My wife and I are looking to buy a freezer for the garage. Anyone have any recommendations or things to stay away from? Budget probably 500-600 but could stretch if that's going to get us garbage. Honestly I haven't looked much into it since we have been crazy busy preparing for a new baby that was born yesterday. Thank you all in advance!

Look into upright freezers. I think there is one in your price range at Home Depot right now.

I would recommend staying away from "frost free" and stick with a regular upright or chest. The frost free models run a heating element about every 24 hours and that temp cycles your contents to a small extent. I have had a regular chest freezer for 4 years now and it is just now getting the point I probably need to defrost it.

I went to buy a new freezer years ago and told the elderly appliance sales guy I would spend more to get a freezer like my mom had that was 30 years in with no problems.

He told me if I wanted one to last that long I'd need to check local garage sales. Said most new ones you're lucky to get 8 to 10 years.

I have no advice to offer, just sad we can't have nice things

It'll draw less power if you have a space for it inside, like laundry room, etc

Whitetail said:

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Look into upright freezers. I think there is one in your price range at Home Depot right now.

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+1

Get a freezer alarm as well.

We bought a Garage-ready GE from Home Depot back in April. Been great for us so far. Right now it is about $100 less than what we paid for it.

The rich people that shop sales on Prime meats don't want a freezer that Defrost! Meat won't last as long during warm-cold cycles.

They also prefer a locking (child safe)
Chest freezer that doesn't spill all that cold air out on every door opening visit.

Further, since in a summertime garage + our Texas power grid outages, they shop the Most Insulated boxes on the market to protect all that meat investment.

Ironic reflection on all this would be
savings at meat sales
vs
freezer cost
freezer power costs
=
??????

Now if we were talking keep beer separate & well chilled .... makes more sense
..... just kidding ... maybe

Congratulations on the new kiddo.

+1 Freezer alarm
Also, add ~8-12" onto your depth measurement for ventilation. At a minimum block the corners with 2x4 to prevent creeping and closing off ventilation/airflow.

Thanks everyone for the help. Going to try to get one this weekend and the are definitely some things in this thread I didn't know about. Appreciate the help!