Chilling Out! Fridge vs Cooler?!
Overlanding has more in common with tailgating than most would think. Once the destination is reached, the task at hand turns to unpacking, setting up, and (more often than not) preparing food. Most overland vehicles are equipped to carry a wide variety of supplies and tools to allow extensive travel off-road and on trails; one of these key pieces of equipment is the cooler or fridge. But how do you decide between expedition cooler vs fridge?
Let’s consider both and look at some popular options.
COOLERS
Portable and Versatile
Coolers have evolved considerably in the past decade. YETI kicked off the modern cooler trend with hyper insulated coolers, which keeps drink and food cold for 3-4 days. This heavier duty style has many different brand choices, from the aforementioned YETI, Pelican, ENGEL, Coleman, etc. These systems use a series of foam insulation and therm-molded plastic to retain coldness for much longer than your dad’s carry handle cooler. Prices can range between $40-$200 dollars for Colemans, and $300-$800+ for YETI coolers (depending on the size).
Most of these products use heavy duty O-Rings, latches, and purge valves to keep hot air out and cool air in. This means ice can last 2-3 days before completely melting. It can last even longer if you pre-chill the cooler before adding ice or cold packs.
Usage is Everything
A key factor in retaining internal temperature is minimizing the amount of times the cooler is opened and closed. For those who go the cooler route, we suggest having a two cooler system. One for meats, vegetables and other perishables, and a smaller second cooler for beverages and items that are accessed frequently. When the second cooler loses its ‘omph’, a single bag of ice is all that is needed to recharge it. (Assuming you are able to hit a small store or gas station during your journey.)
*Note from Corrie: We use 2 28 qt Coleman Xtreme Coolers: one in the back of the rig, and one for the easily accessible items. The second one fits in the back seat. You can’t argue with the price point and they do a great job!
Cooler #1 is for meat, veggies, eggs and other perishables we don’t need while driving.
The advantages of a cooler are that they can be easily loaded or removed from a vehicle, stored outside in the elements, and moved around your campsite. Most have spots for tie downs to be easily lashed or anchored into the storage area of your truck or SUV. They require no electricity and never really require maintenance. They can even be used as a step to reach up onto a roof rack if needed, and as an additional seat or food prep surface.
You’ll want to keep in mind that coolers create condensation as the ice melts, so don’t leave your eggs in the paper carton.
FRIDGE
Ice-cream on Demand
Photo Credit: Isaac Marchionna
The other option is a fridge/freezer system such as ARB, National Luna, Dometic, SnoMaster, etc. Whatever brand you consider, they’re all a scaled down version of what you have in your kitchen. They are full refrigerators and require electricity to operate. Because of this you’ll need a constant hot 12v port to properly install a fridge. These systems typically range in price from $600-$1000+.
Technical detail: Most vehicles shut off power to the 12v sockets when not in use, which would cause your fridge to unintentionally defrost. (No one wants their 3rd night steak to go bad.)
A wide assortment of food can be carried in a vehicle mounted fridge/freezer as long as power is supplied. You don’t have to add more ice or worry about food becoming soggy, or frozen foods melting. This allows for a wider variety of foods to be carried to an off-road/on trail campsite.
For daily use, even when not at the campsite, having a car fridge means cold drinks when stuck in traffic or snacks after a long day around town.
The one downside is power consumption; most fridges will typically run for 5-7 days before turning off from low voltage. Almost all quality fridges will shut down rather than drain a battery.
Volume and Capacity
Photo Credit: Isaac Marchionna
The one commonality between these two systems is that the amount of storage space is smaller than the space they take up. Most are typically in the 40 to 50 qt range. This sounds like a lot, but for a long weekend you’ll find yourself running out of space quickly.
Expedition Cooler vs Fridge: Splitting Hairs
If you want to sleep in your rig and go on 3 – 4 day trips, we recommend cooler. If you regularly do trips longer than a week, and sleep outside the rig, a refrigerator is a GREAT option!
So which one is best? Ultimately, you don’t NEED either, but it makes the experience of exploring outdoors that much better. It elevates the trip beyond dehydrated food and bottled water. As with all gear, either choice has strengths and weaknesses. Your budget + desired comfort level + duration on an adventure will inform you more than any product review.
And besides, nothing is better after a long day on the trail trail like a cold drink or a nice fresh steak. How it gets there is up to you.
One thing to remember with a fridge is that you get a fair bit more space since ice will not be taking any up any room.
Yes, this was the major selling point for me when I bought my fridge!!! Also, no more saturated food also (non Yeti ice chests) lol.
I would go with the fridge setup. I'm looking at putting solar panels on the roof rack for constant voltage. I have a dual battery system already. Anyone familiar with doing this kind of setup?
I recently added solar to my duel battery setup. All you need to ad is the solar panel. (i have 1 100w panel), and a solar charger/controller. My panel is fitted with brackets so I can take it off the roof and angle it to get the most direct sun. Panel goes to the controller then to battery. The controller ensures a steady current and prevents overcharging.
