April 2022 rolling out now: check 1st post. 3 Models 25% so far. (2 Viewers)

[SharpeCat]

This is a great thing you've organized here.

Thank you for the kind words brother, i really appreciate it!

@Owyhee Jackass Sorry it took a while and seems you figured it out. For everyone else, all of their fridges are BOTH 12V and 24V compatible, as well as BOTH 110v and 220V compatible. You are set to travel the world with it if you’d like!

 

[SharpeCat]

Sounds good, and hopefully you didn't interpret my reply in a negative or greedy tone, was just curious if there was a tier-based discount. I'm on the fence about my next couple of big purchases and found out about this GB from another forum because it was cross posted. Thanks!

Not at all brother, I can read your good intentions from a mile away. I think a tier-based discount is right, and that when looking at it in the long run, that it’s only fair that as the community grows and purchases more, that our discount should be reflective of that. I think that will be brought up soon enough, and I’m just trying not to get too far ahead of myself and bite more than I can chew.

My point is, I understand exactly where you are coming from, and will be personally keeping an eye out for opportunities to sweeten the deal for us.

And whoever cross posted and shared to other forums, give them a big thanks for me! If mud comes together and buys together we get a pretty nice discount. If entire forums come together, that’s going to be a great discount. This helps to pave the way! It was unexpected help and very much appreciated.

 

[SharpeCat]

And I’m glad you brought it up @msgs350 , that’s part of my project for today and tomorrow; individual spec sheets and comparison tables. I will post results at end of my work sessions.

 

[SharpeCat]

Code worked. This was a total impulse-buy (eye-roll), but I've been thinking of getting something like this for a while, like every time I have to run around town looking for block-ice. (don't have room in my freezer to make my own). FYI on the slide, it was a bit more than you have listed on your price pic. 194.25 vs. 149.25.View attachment 2357494

I just realized from your screenshot, the code stacked on top of the 3% discount. So you actually got 28% off the fridge I think. It took 25% off $829 instead of $888! Thanks again, I’ll fix that also in the price list.

 

[Whoareu2200]

I HAVE IN CART THINKING ABOUT IT LOL

 

[Ratchey]

Ok curiosity got the best of me, and I tested it on 3 items. I will call them right away to get the issue fixed for the VL65 dual zones, where the 3% sale price prevents the 25% coupon. Other ones are working.

Also same issue with the VL65 dual zone with bag, so I will also let them know.

View attachment 2357417

Where did you find the VL65 dual zone with the bag combo. I have been over that site multiple times. I can only find the 60DZ with a bag.
I did email them asking if they offered that but haven't received a response from them yet.

 

[SharpeCat]

I HAVE IN CART THINKING ABOUT IT LOL

I go by the 3-day rule unless time sensitive. 3 days of soul searching will weed out most of the impulse decisions.

 

[SharpeCat]

Where did you find the VL65 dual zone with the bag combo. I have been over that site multiple times. I can only find the 60DZ with a bag.
I did email them asking if they offered that but haven't received a response from them yet.

don’t remember how I got there, maybe Products - All, or Products - VP Series. I pulled link from my cart this time. If you have questions I may be able to get you an answer quicker. I did get the sense that they are busy and sometimes outright missed emails. I got instant response on 2nd email, no response after weeks on first.

68.7QT VL65 Dual Zone 12v Car Fridge with Cover | ICECO

VL65 Combo Package List: VL65*1 VL65 Cover*1

icecofreezer.com

 

[islandboi]

Hi, surfing for fridges, ended up finding this website, and this offer sounds quite attractive! I'm looking at either the VL60 or VL65 dual-zone with covers.

But I can't find any answers on their website to a few questions. Any info appreciated!

1) Insulation and current draw
What's the insulation thickness? A friend highly recommended snomaster, which look amazing but are ~$1200. They brag of their 55mm, 60mm, or even 70mm insulation depending on the model. I'm trying to get a sense of current consumption over 24 hours in hot Texas weather, and of course, insulation will affect that.

Arb says its Zero only consumes "0.8 Ah (DC12V set at 5C, 32C ambient temp)". How do I get an "equivalent" comparison to the IceCo? Or does the IceCo cost much less because even if the compressor is a Secop, poor insulation makes it that much less efficient over an entire day?

