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A pack of frozen vegetables, a bag of ready-to-make fries, or the fish sticks in our freezer may save the day when no one wants to cook. And although it comes in handy to store your favorite frozen products in your refrigerator’s inbuilt freezer, whether it’s a top or a bottom freezer, those are usually of reduced capacity as common kitchen refrigerators are meant to cool fresh foods and have a small space for frozen goodies of approximately 1/3 of its total size or inner capacity.
Here’s when the idea of having a separate freezer will pop out. Chest freezers can be our best friends when we’re in the need to stock food to freeze that won’t be of daily or immediate consumption. Seafood, meats, pre-made dishes, and even pizzas can be conveniently stocked up in a square-shaped deep freezer that will stand still either in your kitchen, garage, or basement. Here’s when we wonder, which are the best brands out there in the market that can give us the desired combo of quality + great price?
Hotpoint HCM4SMWW 3.6-Cu. Ft. Chest Freezer Review
Manufacturer, color, type: The Hotpoint HCM4SMWW is a practical chest freezer of easy access that is ideal to store packs of frozen food, boxes of pizza, and bags of ice thanks to its depth. It comes with a hinged-resistant door that won’t let the cold escape. Also, it is equipped with an outer “on” indicator. This chest freezer comes in white and is made of steel and plastic.
Dimensions, Weight, and Capacity: The Hotpoint HCM4SMWW is a practical, compact freezing unit that measures 33.1 x22.5 inches, with 21 inches of depth. Its inner capacity in cubic feet is 3.6. It is a lightweight appliance that weighs 58 pounds. This freezer includes one removable basket for you to store your goods easily.
Annual Energy Consumption and Temperature Control: This is an energy-efficient UL-listed freezer. Its yearly electricity consumption is 194 KWh, costing you approximately 23 dollars for annual use, which is a very acceptable fee that is a bit lower than other brands’ freezers of similar characteristics. This appliance also comes with a simple yet useful temperature control knob on the lower part of the freezer and will allow you to increase or decrease the inner temperature (1-7 levels) and the green light next to it is always the indicator that lets you know the freezer is on (and working properly). Its temperature range is 15 °F to -10 °F (-9°C to -23°C).
Safety: Hotpoint informs us that this freezer contains Isobutane (R600a) as a refrigerant, which is a natural gas that is environmentally safe but that can be highly flammable under abusive conditions. This is a freezer that will need periodic manual defrosting. Always treat your device with care. Make sure you unplug the unit for some hours, remove all the products inside and wait for the ice to completely melt. This unit comes with a convenient draining plug that will help you dispose of the water quicker. Gently wipe the interiors with a clean cloth. Do not scrape the frost or use pointy, sharp objects to remove ice.
Wattage & Connect type: This freezer requires a 115 Volt, 60 Hz, 15 or 20 (Amp) fused, AC outlet (3 prongs) to operate. This unit is equipped with a 3-prong plug (grounding). Do not use any extension cords with it. Also, make sure there is a water line nearby the area where your freezer will be installed as it requires a water connection and a shut-off valve to be able to produce ice.
Other features: This compact freezer will always keep the cold inside, as its lid and cabinet are properly insulated to preserve your frozen foods for longer. Also, it is easy to clean as its interior wired basket is removable and washable. This is a lightweight unit that can be drained and properly cleaned by one person. Make sure you defrost your unit periodically. You should also note that this freezer is not recommended for garage use.
Price: Currently, you can find this practical freezer in online stores with a price between $250 -$265. Not too bad for a very well-designed freezer that will last in your kitchen for 10, 15 years. Hotpoint offers a 1-year limited warranty on this product. Check for payment methods and refund policies on the manufacturer’s website.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Internal Capacity | 3.6-Cu. Ft. |
| Freezer Capacity | 3.6-Cu. Ft. |
| Total Capacity | 3.6-Cu. Ft. |
| Dimensions | 21.62″ x 22.5″ x 33.25″ |
| Weight | 58 lbs. |
| Annual Energy Consumption | 194 kWh |
| Shelves | 0 |
| Baskets/Bins | 1 |
| Ice Maker | No |
| Defrost Type | Manual |
| Noise Level | N/A |
| Certifications | N/A |
| Warranty | 1-year limited |
Pros
- Easy to use
- Highly affordable
- Low power consumption
Cons
- Manual defrost
Hotpoint HCM4SMWW 3.6-Cu. Ft. Chest Freezer
GE Hotpoint HCM4SMWW 3.6-Cu. Ft. Chest Freezer
Additional Resources
How Does The Hotpoint HCM4SMWW Compare With Its Competitors?
| Model | Total Capacity | Annual kWh | Certifications | Warranty | Review | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotpoint HCM4SMWW Chest Freezer | 3.6-cu. ft. | 194 KWh | UL listed | 1 year | Check Price | |
| Kalamera Compact Deep Freezer | 3.5-cu. ft. | 190 KWh | DOE, ETL certified, UL certified | 1 year | Check Price | |
| Frigidaire Chest Freezer | 5-Cu. Ft. | 218 KWh | UL listed | 1 year | Check Price | |
| Koolatron Kool Chest Freezer | 5-Cu. Ft. | 330 KWh | N/A | 90 days | Check Price |
Is the Hotpoint HCM4SMWW the Freezer for You?
