Hi does anyone have any opinions regarding the electric coolbox and 3 way fridges. We are debating whether to invest in the 3 way camping fridge but want to make sure an electric coolbox at a third of the price wont do as good a job??
A 3 way fridge will be vastly superior. We own both. One of the other drawbacks with the coolbox is it has a fan running constantly so is noisy too. The 3 way fridge often gets pressed into use at home as a barbecue drinks fridge - very handy!
I had this debate not so long ago and was told a cool box keeps cold things cold where as a fridge makes and keeps them cold. Also you need to consider the temp cant remember exact but a cool box is only 5-10 degrees colder than outside temp where as fridges are 20-30 degrees colder
I had this debate not so long ago and was told a cool box keeps cold things cold where as a fridge makes and keeps them cold. Also you need to consider the temp cant remember exact but a cool box is only 5-10 degrees colder than outside temp where as fridges are 20-30 degrees colder
You could always get one of these. They look rather good to me - am seriously considering it myself.
We bought a 3 way fridge as we wanted the option of non EHU. It's very effective, I even managed to freeze some ice cubes on the top "shelf". BUT it is rather large and quite heavy. I use it to pack all of our crockery, cutlery and tea towels in for the journey. We can't get the fridge and the tent into our car at the same time so always have to take the trailer.
------------- Started with a motorbike and tent.......my gallery, my life.
I got one of the Aldi electric cool box's a couple of weeks back, for the money £39 it's fine, but in comparison to my Waeco CF25 portable fridge freezer, the Aldi unit is but a toy.
The Waeco works just like a regular fridge/freezer, as it uses a compressor, OK you can't run it of gas, but these days battery or EHU is always available.
For UK use the Waeco CF is overkill, but my main use is in the South of France during July, when temps are +40Deg C, and in those sort of temps, most 3 ways, with there 30Deg below ambient temp promise are going to strugle, keeping your beer cool.
We sold our combicool 3way fridge as it was so big and heavy. We now have an outwell electric cool box and it does us fine, it's never been boiling hot weather when we've camped anyway!
Wouldn't part with our 3-way fridge. Tried electric coolboxes, but we just can't stand the noise of the fan. The 3-way keeps stuff as cold as our fridge at home - it even makes ice cubes.
It also gives us the choice of EHU or not. We've used it on gas a few times when we've chosen peaceful farm campsites without EHU. It really isn't that heavy, and it's well worth the extra bit of space it takes up in the car.
I had this debate not so long ago and was told a cool box keeps cold things cold where as a fridge makes and keeps them cold. Also you need to consider the temp cant remember exact but a cool box is only 5-10 degrees colder than outside temp where as fridges are 20-30 degrees colder
You could always get one of these. They look rather good to me - am seriously considering it myself.
That is brilliant, I want one too! I currently have a Quest Tristar 3 way cooler which I absolutely do not recommend. Conveniently, after the warranty expired it has decided to work only intermittently on gas. In fact it has let me down on several occasions, mostly when I want to run it on gas. On my last trip I only got it semi working on the last night (after I had eaten all my food anyway) after leaving it upside down for about 2 hours. I also find running it on gas a pain in the a%%% because of CO and fire risk etc. Can't put it outside incase it rains, not supposed to run it inside, always have to turn it off at night, then out of bed early to start it up again which then takes about 20 sparks to get the bloody thing alight.
My other bugbear with a lot of these coolers that they are rated at 20-30° below ambient. All well and good if its sat outside in the shade, but shut in a zipped up tent on a hot day, the ambient temperature inside a tent is going to easily exceed 40° so that means your food is going to reach 10 °+ surely.
I love the idea of that hybrid cooler, it looks like just the job. Then I'll just get one of thesefor when I have no EHU.
Thanks! I have noticed that this only cools to 20 below ambient but that is fine for the car as any sensible person will have windows down or AC on when the weather is hot. The compressor should work beautifully, even in a hot tent :) I wonder if I could just chuck a load of ice packs in this when I don't have EHU?
Quote: Originally posted by morgz84 on 29/6/2011
Thanks! I have noticed that this only cools to 20 below ambient but that is fine for the car as any sensible person will have windows down or AC on when the weather is hot. The compressor should work beautifully, even in a hot tent :) I wonder if I could just chuck a load of ice packs in this when I don't have EHU?
That's only on dc power ie in the car. When plugged into 240v it can cool to -15'c, it's adjustable +12' - -15'
Quote: Originally posted by morgz84 on 29/6/2011
Thanks! I have noticed that this only cools to 20 below ambient but that is fine for the car as any sensible person will have windows down or AC on when the weather is hot. The compressor should work beautifully, even in a hot tent :) I wonder if I could just chuck a load of ice packs in this when I don't have EHU?
That's only on dc power ie in the car. When plugged into 240v it can cool to -15'c, it's adjustable +12' - -15'
Oh yes I realised that. The fact that it's a compressor when on the mains means that the hot tent won't be an issue ! :)
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Topic: Electric coolboxes vs 3 way fridge?
