Lidl 12/240v coolbox - any reviews?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alcyone
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we got a very very similar one from aldi same price , for east coast boat still working and works on mains works well but uses a lot of current on batteries.We usually help it along with frozen bottled water or orange from home , then switch to a couple of Tupperware boxes filled with ice cubes when available. It does work noticeably well without the help though Takes a couple of hours to cool to 10 degrees below ambient

The frozen orange usually stays frozen for a nearly 2 days with it switched on
 
We also have one from Aldi or Lidl. It works well enough and I'd consider it good value for money. It was a lot cheaper, so this may well be better insulated, but ours isn't brilliant in that respect. I wired in a socket that only worked when the engine was running to make sure we don't flatten the battery and it keeps the butter from melting, but I'd need a mains connection for the white wine to be the right temperature unless we're motorsailing for a few hours.

Overall, don't expect miracles, but it's definitely better than nothing and, at that price, it's got to be worth a punt.
 
Non-compressor cool boxes like that usually use Hall-effect semiconductors for cooling. It is silent, but as already noted uses a lot of power compared to a "normal fridge". I would not recommend its use with a boat 12 v battery unless you have lots of battery power & good charging facilities.
 
Thanks for all the answers. I'm not looking for miracles. It's just that I'd occasionally like to not worry about taking a bag of frozen prawns aboard for a curry. We've 2 brand new 85aH leisure batteries as well as the engine battery and our engine (Beta 20HP) has a 70amp charger.

I can't justify the hundreds of pounds necessary for a proper fridge, but something like this may be an acceptable spend.

Thanks, again.
 
Peltier element not Hall effect

I have Lidl cheapie. ( 12 volt only and a bit smaller) Very poor!

Handle was broken on the first , handle broke almost straight away on the replacement!

Takes 4 amps contiuously ... no control ... too much juice required for my purposes. Can only achieve a certain degree of cooling below ambient (20C). Not cool enough when really hot and not convinced it gets that low.
A more expensive one might perform better but they all take about the same current

Used it a couple of times just to take stuff from home in the car.

Now in the loft somewhere!


Need a fridge; get a proper compressor one with thermostatic control

IIRC there is a small portable Waeco one
 
VicS said:
...there is a small portable Waeco one
Click to expand...

I have a Waeco CF18 compressor coolbox. Works as a fridge or a deep freezer if you turn it right up. At fridge temperature (+4 C) it uses 10Ah per 24 hour period. A 30 Watt solar panel keeps up with the consumption in summer.

Significantly more expensive than a thermoelectric one, but significantly more useful too.
 
Ah, right. Thanks, especially VicS. It's good to get a view from someone who has one.
 
We have used one since last year. We stock up the day before leaving home with two frozen bottles of water, we take frozen foods and milk etc and find this will keep very cool without any power for over 24-36 hours hours. On longer trips we plug in for any time we run the engine or for short periods on solar power. We have a regulator that prevents it from totally discharging the battery. It draws about 3 amps in use.
Highly recommend only thing to watch out for is handle is a bit clumsy and I have modified ours with two stainless bolts to make sure it never comes off when you dont want it to.
 
We have the Aldi version if my memory serves me correctly the customer helpline was Waeco. As others said uses lot of power but with help from frozen bottles etc. suits us. The main problem is that when lifting with the handle at a certain angle it detatches so a P.I.A when lifting in and out of dinghy in particular. The advantage over one like they do in Halfords is that it is an all plastic bottom on the inside so easy to clean you could use ice cubes in it if you wanted.
 
Searush said:
Non-compressor cool boxes like that usually use Hall-effect semiconductors for cooling. It is silent, but as already noted uses a lot of power compared to a "normal fridge". I would not recommend its use with a boat 12 v battery unless you have lots of battery power & good charging facilities.
Click to expand...

Hi Searush Just to be pedantic it uses a Peltier Effect semiconductor heat transfer device.
A Hall effect is a semiconductor that changes conductivity with magnetic field.

However as you say not worth buying. A good ice box (insulated box) will do very well if half filled with frozen milk/juice bottles of water. Or buy a compressor type and use it as a freezer along with the insulated box for keeping things cool. (using frozen food that is thawing to cool the ice box.
good luck olewill
 
Cool box

Had a Camping Gaz cool-Box, hmmm. OK for a day trip
Had a LIDL Peltier cool-box, bigger & less good.
Gave it away (didn't like them)
Bought a Waeco, brilliant
Less current for ~30 secs every 5 mins, (in Spain, in June)
As reeac said, careful with the temp control.
Drinks cans go hemi-sperical at the ends!
 
Alcyone said:
Thanks for all the answers. I'm not looking for miracles. It's just that I'd occasionally like to not worry about taking a bag of frozen prawns aboard for a curry. We've 2 brand new 85aH leisure batteries as well as the engine battery and our engine (Beta 20HP) has a 70amp charger.

I can't justify the hundreds of pounds necessary for a proper fridge, but something like this may be an acceptable spend.

Thanks, again.
Click to expand...
Scenario, me, family, caravan attached to car, northern france, parked it up while we went to see the mulberry harbour and museum, not more than two hours. Got back and realised I hadnt unhooked the power supply from the cool box. Uuuh oh, went to start the Cavalier (65amp battery?) it turned over slowly and just about started. Moral of the story, they gobble amps!
Stu
 
skipper_stu said:
Moral of the story, they gobble amps!
Stu
Click to expand...

And also, perhaps, that your car battery was on the way out. :D

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I wouldn't really recommend buying one of the Peltier type, but if you already have one might as well make use of it. It occurred to me just the other day that a spare "Universal 120w laptop power supply" should run the coolbox fine. (about £5 on EBAY).

Can confirm that it works fine on 12v setting (drawing 4A) ..... and if you want a quick boost 15v doesn't seem to upset either.

Incidentally, the laptop power supply set at 15v makes a great battery charger if you put a silicon diode in series ;)

Vic
 
VicMallows said:
And also, perhaps, that your car battery was on the way out. :D

----------
I wouldn't really recommend buying one of the Peltier type, but if you already have one might as well make use of it. It occurred to me just the other day that a spare "Universal 120w laptop power supply" should run the coolbox fine. (about £5 on EBAY).

Can confirm that it works fine on 12v setting (drawing 4A) ..... and if you want a quick boost 15v doesn't seem to upset either.

Incidentally, the laptop power supply set at 15v makes a great battery charger if you put a silicon diode in series ;)

Vic
Click to expand...
Naa, battery was ok, it gobbled amps.
By the way, I sell decent universal laptop battery chargers, they cost me over £20!
You get what you pay for!
Stu
 
We've got the Lidl 12/240v one as extra drinks storage when we're on shore power and for picnics etc.
We broke the handle fitting, too, but superglue is a wonderful thing.
Gets cold enough, bit noisy, quite heavy power consumption. It was the first one I'd had and was slightly surprised that it didn't have a thermostat, but that's experience for you!
 
I have the Aldi version. 48 watts continuous power requirement and the fan is VERY noisy, to the extent that I put it in the cockpit at night and could still hear it.
 
I have given up on Lidl/Aldi. You get what you pay for, sure they exchange it if it breaks under warranty but most of it is tat.

Had a couple of pairs of their binos that fell apart within 3 months and my last acquisition of the hose with cleaning brush spays more water out of the joints than the brush despite being replaced twice.

No connection just an unsatisfied customer.
 
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