Portable camping/vehicle refrigerators

[LittleLebowski]

Talk to me about your experiences, currently pondering this one (https://amzn.to/3qn2lbh) with the $200 coupon. I’ve already got a solar panel.

[LittleLebowski]

Now I’m leaning towards the Iceco because German compressor, more rugged design. No battery of its own, but I’ve already got the power station (a BLUETTI (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09G5TFLNR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1)).

[LittleLebowski]

Nobody has a portable camping fridge? I made a decision last night, waiting to see it affirmed :cool:

[Cookie Monster]

I don’t have the funds. I spent $1250 on Yeti coolers. No lie.

I did I get here?

[JclInAtx]

Had a Coleman thermoelectric 12v cooler, not really the same thing as you're looking at. It sucked. It was noticeably cooler than ambient air, but not to the point that it would keep things cold. We ended up still using ice, it just didn't melt as fast. I recall reading after purchasing it that the technology used can only cool to 40 degrees below ambient temperature. That won't cut it in Texas.

I now use dry ice in an Igloo Yukon cooler to keep frozen beef from Red Raider Meats frozen over a long weekend when we visit my daughter at Tech. It gets expensive though so interested to hear your experiences.

We had been eying one at Costco last fall, especially with the easy return policy, but decided to wait.

[Casey]

I eventually want to pick up one of these, as well. The overlanding community is a good source of info. While watching things like Expedition Overland, and drooling over their rigs, I've heard good things about National Luna, Dometic, and ARB fridge/freezers. While I have no interest in sleeping in my truck, I do want to put one of these in it eventually for range days and classes so I don't have to deal with ice.

[LittleLebowski]

I was on the Yeti bandwagon, then realized something like this wouldn’t need ice, and could help during a power outage. Then I was smitten with the tech of the portable fridges equipped with their own swappable batteries, and then I decided in five years or so, I wouldn’t want to be worrying about to find a battery pack, get support, etc, so I went with the IceCo with the German compressor (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08QR9WLYH?ie=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=ratio07-20&linkId=081011513dd5b20e18f34860548fb5bc&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl) that does not have an integrated battery, but is much more ruggedized, has a well earned good reputation, should last longer, and the company has been around a while already. Plus, I’d rather upgrade my portable power station than the fridge if possible.

[rd62]

LittleLebowski what do you plan to run it with?

[LittleLebowski]

LittleLebowski what do you plan to run it with?

I can charge it off of my truck, but at camp sites, I plan to use my BLUETTI EB70S with their solar panels (https://www.amazon.com/BLUETTI-Portable-Foldable-Generator-Emergency/dp/B09G5TFLNR?crid=D6EC9GPLUYDE&keywords=bluetti%2Beb70s&qid=1647812787&sprefix=Bluett%2Caps%2C73&sr=8-2-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE3NVRRVjdSUTJPWjAmZ W5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1NjQ5MjIySEEyRVBXSTZBT0pVJmVuY3J 5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4MTgwODYyQjZGSDRMRE1UTlcmd2lkZ2V0T mFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3R Mb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=ratio07-20&linkId=ea7c43b4b6cb1e89e7f07b941c0a5ef1&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl).

We camped out on my back property as a family last night and used the BLUETTI to power two heated blankets for the kids, which it did. Here it is yesterday, recharging some of my Milwaukee batteries whilst recharging off of solar. When I started, I was getting awesome sunlight, 88watts input. I saw 101 today.

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[0ddl0t]

For car/truck/van camping I'd just pick up 3 or 4 group 31 semi truck batteries, an inverter with low voltage automatic power shutoff, and a dorm fridge. That way you could also power things like fans & computers. A few hours of driving should recharge the batteries and solar panels can slow the rate at which they get discharged.

But that's not a portable setup to take to a campsite...