Fridge. If my fridge stops working, I would order another one. I just dont want to deal with ice anymore.
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Use Fridge as primary with solar !
I run a single group 27 deep cell marine battery in my Land Cruiser. That single battery handles ALL the chores….. winch, lights, rear winch, fridge/freezer, commo gear, etc. And I have had zero issues. (So far… knock on wood) I am preparing to put a 100 watt solar panel on my roof rack, just need to find one that I like. From what I’ve read/heard 100 watt’s is a perfect size for taking care of “everything” you may need to run! Fridge, coffee pot, radios, lights, etc.
I love my ARB Fridge, it does a fantastic job keeping my food cold and was a huge help during Hurricane Irma when my power was out… I didn’t have to throw away food!
[QUOTE="BlackHawkUH-60, post: 158992, member: 2969"]I would go with the fridge setup. I'm looking at putting solar panels on the roof rack for constant voltage. I have a dual battery system already. Anyone familiar with doing this kind of setup?[/QUOTE]
That’s the way to go. We’re running a Snomaster 82d Expedition dual zone fridge freezer in our 80 series. I have a dual battery setup with an 80watt solar panel on the hood. Works pretty good![emoji1303]
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[QUOTE="Marine7, post: 159025, member: 4512"]I run a single group 27 deep cell marine battery in my Land Cruiser. That single battery handles ALL the chores….. winch, lights, rear winch, fridge/freezer, commo gear, etc. And I have had zero issues. (So far… knock on wood) I am preparing to put a 100 watt solar panel on my roof rack, just need to find one that I like. From what I’ve read/heard 100 watt’s is a perfect size for taking care of “everything” you may need to run! Fridge, coffee pot, radios, lights, etc.[/QUOTE]
100watt renogy kit on Amazon is the way to go. Comes with the panel, mounts, cables and charge controller. [emoji1303]
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Really happy to see this discussion, I've been torn between cooler or fridge. I've see coolers (45 cubic non yeti) work just fine and able to hold ice for about 15 days. I'm not sure if I want to spend the money for an ARB fridge when I'm only out for 2 weeks at a time. If I was living out of my rig full time I'd use the fridge for sure. I'm hoping for more information and input from other members before I make the purchase
oh, fridge of course, no question. put a 100W solar panel on the roof and 90Ah in the back, and you’re good to go for a week if not more without firing up the engine ..
[QUOTE="BlackHawkUH-60, post: 158992, member: 2969"]I would go with the fridge setup. I'm looking at putting solar panels on the roof rack for constant voltage. I have a dual battery system already. Anyone familiar with doing this kind of setup?[/QUOTE]
that's what I have on my Xterra,. Had my first low voltage issue last weekend. 4 days in northern maine in mostly rainy, cloudy weather and I didn't start of the weekend with topped off batteries 🙂 I'm only running 60 amp hours worth of battery capacity, which I didn't expect to be enough.–actually surprised how long I went without any issues. I'll up that next time the batteries I use are on sale.
I imagine the vast majority of people that would choose a cooler, even for a weekend getaway, are ones that haven’t experienced the bliss of a fridge. I have a NL 50 dual zone, and haven’t given the investment a second thought. It’s a complete game changer.
We also use it when not on the trail or camping. As a “beer fridge” for get togethers, day trips, drive in movie, and emergency cold if our power goes out.
And yes, you give up some of the storage room compared to its physical size, but you do the same with ice in a cooler.
With a 90ah battery and 100w solar in our trailer, we can go almost indefinitely keeping our food cold.
I'm going to be using a combination. Yeti for the drinks and Fridge for the food.
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I would love a fridge, but just can't get around the price. I want to spend that on other upgrades. Ice is sometimes a pain, that will be helped with a quality cooler. I have spent weeks on the road and over 20 nights in the rtt this year and more planed this year. I will be getting a quality cooler and hope that will do the job for extended periods away from resources. I know fridge is the answer but I want to spend it elsewhere.
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Peer pressure finally caught up to me at Expo East and now I’m the owner of a Dometic CFX 40 fridge. I joke about the peer pressure (*cough cough* [USER=3499]@outwardbound[/USER]) but it really just makes sense when you think about all the use you could potentially get out of the fridge and the amount of money you'd end up spending on ice. I'm so glad to be mostly done with ice and I think its almost funny how the new fridge and my Tundra 65 compare. Completely empty the fridge is only 10lbs heavier than my Yeti but that difference quickly disappears with ice. External dimensions are similar but internally the CFX 40 is a good bit larger than the Tundra 65 once you add ice. Using the 'cans' comparison the Yeti holds 39 while the Dometic's number is 60. One of the biggest things that I'll be glad to be done with is pulling things out of the ice and then having to dig the hole back out to put that item away. A real pain with a full cooler. My biggest sticking point was power. I have to give thanks to [USER=3499]@outwardbound[/USER] for alleviating that concern and showing me just how efficient and how easily it can be managed. The Outback isn't exactly 2 battery friendly so I'll be running a power pack and a Renogy 100w suitcase solar panel. Good riddance ice.
