Best Freezers For Freezing Expressed or Pumped Breast Milk (Complete Guide)

There is no substitute for breast milk for a baby!

It improves a baby’s immune system as it consists of many nutritious components like Necrophiliacs, Cytokines, Lymphocytes, Macrophages, and others.

All these components protect babies from developing asthma and other allergies.

However, working mothers face difficulties when it comes to feeding the babies on time.

In that case, expressed breast milk can be the best source of nutrition for an infant when a mother is not around.

This is why many women rely on mini freezers for breast milk storage to keep the milk protected for later consumption.

These mini freezers protect and freeze the breast milk for babies so the little ones can be fed even when mothers are not around.

If you are in hurry, here’s our top pick:

Arctic King Chest freezer

 

Best Freezers For Breast Milk- Comparison Table

 

Can You Freeze Breast Milk?

Yes, women can freeze their breast milk if they have to go out for work or other purposes and are not available to breastfeed the babies.

The freshly expressed or pumped breast milk can be frozen in plastic bags and containers.

The breast milk can be stored in a freezer for about 6 months, and up to 12 months, frozen breast milk is acceptable according to the studies.

A freezer for breast milk storage can be very useful because freezing the breast milk in an ordinary freezer can take up space and also pose a risk of contamination/deterioration.

Looking for mini fridge for storing breast milk? Then click here for in-depth guide.

When Should You Freeze the Breast Milk?

A mother can express breast milk right after the delivery. Also, a working mother or caretaker can pump breast milk and store it in the freezer for her convenience.

Breast milk once pumped out should be kept in the freezer within four hours, if the room temperature is 77 F.

By freezing milk in these freezers, it has now become easy to maintain the safety and the quality of the expressed breast milk, which ensures the safety and health of the infant in return.

It is because the temperature is equally distributed throughout while supporting automatic defrosting.

How to Freeze the Breast Milk?

Storing and freezing breast milk requires clean hands and a clean environment.

You have to make sure that the breast pump and the storage bags or steel containers for keeping the milk are clean and germs free.

Now, follow these steps for freezing the breast milk;

1. After pumping, instantaneously pour the milk into breast milk storage containers or bags with tight-fitting lids made of glass or plastic.
2. Store the breast milk in small portions such as 2 to 4 ounces in a bottle/bag). In this way, it will freeze and soften faster.
3. Note the date and time on the storage bag to prevent the milk from getting expired.

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Can You Freeze Breast Milk After it’s Been Refrigerated?

If the milk is previously frozen and now thawed, it is advised never to freeze it.

Furthermore, it is advised not to keep the milk containing containers or bags in the freezer doors for the purpose of storing.

Always keep in the back of the freezer where the temperature is equally distributed all over.

How To Thaw Frozen Breast Milk?

When you decided to thaw frozen breast milk, thaw the oldest milk primarily.

The night before keeping the frozen container in the refrigerator that you intend to use.

You can also place it under warm running water or in a bowl of warm water.

But never heat a frozen bottle in the microwave.

Microwaves don’t heat food evenly. So, some parts of the milk might be got too hot, and others remain cold.

Also, as per research that rapid heating can affect the milk’s antibodies. Don’t refreeze breast milk after it has thawed.

Can Breast Milk Get Freezer Burn?  

First let me explain what is freezer burn?

When food like breast milk is freeze and exposed to air, freezer burn happens.

Freezer burn happens when moisture leaves the food that is frozen. The ice crystal formation occurs on exterior of food.

Like other frozen food frozen breast milk also get freezer burn.

The breast milk is oxidized due to exposure to the oxygen in freezer burn process. Because of oxidation it loses moisture and forms ice crystals on milk.

So that breast milk oxidizes and dehydrate.

But if you freeze or store the breast milk in right way, it wont get freezer burn.

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Does Freezer Burn Ruin the Breast Milk?

When you thaw freezer burnt breast milk, you notice some sour odor.

Does it mean breast milk has ruined?

But don’t worry, the freezer burn milk is absolutely safe to consume for baby.

As per USDA Food safety guidelines, freezer burn doesn’t cause food unsafe to consume. This includes breast milk too as it is food for your baby.