[JAD]

I can charge it off of my truck, but at camp sites, I plan to use my []

Once a Marine, always with the frigging GREENS.

https://www.marcorsyscom.marines.mil/Portals/105/pdmeps/docs/APS/A0375.pdfWe

[mmc45414]

Met some young guys at the range last week that had nice Raptor setup with a topper with solar panels that live on the topper and batteries that line in the bed. Seemed interesting, and I still have a nice topper for my truck I might spiff up and use more.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[fatdog]

I have had a positive experience with my Knox thermo electric cooler, same unit now sold as this brand (https://www.amazon.com/Lifestyle-Focus-Electric-Travel-Cooler/dp/B08DPWTC1M/ref=dp_prsubs_1?pd_rd_i=B08DPWTC1M&psc=1), obviously a different animal from ones with a real compressor, but it always gets me about -25 to 30 degrees from ambient, which of course limits what and for how long, but the power consumption is very small. I toured the rockies with mine living in the rear floorboard of the 4runner a few years ago and zero problems, I found it easier to deal with than the restocking of ice just to keep my sandwiches & drinks cool enough. It now resides under my desk to keep my lunch cold without the necessity of piling my stuff into the community fridge at the office.

No first hand experience with the compressor versions, interested to know what you finally settle on.

I don't know which forum or site to seek the info but over the road truckers have a lot of experience with these things.

[LittleLebowski]

I have had a positive experience with my Knox thermo electric cooler, same unit now sold as this brand (https://www.amazon.com/Lifestyle-Focus-Electric-Travel-Cooler/dp/B08DPWTC1M/ref=dp_prsubs_1?pd_rd_i=B08DPWTC1M&psc=1), obviously a different animal from ones with a real compressor, but it always gets me about -25 to 30 degrees from ambient, which of course limits what and for how long, but the power consumption is very small. I toured the rockies with mine living in the rear floorboard of the 4runner a few years ago and zero problems, I found it easier to deal with than the restocking of ice just to keep my sandwiches & drinks cool enough. It now resides under my desk to keep my lunch cold without the necessity of piling my stuff into the community fridge at the office.

No first hand experience with the compressor versions, interested to know what you finally settle on.

I don't know which forum or site to seek the info but over the road truckers have a lot of experience with these things.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?52098-Portable-camping-vehicle-refrigerators&p=1335241&viewfull=1#post1335241

[rob_s]

in the market for something along these lines and curious what others may have discovered in the intervening 2 years since the thread was started.

Even my google-fu is challenged as I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be searching for an "electric cooler" or "travel refrigerator".

I see this Iceco (https://www.amazon.com/ICECO-Portable-Refrigerator-Compressor-Insulated/dp/B07TLL68BG/ref=sr_1_7?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2HHcrvig4GzSri6FNUOBb6 9ThTlRdKqe6NWe3yaW46JyQIxYZoHLJElcv65bHHqZA-HhsLi1euuMux_9yohqvOdLbK_HV271PQTx6sJ85FhJp-yRyrnJPpUCN1uGC4FI8bDu9X6EwsPwwUfO2X8fzPCatqY0SOtH WRE6p_vMSAUZ3eKyvydXlpcaqV9ZGfcg8OqaENpbD5sddu7SVL SoUeEdru2NfT7cb-YctcEKRjJOEu2zgqfj4UGbBX8oVdv5Pd-5WTsYFB45Tc8XjrIqW0hg9W3H0Bc1EZSprjx-f9g.9mBgXxIvUT-p5m9ZVtnbX3T9ys6B0W-mZuTI25OvoBM&dib_tag=se&keywords=iceco&qid=1717530480&sr=8-7&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.2b70bf2b-6730-4ccf-ab97-eb60747b8daf)brand a LOT on the camping videos I see.

[rob_s]

This is also very appealing, from the aesthetic to the two-zones to the light weight.

I'm not sure about the 2-zone, 1-lid configuration though

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iceco-apl35-ultralight-dual-zone-aluminum-freezer

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