Freezers are a useful addition to any home. They can be used for convenience foods and preserving perishables such as meat and vegetables. Chest freezers offer a lot of cubic feet worth of storage for the amount of floor space they take up — but how much does this type of freezer cost, and is it worth it?

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One benefit of chest freezers is that there's no swinging door taking up even more floor space. So, if you have a small amount of storage space in your garage, you can put it to use to store extra food.

How Much Does It Cost to Buy a Chest Freezer?

According to data from HomeGuide, most chest freezers cost between $350 and $800 (CAD 471 and CAD 1,075), excluding installation. The exact cost of a chest freezer depends on how big it is, the energy efficiency rating and the brand.

Budget Models

Chest freezers don't have to break the bank. A small chest freezer is a good compromise in terms of size, features and price. Small-volume freezers may be unsuitable for large families, but many come with frost-free features, which means the freezer is low maintenance and easy to care for. You can get a small, 3- to 5-cubic-foot freezer for between $150 and $500 (CAD 202 and CAD 672).

Mid-Range Models

If you're looking for something bigger and with a few more features, you’ll have to jump to the next price bracket. Average chest freezers come in several different sizes. In this price range, freezers have features such as safety locks and internal lights to make it easier to find the foods you have stored in the unit. HomeGuide says you should expect to pay $500 to $800 (CAD 672 to CAD 1,075) for a mid-sized 9- to 11-cubic-foot chest freezer.

Large-Capacity Models

At the highest price point, you can get the largest freezers out there. For example, Frigidaire makes a 24.8-cubic-foot freezer that is mounted on six casters for ease of movement and has the safety and value-added features listed above. You can also find large, garage-ready models. Chest freezers with capacities of between 16 and $24 cubic feet start from around $750 (CAD 1,008) and can cost up to $1,500 (CAD 2,016) or more.

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How Much Does It Cost to Install a Chest Freezer?

You can usually expect to pay about $50 to $150 (CAD 67 to CAD 202) to have a chest freezer delivered and installed. Some retailers offer installation as part of the purchase price, so be sure to check this before you buy.

How Long Do Chest Freezers Last?

You can expect a modern chest freezer to last between 10 and 20 years. This means it makes sense to invest in one with the best energy-efficiency rating you can, and that's going to be big enough to cater to your long-term needs. If your old upright freezer is broken, you could try to fix that freezer or upgrade to an efficient model with better temperature controls. The latter option could be worthwhile if your existing unit is more than 15 years old.

How Much Does a Chest Freezer Cost to Run?

The upfront cost of a chest freezer isn't the only thing you need to think about. There's the electrical cost of running it, too. Fortunately, modern freezers are energy efficient, so you won't run up huge bills keeping your favorite frozen foods fresh.

You can keep the running costs of your freezer down if you defrost it regularly and make sure foods are cool before you put them in the freezer. Attempting to freeze hot food before it cools down wastes energy and may thaw other foods in the freezer, which could cause that food to spoil.