Fridge dilemma(s)

[mnjeeper]

No rush, I am prepping for next year . My plan is to have a squaredrop or teardrop with a rear galley. Normally, I am with the "buy once, cry once" but I have read a few places that dometic shares the same compressor ace iceco on some models...at quite a price difference. This is primarily for food, because I hate melted ice even with best efforts of sealing food. Beers can go in a cooler, unless there is room. So, my questions:

1. How do you size??
2. Try the "lesser" brand?

I am thinking since I won't be far from civilization, 2-3 days of food is fine, 1-2 people. Add in the possible "meal for 8" which would sort of equal out since if I cook for a group, I'd have dinners coming.
This:
https://www.amazon.com/ICECO-Portab...dchild=1&keywords=iceco&qid=1633449290&sr=8-3
Or this:
https://www.amazon.com/Dometic-CFX3...d=1&keywords=dometic+45&qid=1633449411&sr=8-5

Big price difference. Done some reading, and lots seem happy with both brands. The above examples would cover food and beer...so it saves me dealing with that. Does anyone bother with a second cooler? Not that beer isn't important...but food safety is more important. I am leaning towards 45qt or so and if I wanted to go longer without a store, I can. I have plenty of home coolers I could bring for beer and keeping drinking water cold. But, a 50qt generally lists as holding 84 cans. Seems I could do a 35 or 45 and have LOTS of room for food and drinks.

I do lean towards one fridge for beverage and food since if I build smart it can be in the trailer and move to the Jeep (with careful slide selection). I guess my main thing, do I buy brand name, or no? I worry I'll save a few hundred, and then lose it when I step up if there are deficiencies. Freezer is NOT needed for me.

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[One_off]

I have a dometic cfx 28.
I use it all the time.
I have a camper and my wife and I can go 2-4 days easy.
It's quiet, sips power and is really the right size for us. Less is more. Do I need drinks for 4 days cooling or just what I need for the day, then replenish at night. I need my coffee creamer, 4 bottles of water, some butter, a few eggs, bottle of wine and 4 bottles of beer. It fits all that and I still have room say for some chicken breast or what have you. I love my little 28.

 

[Morris4x4]

Another vote for dometic. They have their ducks in a row when it comes to working out any flaws that have been presented. The same goes for ARB too but from what I've seen, domestic is taking the lead in the market. Size-wise we have a 45 and it's perfect for 2 of us. We have a dry food storage box that we keep extra drinks in and as the ones in the fridge get consumed, we just refill that space with some from the dry food bin.

-Julia

 

[mnjeeper]

Dometic (buy one, cry once) is leading.

Even adding post trail beers...carrying one is starting to sound belter than two.

 

[nsfw_andy]

For what it's worth, I've read great reviews with the ICECO when I was researching about fridges.

They often have coupon codes so you can get it cheaper than listed on Amazon by the way.

 

[wibornz]

I bought the ARB 47 qt fridge. It was about $1000. Two of my buds bought an Amazon cheap fridge... about $350.

So after a day of sitting their fridge goes into error mode as the vehicle battery is drained low enough that their fridge turns off. My fridge will run 3+ days before it shuts down. If it is cool out even longer.

They have both had to replace their main battery in their Jeep. I have 56,000 miles and almost 3 years on the stock OEM battery with zero issues. They have had to charge their batteries in the Jeep a couple times while out out camping in the morning with solar so they could start their Jeep, or pull the battery out of the camper and use it to start their Jeep.

On paper the cheap fridges look good, but in real world uses like what I do it was worth it to me to not have the hassle of a cheap inefficient fridge. Of course I still live with it because they travel with me.. It is not uncommon for them to let the Jeep idle for a while before they go to bed. They do this to top off the battery so their fridge will run through the night and not go into error.

I wish they would upgrade or put their fridge on a slide, or run a dedicated power supply to their fridge, but after a couple years; they have not grown tired of the hassles yet. I am sure that when we are gone for 11+ months, they will get tired of throwing their food out and maybe they will upgrade then. You know when it is the most inconvenient time........

All I can say is it is a good thing I love them like a brother.

 

[mnjeeper]

For what it's worth, I've read great reviews with the ICECO when I was researching about fridges.

They often have coupon codes so you can get it cheaper than listed on Amazon by the way.

That's my fear. I won't ever be more than two days from ice in an emergency...do I care? To be totally honest, one day from ice.

 

[mnjeeper]

I bought the ARB 47 qt fridge. It was about $1000. Two of my buds bought an Amazon cheap fridge... about $350.

So after a day of sitting their fridge goes into error mode as the vehicle battery is drained low enough that their fridge turns off. My fridge will run 3+ days before it shuts down. If it is cool out even longer.

They have both had to replace their main battery in their Jeep. I have 56,000 miles and almost 3 years on the stock OEM battery with zero issues. They have had to charge their batteries in the Jeep a couple times while out out camping in the morning with solar so they could start their Jeep, or pull the battery out of the camper and use it to start their Jeep.

On paper the cheap fridges look good, but in real world uses like what I do it was worth it to me to not have the hassle of a cheap inefficient fridge. Of course I still live with it because they travel with me.. It is not uncommon for them to let the Jeep idle for a while before they go to bed. They do this to top off the battery so their fridge will run through the night and not go into error.

