Looking for extra freezer space for your home? The Insignia 3.5 cubic foot chest freezer may be the perfect solution. As someone who recently purchased this freezer for my small apartment, I wanted to share my thoughts to help others figure out if it’s the right choice.

Key Features of the Insignia Chest Freezer

The Insignia chest freezer offers 3.5 cubic feet of storage space. For a compact unit, that’s pretty roomy! It can easily hold a few bulk boxes of frozen foods or multiple bags of frozen vegetables and meats.

Some other great features include:

• Adjustable thermostat – Lets you customize the temperature from -12 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Fast freeze function – Quickly drops the temp when adding new items to prevent existing items from thawing.
• Reversible door – Open from either the left or right side to fit your space.
• Defrost drain – Allows water to drain out during manual defrosting for less mess.
• Power indicator light – Lets you know the freezer is properly running.

Insignia Chest Freezer Cost

The Insignia 3.5 cubic foot chest freezer typically runs between $150-$250. I got mine on sale for $170. Compared to other models, this is an affordable price point for the amount of storage space.

The low cost makes it very budget-friendly if you’re looking for a secondary freezer or don’t need an enormous amount of room.

Size and Storage Capacity

This freezer is 20.5 inches wide x 33.5 inches high x 21.1 inches deep. It can comfortably fit in small spaces like apartments, garages, basements, or even tucked beside your refrigerator.

As mentioned, the 3.5 cubic foot capacity lets you stock up on frozen goods. To give you an idea of what fits:

• 10 bags of frozen vegetables
• 5-6 frozen pizzas
• 2 bulk boxes of frozen meat or fish
• Multiple packs of frozen fruit
• Around 25 pounds of assorted frozen foods

The compact but mighty Insignia chest freezer can hold a nice variety without taking up your whole kitchen!

Energy Efficiency

This freezer is Energy Star certified so you can save on electricity bills. The yearly energy cost is estimated at just $52.

Some factors helping efficiency:

• Foamed cabinet walls – Helps block heat transfer.
• Automatic defrosting – Prevents ice buildup that forces compressor to work harder.
• Magnetic door seal – Traps cold air inside to limit new cool-downs.

For the storage capacity, the Insignia chest freezer is pretty darn affordable to run!

Quiet Operation

I was concerned this small freezer might make noise that distracted me, especially in my open concept apartment.

Luckily, the Insignia 3.5 chest freezer operates at a quiet 42 decibels. For comparison, that’s about the volume of a softly humming refrigerator.

You’ll barely notice it’s on! This makes it nice for all living situations.

Adjustable Internal Storage

A removable storage basket helps organize and access your frozen foods. It’s handy for separating types of items.

The basket can be adjusted to different heights or removed completely to accommodate larger items like pizza boxes. This flexibility is useful when stocking up.

Easy Cleaning and Maintenance

I don’t have to defrost this freezer very often thanks to the automatic defrosting. When I do, the removable drain plug lets water flow out easily.

I give the interior a quick wipe down every few weeks to keep it fresh. The exterior just needs a quick clean with a damp cloth. Pretty fuss-free!

Overall, the Insignia chest freezer couldn’t be much simpler to use and care for.

Where to Buy the Insignia Chest Freezer

The exclusive retailer for Insignia products is Best Buy. This freezer can be purchased:

• Online for home delivery or in-store pickup
• In any local Best Buy retail store that carries appliances

You can often find it on sale, so keep an eye out for deals!

Warranty Information

The Insignia chest freezer comes with a 1 year limited warranty from Best Buy. This covers defects in materials and workmanship.

Some exclusions apply, so be sure to read the full policy details on the Best Buy website. You can also add on extended protection plans for further coverage.

Ideal Uses for the Insignia Chest Freezer

What can you store in this handy little freezer? Here are some ideal uses:

• Extra freezer space for an apartment, garage, basement, etc.
• Storing bulk frozen foods like bags of vegetables, boxes of meat, loaves of bread, etc.
• Freezing homemade meals in portion sizes for easy weeknight dinners later.
• Stashing frozen desserts like ice cream cakes, popsicles, and pizzas.
• Cooler for beverages like beer or soda for parties.

The 3.5 cubic feet provides flexibility to store a variety of frozen goods!

Comparison to Other Sizes

How does the storage size of this Insignia model stack up? Here’s a quick comparison:

• 5 cubic foot chest freezers – Provides 40% more room for about $100 more. A great budget-friendly option for families.
• 7 cubic foot chest freezers – Offers double the space of the 3.5 cu ft, but for nearly double the price. Best for large households.
• 10+ cubic foot chest freezers – For big families or bulk shopping. Much pricier $400+ investment. Harder to find space for.

The Insignia 3.5 is nicely positioned as an affordable smaller model suitable for apartments and supplementary freezer needs. But you can size up or down depending on your household’s frozen food requirements!

Available Colors

This Insignia chest freezer comes in classic white only. The clean white look blends in nicely with most kitchen decors.

I don’t mind the lack of color options since my freezer sits discreetly in a laundry/storage area. But if you want a statement color, you’ll have to look at other brands.

Customer Reviews

Overall, the Insignia chest freezer earns very good reviews averaging 4 out of 5 stars.

Positive feedback includes:

• Quiet operation
• Maintains proper temperature
• Compact but roomy design
• Cools items down quickly

Negative feedback includes:

• Tray divider doesn’t stay in place when loaded
• Manual defrosting is time consuming
• Lid can be hard to open at times

Considering the very reasonable price point, most customers seem quite satisfied with the daily performance and storage capacity. The few issues are minor and to be expected for an entry-level freezer.

Power Usage

The Insignia 3.5 cubic foot chest freezer is rated to use 307 kilowatt-hours per year.

This equals about 0.62 kWh per day based on average daily use of 8 hours. Your energy costs depend on your local electricity rate. But for most areas, it would cost $50-75 per year to run.

Pretty inexpensive to operate this handy appliance!

Perfect for Small Spaces

Standing just over 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide, the Insignia chest freezer is ideal for small apartments, condos, dorm rooms, or any living space with limited area.

It can tuck beneath counters, beside your fridge, or even out in a garage or basement if indoor space is tight. The reversible door opens easily in tight corners.

The smaller footprint paired with ample 3.5 cubic foot capacity makes it the perfect freezer option for maximizing room in small dwellings.

The Bottom Line

For those seeking an affordable and compact chest freezer, the Insignia 3.5 cubic foot model is an excellent choice. It provides ample storage room for singles or couples without gobbling up your valuable floor space.

Quiet performance, energy efficiency, and flexible storage options make it suitable for various living situations. Overall, a great value purchase to add extra freezing capabilities on a budget!