But if breast milk is too much freezer burnt, it lost too much moisture and cannot provide enough hydration.

If it is slightly freezer burn and your baby is ready to take that, it is safe to feed it.

Tips for Freezing Breast Milk Storage

1.Do not store breast milk in the door of the freezer. It will help protect the breast milk from temperature changes when you will open or close the door.

2.If you are not going to use freshly expressed breast milk within 4 days, freeze it immediately. It will protect the quality of breast milk.

3.You should leave about one inch of space at the top of the container as breast milk expands as freezes.

Chest Vs Upright-Which One to Choose?

You can store breast milk in both types of freezers whether it is chest or upright. These both type of freezers has its own pros and cons.

Chest freezers stand horizontally on your floor. They are deep compared to upright freezers.

The temperature in the chest freezers stays consistent for longer even during the blackout.

In the chest freezer, air doesn’t circulate much which helps to prevent freezer burn than uprights.

They are more energy-efficient, having more storage capacity, and are inexpensive than upright freezers.

But it’s actually difficult to find the breast milk bag/container you need in the chest freezer without rearranging and searching.

There is bending, lifting, and moving is needed to find the items you are searching for. It also covers more floor space.

On the other hand, upright freezers are like refrigerators. They sit vertically on the floor, so take up lesser floor space, thus useful for small houses.

They hold the items on the different shelves and compartments like refrigerators. So, they are easy to organize.

You can easily access and store the breast milk in the upright freezer.

But uprights are noisier than chest freezers. The cold air easily discharges through it every time you open the freezer door.

So, if you have small storage space, want fridge-like access, and having steady power then an upright freezer might be a better option for you.

Factors to Consider Before Buying the Best Freezer to Store Breast Milk

While buying the best freezer for breast milk storage, you must first consider your needs and the space in your home. Then check;

Defrosting capability

A freezer should be defrosted from time to time.

You should invest in a freezer unit, which is not too difficult or time consuming to defrost.

Consider the auto-defrost capability.

Emergency operation

A mother’s milk is precious for the baby.

You should opt for a freezer that can maintain the internal temperature for around 24 hours in case there is no power supply.

Cooling Performance

For storing breast milk, you need the best mini freezer for breast milk that can maintain reliable temperature across the unit with no fluctuations and warm spots.

Size

Take some time to measure the space where you intend to keep the freezer for breast milk storage.

Then equip yourself with the figures you need to find a unit that fits perfectly into your space.

Also, look for the features in the freezer that best cater to your needs.

The basic features of a freezer include the design of the door, the inside light, auto-lock, power-on indicator, and alarm.

The alarm informs you if the internal temperature is too high.

Blackout Performance

Blackout performance means how long a freezer can keep items cold even during a power cut.

Most folks aren’t concerned about blackout performance as it will come up too often, but getting the right freezer can make a huge difference when it does.

You can avoid spoiled, rancid, smelly breast milk and an unpleasant cleaning task by having a freezer with good blackout performance.

The chest freezer is the best option for blackout performance.

If you are living in an area where there are regular power failures, a chest freezer is your best choice.

Noise level

You should choose the freezer that is quiet in operation.

So, it won’t disturb yours and your baby’s sleep.

In this case, a chest freezer is better as they are less noisy than upright ones.

Energy usage

Always you should choose the electrical appliance having good energy star rating. Here freezers are no exceptions.

These energy star rating appliances help to reduce your power bills.

A lower KwH rating will charge less to run. As aforementioned, chest freezers are more efficient than upright freezers.

 Portable

When buying a freezer for storing breast milk, you should get a freezer that has good portability.

If your freezer has a caster at the base, it is very easy to move for cleaning purposes or allows ease in accessing controls.

Warranty

A quality product will always come with a warranty.

When the freezer is covered by government consumer guarantees, it is usually easier to claim for parts under the seller’s warranty.

So, check for a warranty before buying the freezer.

Cost

You can buy the freezer as per your budget but keep in mind how long-term costs can compare.

If you are going to buy an energy-efficient freezer, it will cost more upfront than other options, but the cost over time of running it will pay off automatically.

Chest freezers are usually cheaper than upright models.

Additional features to consider

Freezers come up with some extra convenient features, you may consider like Interior light, safety locks, Suitable shelving, Easy-to-use controls.

