replacement for a portable fridge freezer

[Ian_Edwards]

My trusty WACO CX40 compressor fridge freezer has failed after well over 20 years of being move around, home-car-boat-car-home, bounced around in the car and rolled around in the boat. It worked well on both 12vDC and 240VAC, keeping a steady -18C.
I looked at the direct replacement, the CFX40 Dometic/Waeco, which is around around £700.
But I see many similar sized 12V DC/240V AC compressor fridge/freezers for half that price. The Dellonda, eklipt, Alpicool brands keep cropping up, names I've never heard of.
I'm tempted to say this will be cheap imitations, and won't last, but my recent experience buying low cost far eastern imported stuff, is that in general it has been good, it more like it's cheap because it's subsidised.
Anyone out there with direct experience of buying 40L to 50L, 12V DC, 240V AC fridge freezers, at around the £300 price point, capable of working at -18c or less? Build quality? Robustness? Reliability?

 

[wingcommander]

I have Engel 40l (the grey plastic one) . 4 years and excellent. Very low wattage in fridge mode 5'C and will freeze down to -18.
Bad points no digital temp readout , no internal light , probably as expensive now as your Weceo.

 

[Refueler]

I have a 40L Vevor Fridge / Freezer unit and it sits keeping my Guinness cold day after day after day (restocking of course !).

Its been doing that constantly for more than 2yrs now .. maybe 3 ...

No complaints at all ....

It has digital display 12V / 240V .... no idea of its lowest temp ... but I know when I first got it - I tested and froze all my beer !! Only thing I wish it had .. wish it had split compartment to do freezer and fridge simultaneous ... but its a single compartment unit.

 

[Daverw]

We bought totalfreeze 45 portable last year, 240v and 12v fridge or freezer, absolutely brilliant, control via front pad or Bluetooth, very quiet and goes to -18 easily. Lift up lid with internal basket and light and front panel with temp display etc, We paid just over £200 for it if I recal, they had a special sale offer, worth checking out from Total Cool

 

[Tranona]

I have an Alpicool 25L and it is fine. Can't see what you get extra for the premium priced - as you say close to double the price.

 

[fredrussell]

I replaced my ailing Waeco CF35 with an Alpicool of similar size. No problems at all. Only notable difference is that the Waeco fridge ran quieter, but Alpicool is not intrusively loud by any means.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Thanks for the very useful replies.
I'll do some more research on the low cost items, and see if I can find a "good deal".

 

[KompetentKrew]

Just make sure it's a compressor type - this is not a new technology; fridges are basically unchanged over the last several decades.

 

[Daverw]

Any which have option to freeze will be compressor systems

 

[colind3782]

I recently bought the Alpicool C9 due to lack of space and very happy with it

 

[Refueler]

I suspect that the budget ones ... Vevor ... Alpicool ... etc are likely same with just a case / display change ..

 

[geem]

Thanks for the very useful replies.
I'll do some more research on the low cost items, and see if I can find a "good deal".

We have a 42L Indel B portable that we use as our warm fridge. We keep fruit and veg in it. It developed a fault. Thr fault code suggested it was a cooling fan fault. I opened it up and replaced the fan. All working again. It's done 6 hard years use and bounced across the pond a couple of times. The compressor is a Secop ( used to be called Danfoss) and Indel B is an Italian company and part of the isotherm Webasto group.
I fancy a larger fridge so we will move up in size with Indel B I think

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I have a 40L Vevor Fridge / Freezer unit and it sits keeping my Guinness cold day after day after day (restocking of course !).

Its been doing that constantly for more than 2yrs now .. maybe 3 ...

No complaints at all ....

It has digital display 12V / 240V .... no idea of its lowest temp ... but I know when I first got it - I tested and froze all my beer !! Only thing I wish it had .. wish it had split compartment to do freezer and fridge simultaneous ... but its a single compartment unit.

Ours is a year older than yours, and still going great. Reasonable power consumption, keeps our beverages of choice cold, along with the butter and the next day’s bbq. We have an ice cube tray as well as the ability, never used, to freeze the whole thing. I really wonder how the expensive brands stay in business.

 

[Refueler]

Ours is a year older than yours, and still going great. Reasonable power consumption, keeps our beverages of choice cold, along with the butter and the next day’s bbq. We have an ice cube tray as well as the ability, never used, to freeze the whole thing. I really wonder how the expensive brands stay in business.

Like Cars - the NAME sells them .... rather than what you really get.

 

[rotrax]

The facts are simple. The Danfos mini compressor used in Waeco and dometic was expensive. However, the Patent has now long expired, the technology is free to anyone.

The Chinese are making similar items using the Danfos mini tech.

They are half the price, and if you get a good one, last pretty well.

The one that took my fancy in NZ last year was called a 'Brass Monkey'.

Worth buying one for the name alone.

 

[Lucy52]

We probably pay in Social Security payments, for all the workers made redundant. Unless we match their labour rates, their scale of production, and sales.
We should be able to get an economic European copy, but no one goes there.
You buy, and you sell, build a brand, costs controlled, you make a profit, there are few risk doing that.
You have no manufacturing costs, or risk, and not limited by your production facility.
If it breaks, they send out a new one, they don't make them and can't mend them, just keep the old one, they don't want it either. When the statutory guarantee runs out, you're on your own.

The consumer doesn't care.
End of rant, I feel better now.

 

[wizard]

Anyone found problems with condensation on the outside of the Alpicool 25L in freezer mode

 

[colind3782]

Anyone found problems with condensation on the outside of the Alpicool 25L in freezer mode

No problems with my C9

 

[Ian_Edwards]

I got condensation on the outside of my old Waeco fridge freezer, when working at -18C.
I don't think that insulation on any of these portable units is very good. Waeco use the sell a tailored cover to improve the insulation, but I used an old blanket when it was operating in the garage.

 

[Refueler]

I got condensation on the outside of my old Waeco fridge freezer, when working at -18C.
I don't think that insulation on any of these portable units is very good. Waeco use the sell a tailored cover to improve the insulation, but I used an old blanket when it was operating in the garage.

I would imagine looking at my Vevor ... and when friends have brought their Waeco's on board ... the insulation is a compromise more attuned to fridge use than freezing ... IMHO.