Kitchen Garden Forum

My jam-jar pile does get used and reused but the shelves are groaning.
However, despite some effort, clearing the garage has got rid of a reasonable amount of stuff, there appears to be no increase in space (sadly) but I'm sure I'll win out in the end.

Stephen - if you are buying a new freezer for the garage be careful what type you get. I'm told the new auto-defrost kind can cause serious problems in the winter, when an unheated garage gets as cold as the freezer. The freezer totally unfreezes! Perhaps an old-type second-hand one is best. Apologies if this is a granny & eggs situation

JohnN. Thanks for your words of wisdom, was thing of outing my antique version in the shed for a new auto de-frost model, will have to re-think now.

Yes I've also read that the modern auto-defrost freezers can run into seirous difficulties in cold garages or sheds but when we were thinking of replacing our 30 year old upright freezer kept in our garage with a modern one, there were no retail providers who could suggest a suitable model for storing in such conditions. We've therefore kept our ancient "old faithful" and during the last two freezing cold winters have had no problems with it. If anybody does know of a suitable model, perhaps they could give it a mention here, just in case we end up in a situation where we need to find a replacement which we can store in an unheated garage.

Chest freezers used to be classed as 'commercial' and were always double skinned and suitable for garages. Unless you can find a second hand model I doubt there are any now available to buy new. But like Primrose if you know of any let us know.

Beryl.

I do need a new freezer - yes - for the garage.....mmmmmnnnn....oh dear!

We had the freezer debate a bit back viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9698&p=92748&hilit=freezer#p92748
If you search for manual defrost there are some upright models available, I read somewhere that all chest freezers are manual defrost but I haven't checked if that is true.
Since my original post I have done some electrical monitoring and found each of our freezers use over 2 kwh/day (2.1 and 2.6 for the older one) but have so far been unable to work out if that is good or bad.

I bought my 14 cubic Fridgidaire Chest about 4 years ago. It is a manual defrost but I wouldn't risk putting it in the garage.

Beryl.

Thanks for the tip. This garage is part of the house, underneath my bedroom, so I doubt there would be a problem. If anything, if it were cooler my spuds would last into the spring (they sprout despite the paper sack and usual darknesss). Space may demand a cupboard type (it will probably have to go under a large concrete beam which is at about waist height, so the space is not useful for much else - the washing machine is also there.)