When you venture off on your travels, whether that be in a car, van, boat, or RV, you go out to live life. Being in the wilderness and in nature can create enjoyable times and experiences, and you don’t need to suffer along the way.
You want to have most of the comforts of home, or at least some of them. One of the most important of those is cold food. Or a cold drink. How do you have a cold drink or cold food while out in the middle of nowhere? The solution for most people is a simple cooler. You put ice in it, and you’ve got cold drinks. After doing this for some time, you’ll get really tired of managing your ice.
It’s expensive and inconvenient to use a cooler long-term. Ice will be about $1 to $2 a bag, or about a dollar a day for ice. This doesn’t account for any lost food if it gets in the water or spoils. If you get out in nature and want to stay for 10 days, your ice won’t last. You have to go make a special trip into town to refill. That’s also an additional gas cost. Fortunately, there is another option—the 12-volt compressor fridges.
Here’s a quick list of our top picks for the best 12-volt portable fridges:
What to Consider
Before making a purchase you’ll want to consider what type of refrigerator you’re looking for, what you’re going to be using the fridge for and where you plan to store it. No matter which one you pick, each is sure to keep your food and beverages cold.
The great thing is, with the standard 12-volt you can plug it right into your car, and while you’re driving along you can have it running.
The only drawback is they are a bit expensive, depending on what size you go for. In terms of power, they draw about 25 to 30 amps, and 200 watts will easily power one of these fridges.
The Best 12-Volt Portable Refrigerators
These are our favorite 12-volt portable fridges for those of you who want plenty of food and drink storage while in your boat, RV, van, or camper. These are great coolers for traveling and camping that pays for itself over time without the need to use ice.
ARB Portable Fridge Freezer
The ARB portable fridge freezer comes in a wide variety of different quart sizes to choose from. Many people find it to last for a very long time even with heavy use. It’s a bit more expensive than other fridge options, but the ARB has made a name for itself over the years. The latch design is strong with a fold-down handle, and will not break off. It uses very little electricity and can be run off a solar system.
Pros
- Many size options
- Lasts for a very long time
- Durable design
Cons
- More expensive
- Freezer only maintains previously frozen items
Dometic CFX28
Another premium brand name in the 12-volt compressor fridge space, Dometic. The CFX series of portable fridges can run on AC or DC for solar or off-grid electrical systems. This fridge keeps food cold and stays cold overnight in a car, and in the warmest of climates. Most Dometic designs also ventilate through the front side so it’s easier to keep good air-flow for the compressor.
Pros
- Keeps food very cold
- AC or DC power
- Many size options
Cons
- Expensive
Alpicool C15
Alipcool’s C15 is one of the smaller, more budget options in this list. If you only need to store a few things inside, or only plan on using this fridge part-time, this is a great option for you. Many people flock to the Dometic’s and ARB’s for their larger size options and long-term use capabilities. However, the Alpicool models do provide a sufficient amount of storage if you’re limited on space.
Pros
- Budget alternative
- Sufficient storage
- Form factor design
Cons
- Smaller
- Fewer size options
XtremepowerUS Portable Fridge
Another budget option in the list, XtremepowerUS offers a larger portable fridge for a fraction of the cost. This fridge model is quite large with expansive fridge and freezer sides for all of your groceries. They also have a mobile app with some additional adjustments you can make on there for temperature controls. Overall this fridge offers a good value that runs cool and quiet.
Pros
- Budget pricing
- Large/expansive size
- Mobile app for additional controls
Cons
- Labeled not to get wet
- The app can have issues
Costway RV Fridge
Costway offers a large, compact fridge for wherever you plan to travel. This fridge can run in both extreme hot and cold temps without any issues. It’s also only a fraction of the price of the Dometic options. Many people find it to hold up very well to keep food and drinks cold, along with a quiet compressor. The only gripe some people have is that the AC adapter it comes with is not the greatest.
Pros
- Much cheaper than Dometic
- Good value
- Large size, quiet compressor
Cons
- Only large size option
- Not great AC adapter
To Conclude
As you can see there are slight differences between the 12-volt portable fridges on the market. If you’re looking for a durable, age-tested 12-volt refrigerator, that will keep your food and beverages cool, then an ABS or Dometic fridge is recommended. But, if you have a smaller budget, then Alpicool has a few low-profile and powerful options you may want to consider.