After years of service, my Coleman cooler (barely in shape) got replaced by a RTIC 45 that was on sale (only reason i got one, and nope, won't touch a Yeti!). The problem i have is that a 45qt cooler loses most its space from the ice. I also use dry-ice for my long trips. Very effective, but not cheap.
So now i have a (cheap used) 45qt fridge. It is slimmer than the cooler and fits perfectly at back of my jeep. If anything, i may want to add a small soft-side cooler for the beach.
Only problem is you will gain more friends since they know you have cold beer stashed in your fridge.
I use a fridge for food and a yeti for beverages, cocktail ice and backup just in case I ever have a fridge issue in the middle of nowhere. After using the fridge a lot over the last year I will never not have one. I would pay twice as much for it now that I know how much nicer it is to have one. I have several yeti coolers that are great for drinks, fish, etc… but food gets wet in any cooler eventually and wet food sucks. Also, the more a cooler is opened the quicker the ice goes. I don’t mind too much about sorta cold beers swimming in icy water, but I don’t like sorta cold food swimming in icy water. Consistently cold and dry food that is easily organized in the two baskets that came with the fridge makes my trips so much nicer. I typically pack an emergency sixer in the bottom and I easily have enough room for several days of food for two people. The fridge necessary for a typical trip for me is much smaller than the cooler I use to need for the same stuff because of all over the room used up by ice. When I get back from a trip I easily pull the two baskets out of the fridge and put the leftovers back in the house fridge and don’t have to wonder if the mayo stayed cold enough or have to throw away a bag of cheese that was half full of water, etc… I typically work on my own stuff and build what I can to save money here and there, but the fridge is definitely a permanent luxury in my truck that is worth every penny.
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[QUOTE="Wawa Skittletits, post: 159374, member: 4450"]Peer pressure finally caught up to me at Expo East and now I’m the owner of a Dometic CFX 40 fridge. I joke about the peer pressure (*cough cough* [USER=3499]@outwardbound[/USER]) but it really just makes sense when you think about all the use you could potentially get out of the fridge and the amount of money you'd end up spending on ice. I'm so glad to be mostly done with ice and I think its almost funny how the new fridge and my Tundra 65 compare. Completely empty the fridge is only 10lbs heavier than my Yeti but that difference quickly disappears with ice. External dimensions are similar but internally the CFX 40 is a good bit larger than the Tundra 65 once you add ice. Using the 'cans' comparison the Yeti holds 39 while the Dometic's number is 60. One of the biggest things that I'll be glad to be done with is pulling things out of the ice and then having to dig the hole back out to put that item away. A real pain with a full cooler. My biggest sticking point was power. I have to give thanks to [USER=3499]@outwardbound[/USER] for alleviating that concern and showing me just how efficient and how easily it can be managed. The Outback isn't exactly 2 battery friendly so I'll be running a power pack and a Renogy 100w suitcase solar panel. Good riddance ice.[/QUOTE]
Glad I could help. I still use both depending on the requirement. But my fridge pretty much stays in the truck all the time, plugged in or not. The efficiency and low-cost of them makes ownership easy. If someone is willing to drop HUNDREDS of dollars on a Yeti cooler, then a fridge isn't out of the question given a 40L dometic, or an amazon special Whynter fridges are pretty affordable. And nearly every brand has a high-efficiency compressor and the tech to prevent battery drain.
[MEDIA=amazon]B002W8DM5I[/MEDIA]
Both coolers and fridges have there place. I go between both depending on what I’m doing and for how long.
That said… She (fridge) is currently acting as my beer cooler.
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ARB 35 qt is one of the best kit investment I ever made. Use the heck out of it. 3 weeks camping in Norway and we always had cold drinks and fresh meats. And it’s not just when overlanding. Annual block party – combined with my goal zero for power and I storing everyone’s food for the grill. (as long as there’s room for my beer). Same at the company BBQs. Annual wine run to Italy (8 hour drive for me) I pick up some cheese and good salami and keep it cold overnight and for the drive home. Mother in-law fridge broke. ARB as an interim solution until the new one was delivered.
[QUOTE="Wawa Skittletits, post: 159374, member: 4450"]Peer pressure finally caught up to me at Expo East and now I’m the owner of a Dometic CFX 40 fridge. I joke about the peer pressure (*cough cough* [USER=3499]@outwardbound[/USER]) but it really just makes sense when you think about all the use you could potentially get out of the fridge and the amount of money you'd end up spending on ice. I'm so glad to be mostly done with ice and I think its almost funny how the new fridge and my Tundra 65 compare. Completely empty the fridge is only 10lbs heavier than my Yeti but that difference quickly disappears with ice. External dimensions are similar but internally the CFX 40 is a good bit larger than the Tundra 65 once you add ice. Using the 'cans' comparison the Yeti holds 39 while the Dometic's number is 60. One of the biggest things that I'll be glad to be done with is pulling things out of the ice and then having to dig the hole back out to put that item away. A real pain with a full cooler. My biggest sticking point was power. I have to give thanks to [USER=3499]@outwardbound[/USER] for alleviating that concern and showing me just how efficient and how easily it can be managed. The Outback isn't exactly 2 battery friendly so I'll be running a power pack and a Renogy 100w suitcase solar panel. Good riddance ice.[/QUOTE]I bought my 65 at OXW. What a great price, right? I can't wait till next year, Im going to get another one, smaller. Im thinking the 50. Also thinking a small small one for inside the truck.
