Budgeting: Is a chest freezer worth it? Running cost and food savings

Is a chest freezer worth it?

For families and keen batch cooks, it often is. A chest freezer gives you far more frozen storage than the small freezer in a fridge, which lets you buy meat, bread and vegetables in bulk or on offer, freeze leftovers and batch-cook meals for busy days. It also cuts food waste, since you can freeze food before it goes off. Running costs are modest, especially for an efficient model. But a freezer only saves money if you use it well. One that sits half empty or fills up with forgotten food costs electricity and saves very little.

You'll also need space for it, like a garage, utility room or spare corner.

The best way to judge is to look at how you shop and cook now. If you often see good offers you can't take advantage of, throw away food that goes off before you eat it, or wish you could cook in bigger batches, a chest freezer solves all three. If you shop little and often and rarely waste food, the extra space may not change much.

Think about where it will go before buying, too. A chest freezer works best somewhere cool and dry, with space to open the lid fully. A garage can be a good spot, but check that the freezer is rated for the temperatures there, since some models struggle in very cold or very hot spaces.

How much can a chest freezer save?

Here's a worked example for a family over a year, in round numbers that work in any currency:

The family saves about 250 a year after paying to run the freezer. A freezer costing 200 pays for itself in under a year. Your own saving depends on how you shop and cook, and how efficient the freezer is.

How does a chest freezer save money?

Bulk buying and offers

Meat, fish, bread and frozen vegetables are often cheaper in larger packs or on offer. A freezer lets you stock up when prices are low. Is a warehouse club worth it? covers buying in bulk.

Less food waste

Freezing bread, leftovers, ripe fruit and food near its use-by date stops it going in the bin.

Batch cooking

Cooking big batches and freezing portions gives you cheap ready meals. Meal planning on a budget covers batch cooking.

Fewer takeaways

A freezer full of homemade meals makes it easy to skip the takeaway on busy evenings.

What does a chest freezer cost to run?

Chest freezers are usually efficient, since the cold stays in when you open the lid. An upright freezer is easier to organise but loses more cold each time the door opens. A newer, efficient model costs less to run than an old one. Keeping it full, defrosting it when ice builds up and keeping it in a cool place all help. How to save money on your electric bill covers checking what appliances cost to run.

Who might not find it worth it?

Small households with little space, people who rarely cook and those who shop little and often may not use a chest freezer enough to justify it. If you buy one, be honest about whether you'll fill it with food you'll eat. A freezer full of things you forget about is just expensive storage.

How do you get the most from a chest freezer?

Keep a simple list of what's inside, so food gets eaten before it's forgotten. Label everything with the date and what it is, since frozen food can be hard to recognise after a few months. Masking tape and a marker pen work perfectly well. Organise with baskets or bags so you can find things. Plan meals around what's in the freezer each week. Buy in bulk only things you'll use. How to save money on groceries has more tips. Work out the cost per use of a freezer if you're deciding whether to buy.

Buy second-hand carefully

Second-hand freezers can be cheap, but older models may cost more to run. Check that it seals well and keeps a steady temperature before relying on it.

How do you track food savings in Wealtie?

Keep groceries and takeaways in separate expense categories with a monthly budget for each, and add your energy bill as a recurring transaction, so you can see whether the freezer brings food spending down overall.