Amazon user reports are conflicting:
Good:
* been running it 24/7 in the Phoenix heat. No issues whatsoever
* a VL45 inside a hot Jeep Grand Cherokee at well over 100F (engine off/in sun) in the summer and it works, but without the insulated cover the steel case will be very hot on the outside.
* My VL 65 draws about 1 amp per hour after it is at set temperatures (but does not mention outside temp)
* Over a time period of 24 hours it pulled 0.26Khw through my watt meter so it averages 10.8 watts continuous power draw using ECO mode (ambient temperature of 79 degrees F)

Bad:
* "... the info is NOT on the web site. Nor does the company respond when you email them. I asked for amperage on eco mode at 12V, AND what proportion of the time is it on versus off (at ambient temp of 70F = 22 ). No response "
* "Unit has really hard time working in vehicles in warmer climate. I live in Texas and now have a $500 ice chest that I buy ice for Avery other day."
* unable to keep 40F with outside temp of 100F

I also found their latest product, which they crowd funded. I wonder why the felt they needed a "cooler" concept -- thicker insulation?
New IceCo Cooler

In short, I am really concerned about it being able to keep up in the Texas summer.

2) I'm interested in the bigger VL65, but I THINK that you can't set the temperature of both compartments to be either frig or freezer independently, unlike the VL60. Is that correct?
The reason I think that:
* The VL60 title says "ICECO VL60 Portable Refrigerator Freezer FLEXIBLE Dual Zone design" but the VL65 title does not have the word "FLEXIBLE".
* The VL60 amazon description says " You can set the same temperature for the freezer on both sides or set be cooler than the other. Moreover, you can choose to turn off one zone for the purpose of energy-saving or capacity requirements "
* The VL65 amazon description does not say that.


3) Is there a combo with cover for the VL65? Could not find it. Actually, could not even find the cover by itself on their website.

I'm going to submit these same questions to the company and will report here if they respond.

Best!

 

[Ratchey]

Hi, surfing for fridges, ended up finding this website, and this offer sounds quite attractive! I'm looking at either the VL60 or VL65 dual-zone with covers.

But I can't find any answers on their website to a few questions. Any info appreciated!

1) Insulation and current draw
What's the insulation thickness? A friend highly recommended snomaster, which look amazing but are ~$1200. They brag of their 55mm, 60mm, or even 70mm insulation depending on the model. I'm trying to get a sense of current consumption over 24 hours in hot Texas weather, and of course, insulation will affect that.

Arb says its Zero only consumes "0.8 Ah (DC12V set at 5C, 32C ambient temp)". How do I get an "equivalent" comparison to the IceCo? Or does the IceCo cost much less because even if the compressor is a Secop, poor insulation makes it that much less efficient over an entire day?

Amazon user reports are conflicting:
Good:
* been running it 24/7 in the Phoenix heat. No issues whatsoever
* a VL45 inside a hot Jeep Grand Cherokee at well over 100F (engine off/in sun) in the summer and it works, but without the insulated cover the steel case will be very hot on the outside.
* My VL 65 draws about 1 amp per hour after it is at set temperatures (but does not mention outside temp)
* Over a time period of 24 hours it pulled 0.26Khw through my watt meter so it averages 10.8 watts continuous power draw using ECO mode (ambient temperature of 79 degrees F)

Bad:
* "... the info is NOT on the web site. Nor does the company respond when you email them. I asked for amperage on eco mode at 12V, AND what proportion of the time is it on versus off (at ambient temp of 70F = 22 ). No response "
* "Unit has really hard time working in vehicles in warmer climate. I live in Texas and now have a $500 ice chest that I buy ice for Avery other day."
* unable to keep 40F with outside temp of 100F

I also found their latest product, which they crowd funded. I wonder why the felt they needed a "cooler" concept -- thicker insulation?
New IceCo Cooler

In short, I am really concerned about it being able to keep up in the Texas summer.

2) I'm interested in the bigger VL65, but I THINK that you can't set the temperature of both compartments to be either frig or freezer independently, unlike the VL60. Is that correct?
The reason I think that:
* The VL60 title says "ICECO VL60 Portable Refrigerator Freezer FLEXIBLE Dual Zone design" but the VL65 title does not have the word "FLEXIBLE".
* The VL60 amazon description says " You can set the same temperature for the freezer on both sides or set be cooler than the other. Moreover, you can choose to turn off one zone for the purpose of energy-saving or capacity requirements "
* The VL65 amazon description does not say that.


