Electric coolers/freezers

[walnutz]

Just in the market for a electric cooler/freezer combo and wondering who has experience with these. I will post a link to the ones im looking at. They aren't cheap but from what i have read these are the best ones out there. I want something reliable. I like the battery pack idea also but this is all new to me so looking for some input before ordering. Cheers



Dometic portable cooling – RV Parts Online Canada (https://www.rvpartsonlinecanada.com/collections/dometic-portable-cooling)

[tdot]

I have an ARB cooler and it has been excellent for the last 10 years. I've had Dometic fridges and they've also worked flawlessly. I don't think you'd go wrong with any of the top 3 brands.

Pay attention to how the lid opens, that will help define how you store and use the cooler. Try to find layouts of the cooler interior, the compressor is inside the useable space, so when you see pics of the cooler, a portion is not useable. They often take pictures to minimize this effect.

I have a 70q and I find it is often too large for a weekend of food for 2, but too small for bringing home animals. I've settled on freezing water bottles in the ARB and then putting those into coolers with the meat for the trip home. Negative of this is its tough to store food in there without it freezing while out hunting.

You'll definitely want some sort of additional battery, the Dometic one seems pricey. But it's easy, so maybe it's acceptable.

[MOOSE MILK]

What are you going to use it for? If your going to use it for transporting meat home from hunt camp why not buy a small freezer or refrigerator? I have been using a small freezer in the back of pickup and have had no problems with getting meat home, you can store your food and beer in it before loading it with your game.
You can get used ones that are in great working condition cheap or free, a lot less than one of those Dometics.
MM

[Steeleco]

I've got one of these on a 13cu ft freezer that could be placed on a trailer or pickup without a canopy and a cheap genny for half those in the link above. Assuming it's for cooling game in the field this does and has worked fantastic. You're welcome to come see my set up if game cooling is the intent.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFV_5B32aMs


(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFV_5B32aMs)

[jlirot]

https://mikescustomtoys.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15&products_id=45

And I think 'iceco' seem to be reasonably priced models.

I've been considering getting one and ditching the cooler. And, if I need tons of capacity I would bring the cooler and make my own ice if needed.

[KBC]

I have an Edgestar 120V/12V fridge/freezer. It's about 6 years old and still works great. I think I paid about $500 USD for it. It's also the garage beer fridge so it gets used a lot. I haven't used it as a freezer much though so I can't comment on how well it freezes but what a difference it makes for camping trips or long road trips etc. When we used to go family camping in tents before we got a trailer I could get a long weekend out of a Motomaster AGM that's a little over 100amp/hr if I remember right and a small solar panel. As long as I keep the fridge in the shade I can run it pretty cold on hot summer days.

[walnutz]

We do a lot of dry camping and weekend riding trips. I will be using it for hunting and hauling game also but we often bring a small deep freeze and a genny on our moose trips anyways. Main use would be summer riding/fishing trips for food and drink storage. The amount of money spent on ice and the rising cost makes these a no brainer for us. We decided on the 55L and Battery pack. Found all good reviews on this combo and even got a discount code! Thanks for the input

[Downwindtracker2]

I've used them in Africa and Australia. They can hold meat frozen. But I used esky in Aus for beer and a cooler in Africa. They have a small capacity. There is one brand that had a much better rep, of course I have forgotten which. They use to be made in Aus, but now in China. So that might not hold true anymore.

[walnutz]

Just a follow up on this post. My 55L and battery pack arrived last week and after some initial testing and messing around with this combo i must say im very very happy! This unit gets cold in no time at all and to freezing temps if desired not long after! As for the battery pack i will admit i was blown away by how long this thing lasts!!! Almost two full days running the cooler and still has a charge. This pack will be in my truck at all times as it serves multiple purposes. If Anyone in the market for these you cannot go wrong with this combo!! Its a pricey start up but worth every cent IMO. I started to record what we spend on ice in a season and it made this purchase even easier. Much more than i care to admit. Feel free to message me for details on what i paid etc.... I even got a discount after reaching out to the vendor. Cheers

[srthomas75]

did you get the dometic that is in your link?

[jlirot]

Why not post up the contact info for the vendor. And, I'm too interested in exactly what model you got.

[twoSevenO]

What are you going to use it for? If your going to use it for transporting meat home from hunt camp why not buy a small freezer or refrigerator? I have been using a small freezer in the back of pickup and have had no problems with getting meat home, you can store your food and beer in it before loading it with your game.
You can get used ones that are in great working condition cheap or free, a lot less than one of those Dometics.
MM

x2 ... I have a generator now, so will be looking to get a cheap used deep freeze and throw it in the back of a trailer. Should work really well.
Used deep freeze units can be had for dirt cheap - Of course, they are not compact like the portable ones on the first page.

[walnutz]

These are the two units i purchased. I will link below. I reached out to them via email and received a 5% discount. They used to be a sponsor on this site also i found. Super easy to deal with.

Dometic PLB40 Power pack – RV Parts Online Canada (https://www.rvpartsonlinecanada.com/products/dometic-plb40-power-pack)

Dometic CFX3-55IM Portable cooler/freezer – RV Parts Online Canada (https://www.rvpartsonlinecanada.com/products/dometic-cfx355im-portable-cooler-freezer)

[walnutz]

Did the first weekend adventure with the new set up and it didnt disappoint! Didnt buy ice for the beers and it kept them frosty all weekend long along with all the food! If i can figure out how to post some pics with the new computer i will!

[Derekmson]

I've been using a Bougerv electric cooler for a few years now and I'm very happy with it. It's kept my food and drinks cold even in the hottest weather. I also like that it's more spacious than my old ice cooler since I don't have to pack ice.

[The Hermit]

I picked up a small chest style cooler/freezer, put it in the trailer, and ran it off a small generator on my moose hunt this year. Put all the frozen food in it and it stayed frozen in the stupid 30+ degree heat we had at the end of Sept early Oct. The plan was to switch it to cooler mode if/when we got an animal. Unfortunately didn't get to try it out that way. Sure took away any anxiety about our food thawing out.

[Derekmson]

I love my budget-friendly options, and the BougeRV portable electric coolers (https://www.bougerv.com/collections/electric-coolers) has been a solid choice for me. It's not the most feature-packed, but it gets the job done for weekend camping trips and picnics. It's super portable and easy to store, and it cools down quickly. I usually pair it with a solar panel to keep it charged off-grid, and it works like a charm.

[BearSupreme]

I had a Whynter cooler/freezer in the back seat of my pickup for years and worked great, until it got too hot in the cab and then it couldnt keep up and would drain the battery fast. I concluded I needed better ventilation but was definitely handy for longer trips where ice would melt fast. As far as freezing an animal when you're hunting, that freezer would take forever and would recommend the generator/AC freezer option like others have stated

[HappyJack]

I picked up a small chest style cooler/freezer, put it in the trailer, and ran it off a small generator on my moose hunt this year. Put all the frozen food in it and it stayed frozen in the stupid 30+ degree heat we had at the end of Sept early Oct. The plan was to switch it to cooler mode if/when we got an animal. Unfortunately didn't get to try it out that way. Sure took away any anxiety about our food thawing out.

How often did you have to run the generator to keep it frozen? Those portable units are just so expensive for such small units so I was looking at the small freezers [3 cu ft] with the idea of getting one of those and a generator.