Buying foods in bulk has always been considered a good way to save money, but storage of all that excess food can be problematic. One common appliance designed to address the problem of long-term storage of frozen foods is called a chest freezer. A chest freezer is a free-standing kitchen appliance which features a significant amount of space for frozen food storage. Many homeowners consider purchasing a chest freezer as an alternative to investing in a refrigerator with a larger freezer compartment. Bulkier food items can be stored in a chest freezer, leaving the refrigerator's freezer section available for frozen dinners and other convenience foods.

A chest freezer can be installed alongside the main refrigerator unit in a kitchen, or placed in a garage or utility room to accommodate its often significant dimensions. Many chest freezer models contain storage racks of varying sizes to help keep different types of frozen foods separated. Bulkier items such as whole meat slabs or turkeys are often stored in the main chamber of a chest freezer, while items such as bagged ice or frozen dinners are stored in baskets for easier access. Since cold air tends to sink, items placed in the lowest section of a chest freezer tend to become frozen solid and remain that way for months.

When shopping for a chest freezer, one of the main elements to consider is overall size and capacity. Some brands of chest freezer are designed to augment dorm-sized refrigerators, which means they would only have the capacity of an average refrigerator's built-in freezer section. A smaller chest freezer would best suit the needs of a single working person or a college student seeking to economize by purchasing frozen foods in bulk. A family of four may need to consider purchasing a mid-level chest freezer in order to meet their bulk frozen food needs. A large chest freezer may best be suited for those who need to store whole slabs of meat or need to buy in bulk on a regular basis.