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@mep1811 is right, it's a thermoelectric cooler, much like the
Coleman ones you see at truck stops.
They are essentially an ice cooler with a fan in the lid, but no compressor, freon or cooling agent.
They may at best keep your food about 45-50 degrees cooler than ambient temps in your vehicle. Which in summer, when you need it most, means warm beer and meat and the rest of the year means just barely passable, if you keep it out of the sun and park your vehicle in the shade.
I've had a couple of the Colemans over the years, and in the long run found they just aren't worth it. They need more maintenance and attention than my ARB 50 and use more power. My ARB was ten times as expensive, but will last, judging from experience, a hell of a lot longer than ten Colemans or Crivits.
*** If you do get one, here's some TIPS:
- Keep that sucker as full as you can. It will work harder to cool empty space.
- Start off with freshly-filled frozen water bottles and small flexible
ice-packs to fill any empty spaces.
- Keep extra ice-packs to put in whenever you take something out. Keep it full. Even with my ARB I keep a small soft-sided lunch cooler for stashing extra ice-packs.
- Get a couple sheets of freezer style bubble wrap cut to size to keep inside over the top of everything, or make one out of
Reflectix style thermal wrap doubled up and taped around the edges. Then you just lift the side you want to get into, keeping as much cold in as you can.
Here's a youtube review, in which the Crivit he has gets down to just under 50ºF (10ºC). Keep in mind he is in an apartment at constant temps, not a vehicle going through a wide range of conditions.
Also keep in mind a typical fridge in a house is usually around 38-40ºF (3.3-4.4ºC). A difference of 10 degrees F might not seem like a lot, but it is when trying to keep drinks cold and food from spoiling.
Good luck man; let us know if you get one and how it works out. Could be just the thing for some folks for day trips right time of year.
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Roaddude - Traveling Photographer/Writer/Artist On the Road In North America. Gear, reviews, people, places, and culture.
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