I haven't had a problem with power. I don't know about others, but the Dometic has a shutoff when the amps get to low it won't run anymore. That way you can still start your rig. And with the insulated cover they run a surprisingly small amount, even in the Arizona desert heat!!
Mine will run for at least 24 hours without running the battery down to where the fridge hits its safety switch. I haven't had the rig parked that long yet. Eventually I do want a house battery and solar though.
I'm a cooler guy. I like to keep things simple, lightweight and inexpensive. We largely camp at campsites where we can usually freeze 2l bottles of water. Two of these keeps everything cool, fresh and dry for 3 or 4 days in our Coleman. As for beer cooling, a bucket of water and a wet towel over the top works well.
I just spent 2 weeks in Moab and my 50liter ARB fridge, I love it. The other guys there with us had to play with ice and soggy food.
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When it comes to fridges do you find that like a home fridge they add heat to the cabin of your?
Right now I’m fine with my twin cooler system.
The only travel fridge I’ve been in close contact with was a gift from an in-law. We never could get it to cool anything down far enough to keep even soda cold. It was also noisy.
[QUOTE="ErinF, post: 160650, member: 12514"]When it comes to fridges do you find that like a home fridge they add heat to the cabin of your?
Right now I'm fine with my twin cooler system.
The only travel fridge I've been in close contact with was a gift from an in-law. We never could get it to cool anything down far enough to keep even soda cold. It was also noisy.[/QUOTE]
I don’t seem to get a noticeable amount of heat from my fridge but it’s in the bed of the truck under the shell. What you are probably talking about is a 12v cooler, they work completely differently than an actual refrigerator and will usually barely keep already cold stuff cool. An actual 12v portable refrigerator has a high efficiency compressor and typically can be set low enough to use as a freezer, mine goes to -8. The fan is noticeable but not noisy, if I was sleeping right next to it I would maybe consider replacing the fan with one of those super quiet computer fans, but otherwise it’s not bad. Once you have a refrigerator on the trail you will have a hard time using ice for food. Dry and consistently cold food, less space, etc… I used mine yesterday for a Costco run and needed to do some other errands before heading home.
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I took my Yeti 65L (I think that’s the size) in the back of my 2016 ‘taco TRD Offroad in June with no topper,on a ten day trip from Southern Indiana to Telluride, CO. On that trip we never put ice in the cooler after leaving home…not once. It kept everything cool for ten days. I had questioned whether the investment was worth it. It proved to me it was. The only drawback was that it took up a lot of space.
[QUOTE="Lintnercorey, post: 160660, member: 7722"]I don’t seem to get a noticeable amount of heat from my fridge but it’s in the bed of the truck under the shell. What you are probably talking about is a 12v cooler, they work completely differently than an actual refrigerator and will usually barely keep already cold stuff cool. An actual 12v portable refrigerator has a high efficiency compressor and typically can be set low enough to use as a freezer, mine goes to -8. The fan is noticeable but not noisy, if I was sleeping right next to it I would maybe consider replacing the fan with one of those super quiet computer fans, but otherwise it’s not bad. Once you have a refrigerator on the trail you will have a hard time using ice for food. Dry and consistently cold food, less space, etc… I used mine yesterday for a Costco run and needed to do some other errands before heading home.
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Ah that makes sense. That 12v cooler just didn't perform. Right now my trips are under 5 days so the dual Coleman coolers are fine. We freeze bottles of water so we end up with fresh cold water as they melt and our food stays dry. Since we don't drink beer, or much soda, we usually don't need to refresh the drink coolers ice during the trip.
The frig seems more like a nice to have for what I'm doing. I don't have to manage extra power requirements from it. But in return I do have to manage cleaning and drying the coolers after each trip.
What is the weight difference between a ARB and say a fully loaded Colman Extreme?
Member 8127
Oh, I wonder where this goes!
Pros and cons for a fridge summed up
Cons – Fridges are expensive and you will need to consider a 2nd battery
The end.
Seriously if it wont break you to buy a fridge it will be worth your money, but you will have to think about adding more power capacity, other than that a rotomold cooler is a fine choice if you do your homework for food prep and ice retention.
