Coolers are fine for beverages but if you want to bring home-cooked meals and frozen goods on your off-road adventures, then a camping refrigerator is essential.
These customizable appliances are popular with overlanders and vandwellers as well as RV enthusiasts who use them in conjunction with solar power setups. Here are the key features to look out for:
Keeps Food Cold
Unlike other coolers that rely on ice to keep food cold, a camping refrigerator uses a compressor to cool down foods. This process involves the compressor turning pressurized coolant from a liquid to a gas, which absorbs heat and radiates it away from the fridge.
The refrigerator’s interior can be pre-chilled the night before to help food stay cool longer. This also helps prevent the refrigerator from overworking during a hot trip.
If you’re unsure whether the food in your cooler is at a safe temperature, consider investing in a basic fridge thermometer. This is easy to use and will let you know at a glance whether the food inside the fridge is cold or warm.
Another option to consider is to encircle your foods with hot insulated water bottles. This will also help keep food cold and hydrated during your campout. You’ll need to replenish this water source periodically as the ice melts during your camping trip.
Convenience
Unlike the coolers that rely on ice to keep cold, a camping fridge uses an internal system to maintain low temperatures. Some models have an integrated thermometer and a thermostat to adjust the temperature.
Other models use a compressor that compresses pressurized coolant to turn it from liquid to gas. This rapidly cools the inside of the refrigerator and radiates heat away from the exterior.
Portable fridges can be powered by AC or DC electricity and many have a battery-free option. Some, like our top pick from Anker, feature a removable lithium battery for up to 42 hours of continuous refrigeration. You can swap it out for a new one or recharge it via solar to cut down on electrical usage.
If you’re an overlander who wants to spend weeks or months on the road, a fridge that runs off your vehicle’s power is worth the investment. However, it’s best to get a fridge with a deep cycle battery rated for RV and camping equipment if you can afford it.
Easy to Clean
If you’re buying a camping fridge for the sole purpose of providing half time oranges for your sporting team, you’ll want a model that’s easy to clean and durable enough to stand up to frequent use. You’ll need to empty and wash shelves, drawers and wire racks regularly to ensure a tight seal and keep things from molding. Always let plastic or glass components warm to room temperature before washing them; otherwise they might crack or splinter.
Mold develops in refrigerators when moisture and bacteria combine. Moisture comes from leftover frost or ice and from condensation, while bacteria thrive in warm, moist conditions. The best way to avoid both is to clean thoroughly when you’re parked and disconnecting power, and to do it at least every other trip or so. This will also save you money on energy bills. The fridge should also be blown out with compressed air regularly, especially around the lower and (if there is one) upper vents.
Safety
A camping fridge has a specialized compressor that uses efficient technology to keep food and drinks cold on the go. These units typically use very little power and have battery monitoring systems that help prevent overcharging or damaging your battery.
A good camping refrigerator has a security cable to keep it safe while you’re away from camp. It also has a stand that keeps it off the ground so that it’s less likely to be knocked over.
Look for a brand that has a national distribution network and a good reputation for after-sales support. If something goes wrong with your fridge freezer while you’re out on the road, it’s important to know that the manufacturer will be there for you. Also, choose a model that can run on either AC or DC power. This gives you more options if you have to plug your fridge into an RV or other power source. Some Dometic and BougeRV fridges can even switch between AC and propane power automatically to save you money on electric bills while boondocking or camping.
