guide
A worked basket plan for a freezer with a compressor step
Follow a complete 30-by-18-inch example, then see why removing the step changes the count.
Use measured interior space
This example uses a rectangular freezer interior 30 inches wide, 18 inches deep and 28 inches high. A compressor step occupies a 10-by-9-inch footprint in the back-right corner. These are sample measurements, not specifications for a particular freezer brand or capacity.
The candidate basket is 14 by 9.4 by 5.1 inches. That matches one documented iSPECLE example in the tool; listing text rounds its length to 14 inches while an image shows 13.9 inches. Using 14 keeps the calculation conservative. Actual handles, rims and the opening still need checking.
Enter every allowance
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Interior width / depth / height | 30 / 18 / 28 inches |
| Step width / depth | 10 / 9 inches |
| Basket width / depth / height | 14 / 9.4 / 5.1 inches |
| Wall clearance / basket gap | 0.25 / 0.25 inch |
| Lift allowance | 2 inches |
| Layers / rotation | 1 / allowed |
Read the output
The planner finds two basket positions in one layer. Both are rotated so the 9.4-inch dimension runs across the freezer and the 14-inch dimension runs front to back. Their left edges are 0.25 and 9.9 inches from the left wall. The rightmost basket ends at 19.3 inches, clear of the step beginning at 20 inches.
The height above this single layer is 22.9 inches. That is the interior height minus 5.1 inches; it is not a promise that a loaded basket can be lifted through the opening. The entered two-inch lift allowance is a minimum geometric check, not a verified ergonomic requirement.
Why the step matters
Turn off the step while keeping every other number unchanged and the tool finds three positions. That third position uses space the step actually occupies. Leaving the step out of your measurements would therefore overstate this example's usable floor layout.
The tool excludes the top of the step. It also compares a limited set of grids rather than every conceivable arrangement. Read how the step partitions work before treating a count as a maximum.
Translate positions into a purchase
Two positions mean two baskets for this floor layer. If the exact candidate is sold only as a four-pack, one pack supplies the two positions plus two spares. It does not make four floor positions appear. Higher layers need a separate decision based on the basket's stacking instructions and measured access.
Before ordering, use the basket buying checklist. Measure the narrowest opening, confirm handle position, check wall taper and compare your paper footprint with the freezer. Re-run the tool with your own measured values; a freezer's advertised cubic-foot capacity is not enough.
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