Comparing Chest vs Walk-In Freezers For Small Farms: Operating Costs, Storage Space, & Convenience 

Informative video. Thank you.. I asked my grandfather why he had a walk-in fridge freezer combo instead of loads of fridges and freezers showed them the video. He said energy wise. Yours is running with less power and will save you some money.. so I asked him why us his system. He told me it takes up less space in the house.. He said the walk-in system that he has is cheaper to repair and replace parts as where most freezer chests today are built to be disposable and just replaced with a whole new model. He also said the lifespan of his freezer is twice that of the freezer chest. His fridge freezer combo is a little different you walk into the refrigerated area and then there’s another door which will take you into the freezer section the cold air that’s been extracted and blowing out from the freezer is exhausted into the refrigerator so the same energy that would normally Used to power a freezer is doing both. Making it more cost-efficient. I asked him because the freezer was modular about losing air like you said in the video but he used caulking on all of the joints. You can either use a silicone or butyl sealant, to make it more airtight. He also tiled the inside of both units, floor ceiling and walls.This way he can pressure wash it and clean it with a drain with a stopper that goes in so air does not escape when it’s not being used think of it like a bathtub.. the floor tiles are nonslip and the tiles really conduct and reflect the cold into the unit. Most of the freezer is used really well for all the different types of meats, fruits, and vegetables that get stored in there. The freezer section however is used a little for some produce milk, cheese, butter, and some fresh vegetables to free up space in the upstairs fridge. The fridge section has an awful lot of drinks stored in there Water sodapop beers wines. Put the majority of the fridge unit is used for processing the meat when we process we also hang the meat to in the fridge we would hide two or three cows in there wait for them to age and then process them. When that’s done five or six lambs processed them, and then five or six pigs, and then process them. We put everything into vacuum seal bags in the refrigerator and put the labels on it. Then we a little cart outside the few chambered vacuum sealer and seal it all up. We went back in and stored it in the freezer.. my grand will go down to the freezer to three times and month fill up a little basket of stuff bring it upstairs and put it in the fridge freezer up there for the week. She calls it her residential Costco you just walk around inside it like you’re at the store. It’s kind of true you go down to that part of the basement and you have to walk in fridge freezer. You also have a very large pantry that has freeze dried foods and canned foods. My grandfather also has two root sellers, dark cool, dry root cellar, and a dark, damp, wet root cellar.. the dark, damp, wet root cellar has a water feature in it to keep the moisture in the air, which is good for some of the foods we store. so in a way it’s like the store almost everything you could want is down there.. I asked my grandfather what it cost to run it so he calculated it out. It comes to current market prices around $320 to $350 depending on the time of the year. So I asked my grandfather, which one he thought was a better system, and he said to me whatever you’re happiest with. It’s like I told you before Russell the best camera in the world is the one you have with you. Love my grandfather, but he never gives you really a straight answer. He always talks to you like he’s Yoda. You have to think about everything he says.

Also, chest freezers have less moving parts= less to go wrong. Walk-ins constantly require maintenance. Used to do commercial refrigeration. You made many good, valuable points.

We've looked at going to a walk-in as we run 7 freezers for our farm store. My biggest concern is having all my eggs in one basket, secondary to power use. At least with chest freezers if you loose one you're not out everything.

Added bonus of chest freezers is you don’t walk in. You walk into a walk in freezer your body temperature heats up the freezer or you need to spend money on thermal clothes. 😊😊🙏🏻🙏🏻

Another efficiency advantage of chest freezers is that when you open one, you are only breaking the seal on one. You have to open the walk in every time you want something.

Thanks - I learned something. Got to be honest though, each time you opened the freezer door I felt some anxiety… my Great Depression survivor grandma would have whacked us both with a spoon for cooling the whole blooming neighborhood like we were Rockefeller’s or something… lol 😂

Pete another reason walk in Freezers use more electricity is that they are self defrosting. During timed cycles heating coils come on to melt any ice on the coils. Those heating elements use a lot of electricity, which is why the power consumption is almost double that of a chest freezer.

