Manual defrost freezers need to be cleaned out times a year and allowed to sit for hours so the frost can melt. This is not a chore that everyone enjoys Frost free refrigerators and freezers have a heating element to defrost the evaporator coils, and a tray of some sort to collect the water and allow it to evaporate to the outside. The water usually collects into a drain pan and will evaporate on its own.
This ingenious system eliminates the need for the manual defrost process. Usually, the defrost cycle runs on a built-in timer and operates a few times a day. Most refrigerators designed to go in your kitchen are frost free by default. It is worth double checking when you are shopping to ensure that the unit is frost free, but the vast majority are. This is a great feature for saving you time and effort!
There are a few types of refrigerators and freezers that remain on the market that may be manual defrost, such as:. Mini fridges ma de for dorms and offices - usually below 10 cubic feet.
Some smaller apartment refrigerators - usually in the 10 to 14 cubic foot range. Many chest freezers and some upright freezer units. Uses more energy than manual defrosting - a frost free chest freezer will use up to twice as much electricity each year compared to a manual defrost model. Noisier operation since the freezer has to work harder to cool the interior after the defrost cycle. Sources are mixed on whether automatic defrosting helps prevent freezer burn or encourages it - some argue that the temperature fluctuations caused by the defrost cycle throughout the day can cause freezer burn.
Is freezer burn a real concern? It's not certain. The temperature changes in the interior of the freezer are very small, only a few degrees. The evaporator coils may be heated up from 0 degrees to 32 degrees during the auto defrost process, but that doesn't mean the freezer storage area is being heated that much.
As long as your food is wrapped properly and used up in a timely manner, you should be fine. A manual defrost freezer uses a system which functions without a fan to freeze food in a natural way leading to ice build-up in the freezer.
These freezers are perfect for those on a budget, however we do recommend you defrost it twice a year. On the other hand, a Frost Free freezer functions with an automatic fan which removes warm air from the freezer to prevent ice build-up. Freezer frustration? It may be time to call in a pro. Get free, no-commitment estimates from appliance repair specialists near you.
Find a Pro. Consult a pro. Get free, no-commitment repair estimates from licensed appliance technicians near you. Find Pros Now. More From Bob Vila. How Long Refrigerators Last. The Best Upright Freezers for the Home. What to Do About Ants in the Kitchen. Newsletter signup: You agree that BobVila.
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