3) Is there a combo with cover for the VL65? Could not find it. Actually, could not even find the cover by itself on their website.

I'm going to submit these same questions to the company and will report here if they respond.

Best!

They provide drawings with dimensions. Although I don't think one of them is accurate 60vs65 they should still give you a good idea of the gap between the inner tub and outer wall (appx 2.12")

The 65 has the same features as the 60. Here is a video I found on that

There is a combo for the 65 with a cover. I can't find it on the site but it is there [Combo] ICECO VL65 Dual Zone 68 Quart 12v Car Fridge&Portable Refrigerator, Danfoss Compressor

Most fridges will struggle in a car at 100 degree temps as the temp inside will be well over 140. You are asking for over 100 degree decrease in temp. My house AC struggles in those temps and that is a much bigger compressor. The vehicle needs to be in the shade or at a minimum the fridge out of direct sunlight and covered.

 

[SharpeCat]

Hi, surfing for fridges, ended up finding this website, and this offer sounds quite attractive! I'm looking at either the VL60 or VL65 dual-zone with covers.

But I can't find any answers on their website to a few questions. Any info appreciated!

1) Insulation and current draw
What's the insulation thickness? A friend highly recommended snomaster, which look amazing but are ~$1200. They brag of their 55mm, 60mm, or even 70mm insulation depending on the model. I'm trying to get a sense of current consumption over 24 hours in hot Texas weather, and of course, insulation will affect that.

Arb says its Zero only consumes "0.8 Ah (DC12V set at 5C, 32C ambient temp)". How do I get an "equivalent" comparison to the IceCo? Or does the IceCo cost much less because even if the compressor is a Secop, poor insulation makes it that much less efficient over an entire day?

Amazon user reports are conflicting:
Good:
* been running it 24/7 in the Phoenix heat. No issues whatsoever
* a VL45 inside a hot Jeep Grand Cherokee at well over 100F (engine off/in sun) in the summer and it works, but without the insulated cover the steel case will be very hot on the outside.
* My VL 65 draws about 1 amp per hour after it is at set temperatures (but does not mention outside temp)
* Over a time period of 24 hours it pulled 0.26Khw through my watt meter so it averages 10.8 watts continuous power draw using ECO mode (ambient temperature of 79 degrees F)

Bad:
* "... the info is NOT on the web site. Nor does the company respond when you email them. I asked for amperage on eco mode at 12V, AND what proportion of the time is it on versus off (at ambient temp of 70F = 22 ). No response "
* "Unit has really hard time working in vehicles in warmer climate. I live in Texas and now have a $500 ice chest that I buy ice for Avery other day."
* unable to keep 40F with outside temp of 100F

I also found their latest product, which they crowd funded. I wonder why the felt they needed a "cooler" concept -- thicker insulation?
New IceCo Cooler

In short, I am really concerned about it being able to keep up in the Texas summer.

2) I'm interested in the bigger VL65, but I THINK that you can't set the temperature of both compartments to be either frig or freezer independently, unlike the VL60. Is that correct?
The reason I think that:
* The VL60 title says "ICECO VL60 Portable Refrigerator Freezer FLEXIBLE Dual Zone design" but the VL65 title does not have the word "FLEXIBLE".
* The VL60 amazon description says " You can set the same temperature for the freezer on both sides or set be cooler than the other. Moreover, you can choose to turn off one zone for the purpose of energy-saving or capacity requirements "
* The VL65 amazon description does not say that.


3) Is there a combo with cover for the VL65? Could not find it. Actually, could not even find the cover by itself on their website.

I'm going to submit these same questions to the company and will report here if they respond.

Best!

Hello there. I've been busy running errands and finally get a chance to sit down and hopefully get some work done that will clear up some questions. Hope you are doing well and thank you for the interest. I will try my best to answer what i can.

