'Any INEXPENSIVE (GOOD) 12V fridges out there? (1 Viewer)

[General Automag]

The 12-volt compact refrigerator/freezers from National Luna, Engel, ARB, Waeco, Edgestar, and others seem like a great idea until you look at the cost. These fridges range from $500 to $1,500! Has anyone out there found a cheaper alternative that works?

After thinking about it, an electric fridge/freezer in our vehicle is not really needed but instead is a neat concept. We camp at most for five days at a time, and with a good cooler, you won't have to fill up with ice but only once. To keep our coolers cold, we freeze .5L water bottles as well as fill and freeze 1/2 gallon paper milk and OJ containers for block ice, and well, YOU CAN BUY A LOT OF ICE (and a nice cooler) FOR $500 to $1,500.

I was hoping to find some type of cheap knock off brand at Harbor Freight or Northern Tool that you can easily fix yourself or simply return after a summer of use. 'Any suggestions or experiences with "cheap" fridges?

 

[RHINO]

nope, the edgestar IS the cheap knock off brand. you can find them used or on sale sometimes under $500 but thats about the entry price point for any of them.

keep in mind also that the fridge is only the initial investment. if you camp for 5 days at a time and dont drive the vehicle you will need at the very minimum a good big deep cycle battery, better yet a dual battery set-up, and ideally a complete solar charging set-up to keep those batts topped of ect. ect. its a very different thing taking a fridge out for a nite or two than a week long stay.

i do it and i speak from experience.

 

[Jetboy]

Dry Ice is $2/lb. The air compressor system in a 12v cooler is larger than the volume dry ice for a week will take, and heavier. You don't need a cooler at all if you choose the right foods. I do take a cooler, but to me, it's pretty difficult to justify a 12v cooler. I usually get 1 week long trip to the southern Utah desert per year and a few 4-5 day long weekends. You can also freeze many of your foods before you go, and that will help keep them cool for the duration.

By the time I need refrigeration, I probably need an RV of some sort.

 

[montanacruiser161]

Get a YETI holds ice for a week and is able to accept dry ice.

 

[greentruck]

Until you have one, the cost seems intimidating. But the pleasure of not having to fish your food and beer out of pink water makes it all worthwhile -- priceless!

Plus, you don't need as big internal capacity as with ice. First, no need for room for ice. Second, you can just add things that don't need to stay cold, but are desirable to consume cold, like beer, as you go. If you do that with ice or whatever, it'll be gone fast.

The thing with Edgestar is to keep your eye on their open box deals. I think there's actually a separate website for that now, but should be linked from their main one. We paid around $350 IIRC for our 43 liter/qt model two years ago. Very happy with it.

As for dual batteries, etc. a good idea anyway in the woods in a vehicle with an auto tranny and no way to push start. But overnight use won't drain your battery. If the truck's going to be running enough the next day to recharge the battery, you're good with a little care. I installed our dual-battery set-up because of my CPAP machine, which consumes far more power than the Edgestar.

 

[e9999]

The Edgestar is the leading low-cost fridge I think. Works great for me. Big thread(s) on those out here.



("simply return after a summer of use"...???)

 

[jonheld]

Until you have one, the cost seems intimidating. But the pleasure of not having to fish your food and beer out of pink water makes it all worthwhile -- priceless!

This is the truth. The cost kept me away. I found a great deal on an ARB unit last year and I went for it. After having coolers and dealing with ice for the last 30 years, I want to smack myself in the head for not doing this sooner.
When you add up the cost of all the food I've had to throw away in my coolers due to water contamination, I could have bought 2. They are waaaay better than any cooler could ever hope to be. I smile every time I open mine.

 

[titanpat57]

Good points Mike!

Having used both, and coolers and ice for most of my life, if my Engel broke down tomorrow and couldn't be fixed, I'd order one again the day after!

We use it year round...trips, camping, second fridge plugged in the garage for parties....and the list never ends.

You should see the look on your friends faces when you show up to a party with a cooler filled (almost 3 cases of cans!!) with "colder than ice" cold beer...priceless!

Buy one with confidence...especially if you're an outdoors kind of guy!

 

[Land Shark]

I have to agree with all the comments above for "having" a fridge. I have mine set up with the bigblue optima and keep it plugged in 24/7. I always run my truck daily so there are no issues with draining the battery. Other than camping it is nice to always have cold drinks whether they are adult beverages or drinks for the kids. We generally buy in bulk so no stopping at the convenience stores and paying the extra "convenience" price for water or drinks. I also keep fruit on hand for the kids and us so keeping better snacks is good too. Yeah, the price is hard to get by but as one ole boy told me "once you go fridge you never go back"

 

[General Automag]

Which fridge/freezer for <$500?