We have reviewed the characteristics of the Hotpoint HCM4SMWW in-depth to find out why customers rate it as ‘cost-effective’. Then we compared its specs with three other similar freezers sold by other brands, and we can observe that even though there are similar models to this chest freezer that may seem more attractive, some won’t be a great money saver, as they don’t hold any certifications nor are they energy- efficient.
Although some customers have warned us about some units coming with defective compressors and not lasting much, we should wonder what the temperature conditions were that those units had to bear before breaking (after just some months of use). Also, the instructions manual is clear about not using extension cords or overloading the unit. But let’s say the reviews are right and defective units were shipped. Hotpoint and GE give you a 1-year limited warranty on defective parts. Other than those few complaints, we find that this is a top-rated product.
Why Choose Hotpoint
Hotpoint, a subdivision of GE, is a renowned company that has a very particular story, as it was created thanks to the genius of a man named Earl Richardson, a meter reader that worked for an electric power company in the early 1900s in California and that designed/developed a lighter, more portable version of the first electric iron that was patented in 1882. Richardson’s invention was called Hotpoint.
Sometime after, he joined forces with George Hugues, another inventor that was experimenting with the first electric range that would later turn into kitchen stoves. Together they developed the brand Hotpoint by associating with the General Electric corporation.
Nowadays, the Hotpoint brand markets its products in the United Kingdom, Canada, several European countries, and the US, and in the refrigerating devices department, Hotpoint is a high-quality manufacturer, preferred by many.
In this article, we will review in depth one of Hotpoint’s best-selling chest freezers, and we hope this serves as a very useful buying guide for you.
Upright Freezers vs. Chest Freezers, Which One Is the Best for Me?
Stand-alone or independent freezers can be useful assets for your kitchen, office, or personal business. Such appliances come in different prices and designs. From upright freezers that work as a standard freestanding refrigerator to large industrial freezers that are usually seen at supermarkets, to the small chest freezers that you can plug in your garage and that can work as personal storage units that can help you preserve food for you and your family or can help you sell frozen goodies to your customers.
Chest Freezers vs. Upright Freezers
However, before sliding the credit card and taking a freezer home, we need to know the specs of the available models in the market and see which is the one that will fulfill our needs.
- Upright freezers: The construction of upright standalone freezers is quite similar to freestanding refrigerators as they are vertically designed appliances that have a swing door, inner shelves, door storage, and low baskets for better food organization. They usually include features like automatic defrosting, outer temperature controls, door alarms, and locks. This specific type of freezer is usually pricey (ranging from $500 to $2000 depending on the inner capacity and features) and even if they’re energy-efficient, they usually consume more yearly electricity power than chest freezers.
- Chest freezers: Just like the name says, chest freezers are nothing but electrically powered ‘boxes’ that will work as freezing units that will efficiently preserve ‘piled up’ packets of ice, frozen dishes, or any product that has resistant packaging and can be buried in the depths of a chest. Unlike upright freezers that automatically defrost, chest freezers will usually need manual defrosting. The good news is chest freezers can be more resistant to perform under low or hot temperatures (as long as the device is plugged indoors). They are cheaper ($200 to $1500 depending on size and cubic feet capacity) and will be of lower electricity consumption due to the simplicity of their design.
FAQs
For sure. Chest freezers are adaptable for any need. They can work as a storage unit for fish catches that will be sold later on or can become a mini-ice cream station for a cafeteria, the ice container you need in the summertime, or it can just standstill as the kitchen partner your fridge needs to preserve your perishable foods and save you money in the long run. Make sure you choose an energy-efficient chest freezer, so the yearly cost in dollars of your appliance doesn’t add much to your electricity bill.
It will be hard to not find modern freezers or compact refrigerators that won’t use Isobutane R600a as a refrigerant, as it is a natural gas that is environmentally compliant and doesn’t contain ozone-depleting substances.
The good news is that R600a under controlled, stable environments is as safe as any other refrigerant gas your freezer may use to cool your foods. Isobutane can be flammable and highly combustible under harsh weather conditions. Your freezer should be handled with care, never hit, punctured, tossed around, or dismantled whilst in use. And when the time comes to dispose of your old freezer or refrigerator, make sure you follow the government guidelines for safe disposal in your city.
Unfortunately, the answer is no. This compact freezer, although well equipped to perform well throughout the year, is not suitable for outdoors, RV’s, garages, or basements that may get too cold in winter or too hot in the summertime. Hotpoint recommends another one of their models, though, if you need a chest freezer for garage use, the GE FCM7SKWW, which has 7.0-cu. ft. of capacity and can endure garage temperature conditions.
Yes and no. Although Hotpoint has a separate line of household products and an independent store, this brand is part of the GE consortium. Customer service GE may answer queries related to Hotpoint products.
Chest freezers will usually need manual defrosting. It is important to periodically defrost your unit, to add more lifespan to it. Defrosting a chest freezer is easy:
*Remove all the stored foods inside your unit.
*Unplug the freezer and let all the ice melt without scraping it.
*Drain the water, clean thoroughly with a clean cloth and leave it to dry.
* Place the frozen food back in the refrigerator and plug the freezer in again.
As a warning, never scrape the interiors of a freezer with pointy, sharp objects such as cutlery, scissors, or screwdrivers as you may damage the insulation cover or the plastic parts causing refrigerant leaks and irremediable damage to your unit that won’t be covered by the brand’s warranty.
Chest freezers are ready to give you 8-10+ years of food preservation.
It all depends on the overall care you give to your appliance. Defrost often, do not overload it, and enjoy your frozen goodies for years to come.
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