A chest freezer/deep freezer is designed to be tipped over and placed on its side, which makes it easier to transport and fit in a car than a standard upright freezer. A deep freezer will be able to fit in a car as long as you take the time to measure your car before purchasing one.
Standard-size fridge freezers can fit into a car in theory but it isn’t recommended. Freezers are supported to remain upright at all times to remain functional. Therefore standing freezers are unable to fit into most cars safely but chest freezers may fit depending on their size.
Chest freezers tend to have less space than upright freezers, so if you need more room for food storage, an upright freezer will be better suited for your needs.
What Car Brands Can Fit a Deep Freezer?
Some cars have bigger trunks, like Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. These vehicles will give you no problems when trying to fit in a fridge freezer.
Honda Civics, on the other hand, may have large boots for their small size but you will struggle to get a standard-sized fridge freezer in there.
If you drive an SUV or SUV-like vehicle, then you should be able to fit a deep freezer in it without any issues.
For smaller cars like sedans or hatchbacks, however, there may be some difficulties with fitting them in the trunk. Especially if you need space for anything else.
What Size Deep Freezers Will Fit Into a Car?
There are two main types of freezers: chest freezers and upright freezers. The easiest way to tell them apart is by looking at the tag on the side of the unit. A chest freezer has its controls on one side, while an upright freezer has them on top.
A chest freezer is usually larger than an upright, standing freezers are tricker because they stand tall, so select a freezer that is very small or medium-sized if you opt for standing.
To see if your chest freezer will fit comfortably in your car, measure it from bottom to top and side to side. If you’re using an upright model, measure its height only—the width doesn’t matter because it’ll be set up against the wall when you’re done moving it around.
How Do You Transport a Chest Freezer in a Car?
The first thing you’ll want to do is measure the depth of your chest freezer. This will help you figure out if there’s enough room for it in your trunk or back seat.
If there isn’t enough room, then you’ll need to take the chest freezer apart so that it can fit into your car.
The next step is to make sure that all of the pieces are wrapped in blankets or some other protective material so they don’t get damaged while they’re being transported.
You might also want to put some padding on top of the chest freezer so that it doesn’t move around too much during transport.
Can You Lay Down a Deep Freezer to Transport?
If you’re looking to transport a deep freezer, it’s always best to keep it standing upright (if it is a standing model) but you can lay it down if absolutely necessary.
If you are going to lay it down, in order to fit a deep freezer into a car, you need to make sure that the lid is open and that there are no liquids or other items inside of it.
After you’ve removed any liquids or items from inside your deep freezer, you can lay down the unit on its side. Make sure that you’ve removed anything else in the car once again before doing so—this includes seatbelts and any other objects that may obstruct your ability to lay down your deep freezer.
Once you have transported the freezer and moved it to its new location, do not use it for at least 24 hours to allow it to resettle back into its standing position.
How Long Does a Deep Freezer Need to Sit After Moving?
A deep freezer needs to sit for at least 24 hours after being moved, but it’s best to leave it longer.
After you’ve moved your deep freezer, leave it alone for at least 24 hours. It’s best to not open or use the deep freezer for 48 hours after the move.
You should also consider how much weight is being moved with your deep freezer. If you’re moving a large amount of weight, it can take longer to settle into place than if you were only moving a small amount of weight.
What Happens if You Plug in a Freezer After Moving It?
If you’ve just moved your deep freezer, and you’re wondering whether or not you can plug it in immediately, the answer is yes! But do not use it for 24 hours and do not plug it in for 24 hours if you have had to transport a standing freezer on its side.
In all other cases, manufacturers recommend that you plug in your new deep freezer as soon as possible after moving it.
The reason for this is that there may be a small amount of condensation on the walls of the unit. If you don’t plug it in quickly enough, this condensation could cause frost to form on the walls of your freezer.
This early formation of frost can cause damage to the insulation, which will reduce energy efficiency and make it more expensive to operate over time.
Final Thoughts
The main takeaway message of this article should be, if you want to get a freezer in your car, do your research on the upright freezer in question for the best chance of success.
If you’re still determined to fit in a standing model, you’ll need to be creative with padding—perhaps even using couch cushions to pad the upright sides. (Now that would be some seriously comfy cold storage!)
While we can’t promise that a chest freezer will fit into your car, it’s worth a shot. Our research has uncovered some helpful tips to help you make sure your appliance transportation goes as smoothly as possible.