Are powered Dometic (or other) coolers worth it?

I have a small Alpicool cooler (that also is a freezer) and that thing is awesome. Use it on road trips and its great. They use LG compressors and also have bluetooth capabilities for controlling it, as well as low battery detection. Sips power and doesn’t break the bank.

I’ve been using the BougeRV 21 portable fridge for almost two months and it’s been great. It’s light weight. The plastic feels a bit light duty, but I have it cam strapped down in my truck. I run it off a River 2 the biggest one and it runs for a week or more non stop. Seems like it uses 14-100 watts to cool and I be kept it in various states of fullness. The thing I’m excited about is the external battery it comes with. Should be here this week but it can also be charge off solar. Supposed to last 6 hours on its own. Off setting the operation with the two batteries will make it good to charge the River 2 when in a pinch. I’m a fan of the fridge and use it quite a bit.

I don’t regret spending the money at all! One of the best purchases I have made for my camping set up. Are use solar power to keep it going if I’m out more than three days. Work perfectly.

Anyone have the CFX3 55IM model? Wondering if the icemaker portion works well/is worth it.

1 Like

Can’t speak to Dometic but I have been running an ARB fridge in my trucks for 20+ years. As many have said - absolute game changer.

1 Like

Getting my Engel 40 was hands down one of the best comfort purchases I’ve made.

I spent about a grand on a dometic like 10 years ago and it was the best camping money I’ve ever spent. The thing has literally been underwater getting hit by waves on the beach and it’s still kicking. I use it regularly still just to keep cold drinks in the truck or to bring lunch to work.

Thanks to the community to give me the push that I needed: Got my new CFX3 55IM today!

So it is probably gonna get loaded only for camping trips, I won’t have fancy slides or whatnot. Until I get power sorted out, I’ll just plug it into the AC socket and run it intermittently. Do folks just lash it down in the bed? What about locks so that it doesn’t walk?

2 Likes

I just ordered the same! Can’t wait!

1 Like

I run a cable lock to a tie down in the bed. It’s not the most secure but it makes my friends non-locked down fridge an easier target. :neutral_face:

1 Like

Just through the handle? It seems like there should be some kind of padlock option on a $1000 fridge!

I will also need to reevaluate my bear strategy, I’m not putting this thing in the community storage box.

I’ve ran an Engel 45 for the last 18 years 24/7 and it has never failed me. A fridge is worth its weight in gold and you will kick yourself everyday for not buying one sooner.

1 Like

Weekend is over and the fridge worked great!

Cable lock to the floor gave me a little peace of mind, plus the fact that we were around most of the time for any ne’er-do-wells…of both the two-legged and ursine varieties.

I ran the truck for about 20 min in the morning and then gain in evening to cool off the fridge via the AC socket. With air temps in the mid/upper-60s, the fridge never got warmer than 53 (if you can trust the thermometer–which I’m not so sure that I do as drinks still seemed plenty cold).

Now I guess I need to start reading the threads/webpages about how to supply power to the fridge all the time…while keeping the back of my truck open to be used as a truck.

I recently upgraded to a Bougerv electric coolers, and it’s been a game-changer for me. The convenience of not having to deal with ice and water drainage is fantastic, especially for longer trips. The dual-zone functionality adds extra versatility. With your Inergy Flex 1500 system and solar setup, you should have no issues powering it while on the road.

1 Like

yes absolutely

There are so many great options now!

I have found mine over the years to be very useful

The EcoFlow Glacier is solid

It has an onboard battery and ice maker, as well as dual zone control.

Also Prime Labor Day sales has it under $600! :exploding_head:

EcoFlow Glacier

I have a set power 58qt model. I paid around 350 bucks for it. Can’t beat that and it’s worth every penny.

1 Like

I have an older Dometic CFX40 (I think?) and it’s been a game changer. It’s so nice to be able to stay out in the backcountry for a few days without worrying about ice. Also, it’s nice to not have to dig through a cooler full of ice.

Is it absolutely necessary for camping? No, of course not. But, it makes life a lot easier.

1 Like

I like my ICECO VL35 PRO S

2 Likes

I LOVE my IceCo vl60 proS.

2 Likes