There are also some freezers with high-temperature alarms, quick-freeze that may useful to you.

Best Freezers for Storing Breast Milk

Let’s evaluate some of the options to store breast milk;

Arctic King 5 cu ft Chest Freezer

If you are looking for a compact freezer that saves space in your home, then this Arctic King Chest freezer is the best bet.

The Dimensions of the freezer are L 24.9″ x W 21.7″ H 33.5″ which doesn’t take too much space.

The 5 cubic feet freezer weighs about 9.98 pounds.

It comes with a removable basket that helps for arranging your breast milk precisely and makes cleaning a breeze.

This is an amazing energy-efficient freezer that just consumes an estimated 218 kilowatts of power for an entire year.

It has external temperature control that enables you to select the correct temperature as per your requirements.

Click Here For Latest Reviews And Price of Arctic King Chest freezer

Whynter CUF-110B Energy Star 1.1 Cubic Feet Upright Freezer with Lock, Black

This Whynter CUF-110B Energy Star 1.1 Cubic Feet Upright Freezer can be a good choice for people who have limited space.

The Whynter CUF is a 1.1 cubic feet freezer with an upright position.

The total weight of the freezer is not more than 36 pounds.

The door of the freezer is reversible and can be opened in both ways.

This allows you to store and access milk with ease.

With an adjustable thermostat, the temperature adjusts automatically.

The product is Energy Star Rated as it uses less power than a light bulb and also creates low noise.

Due to this feature, it can be kept in the bedroom easily.

The cylinder lock is another good feature that additional protection from unapproved access to the compact freezer.

Click Here for Latest Reviews and Price of Whynter CUF-110B Energy Star 1.1 Cubic Feet Upright Freezer with Lock

Midea WHS-109FW1 Upright Freezer, 3.0 cubic Feet, White

The Midea WHS-109FW1 Upright Freezer is a streamlined freezer that comes without a lock and has a capacity of 3.0 cubic feet.

It designed with a whisper-quiet compressor that works without making noise.

The freezer has three sections to store stuff.

It is built with a reversible door that can be opened from left or right and is also Energy Star Rated.

Click Here for Latest Reviews and Price of Midea WHS-109FW1 Upright Freezer

Koolatron Compact Chest Freezer

This Koolatron Chest Freezer is a compact freezer having a capacity of 3.5 cu ft.  It also come in 5 cu ft or 7 cu ft capacity if you are looking for a higher capacity freezer.

The freezer comes with a removable wire basket that allows ease in organizing the breast milk and ease of access.

You can fit this freezer at any corner of the home as it has a swing-top lid and smooth back. It will help to saves space.

The freezer has energy-efficient cooling technology as it uses reliable and efficient compressor technology with CFC-free coolant that helps to keep contents between 0°C and -24°C.

Click Here For Latest Reviews and Price Of Koolatron Chest Freezer

Galanz GLF70CWED01 Manual Defrost Chest Freezer

If you want to store a large quantity of breast milk together for a longer period of time, then Galanz GLF70CWED01 Manual Defrost Chest Freezer is the best choice.

Galanz GLF70CWED01 Manual Defrost Chest Freezer comes with 7.0 Cu ft. capacity.

This Galanz chest freezer comes in a compact size and has a large capacity.

It will enhance your kitchen or home office with different styles. It has four casters that allow you to move your freezer handily.

The freezer is featured with an indicator light to show the status. It has 3 indicator lights so that you know the status of the freezer without opening the lid.

This freezer comes with a sliding easily storage basket, that helps to keep the breast milk readily available, and prevents them from being crushed by other items in your freezer.

Click Here For Latest Reviews and Price Of Galanz GLF70CWED01 Manual Defrost Chest Freezer 

Whynter Black CUF-301BK 3.0 cu. ft. Energy Star Upright Freezer with Lock

This Whynter 3. 0 cu. ft. upright freezer is ideal to be used in the kitchen, offices, garages, or basements.

The space saver design of the freezer can fit at any corner of your home. The freezer has a low noise level that makes it perfect for storing breast milk for your baby.

It comes with a recessed handle that provides a flush finish.

