Avanti's VM183W upright freezer has a tall, skinny profile and a novel interior that might seem very refreshing or cause you to keep looking. We love the compact width and depth with the tall height, since this makes the VM183W perfectly suited for use as a pantry freezer instead of a freezer that you wind up stashing in the garage or basement.

What makes the VM183W's design so innovative is its interior storage; it has five clear-front drawers within the main compartment. At first glance, the interior of the VM183W appears to resemble a kitchen cabinet or chest of drawers. There are five drawers and one shelf compartment on top. For this reason, this freezer isn't ideal for storing bulky items like frozen turkeys, since these large items won't neatly fit in the drawers. The drawers are, however, excellent for keeping frozen foods organized and makes them easy to retrieve.

The VM183W is a small-capacity model, with 6.5 cubic feet of space. It is perfect for families that need to supplement their home's main refrigerator freezer, but don't need a huge amount of space to store enormous sale buys. It runs on approximately 272kWh of electricity each year, so you can expect to pay only about $29 a year to operate this upright freezer.

The VM183W is a manual-defrost model, so you'll have to defrost it periodically to eliminate frost buildup inside the appliance.

This unit has a well-insulated door, but no door shelves. The five clear-view removable drawers slide out easily, even when packed with frozen items. There is also a very small compartment in the top of the appliance interior that is just large enough for a package of hot dogs or a couple of small ice trays.

The VM183W has a fast-freeze capability, which is a helpful feature that enables you to quickly chill the freezer after the door has been open for an extended period or after you've defrosted the freezer. There's also an alert that lets you know when the door's been left open and a power indicator light.

The VM183W comes only in white.

With its innovative slim profile and five-drawer interior, the Avanti VM183W upright freezer can be a great addition to a home in need of supplementary freezer space.


Pros: Tall and slim design, five drawers
Cons: Lacks shelves and door storage

Warranty
1 year, parts and labor; 5 years, compressor