So which fridge/freezer would you recommend for less than $500? It would need to be at least a 50-quart size. The Waeco and Edgestars?

 

[General Automag]

Which fridge/freezer for <$500?

So which fridge/freezer would you recommend for less than $500? It would need to be at least a 50-quart size. The Waeco and Edgestars?

 

[montanacruiser161]

Fridge cant go from car to drift boat for the day! ha ha guess I am the only one on the cooler band wagon but I don't think a Yeti can be beat. Guess it all depends on your use.

 

[cody c]

Out of curiosity, anyone ever salvage parts from something like an air con unit and make their own fridge?

Though i suspect the cost of lines and parts would run about the same as the $500 cooler mentioned above, curiosity has got the better of me.

 

[Bogo]

Out of curiosity, anyone ever salvage parts from something like an air con unit and make their own fridge?

Though i suspect the cost of lines and parts would run about the same as the $500 cooler mentioned above, curiosity has got the better of me.

It's very hard to beat the economies of scale the manufacturers have.

If you are willing to spend the $$$$, parts and kits are available for rolling your own. Look at what the boating industry has come up with, but only look at their air based heat exchangers. Most boat based systems dump the heat into the water as that is much more efficient. Expect to pay close to the same price or more for the compressor, condenser, evaporator, and controls kit as a National Luna, and then you still have to make your own insulated box. The advantage for use in something like an RV is you can build the ice box into the base of a bed, seat or sofa, or into a counter.

 

[esh]

So which fridge/freezer would you recommend for less than $500? It would need to be at least a 50-quart size. The Waeco and Edgestars?

Waeco. They've been in use in Australia for years and the design was copied by ARB to build their current generation fridges. A CF-50 goes for about $550. The transit bags are only $50. I think I got mine (CF-40, was 600 a few years ago) from American RV Company.

 

[Fast Eddy]

There's an Engel on MudBay for $600 (asking) with the bag.

I'll fish my beer out of the water for that kinda scratch until I win the lotto...

 

[greentruck]

Edgestar's smallest is the 43 qt/liter/whatever, at least when I purchased. The next step up is the 65 qt, then an 83 qt?. For two people, 43 qt works well.

'Course, if you're planning on a big catch or kill or extended back country travel, you may need the extra capacity. Bigger fridges take up more space.

As for hacking something together, most fridges use a specialized type of compressor [the name escapes my CRS right now -- Danfoss?]. It's low-draw, low noise and adapts to changing voltage easily, which I think are the features that make them ideal for portable use. I'm not sure you'll find such a compressor in regular fridges or AC, but could be intriguing to try. Other methods are likely to be noisier and draw more power and you don't want the thing to be too big, either. GL

 

[rusty_tlc]

Fridge cant go from car to drift boat for the day! ha ha guess I am the only one on the cooler band wagon but I don't think a Yeti can be beat. Guess it all depends on your use.

Why? I plan* on moving mine around between Cruisers and even our road trip car. All you need is a 12V supply, no reason you couldn't throw a marine battery in your drift boat.


*the plan is to buy one when we have the extra $$$, so far no luck on that front.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I put this on Expedition Portal a few years ago, and still stand by it. It's a bit of an inside joke if you know the portal, but it applies to this discussion:

The fridge is the best piece of kit you will ever own. Buy it now.

It is better than:

Snow Peak Pots and Pans
Partner Steel Stoves
All winches but 8274s
Lifting your truck
New Tires
Any amount of lights and other bolt on do-dads
Synthetic Winch Cables
GPS units (all)
Roof Top Tents
Awnings
Heat exchanger showers

It is also way better than:

Soggy bread for sandwiches
Coldcuts you have to dry before use
Blood water
Running out of ice in Death Valley
Spoiled vegtables

It is not as good as true gear reduction if you 4 wheel. But it's better than every other mod and piece of kit you would consider without a second thought.

So buy it and don't look back.


Also,not a place to go cheap. Get a good one, or be prepared to buy 2. Engel, Waeco, ARB are great. Edgestar is a copy, and may be fine, but....

 

[TemboTusk]

.

If you get a fridge, it's real handy to have a slide ... they get heavy ... I'm just saying!

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