This video was very helpful. Logic and math will always tell you the truth. I like this.👍

I LOVE MATH!! It never lies!

Great video, I agree the risk reduction of multiple units vs loosing an entire walk in is the way to go

I'd recommend freezer temperature alarms. Easy to tell if something is amiss right away when the alarm is beeping when making your rounds. The ones I use are around $25 and work pretty good, but you can get the ones that connect to your wireless to alert your phone.

I just thought of another positive point for having the chest freezers. You mentioned all the “wasted space” above the chest freezers. Well, with a piece of plywood on top, look at all the table/workspace you just picked up! And it’s expandable (more sheets of plywood) and time flexible (1 hr, 1 day, 1 week, etc.). Can’t do that with a walk-in. 👍

Wow! Man that was so helpful...God bless folks like you that break things like this down and make research so much easier for the rest of us...Thank you Pete!

🐼 Big Bear Hugs from a 68 yr old grandma in Kirby, Texas, USA 🐼 ❤️ 🎀 ❤️ 🎀 ❤️ 🎀

This was a very enjoyable " educational video"! And again common sense and basic logic thinking prove that “Big” isn’t always “better”! Nice!

A chest freezer is a must have if you have the room. Less than 50$ a year to operate. We keep a Honda 2000w generator in case the power goes out. And if the freezer ever goes out you can store feed in it in the barn and keep the mice out. I defrost it every winter when it’s cold out. Put everything in totes on the porch outside. I lay some towels in the bottom then put a fan in the freezer blowing the cold air up and out. Works well. Thanks for all the tips Pete!

Another consideration - given enough insulation, the holding time of a closed chest-freezer (time until a unit cut off from power will rise in temperature enough to be of concern) is long enough to last through an entire day (more, actually). That makes them ideal candidates for circadian power schemes, such as solar energy. All it needs is some electronics to make sure they are powered at intervals during the day to match the power generated (and to avoid the whole lot stampeding on at the same time when power returns), ideally based on temperature. Perfect usage for solar power and less of those expensive battery packs since part of the energy gets used right away when it is available.

Thanks Pete! Have been looking at whether it is better for us to go walk-in or keep our chest freezers. Now you've saved me a lot of hassle! I don't have to worry until we get to 20 chest freezers. Which is a while away, so I've got time to plan it and save up for it. 😁

I just love this channel

Clear logical thinking. Excellent.

Thank you for your reseach! Now, I go for a cheat freezer!

I like your practical explanations and the way you don't mind contradicting trends and fads. Thank you for all of your videos. They are great!

Pete, watching your videos, I've found you to be a walking encyclopedia of knowledge on so many different items. You make us southpaws proud.

Hi Pete I don't think you'll see this but if you do thank you I first watched one of your videos and decided I wanting to get a few acres i haven't been able to find anything yet but I got the best I could. A horse I ended up getting my horse sully all because of you inspiring me of the farm ways thank you for bringing this wonderful lifestyle to my eyes

I am glad I've decided to do more research and stumble upon this video. I am currently in talks with a Chinese manufacturer to purchase a 10×8×8 walk-in freezer. Now I know what I should do. Thanks very much

Farmer and cost accountant! nice explanation of whether to proceed with capital investments! :)

And it would be difficult to sit on a walk-in and give a farming lecture. Thanks, it was fascinating.

This beats Buffalo any day!! This was actually really helpful for me. Thanks so much for putting this video together!

I feel like a nice chest freezer is something everyone should have.