One other thing i always remember being a hassle with cooler. We would normally have some food that we didn't end up cooking, typically those steak nights turning to a noodles night since that's all the time you got to prep food. By the end of the trip, my dry-ice is done, and the ice/cooler starts to become a slushy mess. By the time we get home, all that uncooked food goes to trash.
Fridge solved all that 🙂
[QUOTE="Jeepney, post: 161402, member: 5970"]One other thing i always remember being a hassle with cooler. We would normally have some food that we didn't end up cooking, typically those steak nights turning to a noodles night since that's all the time you got to prep food. By the end of the trip, my dry-ice is done, and the ice/cooler starts to become a slushy mess. By the time we get home, all that uncooked food goes to trash.
Fridge solved all that :)[/QUOTE]
I really like being able to put everything back in the house fridge after a trip and knowing that it’s all still safe to eat, not a wet mess, and if it’s late getting back I just leave it on and unload it when I get around to it, sometimes the evening after getting back.
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[QUOTE="ErinF, post: 160968, member: 12514"]Ah that makes sense. That 12v cooler just didn't perform. Right now my trips are under 5 days so the dual Coleman coolers are fine. We freeze bottles of water so we end up with fresh cold water as they melt and our food stays dry. Since we don't drink beer, or much soda, we usually don't need to refresh the drink coolers ice during the trip.
The frig seems more like a nice to have for what I'm doing. I don't have to manage extra power requirements from it. But in return I do have to manage cleaning and drying the coolers after each trip.
What is the weight difference between a ARB and say a fully loaded Colman Extreme?
Member 8127
Oh, I wonder where this goes![/QUOTE]
The weight would probably be about the same or less but I never weighed either. I do know that my 43qt fridge is a little smaller than the 75qt yeti I used to use to haul the same amount of food since you don’t need to have room for ice.
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Any issues running a fridge (Dometic CFX-65DZ) in the back of a truck bed that doesn’t have a cap? Any concerns with rain or snow to the fridge electronics?
[QUOTE="nismoz33, post: 161453, member: 14010"]Any issues running a fridge (Dometic CFX-65DZ) in the back of a truck bed that doesn't have a cap? Any concerns with rain or snow to the fridge electronics?[/QUOTE]
Yes, i think most i've looked into, including Dometic, say to keep away from the elements.
The vast majority of my trips are less than 5 days. I use a cooler. I freeze a 24 bottle case of water instead of carrying ice. It keeps the cooler a lot less messy. I pull out several every morning to carry in the cab. I drink them as they thaw. I will still have frozen bottles after 4 days, even with a crappy cooler.
The key is that I cool everything before putting it in the cooler. I interleave the frozen water and pop, putting the food on top. No more messy draining the cooler and having soggy food.
I would take fridge over cooler any day. you have to account for the ICE that also takes up space . I have 6 Yeti cooler for our boat . they are for fish mainly and open and close quite frequently . I would love to have freezer so i can fit more fish and no ice.
also long live solar power that can extend your outing. yes expensive but way more pragmatic .
Cooler guy here, until I can afford a fridge.
I vote for the fridge, as well. Nothing like having cold food at the end of day 3, and it hasn’t been soaking in ice water all day. It was hard to justify the cost until I owned it and took the first 2week trip with it. ARB 50 qt.
I have a Norcold fridge/freezer in our Sportsmobile. It is awesome. I have 200 watt solar panels that charge the house battery and run the fridge. Like others have said, ice takes up a lot of room in a cooler.
I bought a dometic 35 qt off amazon this summer, paid about the same as a yeti knock off. Love it! That being said I won a yeti knock off from one of my vendors. So the fridge gets my food and the cooler gets my drinks. It nice not seeing my hamburger floating by my beer. Having a full size van helps as I have more then enough room for both. I wouldn't have been able to do that with the Scout. If I go back to Storm response work Ill move the 35 qt to my service truck and get a larger one for my van.
[QUOTE="John D., post: 161976, member: 16097"]Cooler guy here, until I can afford a fridge.[/QUOTE]
I'm with John. Can anyone explain why are these fridge's are just short of a thousand dollars?
My dometic was just north of 350, 35 qt. only got to use it a few times but worked well so far. I have twin yellow tops, with a sol to keep them separate never had a problem with voltage.
[QUOTE="kickkem, post: 169345, member: 12998"]I'm with John. Can anyone explain why are these fridge's are just short of a thousand dollars?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE="kickkem, post: 169345, member: 12998"]I'm with John. Can anyone explain why are these fridge's are just short of a thousand dollars?[/QUOTE]
It's not just the cost of the fridge. It's the batteries, changers, solar panels and so on needed to run the thing, plus the additional weight you need to carried this kit as well. For me the moto, "keep it simple and keep it light" is key.
It also depends on the type of trips, I rarely stay more than 1 day in the same spot. I was a cooler guy until I bought a Snomaster twin fridge freezer, I have a split charge and a 80A battery. This runs my camp lights and fridge and I don't think I will ever go back to a cooler. All in it cost $1000 and around 3 hours to fit.
