Chill Factor

Sub-Zero Inc.

We wouldn’t blame anyone for thinking that freezers represent the ice age of appliances, because the chest and upright models that are designed for use in the home typically change little from one year to the next. But that’s hardly the case in 2010. Developments in the past year and innovations that are on the way indicate that the freezer industry is no longer frozen in time.

The biggest news is that the manufacturer that was responsible for producing five major brands closed its doors in late 2009. That means that you’ll have fewer options from which to choose the next time that you shop for a freezer. Meanwhile, a few manufacturers are incorporating more technology into the next generation of freezers, so in the years ahead, you’ll see models that have as many as three temperature zones that allow you to store foods at different freezing levels.

CHOICES CHILLED. When W.C. Wood went out of business in November 2009, it had a domino effect on the freezer industry. Wood was the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for its own models, as well as models that were sold under the Amana, KitchenAid, Maytag and Whirlpool brands. In 2008, those brands accounted for about 21 percent of all upright and chest freezer models, as well as five of the six models that we chose as Best Buys that year (the last time that we covered this category). At least four of those five Best Buy choices are no longer on the market.

The bad news for consumers is that less competition means fewer choices and, in the case of freezers, higher prices. Based on our analysis of pricing in 2008 and then in 2010, you should expect to pay today from $50 to $100 extra for freezer models that are the same as or similar to models that were made 2 years ago. Manufacturers tell us that the price increases reflect an increase in the cost of materials.

We don’t expect these price increases to subside any time soon, even though annual freezer shipments in 2009 increased for the first time since 2002, according to Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

As for the brands that Wood produced, we’re sorry to say that it’s uncertain as of press time what will happen with them. What we know is that in January, Whirlpool reopened Wood’s U.S. freezer manufacturing plant. In April, Whirlpool gave us a list of freezer models that it plans to produce: 18 for Whirlpool and six for Amana. At press time, Whirlpool listed prices and specifications on its website for 10 of those models, but it gave no indication when those models would be available in stores. In addition, the company provided no information, such as prices and availability, on the other eight Whirlpool models or the six Amana models that it says it plans to produce.

We assume that all of these models will arrive in stores later this year. It’s a good bet—but only a guess—that all of the new freezers will use the same materials, features and designs as those that Wood used. Of the model numbers that Whirlpool provided, only one matched a previous Whirlpool model that received a Best Buy, but nobody at Whirlpool would confirm our suspicion that it’s the same model that Wood produced for Whirlpool in 2008.