Its mechanical temperature control helps to maintain a temperature between -11° – 10.4°F.

The freezer comes with one removable slide out basket shelf and two cooling shelves.

Click Here For Latest Reviews and Price Of Whynter Black CUF-301BK 3.0 cu. ft. Upright Freezer 

EUHOMY Upright Freezer, Energy Star, 3.0 cubic Feet

 This EUHOMY Upright Freezer is an upright mini freezer with a total weight of 53.2 pounds and a capacity of 3.0 Cubic feet.

This freezer is built with two shelves that come in the form of wire, making three sections to keep stuff neatly.

The door is made of steel which can be opened in both ways.

It is also Energy Star Rated and consumes less energy.

The freezer has 3D rapid cooling technology and can be defrosted manually from time to time.

According to the personal experience, the cooling is distributed evenly and maintains the coolness in case of power failure.

The freezer is designed with a stainless-steel housing and freezing bowls which are BPA free.

Click Here for Latest Reviews and Price of EUMOHOY Upright Freezer

Midea MRC050S0AWW Chest Freezer, 5.0 Feet, White

This Midea MRC050S0AWW Chest Freezer comes in a balance hinge design and can be used for freezing the breast milk.

The total weight of the unit is 69 pounds and is built with a capacity of 5.0 cubic feet.

The freezer works quietly.

A good feature is the steel door, which remains open from 45 to 75-degree angles.

The size is another feature I like as it is not too big and not too small.

Furthermore, the chest freezer comes with the features of an adjustable thermostat, removable storage basket, and a defrost drain.

Click Here for Latest Reviews and Price of Midea MRC050S0AWW Chest Freezer

Northair Chest Freezer – 3.5 Cu Ft

The Northair Chest Freezer has a 3.5 Cu Ft capacity freezer which is an energy efficient freezer that just consumes 0.6 kWh/24h.

It is equipped with a quiet compressor makes it perfect to keep it bedroom or even beside the baby.

The freezer is light in weight and easy to move.

It comes with three removable wire baskets that ease the arrangement of breast milk.

It has a deep freezing function which keeps breast milk safe for a longer period.

The freezer comes with defrost drain at the front side to flow out defrosted water easily.

Click Here For Latest Price and Reviews of Northair Chest Freezer 

Avanti CF24Q0W 2.4 Chest Freezer

Avanti CF24Q0W 2.4 Chest Freezer is one of the best energy efficient breast milk freezers as it is an Energy Star rated freezer and environmentally friendly too.

This freezer comes with a ‘Climate Pledge Friendly’ certification that helps to preserve the natural world.

It comes with a sleek design having 2.5 cu. Ft. capacity. This chest freezer weighs about 45 pounds.

It is built with a durable stainless-steel exterior and a well-insulated interior. This freezer is easy to move an appliance with the four caster wheels.

Its integrated handle allows ease to access breast milk and other food in your freezer. It is equipped with a built-in adjustable thermostat.

Click Here For Latest Price and Reviews of Avanti CF24Q0W 2.4 Chest Freezer

 

Related Questions

How can I determine the temperature of my freezer?

Your freezer should be 0°F or below for breast milk storage.

If the freezer thermostats do not show the temperatures, you can use inexpensive freestanding freezer thermometers .

Even though your freezer shows the temperatures, appliance thermometers may be important if you lose power or having any mechanical problems.

Can I mix freshly expressed breast milk with older frozen breast milk?

It is not recommended to mix freshly expressed breast milk with frozen milk because it can rewarm the older stored milk.

How long can I leave freshly expressed milk out?

You can leave out freshly expressed breast milk in a closed bottle at room temperature for 4-6 hours.

How long does thawed breast milk last?

The frozen breast milk can be refrigerated and used for up to 24 hours, once you thaw it.

Wrapping Up

A spacious and well-featured freezer is all you need to store the breast milk.

After doing a detailed evaluation, I can conclude that the Arctic King Chest freezer is the best freezer for breast milk storage as it can be adjusted in limited space with ample storage space.

The temperature is distributed evenly that protects the stored breast milk, and the temperature is maintained for a maximum time even if there is a power failure.

The Energy Star rating helps in cutting down the energy costs, and the stylish design makes it look good in the bedroom.

 

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