A flexible, frost-free 17 cu ft upright that can flip between refrigerator and freezer duty, making it a smart pick for garages and overflow storage with a solid 4.2 rating.
Buyers who want a convertible unit they can run as either a fridge or a freezer, especially for garages, basements, and seasonal overflow.
Skip if
You need a fridge with a dedicated freezer compartment in one cabinet, or a compact unit for a small apartment.
Capacity 17.0 cu ft
Installation Freestanding
Shelves 4
Door Right
Color Black
Weight 165.3 lb
Priced 44% below the category median ($1,499.00 across 23 tracked models)
Shelves of 4 - higher than 82% of the 23 models we track
Weight of 165.3 lb - lighter than 64% of the 23 models we track
Pros
Convertible: runs as either a refrigerator or a freezer
Frost-free operation, no manual defrosting
Energy Star rated for efficiency
Generous 17 cu ft single-zone capacity
Four glass shelves for easy organization
Cons
Single zone means no simultaneous fridge-and-freezer compartments
Heavy at about 165 pounds, harder to move
Utilitarian black styling suits a garage more than a kitchen
Modest review count of 123 so far
Our scorecard
4.1/5overall
Owner rating4.2/5
4.2 average across 123 owner ratings
Value for money4.1/5
$49 per cubic foot, below the category median
Popularity4.3/5
123 owner reviews, more than most models here
Storage space2.9/5
17.0 cu ft, roomy for this category
The overall score is owner satisfaction weighted by how many reviews back it, so a high rating from few reviews counts for less. The bars below show where this model stands against the other refrigerators and freezers we track in this category on price, popularity and size. Context, not marks against it, and our read of the data, not a lab test.
Overview
The BLACK+DECKER BUC1700XB is a 17-cubic-foot convertible appliance that blurs the line between refrigerator and freezer. Its core appeal is flexibility: you can run the whole cabinet as a fridge when you need cold storage, then switch it to freezer mode when you need to stockpile frozen goods.
It's built around practical hardware. Four glass shelves organize the interior, the cabinet is frost free so you skip manual defrosting, and it carries an Energy Star rating that signals attention to running costs. The black finish and freestanding design make it a natural fit for a garage, basement, or utility room rather than a showcase kitchen.
At roughly 165 pounds, this is a substantial single-zone unit on a standard 120-volt outlet. With a 4.2 rating across 123 reviews and steady monthly sales, it's a dependable choice for households that value being able to repurpose the cabinet as their needs change.
Specifications
Capacity
17.0 cu ft
Installation
Freestanding
Shelves
4
Door
Right
Color
Black
Weight
165.3 lb
Voltage
120 Volts
Performance notes
The 17 cu ft cabinet is a single temperature zone, so its strength is volume in whichever mode you choose rather than splitting fresh and frozen at once. Frost-free operation keeps the interior clear without manual defrost cycles, and the Energy Star rating points to controlled running costs for an appliance this size. Four glass shelves handle heavy loads, and the standard 120-volt power means no special install, but the roughly 165-pound weight makes placement a two-person job.
What buyers say
Buyers most appreciate the convertible flexibility and the frost-free convenience, often using it as garage or backup storage. The common reservations are about the single-zone limitation and the unit's weight, which makes positioning it a bigger task than a compact fridge.
