Small chest freezer, baskets?

applepad

Hi

Looking at getting a small chest freezer, it comes with 1 basket!

I have an intergrated fridge freezer in my kitchen but it is just not big enough for an old style home.

Found a company online which will custom make baskets for £18 each! But I'm sure you people will have some good ideas?

I know I will not get as much in, but due to being only 5ft tall and having Lupus, I need to conserve my energy for cooking rather than spending all day finding stuff and my hands do not always work that well, plus I have Raynards so do not want to be touching too much cold food.

Please move if I have posted in the wrong place!

Thanks in advance

theoretica

String bags?

Valli

Have you tried e spares - they stock spares for fridges/freezers.

krlyr

I tend to stockpile carrierbags from various supermarkets and make use of the different colours to spot what's what at a glance..e.g. orange bag for meat, white & blue bag for veg, white & red for bread/rolls/wraps/etc. so I can just grab the whole bag out and then sort through that on the counter.

janb5

My friend had a similar problem. You can buy something called hamster baskets specifically for this so google it once you`ve measured the size you need. HTH

tori.k

I just use a few of the thicker plastic carrier bags and put like with like i find it helps me rotate my stock as newer stuff gets placed in the bottom of the bag

applepad

Thanks for that.

The hamster baskets are £18 each and guess I would need 4!

Been in home bargins today and they they have those collapsible crates! Going to take my tape measure in next time I go in but not sure if they would be strong enough?

Will also look in Wilkos next time I am in town.

Think I would prefer a box/basket idea rather than bags, easier to see what things I have. Also as I have Raynards, best to not touch cold stuff too often.

Thanks again

theoretica

At the risk of the obvious, do you already have a pair of gloves magneted to your freezer?

Valli

janb5 wrote: »

My friend had a similar problem. You can buy something called hamster baskets specifically for this so google it once you`ve measured the size you need. HTH

I think those are what she's already found online as that's the current price of them.

OP what you need to be wary of is that plastic (as opposed to plastic coated wire) baskets will not perform well over consistently low temperatures. Polythene baskets, if you can find them (ie like tupperware) might be longer lasting but not so rigid. The plastic collapsible crates you mention break easily at room temperature; I would have serious doubts about them being any good at freezer temperature.

I think you may need to consider short-term low cost system (plastic) v long term high initial outlay but longer lasting (hamster baskets).

Given you already know you have Raynaud's grippy gloves will be a must, too. Another option would be a front-opening drawer freezer, then you don't have to stretch into the freezer, which, given your Lupus, might be easier.

Raksha

I use different coloured recyling bags, as I found baskets left unused space. I can lift the whole bag out, find what I need and then put the whole bag back again