amounts of ice on demand. Within its first 11-20 minute cycle this machine will produce 45 square ice cubes, and can make up to 99 lbs of ice in a day. A large storage cabinet allows you to keep up to 29 pounds of ice on hand at a time.

You may like to prepare meals for the entire week and freeze them to avoid making dinner every night. Or, you need to keep snacks frozen that you pack for the kids’ lunch every day. Maybe you like to stock up on certain items that can’t be in the refrigerator and need more space. An additional freezer is a perfect solution in these cases. No matter what the reason is that you need extra freezer space, a stand-up model can help. It doesn’t take up too much ground space in the kitchen, or anywhere else you set it up. Every family has different needs. Consider some of these features and design options to find the additional storage solution necessary for your family.

Undercounter Ice Makers. 15 Inch Wide 20 Lb. Built-In Ice Maker with Up to 25 Lbs. Daily Ice Production. 14 Inch Wide 12 Lb. Capacity Built-In Ice Maker with 23 Lb. Daily Ice Production from the ADA Series. 15 Inch Wide 30 Lb. Capacity Built-In Ice Maker with 60 Lb. Daily Ice Production from the 1000 Series. Icemakers use an electric motor, a water valve and an electrical heating unit to pour, freeze and extract ice cubes. Learn about home and commercial icemakers.

Why Choose a Stand-up Freezer

There are several reasons homeowners might choose to invest in a new stand up freezer. For starters, it’s additional freezer space if their refrigerator/freezer combo doesn’t have enough space on its own. A freezer is also cheaper than a freezer/fridge combo. It has a smaller footprint than chest freezers and affords owners easy access to items with in-door shelving. And, the stand-up variety doesn’t take up much space in a kitchen corner or even a small office/den. So, homeowners can set it up virtually anywhere they have the room. If there are space limitations, budgetary concerns, or homes need a backup freezer unit, this is a great choice.

How to Choose a Stand-up Freezer

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When investing in a new stand up freezer, consumers should consider several factors. Space, budget, placement, and electric consumption/cost are some of those factors. It’s important to consider all features and limits in space homeowners face to ensure they choose the best freezer. Homeowners also have to understand their usage intentions to pick the best stand up options available.

Stand up Freezer Features

Because there are several brands, models, and sizes, before choosing a stand-up freezer, there are several factors to consider. These are some features to look for when selecting the best product for use at home or office setting.

1. Defrosting

When comparing stand up freezers, there are those with manual and with auto-defrost functions available.

A manual defrost freezer is quieter, and food doesn’t dry out as quickly than in automatic freezers. If owners don’t allow ice to build up, manual freezers are more energy efficient than automatic as well. For those who don’t want to worry about defrosting (or forget), an automatic one is the best option. Consumers should consider both varieties to find the best freezer available.

2. Ground space and height

Depending on the amount of free floor space in the home, a chest freezer might not fit in the house. A stand-up freezer is great for smaller, tighter kitchens or storage rooms. They are tall and have a lower base than chest freezers. When comparing products, consumers should consider the cubic foot internal space configuration as well as external space requirements. Depending on the size of it, a certain amount of clearance space is necessary where it’s set up.

3. Removable or adjustable shelving

Stand up freezers are convenient because they make it easy to monitor/account for everything inside of them. With shelves and door compartments, owners can quickly glance at the inventory. This design helps eliminate waste, unlike chest freezers, where owners can’t see what’s at the bottom. Some freezers feature removable shelves and wiring, and adjustable drawers and levels.

How We Reviewed Stand up Freezers

We compared several stand up freezer models to help consumers find the best model. In our analysis, we detailed freezer features, design, and spatial needs. We also included information about energy-efficiency, and cost of ownership (usage). We also include reviews written by owners of the best stand up freezer models available. And, we include freezers available at different price points. Doing this allows consumers to find the best product that fits their budget range.

The Best Stand up Freezer Available

Before selecting a freezer or choosing the cheapest model available, consumers should compare the best products. These are a few of the top-selling stand-up freezers available in 2018.

Kenmore Elite 27003

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This stainless steel freezer features a 20.5 cubic foot storage capacity. There’s a digital temperature reading on the front of it. This design makes it easy to adjust settings as necessary, for the foods inside the freezer, at any time. Customers receive installation, removal, and disposal of the old one, all for the purchase price.

There’s a soft freeze zone for frozen goods and an express chill function. This function reduces temperatures for up to 72 hours, all the way to negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit. It features a manual frost-free design and LED lighting when the door opens up. The shelving is also adjustable in the freezer.

One reviewer claims the alarm function is useless. The alarm warns owners if the freezer is open. However, the reviewer indicates if they’re more than 10 feet away from it, they can’t hear it.

Igloo 6.9 Cubic Foot Upright Freezer Model #FRF690

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The stand-up freezer features a reversible door and manual defrost mode. It also has adjustable legs, so homeowners can modify clearance space if necessary. It comes with a one-year limited warranty, too.

The freezer has low noise levels and an adjustable thermostat. It has a total of six shelves, and no door storage compartments.

Reviewers do, however, complain of poor construction and quality with this stand-up freezer. One reviewer notes the door came off the hinges after a couple of months of owning it. The product also dents easily. And, the seller notes that it had visible damage upon receipt.

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The stand-up freezer features 8.5 cubic feet of interior storage and is also an energy-efficient model. It has three shelves, plus door storage compartments. This product features a reversible door hinge. This feature allows owners to place it on the left or right, depending on their kitchen’s configuration.

How To Hook Up A Free Standing 26 Lb. Ice Maker System

The freezer uses environmentally friendly R600a refrigerant as well. It includes an 18-month warranty on parts and labor. An integrated door handle and quick freeze functions are excellent additions to this model.

Reviewers note issues with customer service. One reviewer also indicates that the freezer had damage throughout it upon receipt.

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No products found.

This three cubic foot stand-up freezer is great for small spaces. It has a reversible door feature. This design allows owners to place the door hinges on either side of it. Depending on space/configuration, they can adjust the door to open in their kitchen however they want.

There are two shelves in the freezer that aren’t adjustable. There is also a wire drawer for smaller items in the freezer as well. It comes with a one-year warranty. The model is energy-efficient, so the operational costs are going to be low throughout the year, too.

Quality and construction concerns are some issues reviewers note. Many indicate that the freezer came with dents in the cabinet spaces.

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No products found.

This freezer features 20.5 cubic feet of internal storage space. It has convenient soft freeze compartments at the bottom. This feature allows owners to place items like ice cream conveniently in the freezer section. It also has adjustable shelves, allowing owners to configure the space to their needs.

The door storage is a nice feature for smaller items as well. The freezer features automatic defrost, so owners don’t have to worry about ice building up on the compressor. There’s also a freezer key. This safety feature is great if there are kids in the home. It allows owners to lock up the freezer. That way, children can’t get into it.

The only complaint one reviewer notes is limited space in the storage compartments. They are happy with the quality and overall design but would like more storage space for foods.

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No products found.

This compact stand-up freezer is energy efficient, reducing overall operating costs throughout the year. It features a three cubic feet of storage capacity space. It features three baskets for storage, too.

The flush-with-the-wall back design is great for saving space in a small office, kitchen, or dorm room. There’s also an adjustable thermostat on the freezer. So, owners can easily adjust the temperature for the items inside of it at any time.

One reviewer notes the freezer did not work upon arrival. They indicate it turns on and the compressor kicks in, but the freezer does not become cold.

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No products found.

This compact, three cubic foot freezer features continual circulation. It is continually blowing cold air, preserving the ideal temperature for items inside of it.

The freezer is lockable. If owners want to keep kids out, or co-workers (in the office), they can use the lock. There are three storage shelves and a slide-out drawer. The freezer also has a reversible door, so owners can adjust it to open on the left or right side.

Not many reviewers have complaints about this product. The main drawback is the compact size of the unit. However, the internal storage space and layout compensate for a smaller cubic foot capacity.

Whirlpool Sidekicks 17.7 Cubic Foot Freezer Model WSZ57L18DM

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This large stand-up freezer features 17.7 cubic feet of internal storage capacity. There are four adjustable shelves, so owners can easily configure it to their liking. Up-front temperature controls are easy to adjust as well.

The freezer has a fast-freeze function also. Plus, there is an adjustable basket in addition to the four storage shelves in the freezer. An optional icemaker kit is an additional feature that customers can purchase. The stainless steel exterior finish also pairs up well with any kitchen decor.

One reviewer indicates the product doesn’t last very long after purchasing it. They note this is the fourth freezer they purchased in less than 10 years. For the price and well-known Whirlpool brand name, owners should expect higher quality.

Our Verdict: The Best Budget and Best Overall Stand-up Freezer

When comparing the best stand-up freezer varieties, homeowners have several to select. For consumers looking for a taller, smaller footprint, the stand-up freezer meets those parameters. Others want something convenient, easy to use, with the coldest temperature settings. No matter what you’re looking for, there are several great brands and models to consider.

