GE FCM16DLWW review

The GE FCM16DLWW freezer has ample storage space and a lock to prevent any unwanted visitors from raiding it when you’re not looking.

GE FCM16DLWW review
(Image: © Home Depot)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

The GE FCM16DLWW freezer is highly energy efficient with a flexible storage system and a generous capacity that makes it ideal for holding all your favorite frozen items.

Pros

  • +

    Energy-efficient

  • +

    Generous amount of storage space

  • +

    Lock and key

Cons

  • -

    No hose adaptor for drainage

  • -

    Doesn’t have wheels

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The GE FCM16DLWW freezer is a large garage ready model that offers optimal storage capacity for all your frozen items. Energy-efficient with low annual running costs, it comes with some impressive features that make it stand out from the rest.

With a lock that helps keep children out, an audible temperature alarm to alert you if the temperature rises, and recessed handles for a clean appearance, the GE FCM16DLWW freezer is one of the best freezers on the market right now. 

While it may not be the smallest of units at just under 5.5 feet wide, you’re getting a ton of storage space that’ll likely make up for it. Let’s take a closer look at the GE FCM16DLWW freezer to figure out if this little beauty is going to meet your needs. 

If you're looking for a way to combine your refrigerator and freezer into one, check out our guides to the best French door refrigerators and the best side-by-side refrigerators

GE FCM16DLWW freezer: Design and build 

It may not have the mammoth capacity of the Whirpool WZC3122DW, but the GE FCM16DLWW freezer still packs a serious punch. At 15.7 cubic feet and with a depth of 28.5 inches, this model has more than enough space to hold all of your favorite frozen foods.

Explicitly designed for garages, the GE FCM16DLWW freezer can withstand temperatures as high as 110 degrees Fahrenheit and as low as zero. When it’s hot, the compressor can run often and for extended periods, and when it’s cold it works to ensure the internal temperature of the freezer stays where you set it. 

With four lift-out sliding bulk storage baskets, this model offers plenty of flexible options to store your food and ensures you can quickly and easily locate the item you’re after. There’s also a second level rail that gives you convenient access to sliding baskets at different heights - this is something we really like as reaching inside a chest freezer can be a bit challenging if you need to get something near the bottom. 

It pays to note that this freezer doesn’t have wheels, so it’s not the easiest to maneuver around but as you’re likely to choose one spot for it and leave it there, that may not be an issue. Installation is a breeze, simply plug the freezer in and ensure you leave approximately three inches for air clearance on either side of this freezer to allow it to ventilate. You will, however, need to allow your freezer to stand for around eight hours before you put any food inside it. 

GE FCM16DLWW freezer: Features 

We love that the GE FCM16DLWW freezer comes with a lock, which is great if you have kids around and you don’t want them sneaking an ice-cream before dinner. The LED interior lighting is bright and will automatically illuminate when the door is open. It also has a power-on light that lets you easily check to see if the freezer is working without having to open the door. 

The audible temperature alarm will alert you if the freezer temperature gets too high, and there’s an adjustable temperature control that lets you increase or decrease the temperature to suit your needs.

While this model isn’t frost-free like the upright GE 21.3 FUF21SMRWW freezer, it does have a defrost water drain that allows you to quickly defrost it when you want to give the freezer a clean. Cost-wise, this freezer is more expensive than others of the same capacity. However, this GE model does have more storage baskets and extra features, so if they’re going to be a big benefit to you, it’s worth the extra money. 

GE FCM16DLWW review

(Image credit: Home Depot)

GE FCM16DLWW freezer: Performance and warranty 

Energy Star qualified, the GE FCM16DLWW freezer uses approximately 277 kWh of electricity each year and has an estimated yearly energy cost of $33, making it one of the most energy-efficient chest freezers on the market.

The one drawback with performance is the potential noise of the compressor, which some users report being louder than what they’d anticipated. However, if you plan on using it for its intended purpose in your garage, then the noise is unlikely to cause you too many problems. It’s worth noting that the freezer gets quieter the more food it has in it as the items work to insulate each other and the compressor won’t need to cool down the unit as much. 

The GE FCM16DLWW comes with a one-year warranty that will cover any part of the freezer that fails due to a defect in materials or workmanship. During the warranty period, GE will also cover the cost of all labor and related services to replace the defective part.

GE FCM16DLWW freezer: User reviews 

The GE FCM16DLWW freezer has fantastic reviews across a number of platforms, including Home Depot, where it has an average rating of 4.7 out of five stars across more than 300 reviews. 

One reviewer writes: I mean it is hard to get excited about a freezer, but this one is just incredible. Perfect height, width, and depth. The door alarm is fantastic, and the lock is a great feature especially if storing in a garage.It’s just one of many reviews that lavish praise on the storage space and other features this freezer offers.

It’s hard to find any negative reviews on this model, but the few customers that did give a lower star rating gave the noise issue mentioned earlier as being the one thing they didn’t like about this freezer. Some users also added that the lack of frost-free design, also means that ice builds up on the interior of this model. The lack of wheels on this freezer was also mentioned as a drawback for some users. 

Should you buy the GE FCM16DLWW freezer? 

The GE FCM16DLWW garage ready chest freezer has an impressive amount of interior space and plenty of flexible storage options. Its high level of energy efficiency makes it good value for money compared to other models of its size and it offers almost all of the features you’re likely to want in a freezer. 

If you’re looking for a freezer that will comfortably hold all of your favorite frozen foods and can withstand a wide range of seasonal temperature fluctuations, then the GE FCM16DLWW is well worth considering. 

Kathryn Rosenberg

Kathryn is a freelance health and wellness writer who is passionate about the mind-body connection, the role of food as medicine, and exploring how we can live in more sustainable and humane ways. A lover of the natural world, she’s at her happiest when walking the beach, staring out at the ocean, or when sat amongst lakes and mountains. For Top Ten Reviews, Kathryn covers more of our in-depth health content, ranging from diabetes news to vision care. And it isn’t just human wellness Kathryn is interested in - she also writes about the health of our furry friends over at our sister site PetsRadar.