1. Most fridges are measured in watts, so it's hard to compare Wattage when compressor is on, to AHs at a specific temperature. We are missing information from both sides to be able to make a fair comparison; like temperatures, how long compressor is on per hour at each temp, how much continuous wattage when it is on and etc.. This is something we can tackle in the long run together and really do a fair comparison. Even without the information, i can tell you that unless there is some significant upgrade in compressor technology and insulation in the new ARBs, that the power consumption and capability will be similar between models with similar compressors.

Do you know what the draw is in watts, when the compressor is on for the ARB Zero; i could not find it? For the ARB models where they do measure it in Watts (when compressor is on), the draw is similar (around 50-65W average across most models). I highly doubt that there is that much of a difference in insulation, that it justifies spending more than twice as much, at least not for people who can't shell out $1400+ for a fridge. 2+ inches is pretty thick, so to be noticibly thicker, is going to be very thick. I don't see the Zero being that thick.

I think that if you are concerned, then go with a model with insulating bag. If that isn't enough for you, then like Ratchey said, just know that any fridge will struggle in that temperature/draw a lot of power. You will need to do little things like run the AC for a few hours a day, park in the shade, keep it mostly stocked so compressor is more efficient, and etc to help it in any way you can, with any fridge you decide to go with. You can always consider adding extra insulation yourself.

As far as the Kickstarter Cooler, i actually considered grabbing that one as a middle-ground solution until i could afford something more permanent. I doubt it's as much a "need for cooler concept/more insulation", but rather to cater to a different crowd, namely the kickstarter crowd (which is mostly budget-conscious buyers). I highly doubt that thing is durable enough for most of the members here, but most people don't put their fridges through the same trials as the average mudder. The kickstarter project seems more catered to the beachgoers, rather than the 4wheelers and overlanders. You can interpret in different ways i suppose, but i don't see the insulation part being the driving force behind the kickstarter cooler project.

As far as reviews go, every fridge on Amazon has mixed reviews. That includes ARB, Engel, Dometic and etc. There are things such as bad batches and user errors and outright sabotage from competitors, so as long as the vast majority of people are happy, then chances are it is a good product. ICECO reviews are very consistent across every selling platform and every model, and vast majority of people have been happy so far. I'm not saying all the bad reviews are illegitimate, but i am saying that good products can get mixed reviews as well, as is often the case. The ARB line is a great example of that; just wished we could afford them!

Regarding their website and email response, i have said earlier that they sometimes outright miss emails. My first email took 2 weeks no response then 2nd email got response within hours. Remember they are chinese, so there is a good chance your message went right over their heads in terms of comprehension. They are used to watts and you are asking for amperage. Before you factor in the language barrier, that's a tough question for the average rep to answer without more context. One example of context is the amazon review you mentioned, at ambient temp of 79 degrees, the amazon user reported 10.8 continuous watts draw. 10.8 watts for an hour is 10.8 Watt hours, which translates to .9aH at 12Volts. Thats a tough question even for someeone who speaks fluent english to answer, so forgive them if they skipped yours to move onto one they know how to answer/have the required information. If i recall correctly, my long email got ignored, and my short email got a quick response. Anyways, I will be stepping in and doing what I can for members who have trouble reaching IceCo. You can ask here and I will ask on your behalf, and hopefully that will get you quicker responses.

They do try their best, given that they are a small business, relatively speaking, to provide you with what they think is relevant information. If it draws 25 Watts when compressor is on in Eco mode, and normal mode is 60 W, or 2.4 times as much, and it is .9AH at 79 degrees Fahrenheight in ECO mode, then .9 * 2.4 = about 2.2 aHs at 79 degrees fahrenheit in normal mode. That is based off an amazon review, so we really need more context and data to know. My point is the lack of email, and the ugly website i can live with, as long as the product is good bang for my bucks. I'd rather them focus their efforts on the products and keeping costs down, than to focus on making the site pretty or having good email response rate.

2. I would not get hung up on the word Flexible. English is not their first language so don't get too caught up on the language. They don't even have matching add to cart buttons across different models, but as long as the button works and the coupon works, then i can live with it knowing i am getting a good value. If it says Dual Zone, then both sides can be adjusted independently of each other; otherwise it would not be a true dual zone.

I think if you tried to imagine yourself as a Chinese-native with broken english, then you'd understand why your email might just be too hard for them to understand. Even the rep they assigned me is hard for me to understand at times, but we make it work when we learn to look past the little things and focus on the bigger picture.