If I'm staying longer than 1 day I make my own ice by freezing bottles in the freezer compartment while driving which I move to the fridge compartment when camped and it acts like a powered cooler, with this we stopped for 3 days without needing extra power and our 80amp battery was still able to power.
[QUOTE="Truck mechanic, post: 169424, member: 4327"]My dometic was just north of 350, 35 qt. only got to use it a few times but worked well so far. I have twin yellow tops, with a sol to keep them separate never had a problem with voltage.[/QUOTE]
At a price point under $400.00 I can see the benefit. That being said, I drink whiskey with ice and water as an evening drink, so need a cooler, anyway.
Fridge all the way for me. Installed it before I left for a seven week trip and it was great. Both for days worth of meals and for cold drinks at any time.
One benefit I don't see mentioned is I no longer feel like I have to go straight home from the grocery store. That's a rare gift in high traffic areas where errands can take forever.
I used an Ice Mule to carry I've when I want it, that thing will keep ice forever.
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Coleman Marine Ice Chest for me. Someday considering a Fridge, but the price point and power system for it just isn't feasible for me right now.
That being said, for the Cooler Crowd, instead of packing your ice chest with gobs of ice, a really functional and effective way to keep your ice chest cold is to pre-cool it: add a bit of ice to your chest before you put food in it. Close it and then once you do utilize it, poor the ice out and then layer the bottom with frozen 16oz water bottles. I am amazed at how long and how cold frozen water bottles keep the contents of the cooler. And, if need be, you can drink them as they melt (although I have had bottles of water still 1/2 to 2/3 frozen in my cooler after 5 days! If you do a layer of water bottles at the bottom, then drinks, then a layer of ice, and then your dryer cold storage foods on top, I have found the ice melts between the frozen water bottles and you don't get the soggy bottom foods as much. Also, always pre-freeze meats and pre-refridgerate foods BEFORE you put them in the ice chest if you can.
Funny story, I did this method a few weeks ago on a 5 day trip to Pismo dunes and upon day 3 when I went to pull my bag of already cracked eggs out of the cooler, they were frozen solid! I mean hard as a rock! and they went in slightly chilled. I have found this method work very effectively. It'll be a cold day in Death Valley before I give up my Coleman….
Do you know the cost of a Coleman Marine Ice Chest. Since I only have a 2 door wrangler this sounds perfect for me. What would be the smallest size I could buy for use, for 4-6 days, for one person; since room in my wrangler is very limited.
This is exactly what I have. It's the largest I found, and did a LOT of research before buying. I've been nothing but happy with it. They may make a smaller version, but you will have to search Coleman for what may fit your size and application.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-70-qt-Xtreme-Marine-Cooler-White/34105098?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222228022580964&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=42977388152&wl4=pla-81469724552&wl5=9031864&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=34105098&wl13=&veh=sem
ArmyofMike OB#7890
[USER=19301]@fly boy[/USER]
Here is a 50qt model. Mine is a 70qt.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-50-Quart-Marine-Cooler/8187712?action=product_interest&action_type=title&beacon_version=1.0.2&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&client_guid=bc020007-a070-402d-3d15-277cf8412a62&config_id=106&customer_id_enc&findingMethod=p13n&guid=bc020007-a070-402d-3d15-277cf8412a62&item_id=8187712&parent_anchor_item_id=34105098&parent_item_id=34105098&placement_id=irs-106-t1&reporter=recommendations&source=new_site&strategy=PWVUB&visitor_id=RvZlJOOIIWeqAWyL4xx8w0
ArmyofMike OB#7890
Thanks AoM!
Justin
what I like & do may not be for others. This works for me & the wife. I have a Engel 12v. 22qt fridgfreez & love it. The size fits Sally & I perfectly. (1st) I use the Engel to store my meat & condiments only, (2nd) the reliability of the Engel in power consumption & over all life use is unbelievable, wouldn't use anything else than a Engel. Their reputation speaks volumes.
I have 2 rotomolded coolers, K2 Summit 70 w divider which we store milk, juice, beer, soda & other items that we like on ice only. One side of the cooler has frozen jugs for milk, juice, tea, liter soda. The other side of the divider holds iced down beer, can soda. The other cooler is Canyon 22qt which we store only ice in for drinks, ice tea. The secret to these cooler for long lasting ice is; prep cooling the coolers ahead of time, large ice chunks (gallon milk jug frozen,) keeping the cooler out of the sun (shade only), be fast on the opening of the lid & be sure to secure it tight. Lastly is NOT draining the ice water from the cooler. We can get 4 days of ice in our coolers.
They both have their pro's & cons about them.
[QUOTE="kennedyma, post: 158981, member: 6587"]One thing to remember with a fridge is that you get a fair bit more space since ice will not be taking any up any room.[/QUOTE]
I run (2) 100 watt portable Renogy solar panels ran together which gives me 200watts to run my Engel, Propex H2000 tent heating system (during the late fall early spring) or I can run my Engel with my Mighty Kool portable 12v. A|C during the summer with 1 VMax 125amp battery & have plenty of power. I can tell you 100watt wont do it. My suggestion is get ahold of Renogy Solar & they can set you up with the fail safe system.
