How to keep / delay ice from forming in chest freezer?
eldemila
16 years ago
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graywings123
16 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Chest Freezer - manual or auto defrost?
Comments (12)I prefer manual defrost. If you are keeping food for longer than 2-3 months, the quality will be better - and you don't have to have freezer burn to have a loss in quality (particularly with dessert and dairy items). Besides lower energy costs as others have pointed out, manuals are usually quieter - although this may not matter depending where you put it. I've seen larger frost free chest freezers, but I don't think I've seen any in the size you are looking for. My old Sears manual defrost chest freezer had a flash defrost feature which was nice because it speeded up the process considerably. Are you sure 5 Cu ft is enough? It probably wouldn't cost much more to go up to 7 or 8. My guess is once you start using it, you'll want the extra space. Best wishes....See MoreJust bought a chest freezer..need to fill!
Comments (9)We have a big chest freezer. I raise vegetables in garden and we also raise beef and lamb so our freezer is, at times, full to the brim and other times, it may be half full. When I want to keep it full to run efficiently, I freeze the two ltr pop bottles full of ice tea or water. Coincidentally, this is usually during the summer which really works great as I can take out the frozen water/tea and put in cooler which helps keep the other items cold and it is great to drink. I also buy bread at the day old bakeries to keep in the freezer....See MoreShould I get a chest freezer?
Comments (67)I've had chest freezers for most of my life and never had any issues with finding food (nor do I hate a chest freezer). I use boxes to organize my frozen veggies (one box per type). I have sections for meat and other frozen stuff. I use baskets for butter and stock. Anything else is labeled with a marker. I rotate the contents with each shopping trip (quarterly or so) or when I make stock/soup/chili etc. I've never lost anything nor have I had mystery product. I also put bottled water in there for storage and to fill up space. I defrost once a year, usually in the fall or early winter. Everyone is entitled to their personal opinion and should use what works best. If you are planning on long term storage, a manual defrost is the best option. The frost free (or self defrosting) units cycle heat to keep frost from building up inside. That seriously diminishes the life of any product you store in the freezer. In terms of size, go with larger. In terms of brands, well, that's personal opinion. You can buy the same products pretty much any where. That's personal preference too. The freezer we had when I was a kid conked out at 40 years old. In the past 22 years, I've had two. The current one is about 10 years old and has spent it's life mostly in an unheated garage (in TN). Having said that, note that manufacturing of appliances has gone the way of everything lately; seems like they are disposable and it's cheaper to replace than fix. Stick with a brand name you're comfortable with and purchase from a store you feel good about. Just keep dead bodies out of there....See Moreanyone make ice cubes in a chest freezer?
Comments (14)Hi Monica, As long as you're honest ... and level with your ice cube trays, you can freeze in a chesty with no problem. You may find that when you put the water in, a quiver may move over the surface, as the water starts thinking that they want out - it's too cold in here for any good use! The freezer on a frig carries the freezer portion at a few degrees below freezing, but freezers operate at down near 0 degrees F.: you may have noticed the difference in texture of ice cream depending on in which location it had been held. Cubes from there will pull your drink down to lower temp: and ones from a stand-up one will do the same, of course. I defrosted the old chest freezer here at uncle's when I came to stay after hs wife's death, seven years ago ... and it's getting near ready for another go. I don't open it frequently. Even in summer, no need to worry about coolers, etc. (except maybe for ice cream, if you choose). Stick the stuff into some carboard boxes from the store. If you get large ones, stow the ice cream in the middle, surrounded by the other stuff. But don't fret ... maybe your family will enjoy (slightly softened) ice cream. Turn the exhaust of the vacuum cleaner down into the chest and you'll be surprised at how soon the ice drops off. I have no idea how it would work if you tried it with a Room-ba). As others suggest, pick the ice up and put it into the sink (or a water jug if you'll be doing warm work for a while). After a quick wash, followed by a rinse with baking soda? vinegar? in the water (but not the two together) let it dry and you'll be surprised at how soon you'll be able to return the contents to the freezer - probably various items in a different location. Should be fun ... or at least not a major chore. As you place the items, make a chart with A at the left, moving to H, M or whatever you choose from left to right and 1 to 6 or 8 from back to front, then a to e, g or whatever to indicate depth and write the list of the various items of contents in the list. I like the chesties better than the stand-up ones, as they don't spill all of the cold air out onto the floor and your ankles the instant you open the door. Which saves energy. And the automatic defrost ones run the freezing equipment for while, ... then occasionally the heater, which heats the contents a tiny bit ... then back to the freezing again. That seems a rather unnecessary increase in the use of precious energy, all because quite a lot of people want to avoid one more simple - and occasional - chore. ole joyful...See Moretsy72001
16 years agolast modified: 9 years agojannie
16 years agolast modified: 9 years agoalbert_135 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
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16 years agolast modified: 9 years agoeldemila
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16 years agolast modified: 9 years agoeldemila
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