3. Thanks again Ratchey, for linking that for him.

I hope this clears up a few things. When i get my VL45 i will do some very thorough testing for you guys. It's been 90 degrees here in NC and about to get hotter in July, and i will be using mine a ton.

 

[SharpeCat]

@islandboi And just so you know, i did reach out to ARB first to try and organize an arb group buy, for multiple things as they have a lot of great products, but i got the sense that they don't need me/they aren't interested. When ARB products are a reasonable amount more, and not twice the price, then i'd prefer to go with the proven option. Take for example my awning, which is ARB but at 10% off and with the package deal with LED lights, that the end price was less than 20% more than similar chinese options, and so i chose to go with the proven name there. I always try to go for the proven name first, as i plan on reviewing a lot of products and want to use industry standards as a base for comparison, but quite frankly can't afford $1000-$1500 for a fridge.

However, if they ever were willing to give us a decent discount, then i will be more than happy to do what i can to facilitate that process.

The truth is I'd love to do a side by side comparison if i could get my hands on one. I am not here to take sides, but when the underdogs are the only ones willing to meet us in the middle, then those of us who cant afford to pay twice are left with no choice. By paying twice i mean once for the product, and again for the pretty ARB logo attached.

 

[SharpeCat]

Did not get as much done tonight as i hoped i would. Going to catch up on sleep and work on the comparison table and individual spec sheets tomorrow. Here is a copy of the fixed price list. Let me know if you guys spot any mistakes.

Let me know if you guys have any questions and i will do what i can to answer them tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone, and hope you all have a good night!

 

[islandboi]

They provide drawings with dimensions. Although I don't think one of them is accurate 60vs65 they should still give you a good idea of the gap between the inner tub and outer wall (appx 2.12")

The 65 has the same features as the 60. Here is a video I found on that

There is a combo for the 65 with a cover. I can't find it on the site but it is there [Combo] ICECO VL65 Dual Zone 68 Quart 12v Car Fridge&Portable Refrigerator, Danfoss Compressor

Most fridges will struggle in a car at 100 degree temps as the temp inside will be well over 140. You are asking for over 100 degree decrease in temp. My house AC struggles in those temps and that is a much bigger compressor. The vehicle needs to be in the shade or at a minimum the fridge out of direct sunlight and covered.

Looking at the dimensions in the drawing was clever!

2.12" = 53.8mm so that does give me a pretty good idea. It compares pretty well to the 55mm low-end Snomasters and a bit below the 60mm of the equivalent Snomaster, which is $1350 including the cover.

Also, I now realize quoting an amazon user who used a car was confusing. My intention is not to use it in a closed car.

My real concern is when I'm at a campground, with the cooler (with cover) in the shade, what's the likely consumption per day when there's little wind and it's 95 degrees (weather temperature -- the temperature in the shade is obviously less but I don't know by how much that is)?

That will affect what size battery I need to last 3 days, and that may take away some of the savings from the better-insulated fridge.

 

[islandboi]

Hello there. I've been busy running errands and finally get a chance to sit down and hopefully get some work done that will clear up some questions. Hope you are doing well and thank you for the interest. I will try my best to answer what i can.

1. Most fridges are measured in watts, so it's hard to compare Wattage when compressor is on, to AHs at a specific temperature. We are missing information from both sides to be able to make a fair comparison; like temperatures, how long compressor is on per hour at each temp, how much continuous wattage when it is on and etc.. This is something we can tackle in the long run together and really do a fair comparison. Even without the information, i can tell you that unless there is some significant upgrade in compressor technology and insulation in the new ARBs, that the power consumption and capability will be similar between models with similar compressors.

Do you know what the draw is in watts, when the compressor is on for the ARB Zero; i could not find it? For the ARB models where they do measure it in Watts (when compressor is on), the draw is similar (around 50-65W average across most models). I highly doubt that there is that much of a difference in insulation, that it justifies spending more than twice as much, at least not for people who can't shell out $1400+ for a fridge. 2+ inches is pretty thick, so to be noticibly thicker, is going to be very thick. I don't see the Zero being that thick.

