Best Freezer For a Hot Garage – Updated for 2023

By Nick Evans •  Last Updated: 01/18/23 •  14 min read

These days it’s not unusual for households to have an extra freezer inside the garage to store a surplus of frozen food. That said, finding the best freezer for a hot garage requires a bit of research to make the most informed decision. In this article we have done that for you and break down the pros and cons of some of the top sellers on the market. After hours of research, we recommend the Frigidaire FFFU16F2VW as if you are in the market for an upright freezer, and the Danby DCF055A2WDB-3 as the best chest freezer.

Best Upright Freezer
Frigidaire Upright Freezer
$879.30

The Frigidaire stand up freezer is a fantastic choice for the price. The fridge features metallic wire shelves, a deep bottom basket, and five door bins. Additionally, the fridge comes with a door ajar alarm monitor alerting you if the door is open or the temperature rises.

Quick Facts

  • Capacity: 15.5 cubic feet 
  • Dimensions: 29.12 × 27.5 × 67.75 inches 
  • Voltage: 115
Pros:
  • Quiet noise level
  • Energy efficient
Cons:
  • Delivery time can be lengthy
From Amazon
12/03/2023 04:07 pm GMT

At a Glance

Top Pick – Frigidaire Upright Freezer

Best Upright Freezer
Frigidaire Upright Freezer
$879.30

The Frigidaire stand up freezer is a fantastic choice for the price. The fridge features metallic wire shelves, a deep bottom basket, and five door bins. Additionally, the fridge comes with a door ajar alarm monitor alerting you if the door is open or the temperature rises.

Quick Facts

  • Capacity: 15.5 cubic feet 
  • Dimensions: 29.12 × 27.5 × 67.75 inches 
  • Voltage: 115
Pros:
  • Quiet noise level
  • Energy efficient
Cons:
  • Delivery time can be lengthy
From Amazon
12/03/2023 04:07 pm GMT

The Frigidaire Upright Freezer is our top choice because it gives you a ton of capacity without taking up as much space as chest-style freezers. For an upright freezer, it has impressive performance and cooling options for garages.

Quick Facts

The Frigidaire Upright Freezer is an upright freezer that you can use in hot garages. Regardless of the outdoor temperature, the freezer can keep dozens of items frozen all year round. That said, you just need 115 volts of electricity and you’re all set. It comes with a generous amount of storage for an upright freezer and the upright design makes it easy to see all of the items in the freezer. Therefore, you don’t need to rummage through things to find the item you need.

What Sets It Apart 

The Frigidaire Upright Freezer is a special product because it gives you the most storage space without taking up much space at all. While chest freezers are often better from a storage standpoint, that’s not the case with this freezer. The Frigidaire Upright Freezer gives you the best of both worlds. You get easy item selection and plentiful storage. Plus, it comes with several premium features that separate it from competitors. These features include 3 temperature settings, power outage assurance, and an alarm that goes off when the door is left open.

Things to Consider 

The Frigidaire Upright Freezer is a great product and one of our favorite choices. That said, it’s not perfect. In fact, it has a few flaws. The biggest flaw is that it’s more expensive than most chest-style freezers. For shoppers on a budget, this becomes an issue. Another flaw is that it doesn’t handle high temperatures as well as some other freezers for hot garages. If you’re looking for a more well-rounded option, the Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer is the best choice.

Who It’s For 

If you’re looking to make the most out of your garage freezer space, the Frigidaire Upright Freezer is for you. It comes with tons of space, quality of life features, and takes up less space than most chest freezers. Therefore, we think it’s the best option for people who need general freezer storage in their garage. While it’s not perfect and more expensive than similar products, the premium features make it well worth the cost.

Pros 

Cons 

Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer

Best Chest Freezer
Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer

Quick Facts

  • Capacity: 3.8, 5.0, 5.5, 7.2 cubic feet 
  • Dimensions: 22.9 × 32.44 × 33.25
  • Voltage: 115
Pros:
  • Easy set up
  • Very quiet
  • Excellent temperature control
From Amazon

The Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer is one of our top choices because it gives you tons of size and capacity options. Plus, it’s one of the few compact chest freezers that can handle hot garages.

Quick Facts

The Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer is a simple chest freezer that gets the job done. It can handle hot garage temperatures that range from 0 degrees Fahrenheit to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on where you live, most garages won’t reach temperatures anywhere near 110 degrees. The Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer also has a smooth back design that makes it easy to install against garage walls. For installation, it features rear rollers to help you move it into place. The Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer also comes with a thermostat, manual defrost settings, and even a basket for organization.