If you want the best budget/affordable stand-up freezer, the Midea small freezer is a great choice. Although it is smaller, at just three cubic feet, it has some nice features. It has two shelves and a wire drawer. It is energy-efficient also, so the operational costs are low. The reversible door hinges are a nice feature in compact spaces. And, the freezer is ideal for home, office, or even a dorm set up. The affordable price is another factor that sells this product. For those who are on a budget, it’s not going to set you back much. It is also available in black, white, and stainless steel. So, it matches perfectly with any kitchen decor or theme.

For those who want the best overall stand-up freezer, the Frigidaire 20.5 cubic foot freezer is probably it. It features a massive interior capacity for storing several items efficiently. It has door storage, and several compartments and shelves that owners can adjust. Large storage bins at the bottom are great for more substantial food items. And, foods aren’t going to stick on these shelves. The see-through finish makes it easy to see what’s in the freezer at any time. It keeps foods frozen for up to two days in the event of power outages.

Do you own any of these freezers? Tell us about your experience!

Last update on 2021-12-23 at 19:25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Only a century ago, ice was hard to come by in most parts of the world. In hotter climates, you had to buy your ice from a delivery service, which imported hefty blocks from a colder climate or from an industrial refrigeration plant. The price of ice was relatively steep, but if you wanted to keep your food cold, you didn't have much choice. In the hottest parts of the world, ice was a rare luxury. In an equatorial country, you might live your whole life and never even see a piece of ice.

This all changed in the early 20th century. Compact, affordable refrigerators brought the means of food preservation and ice production into the home and corner store. In the 1960s, new automatic icemaker machines made life even easier. These days, most Americans take ice completely for granted, even during the hottest days of summer.

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In this article, we'll find out what's inside a typical home icemaker, as well as the larger commercial icemakers you might find at a hotel or grocery store. As we'll see, the basic process of making ice is very simple -- you just freeze water -- but spitting out perfectly shaped ice cubes is a fairly elaborate process.

The home icemaker's predecessor was the plastic ice tray. It's fairly obvious how this device works: You pour water into a mold, leave it in the freezer until it turns to a solid and then extract the ice cubes. An icemaker does exactly the same thing, but the process of pouring water and extracting cubes is fully automated. A home icemaker is an ice-cube assembly line.

Most icemakers use an electric motor, an electrically operated water valve and an electrical heating unit. To provide power to all these elements, you have to hook the icemaker up to the electrical circuit powering your refrigerator. You also have to hook the icemaker up to the plumbing line in your house, to provide fresh water for the ice cubes. The power line and the water-intake tube both run through a hole in the back of the freezer.

In the next section, we'll look at the cycle an icemaker goes through to make ice.

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Making Ice

When everything is hooked up, the icemaker begins its cycle. The cycle is usually controlled by a simple electrical circuit and a series of switches. In the diagram below, you can see how the icemaker moves through its cycle.

• At the beginning of the cycle, a timed switch in the circuit briefly sends current to a solenoid water valve. In most designs, the water valve is actually positioned behind the refrigerator, but it is connected to the central circuit via electrical wires. When the circuit sends current down these wires, the charge moves a solenoid (a type of electromagnet), which opens the valve.
• The valve is only open for about seven seconds; it lets in just enough water to fill the ice mold. The ice mold is a plastic well, with several connected cavities. Typically, these cavities have a curved, half-circle shape. Each of the cavity walls has a small notch in it so each ice cube will be attached to the cube next to it.
• Once the mold is filled, the machine waits for the water in the mold to freeze. The cooling unit in the refrigerator does the actual work of freezing the water, not the icemaker itself (see How Refrigerators Work for details). The icemaker has a built-in thermostat, which monitors the temperature level of the water in the molds. When the temperature dips to a particular level -- say, 9 degrees Fahrenheit (-13 degrees Celsius) -- the thermostat closes a switch in the electrical circuit (see How Home Thermostats Work for details on this operation).
• Closing this switch lets electrical current flow through a heating coil underneath the icemaker. As the coil heats up, it warms the bottom of the ice mold, loosening the ice cubes from the mold surface.

• The electrical circuit then activates the icemaker's motor. The motor spins a gear, which rotates another gear attached to a long plastic shaft. The shaft has a series of ejector blades extending out from it. As the blades revolve, they scoop the ice cubes up and out of the mold, pushing them to the front of the icemaker. Since the cubes are connected to one another, they move as a single unit.