I think that if you are concerned, then go with a model with insulating bag. If that isn't enough for you, then like Ratchey said, just know that any fridge will struggle in that temperature/draw a lot of power. You will need to do little things like run the AC for a few hours a day, park in the shade, keep it mostly stocked so compressor is more efficient, and etc to help it in any way you can, with any fridge you decide to go with. You can always consider adding extra insulation yourself.

As far as the Kickstarter Cooler, i actually considered grabbing that one as a middle-ground solution until i could afford something more permanent. I doubt it's as much a "need for cooler concept/more insulation", but rather to cater to a different crowd, namely the kickstarter crowd (which is mostly budget-conscious buyers). I highly doubt that thing is durable enough for most of the members here, but most people don't put their fridges through the same trials as the average mudder. The kickstarter project seems more catered to the beachgoers, rather than the 4wheelers and overlanders. You can interpret in different ways i suppose, but i don't see the insulation part being the driving force behind the kickstarter cooler project.

As far as reviews go, every fridge on Amazon has mixed reviews. That includes ARB, Engel, Dometic and etc. There are things such as bad batches and user errors and outright sabotage from competitors, so as long as the vast majority of people are happy, then chances are it is a good product. ICECO reviews are very consistent across every selling platform and every model, and vast majority of people have been happy so far. I'm not saying all the bad reviews are illegitimate, but i am saying that good products can get mixed reviews as well, as is often the case. The ARB line is a great example of that; just wished we could afford them!

Regarding their website and email response, i have said earlier that they sometimes outright miss emails. My first email took 2 weeks no response then 2nd email got response within hours. Remember they are chinese, so there is a good chance your message went right over their heads in terms of comprehension. They are used to watts and you are asking for amperage. Before you factor in the language barrier, that's a tough question for the average rep to answer without more context. One example of context is the amazon review you mentioned, at ambient temp of 79 degrees, the amazon user reported 10.8 continuous watts draw. 10.8 watts for an hour is 10.8 Watt hours, which translates to .9aH at 12Volts. Thats a tough question even for someeone who speaks fluent english to answer, so forgive them if they skipped yours to move onto one they know how to answer/have the required information. If i recall correctly, my long email got ignored, and my short email got a quick response. Anyways, I will be stepping in and doing what I can for members who have trouble reaching IceCo. You can ask here and I will ask on your behalf, and hopefully that will get you quicker responses.

They do try their best, given that they are a small business, relatively speaking, to provide you with what they think is relevant information. If it draws 25 Watts when compressor is on in Eco mode, and normal mode is 60 W, or 2.4 times as much, and it is .9AH at 79 degrees Fahrenheight in ECO mode, then .9 * 2.4 = about 2.2 aHs at 79 degrees fahrenheit in normal mode. That is based off an amazon review, so we really need more context and data to know. My point is the lack of email, and the ugly website i can live with, as long as the product is good bang for my bucks. I'd rather them focus their efforts on the products and keeping costs down, than to focus on making the site pretty or having good email response rate.

2. I would not get hung up on the word Flexible. English is not their first language so don't get too caught up on the language. They don't even have matching add to cart buttons across different models, but as long as the button works and the coupon works, then i can live with it knowing i am getting a good value. If it says Dual Zone, then both sides can be adjusted independently of each other; otherwise it would not be a true dual zone.

I think if you tried to imagine yourself as a Chinese-native with broken english, then you'd understand why your email might just be too hard for them to understand. Even the rep they assigned me is hard for me to understand at times, but we make it work when we learn to look past the little things and focus on the bigger picture.

3. Thanks again Ratchey, for linking that for him.

I hope this clears up a few things. When i get my VL45 i will do some very thorough testing for you guys. It's been 90 degrees here in NC and about to get hotter in July, and i will be using mine a ton.

Thank you for the long and thoughtful response! You make some really good points:
* the manufacturers are just not giving us enough info to really compare consumption. We depend on YouTubers for that. I looked, but these fridges are just too new. There are some reviews (and they are good), but they are anecdotal with no real data to answer my question.
* Hadn't thought about the English issue. Since the US address for the US distributor is in Walnut Creek, I assumed they were fluent. But that may not be the case always. It was a lengthy and wordy request.

