You’ll feel like you’ve just stepped back in time with this 1950s inspired retro freezer with chrome accents and a bold candy red steel finish that will ensure it’s the talking point of your home. Designed for optimal energy efficiency, the compact Unique UGP-175L R AC freezer is super affordable to run, and it has six bulk storage bins so you can keep all your favorite frozen foods on hand.
This stylish freezer is narrow enough to fit into most homes and the heavy-duty build means you’ll be enjoying the Unique UGP-175L R AC freezer for years to come. Let’s open the door on one of the best freezers on the market and have a peek inside at what this funky retro model has to offer.
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.
Unique UGP-175L R AC Retro freezer: Design and build
The Unique UGP-175L R AC freezer has a solid build with a stylish retro design and durable zinc cast handles. If you’ve been longing for days gone by when things were built to last, this freezer is bound to impress.
While it’s not as small in stature as the Whynter CUF-110B freezer, at 5.5 cubic feet, it’s one of the more compact freezers we’ve seen. It has a width of just 21 inches and a height of 56.6 inches, but its capacity and dimensions aren’t necessarily a bad thing. The slim design means this freezer will work well pretty much wherever you want to put it, and because you can’t go overboard stocking it, you’ll never find yourself rummaging around to find what you’re looking for.
As you might expect from a freezer with a retro design, this model isn’t frost-free, so you’ll need to empty it once or twice a year and manually defrost it. There are adjustable feet but no wheels, and as it’s fairly heavy for a small freezer, you’ll want to take care when you’re moving it.
Unique UGP-175L R AC Retro freezer: Features
While it may not come with all the bells and whistles of the Electrolux E132AF80QS, this freezer isn’t trying to be a state-of-the-art model either. The Unique UGP-175L R AC freezer has everything you need and nothing you don’t, and there’s something refreshing about how straightforward and easy it is to use.
The storage options are basic, yet convenient. There are six full-width sliding adjustable drawers, and the upright design means you have easy access to all of these. Five of the drawers measure approximately 13 x 14 x 6 - inches and the bottom drawer 13 x 7.5 x 8 - inches. You’ll find an adjustable thermostat dial to control the temperature inside the freezer.
What can we say is there isn’t a ton of special features with this freezer, but then it’s modeled on the sort of freezer you would have bought in the 1950s, so that’s not surprising. That being said, while we find the price a little steep for a model that’s this basic, this freezer looks sharp and does the fundamentals well.
Unique UGP-175L R AC Retro freezer: Performance and warranty
This model can certainly give a lot of other freezers a run for their money when it comes to efficiency. ENERGY STAR certified the Unique UGP-175L R AC freezer has an estimated yearly electricity use of just 278 kWh and an approximate running cost of $33, which is good.
The warranty isn’t the best we’ve seen. While it comes with the standard one-year warranty for parts, unlike many companies, it doesn’t cover the cost of labor. Also, any plastic parts are only covered for 30 days, which is not ideal.
If you’re going to be storing this freezer in a garage we don’t recommend it for overly hot or very cold parts of the country where the temperatures are known to be extreme. That’s because it will cause the compressor to run constantly to maintain the selected temperature, reducing the lifespan of the freezer.
Unique UGP-175L R AC Retro freezer: User reviews
The Unique UGP-175L R AC freezer has an excellent user fan base, averaging around 4.9 out of five stars across most stockists. As you’ve probably guessed, the aesthetics score big points, with one reviewer saying: “This is attractive and compact enough to keep on our open-plan main floor.”
It’s not all about style though, we found plenty of substance too and some users commented on how strong the seal is and how quietly this freezer operates.
The main complaint centers around the price, with one customer pointing out that “my only negative comment would be that it is pricey, and two freezers (white chest models) could be bought for the same price as one of these.” This is an issue raised across several reviews and it comes down to a personal preference as to whether you’re happy to forgo a few of the fancier features of other models to get the look you’re after.
Should you buy the Unique UGP-175L R AC freezer?
If you love the retro vibe and want a freezer that goes there boldly, the Unique UGP-175L R AC freezer is pretty appealing. It’s well constructed, with a solid and minimalist design that’s going to appeal to a lot of people.
It wouldn’t be an ideal family freezer due to it being so small, but it would work great as an additional one in a kitchen or in a small apartment. It’s also ideal for anyone who doesn’t require much freezer space.