I run a Yeti Roadie 20QT when I head out to the ranch, it usually holds a case of beer and some snacks. If I only need a 12 pack I'll throw it in the RTIC 20QT Soft Side Cooler. For camping/overlanding my plans are to keep the ice for drinks in the Yeti Roadie 20QT, all drinks (water/tea/juice/beer/etc.) in the Yeti 65QT, and then foods and condiments in a fridge.
I have yet to buy a fridge/freezer as I am not quite sure which make or model I most interested in, but it's coming soon. The one thing I can't wrap my head around when it comes to these fridges is how expensive they are. I just can't understand why a 50QT fridge costs as much as full size, double door at home fridge/freezer. The prices on these things need to come back down to earth if you ask me.
[QUOTE="Tex68w, post: 187976, member: 3426"]I run a Yeti Roadie 20QT when I head out to the ranch, it usually holds a case of beer and some snacks. If I only need a 12 pack I'll throw it in the RTIC 20QT Soft Side Cooler. For camping/overlanding my plans are to keep the ice for drinks in the Yeti Roadie 20QT, all drinks (water/tea/juice/beer/etc.) in the Yeti 65QT, and then foods and condiments in a fridge.
I have yet to buy a fridge/freezer as I am not quite sure which make or model I most interested in, but it's coming soon. The one thing I can't wrap my head around when it comes to these fridges is how expensive they are. I just can't understand why a 50QT fridge costs as much as full size, double door at home fridge/freezer. The prices on these things need to come back down to earth if you ask me.[/QUOTE]I agree it's a larger investment. Part of the reason they cost what they do is demand. If every house had one or two, they'd be cheaper. Another contributor to price is that they are designed to be bounced around a little in the back of your truck, which a home fridge is not.
Still, a lot of money.
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[QUOTE="100RNR, post: 187989, member: 11619"]I agree it's a larger investment. Part of the reason they cost what they do is demand. If every house had one or two, they'd be cheaper. Another contributor to price is that they are designed to be bounced around a little in the back of your truck, which a home fridge is not.
Still, a lot of money.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]
That…. and most can run off 12/24vdc. and 110/220vac. The dual voltage all the way around is another big plus.
My Wife thought I was crazy when I bought mine.. She and my daughter used the fridge on her vacation back home (last summer) for a 7 day trip. She has already said with “no if, and, or butts about it”, that she is taking it again. And if I have anything planed while they are gone…. then I’m SOL. Haha
Im rocking a Yeti 45 and its amazing. the price isn't but It really does keep everything cold for a extended amount of time.
Just got back from maiden trip with an ARB fridge. It's a game changer. Yeti's are amazing for what they do…but at the end of the day they still will have ice melt that will get your food soggy in a matter of a day or two. Having the fridge for all of our cold food items and my Yeti for drinks worked amazingly well. The ice and subsequent melt kept the drinks cold for our 5 day trip and the ARB did it's thing with the food.
It's a big investment upfront…but entirely worthwhile if your budget allows.
I have an arb 50 qt and would never go back to a cooler. The in8tial investment ain't cheap but honestly, totally with it. Heck I had a connection come loose on the main board of the arb during our Mojave road trip. I stopped at target bought ice and turned the arb into a cooler for that trip. Then I fixed it myself when I got home. We have used my fridge in the house to store extra prepped foods for thanksgiving and Christmas dinners that we had.. That alone made it worth it to have a fridge.
I have an 80 series LC and have four boys, so third row stays in. Does anyone know of a fridge that would fit behind third row?
Thanks
Fridge is worth the money. I now have two, a medium and a large. Has more uses than just camping/overlanding.
They should come standard in every vehicle….
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I told myself a few years ago I was going to get a fridge and it never happened LOL. Last year I got an RTIC 45qt and its been amazing. One day I'll get a fridge for the rig but for now my cooler setup does the trick.
I also have a yeti Hopper 30. The hopper fits perfectly behind the seat for drinks and snacks for the kids.
I eventually chose to go the ARB fridge route a short while ago. The initial investment hurt however Im happy to have the option of being “ice free”, although there isnt anything better than an ice cold beer covered in ice. Im running it with a CTEK D250S dual battery “charger” that sits between my stock start battery, and two-22ahr batteries wired in parallel, I had laying around in the garage. I eventually want to replace the 44ahr with something better, mounted under the bed. The current 44ahr batteries run my fridge, 12v water pump, and a few other usb and 12v outlets behind the seat of my ’12 Tundra Crewmax. What I like about the CTEK (or similar product), is it not only isolates and refines the charging of a dual battery set up, but it also has the option of connecting a solar panel, giving you another option to charge both your batteries when the vehicle isnt running. Ive actually left the fridge in the truck for several days with no solar panel connected. It maintained temp, and never turned off (CA mild weather).
