Food Storage In Igloo KoolMate 36qt v Cooler

[Kurt Struss]

I recently purchased an Igloo KoolMate travel thermoelectric fridge. In planning my food and gear for a trip out west in two weeks, I became unsure about the reliability of this product compared to the ice and cooler method I have always used. I set it up outside (in the shade) during a hot day (93°) and it did cool down but only about 45° lower than ambient temps.

When set up inside with the house air on it was, of course, cooler. How do you pack and store food when overlanding? Have you used this product or one similar? I don’t think we can compare this to a travel fridge with a compressor. Do you find the standard cooler with ice best? Note: no ice can be used with this product however you can use sealed frozen packs.


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[MOAK]

Friend, I'm three years retired now from driving an 18 wheeler for 25 years. I used that type of cooler almost exclusively for about the first 15 years, then the last two company issued power units had compressor type refrigerators built in. I cannot say how often all my food was spoiled with the thermo-electrics, but it was quite a few times. Just shut the truck off and that cab and sleeping quarters became an oven and the cooler would fail in it's job. It also draws in all the dust floationg around, so you'll want to keep the fan and the air ducts cleaned. This requires removing panels, pulling the fan out and washing everything thoroughly. I cleaned mine at least once a month and still had to purchase a new one every two years or so. I used one in my old jeep for only one trip, it just couldn't keep anything the least bit chilly. If you are going to use one, keep it off the floor, (floor can become very hot) , keep the intake and outake vents unrestricted, keep it out of the sun and keep your A/C on all the time. If I had the 25 years to do all over again, I would have purchased a compressor fridge freezer in the beginning and saved myself a lot of food, and a lot of money. My best advice? Ice is very reliable, take that thing back to wherever you got it, get your money back. It will let you down.

 

[Kurt Struss]

Friend, I'm three years retired now from driving an 18 wheeler for 25 years. I used that type of cooler almost exclusively for about the first 15 years, then the last two company issued power units had compressor type refrigerators built in. I cannot say how often all my food was spoiled with the thermo-electrics, but it was quite a few times. Just shut the truck off and that cab and sleeping quarters became an oven and the cooler would fail in it's job. It also draws in all the dust floationg around, so you'll want to keep the fan and the air ducts cleaned. This requires removing panels, pulling the fan out and washing everything thoroughly. I cleaned mine at least once a month and still had to purchase a new one every two years or so. I used one in my old jeep for only one trip, it just couldn't keep anything the least bit chilly. If you are going to use one, keep it off the floor, (floor can become very hot) , keep the intake and outake vents unrestricted, keep it out of the sun and keep your A/C on all the time. If I had the 25 years to do all over again, I would have purchased a compressor fridge freezer in the beginning and saved myself a lot of food, and a lot of money. My best advice? Ice is very reliable, take that thing back to wherever you got it, get your money back. It will let you down.

Thanks Moak. That speaks to what I was thinking. I didn’t want to get out in the Badlands with it failing. Maybe I’ll go heavy on MRE’s this adventure.


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[mylilpwny]

Seconding what Moak said. They are not really worth it. Towards the end of my trucking career I was running teams and ended up just giving it to the guy that took over the truck didn't want to waste the space storing it. We only used it to keep things cool like drinks and stuff. Nothing that we counted on it keeping cool and not going bad. Also in my experience they tend to be a bit power hungry for what they are. Imo they are great for basically a ice chest substitute for drinks and stuff but anything else I wouldn't count on them. We went through 3 warranty claims on them in 2 years.

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[Kurt Struss]

Seconding what Moak said. They are not really worth it. Towards the end of my trucking career I was running teams and ended up just giving it to the guy that took over the truck didn't want to waste the space storing it. We only used it to keep things cool like drinks and stuff. Nothing that we counted on it keeping cool and not going bad. Also in my experience they tend to be a bit power hungry for what they are. Imo they are great for basically a ice chest substitute for drinks and stuff but anything else I wouldn't count on them. We went through 3 warranty claims on them in 2 years.

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Great info. Thanks.


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[LVCoffeeguy]

I work on espresso machines that have that same sort of tech in them. Peltier chips will fail in normal temps if their fans get even slightly blocked. Now add 90+ temps and you will have failures for sure. Now, with all of that said I have heard of people adding Ice or Ice packs to supplement the coolers load. Id guess this helps but I wouldn't trust it to keep my steak cool.

 

[Horse Soldier]

I have and engel and a wynter fridge/freezer and would not trade them for anything. Ice is always reliable and does not need a battery. I again with Moak, get your money back and if you can't just do what I would and take it to the gun range and have fun.