Huge chest freezer on the side of the road - do you take it?

[amyamanda]

Does it make sense to pick up a huge used chest freezer?

I'm asking retroactively, LOL, because I just picked one up. It is huge and could easily fit a deer or two. We are not hunters, but in a few years hope to be homesteaders with animals. We already have an "extra" freezer already, but it could overflow if we buy a half a cow, which we are hoping to do when our name comes up at the farmer's.

But please give me a reality check here. If it's not smart to have or hang onto, even if we will probably want one in the future, I can find it a new home. I can freecycle it if none of my friends want it, but I bet someone will.

And the older used ones - are they terrible energy hogs, or dangerous in any way? I want to make an informed decision but I couldn't wait; if I hadn't taken it, it would be gone already I bet.

A nice man stopped to help me get it into my Suburban. It barely fit. My 9yo and his friend also helped.

What do you think? What would you do?

[blueberrysprout]

I think my main worry would be - not knowing why they got rid of it. Was it something simple, like - they bought a new one, with more space and being more energy efficent? Or is there something wrong with the wiring and....... it's a fire hazard? Or some other kind of scary situation.

Also make sure you keep it locked to deter your kiddos from playing hide and go seek... even if you're not using it.

[mama_ani]

I would buy or rent or borrow a watt meter and plug the freezer into it and see exactly how much hydro it uses. If it's comparable to a new/newer freezer I'd keep it. If it's a real hydro hog I'd get rid of it and save to buy a more energy efficient freezer for your half cow.

[chinaKat]

My parents gave us their MONSTER freezer from the early 1970s, we used it for exactly one month. Then we got the electric bill. OUCH.

We freecycled it and bought a new EnergyStar one at Sears.

[dillonandmarasmom]

ditto to the above. I would also question just why it was left by the road...kinda creepy thoughts I am entertaining.

[bwylde]

That's how we got ours. FIL found it on the side of the road with a "Free" sign on it. Apparantly they got an upright and didn't want the hassle of selling it. It's been working great and not an energy hog; we notice no difference in electricity over our previous mini one.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by dillonandmarasmom

I would also question just why it was left by the road...kinda creepy thoughts I am entertaining.

Same here... my morbid CSI brain is wondering if you checked for dead bodies before loading.

They are energy hogs. We have two freezers... one is twice the size, but new and EnergyStar and pulls about half the juice the smaller one does.

[zersha]

We used to have my grandpas really huge older chest freezer, and gave it to my parents when we got a newer upright. I didn't notice any difference in our electricity bills.

I bet someone just got a new one and didn't want to bother with it. But to be safe, I'd check it out. Not sure exactly what that would mean, but I'd check the cord & electrical connections, and have it run a bit to make sure it doesn't make any wierd noises or start spewing smoke or something. I'd give it a month and see what affect it has on the electric bill.

[Purple*Lotus]

Originally Posted by blueberrysprout

I think my main worry would be - not knowing why they got rid of it. Was it something simple, like - they bought a new one, with more space and being more energy efficent? Or is there something wrong with the wiring and....... it's a fire hazard? Or some other kind of scary situation.

Also make sure you keep it locked to deter your kiddos from playing hide and go seek... even if you're not using it.

My thoughts exactly. I would be worried about the wiring, etc. I know that some thrift shops in our area are no longer accepting anything electrical, for fear of the liability if something is faulty.

But I have OCD, so I would probably worry reguardless

[mum4boys]

Originally Posted by velochic

Same here... my morbid CSI brain is wondering if you checked for dead bodies before loading.

They are energy hogs. We have two freezers... one is twice the size, but new and EnergyStar and pulls about half the juice the smaller one does.

I thought the same thing...hope there was not a dead body in it.

[amyamanda]

You guys are so funny. It was totally clean inside. I do not suspect foul play. There are good, clean, honest, nice people around here!

That said, I hope it works. LOL.

We'll have to see if it's an energy drain or not. Thanks for the feedback and suggestions.

[Iris' Mom]

I wouldn't have, just because I would suspect that it wouldn't work, and here, it costs money to throw fridges, freezers and A/C's away. You can't just throw them out for garbage collection. I paid $75 each to get rid of a broken A/C and a fridge.

[CarrieMF]

Also make sure you keep it locked to deter your kiddos from playing hide and go seek... even if you're not using it.

no. They are like fridges you cannot close the door with nothing in it, it will get a horrible stench that you will never ever get out & it will get into your foods. It is better to remove the lid.

I wouldn't have, just because I would suspect that it wouldn't work, and here, it costs money to throw fridges, freezers and A/C's away. You can't just throw them out for garbage collection. I paid $75 each to get rid of a broken A/C and a fridge.

same here except it is only $20 for each appliance & I thought that was bad.lol

[Belleweather]

Originally Posted by Iris' Mom

I wouldn't have, just because I would suspect that it wouldn't work, and here, it costs money to throw fridges, freezers and A/C's away. You can't just throw them out for garbage collection. I paid $75 each to get rid of a broken A/C and a fridge.

Actually, I think that would be a good logical reason to haul it home and check it out... if I had a choice between paying $75 to the city to haul a working appliance that I'd just upgraded from away, or leaving it on the curb hoping someone grabbed it up and took it home, I know which one I'd pick!

In fact, that sort of thing is so common here that we're going to have to go well out of our way to make sure that our very, very dead freezer filled with rotting disgustingness is clearly marked enough that no one will take it for a ground score and drag it home with them!

[zersha]

Originally Posted by Belleweather

Actually, I think that would be a good logical reason to haul it home and check it out... if I had a choice between paying $75 to the city to haul a working appliance that I'd just upgraded from away, or leaving it on the curb hoping someone grabbed it up and took it home, I know which one I'd pick!

In fact, that sort of thing is so common here that we're going to have to go well out of our way to make sure that our very, very dead freezer filled with rotting disgustingness is clearly marked enough that no one will take it for a ground score and drag it home with them!

Hee Hee, yeah, maybe it depends on where you live. Here, people grab stuff off the curb all the time. We put stuff out at spring & fall cleanup that we expect people to take, and if no one does before the truck comes, we take it back and donate it or find someone who wants it. But we put a washer & dryer out before just because we didn't want to bother with them. We also put my sons outgrown bike, & other stuff. Maybe it just depends on where you live. Here, it's just so common for people to put good stuff out, that you don't really hesitate if it's something you could use. It's funny you need to put a sign out for people NOT to take your icky freezer.

[mum4boys]

Originally Posted by amyamanda

You guys are so funny. It was totally clean inside. I do not suspect foul play. There are good, clean, honest, nice people around here!

It always ends up to be the honest ones that you have to be suspicious of.

Update us on how its working.

[Poddi]

I might if I have a big car to put it in. Our local energy company pays us $30 for each old fridge or freezer. I was very cranky the old owner of the house left a hideous old fridge in the garage. Then I found out the fridge program and called them. A couple guys showed up and took it away and we got $30 credit on our hydro bill. Can't beat that.

[averysmomma05]

I would check it out too! Here our junkyard pays you to sell your stuff to them so you actually make money here. Emily

[artemis33]

yeah, my main worry would be that it doesn't work! If it does, good score! You can upgrade to an energy star later

[Boobiemama]

I wouldnt. an old freezer costs a ton ot run. We have 2 new freezers and dont do a thing to our elecric bill.