12v fridge is a game changer and the single best upgrade for camping. My ARB 50qt has been running continuously for 10 years, either in my truck or in my home cooling beers or fridge overflow.
As mentioned, no more soggy or wasted food. Beer and drinks stay cold. Most new 12v fridges have automatic shutoff for low voltage to help from keeping u stranded.
One thing to watch for is that the 12v plugs can become loose and your wiring needs to be able to handle the draw. Most rear 12v sockets aren't up to the task and are switched on with ignition. I have added Anderson plugs and a fuse box to the rear to ensure a good connection that won't bounce loose.
Even with the voltage protection, I recommend everyone carry a lithium jumpstart battery. Very small but can jump you if you are stuck. I jave actually used mine a few times to help others. Much easier than maneuvering vehicles and using jumpee cables.
100% fridge. No more ice, no more soggy stuff. My fridge is used just about every day. We use it for camping, road trips, Costco :-/ you name it. It keeps my lunch cold on my 1+ hr drive to work. In the valley of the sun (Phoenix AZ) it’s changed how and what we do in the summer [emoji106]
I have a Dometic CFX 35. I got it for $535 on Amazon after watching the price fluctuate over 6 months. They have a newer one that is bluetooth and you can monitor the fridge via tablet or phone. I got the older one and saved a few bucks.
There are plenty of brands out there that aren’t going to break the bank. I’ve seen people with Whynter in their vehicle they have had for years.
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I ike my ARB 50 even though the cost is high it is worth it to me.
[QUOTE="Carlos Bishop, post: 208227, member: 21684"]I eventually chose to go the ARB fridge route a short while ago. The initial investment hurt however Im happy to have the option of being "ice free", although there isnt anything better than an ice cold beer covered in ice. Im running it with a CTEK D250S dual battery "charger" that sits between my stock start battery, and two-22ahr batteries wired in parallel, I had laying around in the garage. I eventually want to replace the 44ahr with something better, mounted under the bed. The current 44ahr batteries run my fridge, 12v water pump, and a few other usb and 12v outlets behind the seat of my '12 Tundra Crewmax. What I like about the CTEK (or similar product), is it not only isolates and refines the charging of a dual battery set up, but it also has the option of connecting a solar panel, giving you another option to charge both your batteries when the vehicle isnt running. Ive actually left the fridge in the truck for several days with no solar panel connected. It maintained temp, and never turned off (CA mild weather).[ATTACH=full]51659[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]51661[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]I need to talk to you! Your the only one I've found so far that has the setup I've been trying to configure, can I pm ya?
[QUOTE="trailhunter, post: 209021, member: 22382"]I need to talk to you! Your the only one I've found so far that has the setup I've been trying to configure, can I pm ya?[/QUOTE]
Sure. Feel free to PM. Do you have a Tundra? Or just interested in the set up. My set up works but is by no means completed. I’d like to go through it s manage wires and connections better. But for now it works great.
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[QUOTE="BlackHawkUH-60, post: 158992, member: 2969"]I would go with the fridge setup. I'm looking at putting solar panels on the roof rack for constant voltage. I have a dual battery system already. Anyone familiar with doing this kind of setup?[/QUOTE]
yes i run a 12v truck frig freezer on a 160 watt solar in my trailer 24/7 runs year round on a deep cycle from Walmart yellow marine use a Trace charge controller yep love that ice cream on the trail
ARB 50 all the way. I used a variety of cooler set-ups for decades and now that I have a 12v fridge, I can't imagine using anything else, even for short weekend jaunts. I keep my fridge in my vehicle, not trailer, so I always have food and drinks with me. Fits perfectly into my kitchen work flow when camping, too.
Much much easier to use, super easy to keep powered, and more than pays for itself in the long run. Can't vouch for all the other 12v fridge/freezers, but the ARB has a 12v plug and outlet you can get that screw together, so no chance of it vibrating out on the trail. Even though I have deep cycles in my trailer, I regularly run my 12v fridge just from the starting battery system on my van.
** One thing a lot of people don't consider when thinking about getting a 12v fridge is that the ARB has (and I suspect most other 12v fridges have) an integrated battery protection system that senses when your battery is getting low, so reduces power to the fridge. Makes it much easier to use your vehicle battery and not get an auxiliary battery right away if you don't want. I've never had a problem yet, with over 10,000 miles of travel on the fridge, of it draining my battery or of the fridge temp getting too warm. I forgot it had the battery protection at first and would unplug it after it got to temp.
Only pulls around 1.2 amp when it is running, though it is so efficient that it really doesn't have to run constantly to stay at temp.
** Another thing SO many users overlook with 12v fridges is allowing your unit to have enough space around it for the vents to work properly. If you stuff it into a drawer, cabinet, or storage system with tight sides, it will have to cycle more to stay at temp and will be fighting higher surrounding temps and less air circulation, eventually leading to premature wear.
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