Warm wall condensers, and wall embedded evaporators are very inefficient. This is why this technology is not used in refrigerators or energy star rated upright freezers. Also, the lack of an evaporator fan deduces the flow of heat into the evap, slowing the cooling response of the system. An example, to freeze something you must transfer the heat to the evaporator. If the product is not in contact with the wall with the evaporator, it must first heat the surrounding stagnate air and use thermal convection to bring the warmer air into contact with the surface housing the evap coils. This added thermal resistance causes reduction in thermal regulating performance, efficiency, and freeze time of the product added. If you are only relying on the freezer to store pre-frozen food the chest freezer will work. It is normally not recommended to use a chest freezer for freezing of ambient temp product since the ability of the system to remove heat is very limited. I use both a forced air convection upright freezer and chest freezer. The chest freezer is only for storage, and the upright is used to rapidly freeze product. Your system works so so reason to change, just some observations. Another interesting observation, opening and closing either an upright or chest freezer doe not affect power consumption. Air has very little thermal mass, and heating and cooling it takes very little energy. What is does affect is adding moisture into the air, that causes more frost buildup in a chest freezer, and more frequent defrost cycles in forced air systems.

Thanks Pete. Awesome content. Keep em coming please

Excellent video Pete, thanks so much!

Hello Pete… I was just starting to plan a processing room and worried about how to build out a walk-in cooler and the cost then seen your Freezer video and WOW… Thanks so much for your explanation and I will be doing the same as you… Due to the cost, electric and the possibility of having to go on generator power during our FL Hurricanes your way of doing things on your freezer storage makes perfect sense both on our farm and being able to transport to other sale locations. THANKS for all your time making a window into your farm life… Keep doing what you do Sir…

Great information here Pete, thanks for sharing! Have a nice week!

Also, when you open a chest freezer, you’re only opening a small percentage of your freezer space to ambient air. With a walk-in, you’re opening ALL of your freezer space to ambient air, so you’re going to lose more energy and thus pay more money opening the door of a walk-in to get the same contents in or out of it.

All makes perfect cents. truely

I believe redundancy is most beneficial part of using chest freezers. If walk-in freezer goes down you will lose or have to relocate the entire years crop!

Great exposition Pete. Ty.

Awesome comparison video! Pretty much answered all of my questions.

Another mater of fact down to earth and well thought out video. Thanks mate

This topic is the one I've been wishing for

I like the way you explain your data and research. Great job

Totally geeked out on this episode, thank you Pete.

Excellent video and great information, thanks for putting it all together. Jim

Thanks for the video Pete 👍

Very well explained, there is no doubt that you put a lot of thought in to what you do.

Great information!! In my experience walk in freezers require frequent repairs!! I think you have made a very wise choice in your storage!! Stay safe and thanks for sharing!!! Best Wishes from Kentucky!!!

Thanks, as always- a deep dive in thought

That was a great video. Full of answers to questions I had on this topic and questions I didn't have yet.

Makes sense to me!

Hello Peter. Your videos are always useful. Teaching us about a world that we are not living. Very much appreciated. Be well.

A good explanation Pete.

I asked this question 2 weeks ago! Thank you for the video.

I don't have a lot of interest in freezers, Pete, but you made this very very interesting. Thank you

Very good discussion.

That’s great insight! Thanks for doing this video!

Crystal clear, Pete! We. Got. It. A little trip to the fridge to see how cold air moves when you open the door sealed the deal. Thanks so much, Mr. Practical!

I was just pondering this very subject the other day, so great video!

Wow, I first was introducted to your channel by the algorithm 2 weeks ago. In that 2 weeks I subbed and so did 2000 other folks. Good wholesome channel is the reason.

Pete, you did a good comparison! I always was thinking that a walking is the way to go but now the only advantage is space and honestly that is a huge one if you don't have it. Other than space....I don't know if it's worth it! Thanks Pete!

Good stuff. Nice research. Enjoyed the video

when i was a youngster, my parents bought a grocery store - a field my father had been employed in for many years. naturally, the store had both a walkin cooler and a walkin freezer. now, having moved out to rural America, I've been wanting to get a basement dug so we could relocate our "prepper pantry" underground and then to install both a walkin freezer and cooler. However, since we already have two standalone freezers, three refrigerator/freezer combos and one refrigerator without a freezer, the argument for lower energy consumption and reduced likelihood of product loss - guess I'll just make enough room to house them all and enjoy the benefits of multiple units. Thanks, Pete. Love your channel, and could sit and listen to you read the phone book if you chose to do so!

