Portable fridge recommendations

PaulRainbow

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Thinking of putting a portable fridge in the cockpit for occasional use as an overflow for the galley fridge, or for extra supplies on longer trips. Was looking at the Alpicool range, in particular : Amazon.co.uk

Any comments on the above or suggestions of alternatives would be appreciated.

TIA
 
I have a very elderly Waeco portable compressor driven portable fridge/feezer coole box. They changed their name to Dometic some six years ago. It has been totally reliable and has a very low power consumption. Probably a bit more expensive than the one you are looking at, but well worth a look
 
I have a very elderly Waeco portable compressor driven portable fridge/feezer coole box. They changed their name to Dometic some six years ago. It has been totally reliable and has a very low power consumption. Probably a bit more expensive than the one you are looking at, but well worth a look
Thanks for the reply, did look at the Dometic ones, but a 35l one is 3 times the cost of the 40l Alpicool. Have ordered one from Amazon, will see how it goes.
 
If Dometic is a good brand, this one a TCX 35 looks pretty decent.. 35litre capacity and not hugely more expensive than the Alpicool 25l one in your link..
Dometic TCX 35 - Dometic UK Shop

Are they a like for like?
Thanks for the reply, that Dometic one is thermoelectric, not a compressor model. I looked at a 35l Dometic compressor unit and they were around £740
 
I have an Alpicool. works fine, but not given it a lot of use. Would find it difficult to justify the high cost of the premium products.
 
I have an Alpicool. works fine, but not given it a lot of use. Would find it difficult to justify the high cost of the premium products.
By one of the strangenesses of the modern world, those bear a striking resemblance to the Vevor range. Very similar pricing too. We have one of theirs, very happy with it so far, at 2 years old.
 
Thanks for the reply, that Dometic one is thermoelectric, not a compressor model. I looked at a 35l Dometic compressor unit and they were around £740
Ahhh I see.. I'm not the biggest 'cooler' expert. But I now know more than I did before the thread. I'm guessing the compressor model works better? :cool:
 
Ahhh I see.. I'm not the biggest 'cooler' expert. But I now know more than I did before the thread. I'm guessing the compressor model works better? :cool:
Compressors get propely cold, and are way more efficient. And when your boat hascan outboard auxilliary and a solar panel gets kinda crucial. You motor boat types just fire up your inboards if you need more power, it’s a key advantage over us raggies.
 
We have this compressor type Mobicool (Dometic brand) .
Very good, gets used in car(s) and boat + as an extra at home, in hotel rooms etc. when needed.

Mobicool FR 40. Costs £ 330 nowadays over here.
Cooling box with both cooling and freezing functions. Digital temperature control and cut-out voltage setting. Compressor: cooling range + 10° to - 10°. Space for upright 1.5 litre bottle. Rated voltage: 230V/12/24V. Lighting in the box.
 
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Compressors get propely cold, and are way more efficient. And when your boat hascan outboard auxilliary and a solar panel gets kinda crucial. You motor boat types just fire up your inboards if you need more power, it’s a key advantage over us raggies.
Gotcha.. That said, maybe an issue from a different angle but with the size of my engines and the noise of the generator, I don't want to be firing engines just so I can keep stuff cool. I still have raggy blood in my veins so I like to save power.
 
Gotcha.. That said, maybe an issue from a different angle but with the size of my engines and the noise of the generator, I don't want to be firing engines just so I can keep stuff cool. I still have raggy blood in my veins so I like to save power.
Really, the efficiency is good whatever propels your boat. its just more of an existential crisis for sailboats.
 
Gotcha.. That said, maybe an issue from a different angle but with the size of my engines and the noise of the generator, I don't want to be firing engines just so I can keep stuff cool. I still have raggy blood in my veins so I like to save power.
I'm with you, i have a pair of 7l diesels and a 12 kva generator, don't want to run either of those for a few cold beers. With no inverter at the moment it's bad enough that we have to fir the genny up to boil the kettle, even with both engines running. Will be fitting an inverter in the New Year, followed by some solar panels, it'll all make better sense then.
 
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