• At the front of the icemaker, there are plastic notches in the housing that match up with the ejector blades. The blades pass through these notches, and the cubes are pushed out to a collection bin underneath the icemaker.
• The revolving shaft has a notched plastic cam at its base. Just before the cubes are pushed out of the icemaker, the cam catches hold of the shut-off arm, lifting it up. After the cubes are ejected, the arm falls down again. When the arm reaches its lowest resting position, it throws a switch in the circuit, which activates the water valve to begin another cycle. If the arm can't reach its lowest position, because there are stacked-up ice cubes in the way, the cycle is interrupted. This keeps the icemaker from filling your entire freezer with ice; it will only make more cubes when there is room in the collection bin.

This system is effective for making ice at home, but it doesn't produce enough ice for commercial purposes, such as restaurants and self-service hotel ice machines. In the next section, we'll look at a larger, more powerful icemaker design.

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Commercial Icemakers

There are any number of ways to configure a large, free-standing icemaker -- all you need is a refrigeration system, a water supply and some way of collecting the ice that forms.

One of the simplest professional systems uses a large metal ice-cube tray, positioned vertically. You can see how this system works in the diagram below.

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In this system, the metal ice tray is connected to a set of coiled heat-exchanging pipes like the ones on the back of your refrigerator. If you've read How Refrigerators Work, then you know how these pipes work. A compressor drives a stream of refrigerant fluid in a continuous cycle of condensation and expansion. Basically, the compressor forces refrigerant through a narrow tube (called the condenser) to condense it, and then releases it into a wider tube (called the evaporator), where it can expand.

Compressing the refrigerant raises its pressure, which increases its temperature. As the refrigerant passes through the narrow condenser coils, it loses heat to the cooler air outside, and it condenses into a liquid. When the compressed fluid passes through the expansion valve, it evaporates -- it expands to become a gas. This evaporation process draws in heat energy from the metal pipes and the air around the refrigerant. This cools the pipes and the attached metal ice tray.

The icemaker has a water pump, which draws water from a collection sump and pours it over the chilled ice tray. As the water flows over the tray, it gradually freezes, building up ice cubes in the well of the tray. When you freeze water layer by layer this way, it forms clear ice. When you freeze it all at once, as in the home icemaker, you get cloudy ice (see How do you make clear ice cubes? for more information).

After a set amount of time, the icemaker triggers a solenoid valve connected to the heat-exchanging coils. Switching this valve changes the path of the refrigerant. The compressor stops forcing the heated gas from the compressor into the narrow condenser; instead, it forces the gas into a wide bypass tube. The hot gas is cycled back to the evaporator without condensing. When you force this hot gas through the evaporator pipes, the pipes and the ice tray heat up rapidly, which loosens the ice cubes.

Typically, the individual cube cavities are slanted so the loosened ice will slide out on their own, into a collection bin below. Some systems have a cylinder piston that gives the tray a little shove, knocking the cubes loose.

This sort of system is popular in restaurants and hotels because it makes ice cubes with a standard shape and size. Other businesses, such as grocery stores and scientific research firms, need smaller ice flakes for packing perishable items. We'll look at flake icemakers next.

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Flake Icemakers

In the last section, we looked at a standard cube icemaker design. Flake icemakers work on the same basic principle as cube icemakers, but they have an additional component: the ice crusher. You can see how a typical flake system works in the diagram below.

Like the cube icemaker design we examined in the last section, this machine uses a set of heat-exchanging coils and a stream of water to build up a layer of ice. But in this system, the coils are positioned inside a large metal cylinder. Water passes through the cylinder, as well as around its outer edges. The passing water gradually builds up a large column of ice surrounding the cylinder from the inside and outside.

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As with a cube icemaker, a solenoid valve releases hot gas into the cooling pipes after a set length of time. This loosens the ice column so it falls into the ice crusher below. The ice crusher breaks the ice cylinder into small pieces, which pass on to a collection bin.

The size of the ice bits depends on the crusher mechanism. Some crushers grind the ice into fine flakes, while other crushers produce larger, irregularly shaped ice chunks.

There are many variations on these designs, but the basic idea in all of them is the same. A refrigeration system builds up a layer of ice, and a harvesting system ejects the ice into a collection bin. At the most basic level, this is all there is to any icemaker.

For more information on icemakers and related topics, check out the links on the next page.

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Originally Published: Sep 25, 2001

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