Time for a new fridge?

[NJRadioGuy]

I've been running an Iceco JP-40 since 2020, and with the fridge slide now installed in my 2022 Jeep JL, I've been keeping it powered on in the back 24/7 now. The other day I was packing for a weekend trip. Wanting to leave home at oh-dark-thirty I packed all my food and camping gear in the Jeep the night before. I came out to a fridge failure and my perishable food spoiled with the internal temp at 62° for five hours previous. The DC circuitry seemed to be the problem. The power cable was good and the connections were clean but the DC power would shut down after a few minutes. I moved the power over to 120 from my Bluetti inverter and got through the weekend but it's horribly inefficient power-wise, and I have to recharge the 1440Wh Bluetti every two days now. I no longer trust the Iceco fridge and I need to replace it ASAP with a high-end unit.

I don't trust Iceco after this, so that essentially leaves ARB, Dometic, Engel, or SnowMaster, and I'm leaning towards ARB for its reliability and energy efficiency, but I'm open to opinions. Money isn't a factor, but space, reliability, and remote monitoring is. I have the Goose Gear plate system in the back, and whatever fridge I buy will have to fit on it, behind the left side 40% back seat.

Which high-end fridges would you trust for a 2-week wheeling trip on difficult 4WD trails in extremely hot weather conditions 2500 miles away from home or in the Alaska wilderness? Which ones use the least amount of electricity to maintain their set temperature and hold that temperature without massive fluctuations (the Iceco JP40 fluctuates in 20° temperature swings). And lastly, which one has some form of monitoring that will let me know when the temperature rises above 40°F? Tricky, since that would indicate that power to the fridge was interrupted and thus no way to monitor the temp. It doesn't matter to me if I'm car camping 5 miles outside of town or 200 miles from the nearest store, spoiled food will ruin a trip fast and I'm prepared to do whatever is necessary to prevent that from happening, but I do need help from those who've gone through this before and now have a reliable setup.

Essentially I'm after the BEST quality fridge I can get, not the cheapest. I'm not looking for workarounds if it fails, suggestions to just get a Yeti and 2 bags of ice, or "I've never had a problem with my Iceco" kind of replies. If you've built up a long-distance full-time overland setup in a Jeep Wrangler or other smallish SUV, what are you using, how long has it been working for you and what pitfalls must I be aware of? I cheaped out the first time. I will NOT make that mistake again! Please and thanks.

 

[El-Dracho]

The reputation of Engel fridges is legendary. I have only had good experiences with them. We have an Engel fridge for many years now, and it simply keeps running during trips lasting weeks or even months. We have also often been in regions with extreme heat, and everything has been totally problem-free with the Engel fridge. In addition I have only heard good things about this manufacturer from people around me.

 

[NJRadioGuy]

The reputation of Engel fridges is legendary. I have only had good experiences with them. We have an Engel fridge for many years now, and it simply keeps running during trips lasting weeks or even months. We have also often been in regions with extreme heat, and everything has been totally problem-free with the Engel fridge. In addition I have only heard good things about this manufacturer from people around me.

Yes, I've heard the same thing which is why it's on my list. Size is my only concern. Will it fit behind the back-left seat in a Jeep JL? Whatever fridge I purchase must fit back there, period. I run a ground tent/cot setup and the space to the right of the fridge is required for the rest of my gear.