The short answer
A Comfee compact upright freezer that has developed a rattle is most often something the cabinet is resting against, with a loose lid catch or hinge close behind. A Comfee upright is bought because it fits where a chest will not - a utility room, a hallway, a small kitchen - and everything about its behaviour follows from being tall, narrow and opened from the front. Two of the four are owner work; the last one on the list is not, and knowing which is which saves the call-out.
What you observe
- A buzz or rattle whenever it runs — It starts and stops with the compressor, which is the clue.
- A rattle from the lid or the latch — Light sheet metal in sympathy with the machinery below it.
- NEAR MISS - grinding or screeching — Unplug it and stop. That is a bearing or a blade, and running it on turns a part into a repair.
Causes, most likely first on this brand
- Something the cabinet is touching — First on this cabinet: a freezer runs for hours at a time and vibrates the whole while, so a wall, a shelf bracket or a box leaning against it turns a hum into a buzz that fills the room.
- A loose lid, latch or hinge — Second, and close behind: the lid is a large light panel held by a catch, and once the catch or a hinge works loose it buzzes in sympathy with the compressor underneath it.
- A cabinet standing unevenly — Third: on three feet instead of four the shell rocks every time the compressor starts, and a garage or basement floor is rarely flat.
- The compressor or its mounts — Last, and that is the whole point of the order: last, because a compressor that is noisy and still freezing is usually an old compressor on tired mounts, which is a judgement about the cabinet rather than a repair.
Check in this order, and why
- Pull the cabinet away from everything it touches — The likeliest cause and it is settled in a minute with no tools.
- Check the lid catch and the hinges for anything loose — Loose metal buzzes at exactly the pitch people report as a failing compressor.
- Rock each corner and watch whether it moves — Nearly as common and just as cheap to rule out.
What an owner can safely check
- Pull the cabinet clear of the wall and anything stacked against it — The commonest fix on this page and it needs no tools at all.
About 10 min
- Check the lid catch and the hinges and tighten what is loose — Loose sheet metal is the loudest cheap fault there is.
Tools: screwdriverAbout 15 min
- Rock each corner and adjust the feet until it sits solid — A cabinet that rocks on the diagonal buzzes every time the compressor starts.
Tools: spirit levelAbout 15 min
- Put a hand flat on the lid while it runs — Vibration you can feel means contact or levelling; vibration you cannot feel means it is coming from inside.
About 5 min
- STOP HERE if the noise is grinding, screeching or metallic — That is a moving part failing - unplug it rather than running it to see what happens.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the freezer before tightening a shelf, a hinge or a panel, or reaching behind it - a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Stop and unplug for grinding or screeching rather than running it to find out what happens.
When to call a technician
Call when the cabinet is standing solid and clear, nothing inside is resting against a wall or a shelf, and a mechanical noise remains. Call the same day for a noise that arrives together with a load beginning to soften, because then the noise is a symptom rather than the problem.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page covers compact upright freezers as a class rather than one model line. Shelf designs, mounts and panel fixings differ by family, and where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit it is linked below. Not here: sound ratings and part identifiers.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