I wish they would upgrade or put their fridge on a slide, or run a dedicated power supply to their fridge, but after a couple years of they have not grown tired of the hassles yet. I am sure that when we are gone for 11+ months, they will get tired of throwing their food out and maybe they will upgrade then. You know when it is the most inconvenient time........

All I can say is it is a good thing I love them like a brother.

After all I have read from you, I am damn glad you chimed in. As I said, buy once, cry once. You real world experience with others who went cheaper...this matters. I do have etorque (and likely will mostly have fridge in the trailer). Any chance your buddies...any of them had the iceco? The "same compressor" is interesting. It's more than half the dometic. So, I wonder.

 

[wibornz]

After all I have read from you, I am damn glad you chimed in. As I said, buy once, cry once. You real world experience with others who went cheaper...this matters. I do have etorque (and likely will mostly have fridge in the trailer). Any chance your buddies...any of them had the iceco? The "same compressor" is interesting. It's more than half the dometic. So, I wonder.

The cost savings is probably in how well it is insulated, the control modules and how efficient it is. Things like aluminum wiring vs copper wiring, can make a difference, maybe the quality of the control and so on. I follow a Youtuber and his channel is

Venture 4wd.

I bought an ARB fridge, because he is using one that is over 20+ old. I have watched his channel from the first video to the last. His fridge has been used in off roading situations for years and years.

Mu two buds bought a Costway fridge off Amazon. It has a good rating on Amazon, but I am thinking that the people that buy these are using them in car and just a day or two at a time.

 

[entropy]

Why buy a fridge for 2~3 days? I've been out for 5 days and use an Engel cooler. Much cheaper, no need for a battery that needs to be charged constantly to keep the fridge going, and bear resistant. What's all the hype with these fridges? If you don't have access to ice for over 5 days I would say sure you might need a fridge. but 2~3days? nah.

Buy the best cooler available, buy some nice ice packs. Keep it simple and go have fun. Save money, weight, energy, and less complexity.

 

[One_off]

Why buy a fridge for 2~3 days? I've been out for 5 days and use an Engel cooler. Much cheaper, no need for a battery that needs to be charged constantly to keep the fridge going, and bear resistant. What's all the hype with these fridges? If you don't have access to ice for over 5 days I would say sure you might need a fridge. but 2~3days? nah.

Buy the best cooler available, buy some nice ice packs. Keep it simple and go have fun. Save money, weight, energy, and less complexity.

I have one of those $200 rotomolded coolers. It's heavy, interior space vs outside dimension is small. I have to go by ice every time I want to use it.
My dometic 28cf fridge weighs less, holds all my stuff, and I built a little lithium power pack that keeps my fridge running for 11 days if needed without a recharge.

 

[entropy]

I have one of those $200 rotomolded coolers. It's heavy, interior space vs outside dimension is small. I have to go by ice every time I want to use it.
My dometic 28cf fridge weighs less, holds all my stuff, and I built a little lithium power pack that keeps my fridge running for 11 days if needed without a recharge.

Thats weird your cooler being heavier than your fridge. Also it is fridge +battery for both space and weight. And i get it for longer term i see the appeal of a fridge.

I am just talking 2~5 days. You dont need ice, cold packs do just fine. Is the added complexity and $$$$ of a fridge+battery truly necessary for a 2~3 day trip? Then some people also need to add a way to charge the battery (solar panels, generator). I mean truly. For 2 to 3 days?

 

[One_off]

Thats weird your cooler being heavier than your fridge. Also it is fridge +battery for both space and weight. And i get it for longer term i see the appeal of a fridge.

I am just talking 2~5 days. You dont need ice, cold packs do just fine. Is the added complexity and $$$$ of a fridge+battery truly necessary for a 2~3 day trip? Then some people also need to add a way to charge the battery (solar panels, generator). I mean truly. For 2 to 3 days?

The battery is not needed. I use mine for alot of long term excursions. The jeep can power it easy for a day. I would not go 2 days unless you have the vehicle running to recharge. Overnight is no issue either.
Trust me I know you are thinking this is more of a PITA than getting ice, but trust me it is not. It's wonderful!

 

[mnjeeper]

Why buy a fridge for 2~3 days? I've been out for 5 days and use an Engel cooler. Much cheaper, no need for a battery that needs to be charged constantly to keep the fridge going, and bear resistant. What's all the hype with these fridges? If you don't have access to ice for over 5 days I would say sure you might need a fridge. but 2~3days? nah.

Buy the best cooler available, buy some nice ice packs. Keep it simple and go have fun. Save money, weight, energy, and less complexity.

This isn't out of range, but I am willing to spend for convenience (not dealing with food in ice cold water). I am looking at a small trailer that won't be much more than a super easy and secure tent at the same time.

In the days of my TJ and 20s/30s...no way. But I am closer to 50 than 40 and money isn't as important as enjoyment. It's all perspective. For me, if a $900 fridge makes life easier than a $200 cooler and ice trips, or water in the cooler...well...ok.

 

[entropy]

The battery is not needed. I use mine for alot of long term excursions. The jeep can power it easy for a day. I would not go 2 days unless you have the vehicle running to recharge. Overnight is no issue either.
Trust me I know you are thinking this is more of a PITA than getting ice, but trust me it is not. It's wonderful!

Interesting. So you plug it in the Jeep and theres no risk of depleting the battery? I wouldnt want to risk this in the middle of nowhere.

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