What Is the Best Fridge for Camping?

Do you want to know what the best fridge is for camping? Well, we have the perfect guide for you. The best option will depend on your power supply, how many people you travel with, what time of year you like to camp, and how long you tend to stay. 

So, to make it easy, we’ll discuss the different size options, the three main types of camping fridges available, and all the essential details you should consider before purchasing one.

Now, let’s dive in so you can get chillin’.

What Is the Best Camping Fridge Size?

The best size for a camping fridge depends entirely on how many people you travel with and how long you plan to caravan. To make it easier to visualise the internal capacity, we will use the approximate number of cans (330ml) you can fit inside. 

25L or Lower

These are your smallest fridges; they will hold up to 27 cans. They’re best for short day trips and keeping lunches cool at work but are unsuitable for longer journeys.

35L

A 35L model holds 47 cans. These are perfect for a weekend away with your partner or even a whole week if you are solo camping, but for a larger family, you may want more space. 

38-40L

This is the most common size of portable fridge. It’s great for a couple or small family on an extended camping trip and big enough for a large family on a weekend adventure. It’s not too small, but not so big that size becomes a hindrance. 

50L

The 50L size is a bigger model that can hold about 72 cans. These are suitable for large families who want to go away for a week.

60–65L 

This size is even bigger yet, able to hold about 106 cans. It will work for a large family on an extended trip or for holding drinks for your sports team at an event. While the size is nice, it’s also a major drawback. They take up more space, add more weight to your vehicle, and are more challenging to move around, making them less portable. They will also need more power, so an additional 12V battery or solar panels is essential. 

What Are the Different Types of Camping Fridges?

There are different types of camping fridges, and they all work a little differently. Some are better than others at keeping camping food cool. Let’s take a look.

Two-Way (Compressor) Camping Fridges

Compressor fridges are the most like your household refrigerator; they use a compressor to cool the food inside. These will keep perishables cold enough to prevent spoilage and allow you to enjoy cool, refreshing drinks on a hot day. 

They’re also the only camping fridge that will maintain food-safe temperatures for more than a few hours, so if you plan to keep meats or dairy for more than a day trip, this is the only type that will work. You can even get a portable fridge that recharges with solar power, allowing you to caravan for extended periods. 

The EcoFlow Glacier Portable Refrigerator is a perfect camping option. It has a cold and frozen compartment and a built-in ice maker. It lasts 40 hours on a charge, and you can recharge it using household (AC) power, 12V car (DC), or solar panels for extreme versatility. When you recharge it using EcoFlow portable solar panels, it’s the ultimate sustainable travel fridge since it emits no greenhouse gases to run.

Pros

• Keeps food cold even when hot outside
• May have a freezer option
• Great for off-grid use for extended periods
• Maintains food-safe temperatures
• Can be used on uneven surfaces

Cons

• Uses more power to keep running
• Must keep the batteries charged so they don’t shut off

Three-Way (Absoportion) Camping Fridges

Absorption fridges use coolants and gas flow heat exchangers rather than compressors, so they use less power and don’t need to be recharged as often. While they can be run using DC or batteries, propane is most efficient. However, you can’t set the temperature; it only keeps the items inside cooler than outside. 

It makes them unsuitable for caravanning in hot weather, and they cannot reliably keep meats at food-safe temperatures. 

Pros

• Works well in mild or cool weather
• It uses less power than a compressor fridge

Cons

• Will not work on uneven surfaces
• Will not work in hot weather
• Not suitable for meat or dairy
• Requires good ventilation

Thermoelectric Camping Fridges

Thermoelectric fridges are similar to absorption in that they work by transferring heat. In this case, they use electricity and a fan to transfer heat out of the cooler compartment to keep the contents cooler than the outside air. Since they do not need a compressor, they use less energy, making them affordable to run. 

The drawback is that they will not keep food cool if it’s hot outside, so they are best for keeping beverages below room temperature, not for keeping perishables safe from spoilage. 

Pros

• Use less energy
• Cheap to run

Cons

• Won’t work when it’s really hot outside
• Unsuitable for longer trips or off-grid living
• Will not keep meat or dairy at food-safe temperatures

How Many Watts Does a Camping Fridge Use?

A camping fridge’s running and starting watts vary greatly depending on the appliance’s cooling type, size, and efficiency. 

Some require as little as 45W, while powerful models need 120W of operating power or more. If you opt for a compressor-type camping fridge, pay close attention to the starting watts. 

Motor-driven appliances typically require considerably more electricity to start than they do to operate.

