A camping fridge is a powered mobile cooling system that typically runs off your vehicle’s 12-volt electrical system to keep food and drinks cold (or frozen) indefinitely. It’s more expensive than a cooler or esky but you won’t need to carry ice and it can be easily mounted in the back of your vehicle.
Choosing a camping fridge starts with an accurate assessment of your needs. How much do you need to keep cool and where? Do you want a fridge that can be easily moved between vehicles or kept in camp? Then choose a size. There are compact camping fridges ideal for keeping lunch cold in your work truck or a long weekend adventure for two, and there are also massive options like this Dometic CFX 60L that’s big enough for a family of four.
If you’re interested in other features, there are fridges with smartphone app control, USB-C charging ports for personal devices and expandable electricity storage to run off your solar panel. Some refrigerators, such as this EcoFlow GLACIER, even offer dual-zone temperature control with a removable divider, so you can separate refrigerated from frozen sections.
Make sure you choose a durable brand with a strong national distribution network so spare parts are available if something breaks down, especially if you’re out in the wild. Robust mounting hardware is important, too, to prevent your fridge from tipping over or becoming a projectile in an accident. You can get additional accessories like a cover, mounting kits and vehicle modification parts to improve the functionality of your fridge. camping refrigerator