Chest freezer recommendations

[manticle]

I could also have posted this in brew food.

Looking for a few recommendations for a small, efficient chest freezer. While I would definitely chuck some hops in it, I'm mostly interested in storing bulk meat to support local industry and reduce visits to supermarkets. During summer especially, the garden provides most veg and herbs and I can get access to wild venison, wild duck and likely wallaby so I'd like to buy big and store.

Preferably cheap to purchase, cheap to run, space efficient. I know I want my cake and to eat it but what's the other ******* point of cake?

Cheers in advance

 

[knot_gillty]

Mmmmmm, venison. That’s the reason we’ll be getting a small chest freezer. You’re obviously in Tas if you’re shooting wallaby?

We’re looking at getting the Aldi one. I put a link up in the Aldi marketplace thread.

 

[manticle]

Yeah in tas. No aldi here.

Not shooting personally at the moment - no opposition to it obviously, just no gun or licence. However I can access it from a couple of different places. Hell, if I played my cards right, we could probably knock one out with the car on the way to the cbd.

Do aldi ship interstate?

 

[earle]

Aldi don't ship but according to the thread mentioned the same freezer is at Harvey Norman for a similar price if you have one of those.

 

[manticle]

Yeah we got HN locally.

 

[Red Baron]

Ive got both a Hisence 205L and a 145L. We use the 205 for food, and the 145 is my keezer. We do the odd bulk meat buy, but also use it for flour storage (weavil protection) and storing food we cook up on the weekend for quick weeknight dinners. Currently, the 205 is only about 1/2 full, which obviously isn't the most efficient way to run it. I reckon our family of 4 could probably get away with the 145 as the food storage, which would reduce the running costs.

From memory, the 205 was about $400 from the good guys, and I know I got the 145 from a facebook sell site for $50. Both of them run well. When you're paying 1/2 price for meat in bulk, the savings add up quickly.
Hope this helps,
RB.

 

[manticle]

Thankyou.
Indeed it does.

Getting the deer before I get the freezer but splitting 2-3 ways so probably be ok. Will get the chest freezer soon then get bigger portions and more variety.

 

[indica86]

You lucky chunt getting that meat.
I have access to beef and pork from local organic farmers and it is so good buying halves or quarters and just pulling meat out when I need it,

 

[Phoney]

Ive got this one for my kegerator, 7+ years and still going strong


http://www.2ndsworld.com.au/fridge-freezer/freezer/chest-freezer/lemair-145l-chest-freezer-id-LCF145

 

[Lionman]

Goodguys sell via ebay and often do 20% sales, there is one in Hobart I think.

You just missed a sale that ended the other day. They usually come around quite often though.

You can get Hisense 145L one for $250 and the 205L one for $300 and the 306L for $480 or the Westinghouse 197L for about $320.

If you walk into the shop they might honour a similar discount if you ask nicely anyway.

 

[Camo6]

Have you considered an upright freezer mants? While I always hear people complain that they let more heat in when opened, I find they're so much more efficient at finding what you want and organising it by date. In my chest freezer, food gets lost and forgotten down the bottom and packages get mixed so it's hard to know which is oldest. With an upright ypu can organise by shelf. Plus they're a similar footprint yet almost twice the height. Food for thought anyhoo.

 

[manticle]

Not opposed to the idea. All freezes, less footprint suits.

Got the first lot of venison today (1/2 carcass in work freezer) which will be fine in domestic but want to start bulking it up.

Cheers for responses, keep them coming.

 

[laxation]

Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread, but unfortunately my keezer can't keep beer cold... couldn't withstand the rigors of 2x 30 degree days
Got it 2nd hand and only got about 6mths use out of it, but I don't really mind - without it I never would have starting kegging anyway!

I'd like to fit 4-6 kegs - any suggestions?
The hisense 205l looks good, but I could chop down my current collar to fit one of the 140 ones

 

[Lionman]

Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread, but unfortunately my keezer can't keep beer cold... couldn't withstand the rigors of 2x 30 degree days
Got it 2nd hand and only got about 6mths use out of it, but I don't really mind - without it I never would have starting kegging anyway!

I'd like to fit 4-6 kegs - any suggestions?
The hisense 205l looks good, but I could chop down my current collar to fit one of the 140 ones

The 145L Hisense will only fit 3 kegs, and thats with a 200mm high collar so you can put one on the compressor.

 

[dibbz]

I've seen 216l F&P's go for as low as $75 on gumtree, there is 2 shapes, the square one fits 5 with a collar or 3 without. I have one they are good bang for buck at the right price.

I just picked up a 324l Haier rather cheap which fits 6 / 8 with collar but it has a fan going with the compressor runs where the old f&p does not.

 

[earle]

I've seen 216l F&P's go for as low as $75 on gumtree, there is 2 shapes, the square one fits 5 with a collar or 3 without. I have one they are good bang for buck at the right price.

I just picked up a 324l Haier rather cheap which fits 6 / 8 with collar but it has a fan going with the compressor runs where the old f&p does not.

The square one is 216l while i think the longer one is 215l. F&P do the same in the next size uo - a squarer one which is 276l and a longer one which is 275l. I have the 276l. It can fit 5 kegs easily on the floor with no collar. Squeeze 7 in with a collar. Ive never bothered with more than 5 so now question why i built such a tall collar.

 

[Hambone]

There's a few on the Facebook Market place at the moment. Pretty cheap.

 

[claypot]

I'm more than happy with my hisense 205l, 4 kegs no collar and plenty of room on the compressor for other stuff.
I've posted pics of it here somewhere. Has been going strong for at least a year, got it from good guys via ebay with 20% off.

 

[Red Baron]

The 145L Hisense will only fit 3 kegs, and thats with a 200mm high collar so you can put one on the compressor.

I fit 4 kegs in my 145L with a 190mm collar, but the gas has to go outside.

Cheers,
RB

 

[Lionman]

I fit 4 kegs in my 145L with a 190mm collar, but the gas has to go outside.

Cheers,
RB

Interesting. Do you have a pic?