EcoFlow’s GLACIER is an example of a camping fridge on the higher end of running wattage. It requires 120W of constant power to operate. But its powerful compressor and expandable battery capacity enable you to refrigerate and freeze perishable items at food-safe temperatures for extended periods off-grid.

What To Consider Before Choosing a Camping Fridge

Energy Efficiency

If you rely on your car battery to charge your fridge, you want the most energy-efficient model you can get. However, using an EcoFlow Portable Power Station will eliminate that extra demand on your battery. When you use an EcoFlow Glacier fridge, you can charge it using solar panels or the compact, lightweight EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max, which is great for those with limited space. 

Alternatively, you can buy a larger power station, run an EcoFlow Wave Portable AC simultaneously and travel in luxury.

Size

What size you need depends on how you use it. Whatever capacity you decide on, remember to measure the outside dimensions and the space where you want to put it. You don’t want to buy a fridge only to find out it won’t fit in your car boot or wherever you plan to store it when not in use. 

Versatile Recharging Options

When travelling, you always want versatile recharge options. Look for one you can charge with your household (AC) power before you leave home, but also make sure it comes with 12V (DC) recharging options so you can recharge it while you drive. Solar recharging is an excellent option so you won’t drain your car battery, which could leave you stranded in the bush.  

Portability and Stability

Check if the model you are looking at comes with sturdy carry handles and wheels for good portability. Many are shaped like coolers, making them super easy to store in a back seat or boot. If you have an upright portable fridge, these present stability issues when driving. In that case, they should be mounted to your vehicle so they won’t tip over, especially if you like travelling on rough terrain. 

Durability and Good Insulation

Look for a model with thick walls for durability and good insulation. Not only will this make their charge last longer, but they will also draw less power, and your compressor will last longer. You can add optional thermal covers to make it more efficient and protect it against bumps and scratches.  Also, don’t forget to examine the hinges and other parts to ensure they will hold up on your outdoor adventures. 

Thermostat

The best fridges have an integrated thermometer and adjustable thermostat you can set from the outside. This allows you to easily monitor and adjust the temperature without opening the lid to check, letting the cool air out and the heat in. Also, the ability to adjust the temperature is critical for those who travel with perishables like meats and dairy, so they’ll stay at food-safe temperatures. 

Dual Zone

Some models only come with a cooling option, and only compressor-style models can freeze, yet not all compressor fridges offer freezing. Some offer freezing abilities but have a single compartment, so you can only cool or freeze, but not both. If you want both options simultaneously, you must get a dual-zone fridge/freezer that has two compartments and works as a fridge and freezer simultaneously. 

Some even have sliders that you can take out if you need to expand your fridge space when you don’t need the freezer. These are the ultimate in versatility. You can keep your food and drinks cold and meats or ice cream frozen, which is great for extended trips to the outback! The EcoFlow Glacier even comes with a built-in ice maker for the ultimate experience of chillin’ on a hot day out in the bush with an icy cold drink.

Good Temperature Range

Absorption and thermoelectric models do not allow you to set your own temperature like compressor models, so this only applies if you get a compressor fridge. But if you do, it’s important to check the temperature range it offers. 

Most portable fridges have temperature ranges between about 10°C and -18°C. Your kitchen fridge keeps food around 3°C, so choosing one with temperatures in that range is critical to keep perishables from going bad. If you want to use the freezer, especially for things like meats, look for one that freezes at least -15°C or colder.

Ventilation

All refrigerators need decent ventilation to work effectively, allowing heat exchange or cooling for the compressor. So, even if they don’t use gas, you must still be careful where you put them. Ensure you don’t block the vents to keep the compressor cool, allowing it to run efficiently and ensure it lasts as long as possible. 

Gas models, however, that take propane need even better ventilation and cannot be safely run inside your car or caravan due to the toxic gases they produce during normal operations, so they must be run outdoors. 

Drain Plug

This option is not essential since you won’t be using ice to keep your food cool, so you won’t need to drain a bunch of water. However, having a drain plug is still a good option so you can rinse out your fridge to clean it without having to tip it over.

Frequently Asked Questions

So, What Is the Best Fridge for Camping?

Ideally, the best fridge for your camping trip should be small enough to fit in your vehicle, with sturdy handles or wheels to make it easily portable, but big enough to hold all your essential items. It should work in all kinds of weather and circumstances and offer dual temperature zones with an adequate temperature range so you can keep foods cool and frozen simultaneously. 

Finally, versatile recharging options are essential when caravanning. Look for a model like the EcoFlow Glacier Portable Refrigerator that you can recharge using wall plugs (AC) at home, 12V DC in your car, and solar panel charging options for extended trips in the bush. Choosing one with all these options ensures you won’t be disappointed.