Best AC/DC freezer?

[SDHNTR]

I’ve been through a couple cheaper Amazon units. They just don’t seem to handle being bounced around off road well. Are the high end ones like ARB, Dometic and Iceco more durable, or just marketing? Has anyone had one that has actually held up to a few years or more of use and abuse?

 

[MojaveJim]

I have a Dometic that is at least 12 years old & still working.

 

[jaytaylor]

I've got a Dometic unit that is the smallest one with two separate compartments. Either compartment can be a fridge or a freezer. We use it for probably 3 weeks each year, and I've had it five years and it's performed flawlessly. I would recommend one. It seems to me it cost around $1000 when purchased, so not a cheap one.

 

[Dented]

Dometic. It lives in the bed of my truck.

 

[SDHNTR]

Helpful. Thanks all.

Can you actually service them if needed? Is it something a local appliance repair shop could handle? Or do they have regional service partners? I’m potentially buying the big 99qt unit so shipping back for service is going to be cost prohibitive.

 

[Jbuck]

With regards to the ARB. They are absolutely fantastic for product support.

I bought a ARB freezer when they first came out. I had a issue with it and called in trouble shoot it and order parts since it was 9 years past the warranty had expired. They not only sent the parts for free and a detailed how to replace the part. They also offered to pay to send it back to have them fix it for free.

If I'm ever shopping and ARB is a option then that is the right answer for me.

I'm sure Dometic is a good option too, but from dealing with ARB I'll be buying another one soon for our camper.

 

[ericacymcdonald]

I built out a van and lived in it for 5 years for work on the railroad (10 days on 5 days off) I came across Indelb fridges which got great reviews on all the Van sites. It was still going strong after 5 years in the van with lots and lots of use. temps in the southwest desert to the northern winters and everything in-between. They sell them at truckfridge.com in the United States.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

My Iceco has been solid. I don't know much about them but somebody told me the refrigeration unit they use is from commercial refrigeration company and rock solid. Mine has bounced all over Colorado and Wyoming and spends about 80 days a year on the coast outside of camp in the sandy salt environment.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Dometic

 

[FOS373]

Another vote for Dometic. I have two and they work great.

 

[KBC]

I have an Edgestar about 10 years old. It’s spent time as a fridge and freezer. Sometimes it’s only used every 6 months, I’ve also had it on for a couple years straight as a beer fridge in the garage. If I remember right, it uses the same compressor and parts as the dometic ones.
I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one.

 

[Erebor]

I use a Dometic

 

[coiloil37]

Another Dometic fan. I’ve still got the 14, 28, 55 and 94 liter models and had two others.

Of the ones I’ve owned over the years I sold one and killed one by submerging it in seawater. The corrosion killed the circuit board and I didn’t feel like trying to repair it. It was this cff45 seen here and I can get them for less then $200 on the used market.

That thing lived in the boat for years and kept my beer and lunch cold until the day I forgot to put the plug in… I replaced it with the cfx3 55 liter and now it lives in the same place.

I also keep a 28 liter on the boat as a bait freezer. It’s older than dirt and never missed a beat.

I’ve had that 14 liter in the back of the truck for a very long time. Hot, dusty, you name it. It hasn’t skipped a beat either.

They’ve all been rock solid, except that one I swamped.

 

[StuckInTheEast]

Have an iceco 75 or 79 qt dual zone and their slide out that just went in the new truck build. Can't speak for longevity or long term durability yet but can give initial impressions.

quality seems solid, not crazy heavy duty but solid and not insanely heavy forbthe size. Handles seem little light but don't plan on moving it much. I'm running on 12v from 100Ah lithium with solar charging from 2x 100watt panels on roof...First testing has been over a week straight on just battery/solar at lowest freezer settings stuck in bed of truck out in sun at 90 degree days. Froze 5 water bottles and handful of Popsicles solid from warm liquid over night in each compartment and maintained no problem for over a week no issues and didn't dent battery capacity at all. That's only opening it twice a day though. ...so it works just not sure how long or how well will hold up once we hit the rougher stuff with it.

only thing I don't like so far is the lid seals could use some work. Definitely get some noticeable frost build up in couple spots where they don't seal great. The slide out is a bit flimsier than I hoped but loaded with 1/2gallon jugs of water before hooking it up and still work fine just touch wobbly.

I read till I was blue in the face before buying. Dometic quality seems to have taken a hit from years back, but what hasn't for that matter. ARB was my next choice, but paying a whole lot more more the name there these days too.

If this gives us issues I'll try dometic or ARB. but for the price and fixed position use we put it in, it fit the bill.
I do like that the lids open from either side or come right off the top just as quick.

 

[coiloil37]

Those iceco fridges are rebranded and marketed over here as kings.

They’ve got the build quality you would expect from a budget Chinese line.



I’ve got 20 year old dometics and new and the cfx3 line is the finest I’ve seen yet. The quality certainly didn’t decline in the newer models.



I’ve also got mates with arb and they’re very solid units too. Just a lot more expensive.

 

[Packin_packout]

Arb element. 8 years, rolling around in back of my truck. Zero issues. Just recognize limitations on your charging setup. If you drop something warm and with some like a quarter in it can run the battery down faster. I use it to keep multiple 2L of block ice frozen and cycle those to meat & food coolers. But I also stay out for long stretches.

 

[Dented]

Helpful. Thanks all.

Can you actually service them if needed? Is it something a local appliance repair shop could handle? Or do they have regional service partners? I’m potentially buying the big 99qt unit so shipping back for service is going to be cost prohibitive.

I've got the 99l unit. If that's going to live in a vehicle you really want the slide. They're damn stout and worth buying. Watch for a Dometic sale. Get on the mailing list