Portable Refrigeration Buying Guide
At Land & Sea, we know that keeping your food and drinks fresh is essential when you're out on an adventure. Whether you're planning a weekend camping trip or an extended off-grid journey or need a reliable solution for transporting perishables, a portable fridge freezer is a game changer.
If you're looking for the best cooler for you, your car and your everyday needs, keep reading this buying guide to find the perfect cooler.
Why Choose a Portable Fridge \ Fridge-Freezer?
Portable fridges and fridge freezers like the Dometic CFX Series offer unbeatable convenience compared to traditional iceboxes. Key Benefits include;
- Precise Temperature Control: Say goodbye to soggy sandwiches and melted ice.
- Energy Efficiency: Perfect for long trips with minimal power consumption.
- Durability: Built to handle the toughest conditions.
- Versatility: Use them as a fridge, freezer, or even both at the same time with dual-zone options.
MEET THE DOMETIC CFX SERIES
DOMETIC CFX2
Available in 4 sizes, catering for small weekend trips with your significant other to week-long getaways with the family. The Dometic CFX2 series can act as either a Fridge or a Freezer. It keeps things as cold as -22°C and lets you control temps on the intuitive front panel or on your smartphone.
Available Sizes;
- 28 (1-3 Adults for 1-2 Days)
- 37 (2-4 Adults for 1-3 Days)
- 45 (1-5 Adults for 1-4 Days)
- 57 (1-6 Adults for 1-5 Days)
Best for; Casual Campers, day trips, or those just starting with portable refrigeration.
DOMETIC CFX3
Built for tough outdoor use, the CFX3 Series is available in 7 variants. These include Dual Zone, Single Zone and Single Zone + Ice Maker Models. The CFX3 allows the cooler to reach -22°C while using less power than a 60W lightbulb.
Available Sizes;
- 25 Single Zone
- 35 Single Zone
- 45 Single Zone
- 55 Single Zone
- 55 Ice Maker
- 75 Dual Zone
- 95 Dual Zone
Best for; Serious adventurers, overlanders, and anyone needing reliable cooling in extreme conditions.
DOMETIC CFX5
The best of the best, top-quality portable fridges. The CFX5 series is the updated version of the CFX3; these also come in 7 variants, including Dual Zone, Single Zone and Single Zone + Ice Maker Models. Also, allowing the cooler to reach -22°C
Available Sizes;
- 25 Single Zone
- 35 Single Zone
- 45 Single Zone
- 55 Single Zone
- 55 Ice Maker
- 75 Dual Zone
- 95 Dual Zone
Best for; 4x4 Adventures, Off-grid Adventures, Van Life, Long-term travellers, Weekend Adventures and everything in-between.
How to choose the right model for you?
When selecting a portable fridge freezer, consider these factors:
- Capacity: How many people you'll be catering to and the length of your trips.
- Power Options: Ensure compatibility with your vehicle's power source, solar setup or portable power supply.
- Weight and Portability: Balance capacity with ease of transport
- Budget: The CFX series caters to a range of price points while maintaining high performance
Capacity - Find your Size!
Are you heading to the beach for a day trip? Are you heading away for a weekend adventure? Heading away for a 2week off-grid adventure? If you are heading away for a lengthy journey, a larger capacity might mean fewer trips to the supermarket.
It's not just the length of time but the number of people you are catering for. Are you on a solo trip? Heading away with your significant other? Maybe taking the whole family or heading out with a group of friends? These are all considerations that need to be considered while determining the perfect cooler size.
As a general guide (375mm Can for reference);
- 25L - Keeping lunch cool, day trips. Holds 33 cans.
- 36L - Good for a weekend away for 2 or a week for 1. Holds 50 cans.
- 46L - The most common size, suitable for 4 people for a long weekend. Holds 67 cans.
- 55L - Generous capacity, suitable for a week away for 2 or a family long weekend. Holds 85 cans.
- 74L - A week away with family or friends. Holds 113 cans.
- 94L - Perfect for Off-grid adventures, Van Life etc. Holds 133 cans.
If you are struggling to decide on size, err on the larger side as long as you have the space and budget.
Power options - How are you powering?
How are you planning on powering the fridge? Luckily, with the Dometic range of portable Fridges, you can power them anywhere. They support 12/24V DC or 100-240V AC across the range, so if you connect up to your car's 12V system, to a large powerpack, to a solar-connected battery or even the campsite power supply, you will have cold beers to last the weekend.
Weight and Portability - Size Matters
When preparing for your off-road adventure, it can often come to what can fit in the back of the car or how much load capacity remains on your kitted-out off-road rig. Make sure you consider the spec pages of the Dometic range to ensure the size and weight will suit your application.
A Dometic CFX2 is easy to move around, only coming in at 13.5kg while measuring 345mm x 427mm x 600mm. Where the Dometic CFX95DZ is great for storing in your off-grid setup, coming in at 29.5kg and measuring 530mm x 472mm x 962mm.
The Dometic range of fridges is relatively lightweight yet durable in terms of capacity and performance. They are designed to take on the outdoors and cover the full range of use when it comes to portable outdoor fridges.
Budget
If you are choosing between a chilly bin or a refrigerator, then you are going to be paying a bit extra for the refrigerator. But also say goodbye to soggy sandwiches, ice packs taking up valuable space, and constantly emptying and topping up the chilly bin with ice. Fridges are a great way to keep your food fresh and your drinks cool.
Dometic products to meet all price ranges when it comes to portable fridges, whether you're looking for a small Thermoelectric car cooler at an RRP of NZ$339.00 or looking for a complete off-grid CFX5-95DZ cooler at an RRP of NZ$2299.00.
At Land & Sea we are confident we can help find a Portable Fridge that suits your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dometic Portable Fridges
What is the difference between CFX2 and CFX5?
CFX5 is a higher-end model of the Dometic CFX range. It offers significant improvements in insulation, the compressor and general design, allowing for enhanced features and performance over the CFX2 models.
- CFX5 incorporates Vacuum Insulated Panels (VIP), a cutting-edge insulation technology that improves thermal efficiency.
- CFX5 is also equipped with the VMSO 3.5 auto-adjusting compressor rather than the standard one found in the CFX2 (still good by industry standards). This offers more consistent cooling and improved electrical efficiency. It also allows the fridge to operate 5 dB quieter than CFX2.
- CFX5 has additional carbon steel reinforcement for extra durability, ensuring the unit can withstand harsher conditions.
- CFX5 also has additional features like an alert system when the lid is left open, a high-resolution colour display, a USB port for charging, and a convenient built-in bottle opener.
CFX5 is the premium option designed for longer, more remote adventurers, 4x4ers, Overlanders or long vacationers. However, both the CFX2 and the CFX5 are high-quality portable fridges.
What is a portable fridge freezer?
A portable fridge freezer is a compact cooling device for outdoor use. It keeps food and drinks chilled or frozen without needing ice packs, making it perfect for camping or road trips.How long will a portable fridge freezer run on battery?
Run time depends on the fridge's energy consumption and battery capacity. By a general rule, a 50L fridge can run for 12-24hrs on a 100Ah battery depending on conditions (such as temperature, etc).What size portable fridge freezer is best for camping?
For short trips, a 25-40L fridge is suitable. For family camping or longer trips, a 50-70L model is generally recommended.Can I run a Dometic portable fridge freezer on solar power?
Yes, Dometic fridges are compatible with solar panels. Pair them with a solar power system and a deep-cycle battery for off-grid use. (Note: The refrigerator should be run through a battery as direct power from solar panels will not provide enough consistent power to run the fridge continuously.)How cold can Dometic portable fridge freezers go?
Dometic fridge freezers can maintain temperatures as low as -22°C (-7.6°F).How much power does a Dometic portable fridge take to run?
Dometic fridges consume approximately 1-2kWh per day, depending on the size and ambient temperature. Models with VMS03 compressors are highly efficient.
Why buy from Land & Sea?
At Land & Sea, our team knows the ins and outs of portable refrigeration and can help you choose the model that suits your needs. Refrigeration is a great way to up your camping and adventure game, allowing you to enjoy the outdoors while keeping well-fed with good quality food and hydrated with refreshing cold beverages. We stock the full range of Dometic portable fridges and accessories.
Whether online at www.land-sea.co.nz or in-store, we are here to help you on your next journey.