Everything You Need To Know About Portable Fridges For Camping

So you're considering a portable camping fridge?

There are few things better when you're on the road than fresh food and drinks, but it's not always possible, especially in the fierce Australian heat. Unless you happen to have a large luxury caravan with a full-sized fridge, your best option for keeping food fresh and drinks cold when camping or caravanning is a portable fridge. Back in the day, camping fridges used to be bulky units with LPG-driven compressors, but now they are lightweight, highly portable and require only a standard 12v car outlet to run.

Whether you're living on the road year-round or are fond of the occasional getaway, you can always find the best portable fridge for your needs and lifestyle, with a range of models in various sizes available from several different brands. If you're considering setting out on your next adventure but aren't sure which portable fridge is right for you, let us walk you through some key considerations and questions you need to ask yourself before we take a look at some of the leading manufacturers and many options we have here at Shop RV Parts.

What Are You Going To Use The Fridge For?

The most obvious starting point when it comes to such a purchase is to ask yourself what you are going to use or need a portable fridge for. As with so many things in the caravan and RV space, you can find a make and model for pretty much any lifestyle and use case, so take the time to think about what you currently need, as well as what you might need in the future.

If your greatest escape is a weekend camping in the bush then you probably only get away with something small and don't need to spend $1000+ on large dual-zone camping fridge freezers. However, if you have dreams of getting away for longer stays or have a family that likes to eat as well as they do at home when you're away camping, you might need a portable fridge with enough space to keep you fed for several days.

How Much Space & Weight Do You Have?

This is another crucial question that will inform your buying decision and might be one you come to either before or after figuring out what you will be using your camping fridge for. If most of your time is spent in a 4WD or a similar-sized vehicle then you will have a lot less space available than someone with a caravan or RV, no matter how much food you want to carry.

Additionally, you will have to think about how much weight a portable fridge will add to your vehicle, as this will impact your overall payload, potentially exceeding your safe and legal towing limits. Make sure to calculate the weight of the fridge both empty and when it is fully loaded, as these few kilos can make the ultimate difference if you are near your vehicle's weight limit.

What Is Your Budget?

The final thing to consider before committing to a portable camping fridge is budget: how much can you afford, and how much of that budget is actually necessary? It's all too easy to get caught up in gear-mania in the caravan and RV world, and that applies to fridges too.

In most cases, your budget will be determined by other factors such as your intended use and your available space, but even then it is possible to go over budget unnecessarily by being taken in by fancy features. Sure, it is nice to be able to control your fridge from your phone but is it something that you truly need, and more importantly, does it justify the added cost over a simpler model?

Try not to get sucked in by features that won't actually make a difference in your day-to-day use of a portable camping fridge. Remember, a fridge's only real job is to keep food and drinks cold, and the more money you can save on a purchase, the more trips you can take that will actually put it to use!

So What's Out There?

The great thing about portable camping fridges is just how many different options are on the market. Whether you need something compact for the back seat or a monster unit that can feed the whole family, you can find it here at Shop RV Parts. Read on for more information about some of the portable fridge manufacturers we stock, including Dometic, myCOOLMAN and Brass Monkey.

Dometic

One of the biggest names in the caravan and outdoor industry, Dometic are manufacturers of, well, pretty much everything! From tents to gas stoves, lights and solar panels, Dometic has earned a reputation for exceptional quality and performance even in the toughest conditions.

As part of their extensive product range, Dometic also offers several models of portable fridges and fridge-freezers. Sleek and modern, Dometic portable fridges are available in sizes from a compact 10.5L to a generous 94L and come with a host of other features including digital displays, dual-zone temperature control (allowing you to use one half as a fridge and the other as a freezer) and Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity.

While Dometic portable camping fridges sit at the higher end of the market, they are a fantastic option for anyone who is serious about spending an extended amount of time on the road, values the convenience of wireless connectivity and needs a fridge freezer that will perform in harsh conditions.

myCOOLMAN

As specialists in portable fridge freezers, myCOOLMAN is renowned for its robust design and diverse product range designed for serious adventurers. At the top end of the range, myCOOLMAN's 105L dual zone fridge freezer is absolutely loaded with features including Bluetooth connectivity, USB charging ports, dual digital displays, and a multi-voltage system capable of handling 240V AC or 12/24v DC power, so you can keep your food and drinks cold, no matter what setup you are using.

Designed and engineered in Germany, myCOOLMAN fridge freezers are built to withstand Australian temperatures and the demanding conditions of life on the road. Thoughtful design features include built-in bottle openers, removable internal compartments and racks to let you fit exactly what you need, while the flat-folding carry and tie-down handles mean that you can bring your myCOOLMAN fridge outside with you, secure it during transit, or easily pack it away at the end of a long trip.

To view our full myCOOLMAN range of products and find the right one for you, click this link.

Brass Monkey

Less flashy than their competitors but no less dependable, Brass Monkey make workhorse portable fridges for your 4WD, caravan or motorhome. While they may not win any beauty contests, Brass Monkey fridges will handle anything you can throw at them and keep on performing - and at around half the cost of other brands.

The Brass Monkey range contains regular portable fridges in addition to dual-zone fridge/freezers from a compact 20L car fridge that's perfect for sitting in the backseat or centre console, to a generous 95L that can easily hold several days worth of groceries. In spite of their rugged appearance, Brass Monkey fridges contain the same connectivity features as the other brands mentioned above and can be controlled remotely through the Brass Monkey smartphone app.

Packing a powerful 45W compressor that can provide cooling down to -20C, Brass Monkey fridges feature practical handles and built-in wheels for easy transport, as well as the ability to run off of removable Brass Monkey batteries - so you can keep your food fresh between campsites.

To view the full range of Brass Monkey products, click this link.

Which Portable Fridge Is Right For Me?

As with anything caravan related, your choice will depend on your individual needs and budget! If you only plan to get away for weekend or overnight trips then you will probably be only need space for some milk and a bottle of wine, but if you're going to spend weeks or even months on the road, you'll want something that can keep all of your groceries fresh.

Now that you've got an idea of what's available and what you need to think about, take a look at the full range of portable fridges we stock at Shop RV Parts.