Kenmore 12502 Review

Editor’s Note: This product has been removed from our side-by-side comparison because it has been discontinued.

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Editor’s Note: This product has been removed from our side-by-side comparison because it has been discontinued. You can still read our original review below, but Top Ten Reviews is no longer updating this product’s information.

The Kenmore 12502 is sturdy with generous interior space for storing your frozen foods, as many of the best freezers are. The Kenmore chest freezer offers 5.1 cubic feet of freezer space, which is a healthy amount for a small deep freezer and can hold quite a bit of food. To give you some context, this freezer can easily hold 308 pints of ice cream. It can also reach a low temperature of -10 degrees Fahrenheit.

This freezer can help you save money in more ways than one. Not only can you keep your supply of household edibles fully stocked with this freezer, but the overall cost to operate this small deep freezer is relatively low. Although it is not Energy Star compliant, this compact freezer is still quite energy-efficient. It uses 220 kWh per year on average, resulting in an average electrical bill of $26 per year or about $2.16 per month. Considering this appliance is running all the time, the expense is not out of line for chest freezers. It is a good choice for small families.

This is a sturdy small chest freezer with a height of 34.4 inches, a width of 30 inches and a depth of 22.9 inches. With the lid open, it stands 44.5 inches high. At 107 pounds, this is the heaviest chest freezer in our buying guide. The Kenmore needs at least 4 inches of space on both sides and behind it so air can circulate around it.

This freezer has adjustable legs so it will stay on an even keel, which is important for ensuring the coolant inside is evenly distributed. You will always know whether your freezer is working or not because a clearly visible power-on indicator light gleams on the outside. You also get a drain to help remove water when you need to manually defrost this freezer. One thing you do not get with this otherwise convenient appliance is a door lock, which would be a helpful feature to keep children out and prevent the door being accidentally left open. A more family friendly option might be the GE 21.3 FUF21SMRWW.

Inside the freezer, you get a storage basket that is a good place to keep items you reach for often. You can remove it when you need to clean the freezer or rearrange items in the basket.

The Kenmore 12502 is a compact chest freezer that nonetheless provides room for storing quite a bit of food. It reaches very low temperatures for freezing, costs a reasonable amount of money to operate and presents enough useful features to be a real boon for a small family. It does not have a door lock, like the Whirlpool WZC3122DW, but it's otherwise good value for the money.

Grant Morgan

A graduate of Weber State University with a B.S. in Electronic Media and an Art minor, Grant started writing at Top Ten Reviews in 2012 covering graphic and photo software, spreading his expertise into large appliances and HVAC. Grant enjoys reading, anime, board games, backpacking and dreams of exploring Norway and the Pacific Northwest.