Hello all. Can anyone recommend a cheap and small but good chest freezer? Was thinking of something like this.... It will be a coffee only freezer since my fridge is a frost free upright that gets opened and closed a bunch..

http://www.homedepot.com/p/IGLOO-3-5-cu ... 474226-_-N

I like that its manual defrost, that way its not warming up and cooling off every day. I have much larger version I store my beans in along with all things frozen.

I think the coldest temp is only -1 or so though. Maybe that's not cold enough?

I have a slightly larger GE and love it:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-5-0-cu-ft ... /205462817

I also use a vacuum sealer for mason jars to store beans in small batches:
http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-T03-002 ... ge_o03_s00 Some one posted this product on HB, so I bought it. I have found that vacuum sealed in the freezer is effective. And the wide mouth mason jars provide a simple way to portion the beans out of deep storage.

Thanks JW! Actually, I ended up also looking at that one last night a bit as well.

Regarding the vacuum sealing, I don have an actual vacuum sealer. So I would have to buy the vacuum sealer as well as 2 adapters since I used 2 different size jars/lids. Have you tried just freezing them after screwing the lids on tightly?

That is a really awesome freezer and I am not into freezers really. The power consumption is ridiculously low.

I did buy the vacuum sealer that makes it work. I needed one for my berry crop, etc. The lids cost $3 for 10 ea, and can be reused many times. It takes a screwdriver to break the seal - which I find impressive. I standardized on one size of jar, so if you want to do two sizes you'd need two adapters. The connecting hose comes with the sealer.

Even though the beans are vacuum sealed and frozen, when I open the jar, the scent of beans is immediate. Vacuum sealing significantly extends the duration something can be frozen. That comes from the reduction of freezer burn. But, if you're storing beans for less than a month like I am it's probably overkill.

Admittedly, I've gone down the rabbit hole and I can no longer be held responsible for overkill in the pursuit of the ultimate shot.

forbeskm wrote:I like that its manual defrost, that way its not warming up and cooling off every day.

That isn't how Frost Free freezers work. If it was the food would spoil in short order. I've been using two Frigidaire Frost Free storage freezers since 2004.
Both have freezer thermometers & both maintain the set temp (-5°F) within 2°- 3°. The food storage area doesn't "defrost"; the cooling coils which are located outside of the insulated storage area have heating wires which heat up to remove any ice build up. My vacuum sealed roasted coffee has maintained it's "freshness" for 6 months & I have vac sealed greens in the same freezer dating back to 2010 that I roast regularly.

jwCrema wrote:That is a really awesome freezer and I am not into freezers really. The power consumption is ridiculously low.

I did buy the vacuum sealer that makes it work. I needed one for my berry crop, etc. The lids cost $3 for 10 ea, and can be reused many times. It takes a screwdriver to break the seal - which I find impressive. I standardized on one size of jar, so if you want to do two sizes you'd need two adapters. The connecting hose comes with the sealer.

Even though the beans are vacuum sealed and frozen, when I open the jar, the scent of beans is immediate. Vacuum sealing significantly extends the duration something can be frozen. That comes from the reduction of freezer burn. But, if you're storing beans for less than a month like I am it's probably overkill.

Admittedly, I've gone down the rabbit hole and I can no longer be held responsible for overkill in the pursuit of the ultimate shot.

I already have a huge stock of jars, I can just get two lid adapters. So what actuall vacuum packer do you use?

I'm on my way well down the rabbit hole!

Just FYI, my experience with the regular lid sealer has been less stellar than with the wide mouth sealer. I have had occasion to use both (and also to seal beans into bags, which takes up less freezer space), but the regular lids have come unsealed more frequently than the wide ones.

I also have rotten luck with the regular sized lids and vacuum sealing... I got both adapters but now only use the wide mouth lids.