What Sets It Apart 

The Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer is unique for several reasons. First and foremost, it’s one of the few chest freezers that comes with organization options for storage. One of the common problems with chest freezers is that it’s hard to sift through items and find what you need. The Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer solves this problem by giving you a basket to help with organization. It’s also unique because of its customizable size and storage options. This makes it a suitable option for most garages. 

Things to Consider 

The Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer is a solid chest freezer, one of the best. That said, it’s not the best overall freezer for your hot garage. This is because it doesn’t have the same storage capacity and organization options as some upright freezers for hot garages. For example, the Frigidaire Upright Freezer has over 15 cubic feet of storage, which is almost triple the amount of space as the Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer.

Who It’s For 

If you’re looking for a simple and compact chest freezer for your garage, the Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer is a great choice. It’s one of the most well-rounded chest freezers and gives you plenty of storage and customization options. While it’s not the best garage freezer around, it’s perfect for shoppers who don’t need anything too crazy.

Pros 

Cons

Artic King Chest Freezer

Budget Pick
Arctic King Chest Freezer
$218.55

Quick Facts

  • Capacity: 5 cubic feet 
  • Dimensions: 21.7 × 24.9 × 33.5 inches 
  • Voltage: 110
From Amazon
12/02/2023 11:41 pm GMT

We love the Arctic King Chest Freezer because it’s compact, easy to use, and features a locking system. For example, you can lock it and unlock it with a key.

Quick Facts

The Arctic King Chest Freezer is a straightforward chest freezer that’s useful in many places. While it’s great for hot garages, it’s also designed for use in cabins, on patios, and other locations. This makes it one of the more versatile chest freezers around. The Arctic King Chest Freezer also comes with baskets for extra storage space and comes with a handful of temperature settings. Overall, it’s a basic chest feature that gets the job done without costing a ton of money.

What Sets It Apart 

The Arctic King Chest Freezer is unique because of its price. The low cost makes it a great choice for any garage or cabin. Plus, it’s more compact than other products while providing decent storage space. It’s also unique because of the lock system it has. You can use a key to lock the freezer and prevent people from taking things out of it without your permission. While it’s a budget-friendly product, it performs as well as more expensive models.

Things to Consider 

The Arctic King Chest Freezer is a solid chest freezer but it’s not perfect. This is because it comes with limited storage space. It only has 5 cubic feet of storage, which is less than most chest freezers and upright freezers. If you need more space, the Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer is a great choice. It comes with multiple options for storage size.

Who It’s For 

The Arctic King Chest Freezer is a great choice for people who need a freezer that’s affordable and easy to use. It doesn’t weigh as much so you can move it around and the low price makes it a good starting garage freezer. If you’re on the fence about trying a hot garage freezer, we recommend the Arctic King Chest Freezer.

Pros 

Cons

GE Upright Freezer

Upgrade Pick
GE FUF17SMRWW Upright Freezer
$882.02

Quick Facts

  • Capacity: 17.3 cubic feet 
  • Dimensions: 31.8 × 32.88 × 64.75 inches 
  • Voltage: 115
$1299 From Amazon
12/03/2023 10:51 am GMT

The GE Upright Freezer is unique because it offers the most storage space around (for the price). With over 17 cubic feet of space, it’s hard to beat it.

Quick Facts

The GE Upright Freezer is one of the most technologically advanced upright freezers for hot garages. It comes with smart technology, touchscreens, and LED lighting to help you see in the dark. The GE Upright Freezer also features a locking mechanism that prevents people from looting your freezer. When you combine these features with the massive amount of storage capacity, it’s one of the best upright freezers around. It even has external thermostat controls that make changing the temperature simple and easy.

What Sets It Apart 

The GE Upright Freezer is unique because of how advanced it is. Compared to other upright freezers, it comes with more features and better storage space. It can also handle higher temperatures and comes with several quality of life features (like external thermostat control) that are absent in other models. Overall, it’s the best choice if you’re looking for the most powerful upright freezer.

Things to Consider 

The GE Upright Freezer is a great product. That said, upright freezers aren’t for everyone. This is because they’re tall and take up an awkward amount of space. Another drawback of this upright freezer is how much it costs. It’s more than double the price of most chest freezers and priced higher than similar upright freezers. If you’re looking for a more affordable and compact alternative, the Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer is a great choice.