My current thoughts (not trying to be self-absorbed here -- just brain dumping in case someone else is also having similar doubts) are:
* In terms of value and the product itself, the IceCo is a no-brainer.
* The only real issue is what happens if one gets a lemon or the unit is damaged during shipping. For example, the equivalent Whynter has 19% 1-star reviews -- that's an extremely high risk for a product this expensive. I would never do that.
Overall, across all portable refrigerator brand names, there are lots of Amazon reviews reporting significant shipping damage. It's hard for me to believe, but that's what they are reporting.
The IceCo Amazon reviews have 71% 5-star ratings, which make me feel a lot better, but still there's enough reports of damaged units and worse, no response unless you complain on Amazon.

So what happens if I buy through their website instead of Amazon, and get a lemon. Am I stuck? At the very least, I'd have to pay for shipping, which would probably be a couple of hundred dollars combined both ways. Paying $644 instead of $839 at Amazon (+cover since that one is not the combo), is a great savings of $195+, let's say total savings of $250 with cover. But is it worth the risk?

The "safer" alternative is crazily more expensive -- Snomaster has a dealer in Austin, TX, and everything I found on the internet says they give amazing service. But the equivalent Snomaster LP66 (with cover) is $1350. That's double!

Thank you again for the detailed responses!

 

[chengitis]

@islandboi Who is the US distributor in Walnut Creek since I live only 15mins away? assuming it’s Walnut Creek, CA

 

[islandboi]

@islandboi Who is the US distributor in Walnut Creek since I live only 15mins away? assuming it’s Walnut Creek, CA

I was close, but not quite right.

Their website shows address of
17583-17585 Railroad St.
City of Industry CA 91748
1-866-494-3797 Mon - Friday: 10AM - 6PM

and 3 distributors. One of them is:
Franklin Truck Parts
20350 E. Walnut Dr.
Walnut, CA

The other two are in Whittier, CA and Commerce, CA


Initially, I had a hard time finding the address. While searching, I found that though their Kickstarter project has closed, they still have a live IndiGoGo for their new cooler at $446. Won't ship till July though.

Now I'm back to the drawing board!

If I'm willing to wait, I can get two of these for $900, one as a freezer the other as a refrigerator. Some interesting tradeoffs:
* Obviously more than the $644 for the VL65, but one does get 42L * 2 = 84L compared to 65L for just the VL65
* Probably double the current consumption since running two compressors, although that will be reduced somewhat by what appears to be much better insulation. Can't even begin to guess by how much.
* Can use one of them for smaller day trips, even in a regular car. We have one sedan, one 4x4.
* Or use a luggage cart and roll it on the trail to a popular waterfall we go to a lot. Could never get the VL65 there! With a small lithium battery and/or a solar panel, the whole package probably will be lighter than all the ice we have to carry now.
* Safety margin: on the longer trips, if one of them breaks down, the other one can serve as a backup.
Similarly, if one of them gets damaged in shipment, still have the other one. Plus, cheaper to ship for service.
* The wife likes some of the cool colors.

@Dangcat Any way we could use the coupon on this IndieGogo cooler?

 

[geanes]

I was sad to discover that the Dometic CFX65 slide I purchased 2 years ago is too small to fit the VL60 or the ARB Zero 63. Those fridges are 1.5" too long and 1/4" too wide. Guess I need to spend another $200 on a replacement slide. Anyone interested in buying my Dometic slide? God only knows what the shipping on that monster will be.

 

[islandboi]

I was sad to discover that the Dometic CFX65 slide I purchased 2 years ago is too small to fit the VL60 or the ARB Zero 63. Those fridges are 1.5" too long and 1/4" too wide. Guess I need to spend another $200 on a replacement slide. Anyone interested in buying my Dometic slide? God only knows what the shipping on that monster will be.

I'm curious. Why are you getting rid of the Dometic CFX65?

 

[geanes]

I'm curious. Why are you getting rid of the Dometic CFX65?

I only have the slide. When I bought it, it was WAY less than the ARB or Alucab (only options at that time). I got the largest slide from them to be future-proof. That didn't work out so well. My actual fridge is the 54Qt Costway which sounds like a cowbell when driving over any bump. Still works, but annoying as heck. Was hoping to replace with the 60 Iceco, but it's just a smidge too big for the slide I have so I'll have to replace that too which I can't do at this time. So, I'll miss out on this deal.