Freezer Capacity Calculator

Calculate freezer capacity in cubic feet and liters from interior length, width and depth, or find the depth or space needed for a target size or food.

• Every Day Life And Education Calculators
• Oven Capacity Calculator
• Water Freeze Time Calculator
• Ice Melting Time Calculator

Calculator Functions

Function	What it does	What it requires
Usable capacity from dimensions	Finds the freezer capacity in cubic feet and liters from its inside measurements	Requires the internal length, width and height or depth
Depth for target usable capacity	Finds the internal depth that gives a chosen capacity for a set length and width	Requires the internal length, the internal width and the target usable capacity
Gross capacity for food weight	Finds the freezer capacity needed to hold a weight of food	Requires the food weight and the packed food density in pounds per usable cubic foot
Household planning scenario	Finds a freezer size from the number of people and a space allowance for each	Requires the number of people and the planned space per person

Lengths go in as inches, feet, centimeters, meters or millimeters, and every result gives the capacity in ft³ and liters. The first three functions have an optional Usable packing fraction (%) for baskets, shelves and gaps. Left blank, it counts as 100%. Household planning scenario has an optional Extra buffer (%).

Freezer Capacity Formulas

With the three measurements in inches, divide by 1,728 for cubic feet. One cubic foot is 28.317 liters. Measure the clear inside of the cabinet, not the outside.

Usable capacity from dimensions

q is the usable packing fraction. An interior of 30 × 20 × 28 in holds 16,800 in³, which is 9.72 ft³ or 275.3 L. At an 80% packing fraction the usable capacity is 7.78 ft³.

Depth for target usable capacity

A 7 ft³ target in a 30 × 20 in footprint with no packing allowance needs 7 × 1,728 ÷ 600 = 20.16 in of depth.

Gross capacity for food weight

F is the food weight in pounds and D is the packed density in pounds per usable cubic foot. A freezer holds about 35 pounds of frozen food per cubic foot of usable space [1]. At that density 175 lb needs 5 ft³, so a 5 cubic foot freezer holds about 175 lb, a 7 cubic foot freezer about 245 lb and a 10 cubic foot freezer about 350 lb.

Household planning scenario

N is the number of people, S is the space allowed per person and B is the extra buffer in percent. One extension guide allows six cubic feet per person for families that freeze garden produce and three cubic feet per person when other preserving methods are also used [1]. Four people at 3 ft³ each with a 10% buffer need 13.2 ft³.

Limits of This Estimate

• A box-shaped interior is an estimate, not the manufacturer’s capacity rating. A compressor step, rounded corners, shelves and baskets all take space.
• Pounds per cubic foot depends on the food and its packaging. Boxed and irregular packages hold less than the 35 lb figure.
• Capacity is not the amount that can be frozen at once. Add only two or three pounds of unfrozen food per cubic foot of storage space in 24 hours [2], and follow the appliance manual.

Sources