Who It’s For 

The GE Upright Freezer is for shoppers that have a lot of extra space and a need for extra storage. You can store dozens of items in this freezer and the shelves make it easy to organize everything. If you have the money, it’s one of the best upright freezers you can have in your garage. This is why we always recommend it for shoppers who love smart technology and touchscreen technology. 

Pros 

Cons

Everything You Need to Know About Freezers for Hot Garages 

Taking a look at some of the best freezers for hot garages is a great place to start. That said, narrowing down your options is about shopping for your needs not just for the product that looks the best. Therefore, we’re going to take you through everything you need to know about hot garage freezers to help you narrow down your options. 

We’ll also provide product recommendations along the way, so read on to learn more!

Upright Garage Freezers Vs. Chest Garage Freezers 

The most important thing to consider is if you need an upright garage freezer or a chest Garage freezer. An upright freezer is taller but less wide, while a chest freezer is more compact. Upright freezers like the are also more expensive than chest freezers because they typically come with extra features and better storage options. For example, the Frigidaire Upright Freezer comes with several shelves, temperature regulation settings, and an advanced compressor for long-lasting cooling.

On the other hand, chest freezers are a great budget-friendly option if you don’t mind the lack of organization. Chest freezers are more compact than upright freezers and provide you with a lot of space and cooling for the price. Some chest freezers also have lock features to prevent people from taking things from your freezer. One of our favorite chest freezers is the Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer, which comes with advanced features for its affordable price. Some of these include customizable size options, a 5-year warranty, and multiple cooling settings.

Both upright freezers and chest freezers are great choices for hot garages. That said, you should always choose the one that fits your needs the most.

Getting the Most Storage Space

If you’re using a hot garage freezer for additional storage space you have a few options. That said, some freezers will provide more space and organization potential than others. In fact, chest freezers don’t provide much space or organization, which is why we recommend upright freezers if you’re looking to get the most space.

One example of a hot garage freezer with a lot of space is the Frigidaire Upright Freezer. This model gives you over 15 cubic feet of storage space and plenty of shelving for storage customization. When it comes to space, it’s hard to beat this model. That said, there are also chest freezers that provide a decent amount of space. The Danby Garage Ready Chest Freezer is a great example of this because it has a few size options and up to 7 cubic feet.

Freezers for Hot Garages FAQ

Can a freezer be kept in a hot garage?

Yes, a freezer can be kept in a hot garage, however not every freezer will perform during the intense heat of the summer. That’s why it is important to make sure you purchase a “garage ready” freezer, especially if you live in an area that gets extremely hot.

What Is a Garage-Ready Freezer?

A garage-ready freezer is a freezer that’s designed to function in garages and sometimes outdoors. These are freezers that can regulate internal temperatures in hot conditions but also freezers that won’t turn on the compressor if the temperature outside is below freezing.

What is the Difference Between a Regular Freezer and a Garage-Ready Freezer? 

The difference between a regular freezer and a garage-ready freezer is that garage-ready freezers have more temperature settings, more operating temperatures, and better insulation. These are features that are popular with garage enthusiasts, which is what makes a garage freezer garage-ready. That said, both freezers work the same.

Can Hot Weather Affect my Freezer? 

Yes, hot weather can affect a freezer. That said, it only affects freezers that don’t have the proper insulation or compressor to handle the heat. Most garage-ready freezers have the necessary insulation and compression to run well during the summer months. Still, using a freezer that’s in a hot room will cost more in regards to electricity.

Is It Normal for a Freezer to be Hot on the Outside?

Yes, it’s normal for a freezer to be hot on the outside. While it shouldn’t be smoldering hot to the touch, if it feels warm to the touch there’s a good chance it’s running fine. Freezers have a compressor that moves refrigerant through the freezer. This process generates heat, which is why some freezers feel warm to the touch.

Enjoy That Freezer Space

Having a freezer in your garage for extra storage is great if you have an abundance of frozen foods or prefer to shop in bulk. While garages provide extra storage space for frozen goods, your garage will change in temperature each season. This is because the weather outside changes and garages don’t always have heating or cooling that’s connected to the house. Therefore, you have to use a garage freezer that’s safe for use in hot garages. 

The good news is that any of the four options we listed is a viable option. While some will work better than others for your situation, you don’t have to worry about looking elsewhere for the best freezer for hot garages.

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