Thank you so much for this.

This kind of video is treasure for us. Thank you so much for the video and knowledge

Who can argue with math AND logic!

Thanks for sharing.

Brilliant video!

Great analysis.

Thank you for this video, it was very useful.

Very articulate explanation, thank you. I would have expected the walk-in would have been more efficient.

Thank you for the video

We use a 12x15 room off barn that was a tack room to keep all vegetables in and use a 12,000 btu air conditioner to cool room. Really works great. My brother insulated room and put double doors on so he can use tractor to lift out skids with boxes when he goes to markets. We also now have a second cooler that was an old oil rig office. We use it to sell produce out of at farm in front of property so we don’t half to move vegetables, just close the doors. It is also cooked with air conditioner 12x20 feet. Also gives us extra storage. Customers really like it. We used a metal 3 sided animal shelter before. Lot less work now. Thanks for your freezer evaluation. When we were kids we had 4 of 8 feet long freezers. We used for beef,pork,chicken and bread. There were 9 kids and 2 adults.

Hello Pete and Hillary. Have a good day.

I noticed that awesome bicycle in the background!! Appreciate all you do Pete and fam!!

Great information, Thank you!

Often thought about this. I even wonder the difference in chest versus the stand up freezer and the comparison of how much product that can be stored in the same amount of space.

Great info! Thanks Pete!

Thank you. This is useful information.

Awesome video! Thank you sir! The point with the generator is very true. We are in a 3 world place and get sometimes 2 days or more without power. As you said with a small generator I can power 10 freezers at the same time if I plug them in not all at once but gradually one at a time. It really works well

Great video Pete. I think you're spot on - based on your numbers and at the point you're at with what you need, the chest freezers are definitely the way to go. In the future, maybe a walk in would be more beneficial. Some really helpful information here!

You make a strong case. We prefer a upright freezer. In your position I would likely do exactly what you do. Thanks Pete.

Super helpful! Thank you!

So excited!!!

Lots of points to ponder. I know of a brand new start up farm that just bought a walk-in but they are mostly growing vegetables and that seemed to make the most sense for that operation.

Excellent video. I've wanted to buy a chest freezer and now I'm sold. Thank you for your research. 👍

I appreciate all of your content, however as a up-and-coming farmer just starting out my operation these are the types of informational videos that are of most benefit to me. I’ve been thinking a lot about this particular issue on my own small farm. Thank you for this video.

I'm a retired union carpenter built a few walk with ins and would not get one chest freezer are the way to go have a great day Pete

Thanks for this very informative.

We have a chest freezer from the 1960's and it still running. Works great. It's older than me and I'm 53. lol

Great information!

I just love love your videos. I enjoy your stories interesting live you have!!!! Thank you for sharing. You are a smart person and please keep this going.

Great job!!

My two grandsons and their dad sell farm to table beef. They have some chest freezers and two upright store freezers which have both failed losing them lots of meat. I’m going to tell them about this video and hopefully they will watch and learn. Enjoy all your videos

Fyi, If anyone is considering a walk-in. You can always install 2 condensers and two evaporators. The upfront cost is higher but if sized right one system can maintain the unit below freezing in the event of the other breaking down. We have done this for customers with expensive product like seafood and meat. The chest freezers are the way to go for most smaller operations though.

Thank you!

Good food for thought!

That was awesome!!!!!!

It’s amazing how good they are, they go along with the whole modularity / scalability concept.

You are one smart fella🤓

Pete needed a large amount of freezers all at once to handle his upcoming butcher visits so he bought them as a group. In a smaller farm situation, when you can scale up more slowly, freezers can be purchased in January for as little as 50% of the full price. Getting one or two freezers per year at $400 or even $600 each would be a huge savings.