Reasonable Portable fridge alternative? (1 Viewer)

[DetroitStyle]

Assuming that I'm like most of you... I'm finding the $1000 price tag on an ARB fridge to be just too much to swallow. That's a bumper, sliders, winch, tent, etc... that I would rather purchase. As it seems like the $250 deal for the EdgeStar is never going to resurface (I've had it bookmarked for over a year), I started searching around. Found this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thermoelect...t_Portable_Car_Appliances&hash=item2a2fb0064d

Anybody have this or something similar? Says it holds 48 cans and cools to 40 below the ambient temperature... so unless you're well into the 90s (I'm sure some of you SoCal/TX/etc people do see those temps. They are rare here) it should do well enough?

Seems worth a shot for $130? I am busy with work/wife/kids/motorcycles so I'm not a frequent or long term overlander. I'm lucky to get out for the whole weekend. I am not expecting ARB performance from something like this... just a reasonably priced alternative for my less frequent needs?

 

[DetroitStyle]

Amazon reviews, averages 4 out of 5 stars...

http://www.amazon.com/Koolatron-Voyager-Thermoelectric-12-Volt-Cooler/product-reviews/B000Q73C66

 

[DetroitStyle]

Screw it... I bought one. I'll be the guinea pig and let you guys know how it does

 

[Qball]

I once thought fridge is crazy due to the price but once I had one I am hooked. You can even use it for less overland stuff like getting grocery, put the ice cream and meats in the fridge and have lunch or dinner, no need to rush home before everything spoils. My arb lives in the minvan 90% of the time because it would hold my sons food and hold grocery while we doing other things.

Btw those coolers are waste of money because they use a lot of power and doesn't cool much. Amazon and eBay has real fridges starting around 3-400.


...Misspelled via IH8MUD app

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

thermoelectrics are far less efficient than traditional compressor refrigerant setups, unfortunately.

 

[tonsofun]

Creepersleeper has been having good luck with his TruckFridge branded unit. They are very reasonably priced between $430 and $530 for the 30 to 60 Qt units.
http://www.truckfridge.com/models.html

 

[tonsofun]

thermoelectrics are far less efficient than traditional compressor refrigerant setups, unfortunately.

Definitely agree there. technology has been refined over the years but does not have the true cooling capacity of a proper compressor/condenser setup.
That's a lot of my interest in TrruckFridge brand, as they use a Danfoss compressor, a big name in the refrigeration industry for decades.

 

[JCruse]

There's one out there for around $350 that runs on AC, DC, and propane(!) that's supposed to get cold enough. Some said it even freezes. It only had a few reviews at the time so I figured I'd wait a little longer.

There's also a Dometic compressor fridge for $360 but it's kinda small. Somewhere around two six packs.

I'll probably get one of the small Dometics by next summer.

 

[Booger weldz]

Even if it's only 85-90f, for those of us with a black or emerald cruiser, it's 125++++ inside if parked for 20 minutes. I need a fridge bad and am willing to pay, but probably not $1000...

I need at least 30 beers for a weekend, plus a decent chunk of meat and some Gatorade. Warm shaken beer is pretty bad on day twos morning w a hangover.

 

[SmokingRocks]

I have one of the thermos and its not bad. Its not a true fridge, more like a cool box. Yes it uses a decent amount of power.. But what I do is load the top with dry ice and it keeps cool for about 2-3 days.

Another old trick is to use frozen bagged ice and regular ice + salt in a regular cooler. Ice will stay waaaaayyy longer

 

[mikedamageinc]

I have one of those types and it's not bad. I paid around $40 like ten years ago at Walmart. A few tips, it only cools something like 40 degrees so if you're driving with it in the summertime 120 trunk, its only going to 80 or so, I found that out the hard way. Keep the fan unblocked inside and out. Keep some ice in it to help out.

It also works as a warmer, only used that once but it did the job. mine also kept ice for a weekend if it didnt get opened too much and plugging i back in here and there. For over 100 not sure its worth it, but for the price I paid its great.

 

[mod5csi]

The organization I work for uses these to transport drugs.

 

[SmokingRocks]

I see.... the "organization you work for" huh... Sounds legit to me

 

[inkpot]

I have one of the thermos and its not bad. Its not a true fridge, more like a cool box. Yes it uses a decent amount of power.. But what I do is load the top with dry ice and it keeps cool for about 2-3 days.

Another old trick is to use frozen bagged ice and regular ice + salt in a regular cooler. Ice will stay waaaaayyy longer

I had a smaller, similar unit years ago. 40 degrees below ambient is in perfect conditions, reality was more like 30-35. Pre-cool all contents, and I usually had several frozen drinks like water or Gatorade in there too. I gave it up years ago in favor of a just a plain old Coleman Extreme cooler. Gets me 3+ days by prechilling everything.

 

[inkpot]

I have one of the thermos and its not bad. Its not a true fridge, more like a cool box. Yes it uses a decent amount of power.. But what I do is load the top with dry ice and it keeps cool for about 2-3 days.

Another old trick is to use frozen bagged ice and regular ice + salt in a regular cooler. Ice will stay waaaaayyy longer

I had a smaller, similar unit years ago. 40 degrees below ambient is in perfect conditions, reality was more like 30-35. Pre-cool all contents, and I usually had several frozen drinks like water or Gatorade in there too. I gave it up years ago in favor of a just a plain old Coleman Extreme cooler. Gets me 3+ days by prechilling everything.

 

[warezdog]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/rolling-the-dice-on-this-fridge-63qqt-270-shipped.788578/
just have to check daily at the minimum, I checked more often to get mine.

 

[DetroitStyle]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/rolling-the-dice-on-this-fridge-63qqt-270-shipped.788578/
just have to check daily at the minimum, I checked more often to get mine.

That's the one I mentioned in my initial post. I've had it bookmarked for almost a year and I check it every day.

 

[KS-Ryan]

I've been using this Edgestar 43 quart fridge for 3 years now. They're currently $455, but the often go on sale for less than $400. Great fridge.

 

[Dutchman82]

I took an overlanding/rubicon trip with my buddy in July who has a nice ARB fridge freezer. I always thought it was ridiculous to spend that kind of money on something on an offroad fridge, but after having beer so cold that if you drink it too fast will freeze, ice cold water on the trail (you put it in warm and it has ice in it when you took it out), or the ability to keep delicate food frozen on the bottom of the fridge and everything on top still cold (the stuff on the bottom freezes), you can stack fresh veggies on top which don't freeze. We were able to make Nigiri (sushi with fresh frozen fish after it defrosted) at 8,600ft in the middle of nowhere, hard to put a price on those kind of meals

. Good food, and ice cold drinks when you need it no matter what the temp. Keep in mind this was July summer weather.

 

[Dutchman82]

Didn't mean to double up on the picture