Freezer in Garage

cairndog

My old small chest freezer's packed up (made in denmark) and now there's only one small chest freezer widely available Norfrost, made in scotland, which I should be pleased about I suppose. Problem is apart from being rather flimsy it seems to need an ambient operating temperature higher than I'm likely to get in my garage in winter, although traders are trying to convince me it won't matter to get a sale! Has anyone had their garaged freezer break down this winter ?
Are there any other options that don't cost a fortune?

emjay99

I know someone who lives in south west france and her freezer in her garage froze, caught fire and caused a lot of destruction. I do not have any other details, but it seems to be a situation about which the manufacturers should give more useful information. I have seem some freezers quoted as 10 C being the minimum operating temperature. This may be a useful figure where they are made, but it seems loopy to have to heat a room to keep a cooler warm !!

Tucker

I have one and I am sure it's a Norfrost and it's been in my garage for 14 years. It gets a fair amount of ice on the outside around the lid in winter, but it worked fine in all that time, even though the hinges on the lid snapped about 10 years ago!

I have gone through a few fidges in my garage, but the freezer has never been a problem.

It just needs a scrape from time to time.

mikeandrach_2

i know the norfrost you mean, and kept well stocked it should be fine in a garage in the uk, as should any chest freezer or american style fridge freezer. dont ever get tempted to run a conventional fridge or freezer in a garage, i too have seen many house fires as a direct result of this, infact im dealing with 2 claims for this very thing right now.
beko make some that claim to be safe to -15, but i would take that claim with a pinch of salt having seen some of what ive seen that i cannot go into on here.

blue_monkey_2

I've a Beko in my shed, Comet told me Beko and Norfrost will work in an outbuilding.

ginvzt

If you put a freezer 'not designed' to be in unheated outbuilding, and your house catches fire - where do you stand with your claim?

We are looking to get a freezer in the garage soon (hopefully), and I am a bit cautious about all of them. I don't know what we will do yet!

cairndog

Thanks for all those quick replies. I should think if the manufacturer sells it as ok for an outhouse you would be covered for any claim? However it's very worrying to hear they could cause a fire ! Maybe that was due to another fault. I've just found a lot of info about this topic on a site www.whitegoodshelp.co.uk and it's a real eyeopener. The usual story of rubbish customer service especially if something goes wrong.There's other stuff about which freezers will work in the garage etc. Beko seem to be favourite but only frost-free fridge freezers which doesn't help me as I want a small chest freezer.

mikeandrach_2

the only beko units i have ever seen that are suitable to use in outbuildings (which includes all garages and sheds, unless the garage is insulated to the same standard as the house and heated in the same way, which if it has a full sized door it wont be), are upright fridge freezers. its not all of them, just a specific range, the model number temporarily is out of my mind sorry!
as well as this, they do make a couple of undercounter freezers, but im not aware of any fridges.
to sum up why you shouldnt put a freezer in a garage i have put my views below. i dont claim to know everything, but i have nearly 12 years experience of dealing with white goods from all brands.

- put a conventional freezer in a garage and the best case scenario is that it puts a huge strain on the appliance. this in turn puts a higher demand for power, meaning your appliance will cost much more to run. im not talking 1-2x, im talking much more than that potentially, on both hot and cold days.

-almost all manufacturers will not honour any warranty claims for appliances used in this way, unless a chest freezer, american style fridge freezer.

- a chest freezer and american style is designed to work in these environments. ive never had a breakdown of one of these appliances attributable to temparature in 12 years, and as i work/live mainly in north yorkshire, if anywhere in england gets too cold, its here. (my own garage was -15c in january at 8am)

i have a strong view about the beko range, and this is purely my view, please dont shoot me for it if you disagree!
beko are a budget brand, they are not a premium brand such as neff,whirlpool, etc etc. i am very dubious as to how they have mastered the technology (that there is clearly a demand for), and other bigger brands havent. beko are turkish, and i have been to their facilities there. they dont have anywhere that i saw to 'cold test' appliances. the cynic in me thinks that they are basically trying to steal the extra unit sales by labelling them as suitable for down to -15c. in reality, i bet they are not, but they are gambling that most wont get that cold, a gamble probably worth taking if enough units are sold. i would guess they are using an oil or fluid with a lower freezing point that usual, and i certainly cant see any difference in the components vs their normal range, which would support what i am saying.

i guess ultimately, for me, its a no brainer. if you have space for a freezer, you probably have space for a chest freezer. if not, make space. do you really want to take a known risk that could endanger your life and your families life for the sake of having a freezer v a chest freezer? if you do, more fool you, if not, common sense, well done.

one argument i hear aganst chest freezers is that when its running low 'i cant reach the bottom'. one great mse tip coming up, fill the bottom with ice cubes, either bagged from tesco etc or home made. its raises the level, and creates a natural cooling base, helping to reduce running costs!



if you read nothing else, please please never put a conventional fridge in a garage, you are risking a fire, big time (but it'll never happen to you, right?)

ditto a conventional freezer, and id be just as wary of the beko range. (incidentally, i once phoned beko and asked their account manager for a major high street retailer whay they would work down to -15, he said he didnt know. very reassuring.)

buy a chest freezer, job done, no worries. simples.:D

p00

Ive had a Norfrost chest freezer in my garden shed for 7 years no problem.

xxp00

LandyAndy

My, Bosch, upright freezer is in an unheated utility room. It has never given any trouble and it was very cold this winter (frozen water pipes over Christmas.).

cairndog

Mikeandrach thanks for your info. I am going to get a ( small) chest freezer but it has to go in a particular space and this is where my choice is limited. Of the ones I've found Beko are the only one willing or able to email me saying their CFA393W chest freezer " will work between -18 and 31c." Ok it is a budget brand but there don't seem to be any small alternatives I can find out there even in upmarket brands. Don't worry I'll remember the advice about fridges etc you've obviously seen some problems !:eek: