Fridge size?

[jscusmcvet]

Wife and I are debating fridge vs. high end cooler. Part of that discussion comes down to size, or rather capacity. We currently operate out of a Coleman Extreme 50 quart cooler adn it has enough room for us. I usually supplement with a small cooler for beer as well, which I think we will continue with. So with that info, can anyone give opinions on the correct size fridge? WE are exploring all options/brands right now. I worry that the 37 qt. ARB may be too small. We also have a line on a good deal for the 63 quart Edgestar, but that would take up literally all the room in the rear storage of my Jeep LJ.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

John

 

[ChadHahn]

You don't need ice with a fridge so a 50Q fridge might have as much space as your old 50Q cooler and beer cooler.

Chad

 

[BigSwede]

I have a 40 quart, and it is bigger than I need for myself. Probably would work well for a couple.

 

[4x4junkie]

I used to use a 100qt Coleman cooler. I now use a 43qt Edgestar fridge, and have found I can actually pack more food in it, allowing for much longer trips.

The big difference is not just that there's no ice taking up room, but also not having an entire stash of (non-perishable) drinks in there too. If it's not too real hot, what I do is keep maybe 4-6 drinks in the fridge, and simply replenish them as they're consumed. Other times (during these hot summer months for example) I'll bring a separate cooler just for drinks since they tend to get consumed much faster when it's hot. Either way, the fridge contains only the immediate perishables.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Some people use the fridge as a freezer to supply ice to a cooler, and keep food frozen for longer term. That way they replenish the drinks and ice continually,
and can monitor the freezer. This can be done with a small fridge/freezer and cooler. But essentially, the fridge/freezers are all the same size from about 35-50 quart.
The fridge/freezers 60 quart - 90 are considerably bigger.
I spent about 2 yrs researching and bought a National Luna 50 weekender, it has a 40 litre fridge, and a separate 10 litre freezer. Its expensive, but on a 3-4 week trip
it makes sense.
As far as size, look over the SPECS for every unit you look at. The real thing that is hardest to adjust to is the height of the fridge freezers. I measured more than twice
before I bought mine, but I still am having trouble adjusting to how tall the thing is.
Anyhow, my .02, good luck

 

[jscusmcvet]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the input. For those of you who have not mentioned it, why did you choose the particular fridge you bought?

 

[ChadHahn]

I got the Dometic 50. It was a combination of price and features. I think that the new ARB is made by the same company but it's hundreds less and the top opens on the side rather than the end. I got the 50 because it was only a few inches taller than the 35 and I figured I should err on the side of bigger.

Chad

 

[toymaster]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the input. For those of you who have not mentioned it, why did you choose the particular fridge you bought?

As far as what size. My advice would be to look at where you want to mount it or haul it and get the biggest to fit that space and your budget, well within reason. A fridge is like any other storage space (closet, safe, rear seat in a truck) it gets filled up fast. Yes you can reorganize and only put the items in that need to be chilled or just stop by the store more often. The point is no matter what space you have you will find something to put in it.

I have an 80L National Luna. It will fit all the necessities for the whole family for several days. If I need less for just me and/or one other then I use the 'excess' space to store food items that may not really need to be cold. When packing for a trip space utilization is key; having the space that is 'climate controlled' gives you more capability than the same space that is not 'climate controlled'. Well that is my justification for buying one on the larger side anyway. On jeep camping trips it stays in my trailer on a mounting plate. I also have an electrical outlet for it in the bed of my truck so if I want to bring home frozen foods on the weekly grocery run in the heat of the summer I can. Also, works good in the bed of the truck for road trips. If I had a SUV and wanted the fridge on a slide out I would have gone with a smaller unit.

As far as the brand? Well, the quality and quality control sold me on the unit. Each unit is tested, not batch tested, before it is imported from South Africa. Every once in a while I like to purchase 'luxury' items and in 2012 I picked that item to be the fridge. Possibly a minor indulgence however, in my limited experience one very seldom regrets buying quality.

 

[ChadHahn]

I would have liked to have gotten a National Luna, but I just can't understand why they are so expensive in America. When I was in Namibia earlier this summer I could have bought one a sporting goods store for half the price they cost in the U.S. If I would have had more time I would have had one shipped home.

Chad

 

[dlh62c]

I'm having the same issue too. What size to get? It seems to be a compromise between capacity and its physical footprint size. I ended up tapeing some cardboard together for a footprint and then living and working around it to get a feel for the size. The verdict is still out.

 

[jscusmcvet]

I'm having the same issue too. What size to get? It seems to be a compromise between capacity and its physical footprint size. I ended up tapeing some cardboard together for a footprint and then living and working around it to get a feel for the size. The verdict is still out.

Great idea.

 

[ChadHahn]

I think a 50 is probably the size to get. It fits in the trunk of my sedan and I'm able to get the lid at least partially open. Also, on craigslist I have seen 35 and 80s for sale but no 50s. In my mind that suggests that people find the 35 too small and the 80 too large.

Chad

 

[racehorse]

Less is more?

I'll add a wrinkle to the mix - I'm actually downsizing from my 43qt edgestar to a 17qt Engel. I've just found that too many times I've taken way too much food or just didn't need that huge hulking fridge taking up rig space in my LR3. I may have gone too small but I'm eager to see how it works out and I like - no love the Engel's footprint, size and weight advantage.

 

[4x4junkie]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the input. For those of you who have not mentioned it, why did you choose the particular fridge you bought?

Price certainly was a factor, but also features too (the Edgestar seemed to have most of what the more-$$$ fridges had at the time, making it's price that much more attractive). I too prefer a lid that's hinged along the long side, so that was also a factor.

No regrets overall (have owned it since mid-2010).

 

[jscusmcvet]

Price certainly was a factor, but also features too (the Edgestar seemed to have most of what the more-$$$ fridges had at the time, making it's price that much more attractive). I too prefer a lid that's hinged along the long side, so that was also a factor.

No regrets overall (have owned it since mid-2010).

Yep, price is the only thing holding me back from the ARB 50 at the moment. I do not mind buying quality and paying for it, but want to make sure I am getting the best value.... well, that and Ann might have me sleeping in the ARB fridge when she learns how much they cost :coffeedrink:

4x4Junkie, love your bronco. At an earlier point in my life I bought a bronco 2 made some small mods and camped and wheeled the heck out of it. Great truck and underestimated in my opinion.

John