How to choose an upright, self-defrosting freezer? All,

we're in the market for a freezer.  It will be in our (converted) garage, and due to our space constraints we want a self-defrosting upright freezer.

I found some useful-ish articles such as:
- http://housewares.about.com/od/refrigeratorsfreezers/a/chestvsupfreezr.htm
- http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/freezers/buying-guide.htm

Intended use is to store leftovers (mostly from stewy dishes), broth, ice-cream and cuts of meat (we might want to buy a 1/4 or 1/2 steer or hog, butchered and packaged).  Currently we do not use our sub-fridge freezer for much in terms of veggies or fruits.  We might want to get and ice-cream maker and store the bowl too.  An automated ice cube maker would be nice, but not a must have.

Convenience, ease of mind, and build quality are key.  Price &amp; cost of use are important but secondary.

I am interested in opinions from current freezer owners on key features &amp; characteristics.  What are the details that you have found useful, what are those you found were gimmicky?  How to assess build quality?  Should we look for a longer warranty than 1 yr?  

Many thanks,

JDelage
From my own experience, watch out for the following pitfalls.


Size. Very wide or very long items don't fit, so shop for the most interior space available.
Plastic doors. Check that these are secured and don't fall out easily. Check if spare parts are available and affordable. If you can, buy one with
Only drawers.
Auto-defrost is nice. Check how and where the drain-water goes. Plan for it.
Buy the most energy-efficient you can afford.