Car fridges....which one?
Hi guys, looking at getting a car fridge next month and was hoping for a bit of feedback on a few I'm eyeing off. Want an 80L so its big enough to cart shopping back from Kalgoorlie to Leinster.
First one I hav eyes on is a National Luna aluminium 80L. Heard good things about these, but quite pricey. ATOM supply stock them and as luck would have it I can get a 45% discount at ATOM through the mining company I work for, haven't got a quote as yet but should be around the $14-1500 mark working off its original RRP on the NL website. But could be more if ATOM do big mark ups. And I don't know what warranty I'd be getting till I ring.
http://www.nationalluna.com.au/80lt-fridge-alum/
Second is the mighty Engel. Looking at the MT80F model sold at Rays Outdoors in Kalgoorlie, advertised for $1799. 3 year warranty probably won't even come into play.
http://www.raysoutdoors.com.au/Product/Engel-MT80F-Fridge-Freezer-80L/121476?menuFrom=5041140
Third is one I only just stumbled on while surfing through the Supercheap Auto website. And thats the Evakool Travelmate TMX75 retailing for $1399 but has a 5 year warranty. Uses the Danfoss BD35F compressor which I think Waeco use (or used to anyway).
My heart is leaning to the Engel because I know they are quality, my parents still use theirs which they've had for about 30 years now. But wouldn't mind hearing opinions. Not really interested in Waeco's as I've heard their insulation is pretty average but correct me if I'm wrong. And Rays only have them up to the CFX65 which isn't really big enough, and I'm not up for driving the 1800km round trip to Perth to get a bigger one
Cheers!
scottnofish
Posts: 1617
Date Joined: 28/08/07
i just got the 95litre
Evacool 5 year warranty 50mm insulation only usedit once so fsr and that was in 40 degrees and it was sitting in direct sun light and was sitting at minus 20 all day no worries .i manly liked the fact its poly not steel as it can be thrown about a bit more .bcf were selling out the old model for 999 or the new model with the digital controller is 1299
tadpole
Posts: 387
Date Joined: 28/01/13
My wife likes the EvaKool as
My wife likes the EvaKool as well because of the poly construction. They're supposedly the best insulated fridge on the market. The 5 year warranty is hard to go past too
Rob H
Posts: 5745
Date Joined: 18/01/12
I also have the Evakool 70
I also have the Evakool 70 Litre yellow poly model, same reasons as Scottno above.
Knockaround, no rust and uses mainly off the shelf parts.
Bought mine used and it rips along in my boat great, seems to use less power than the 50L Waeco I had before.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
I would only ever buy a Engel
I would only ever buy a Engel OR a Evakool i think. From what i hear they are great, i have never owned them but yes i think they are better insulated! Evakool def make the best eskies.
But at the end of the day i can't fault my 30+ year old Engel still going strong!
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
I have an Evakool and a
I have an Evakool and a Waeco.
Evakool regularly, through BCF/Rays, have 60l fridges come through for around $700.
Alternatively, look on the camping buy/swap/sell pages on Facebook. a 60l Waeco went for $400 a month ago.
Tank
Posts: 358
Date Joined: 12/05/12
Considerations
Have you considered two 40L fridges, we go this way camping, one for freezer one for fridge use.
80L is big and heavy when loaded.
We have a ARB and Engel, Engel hands down not going to touch a ARB again.
Used to have a 60L Waeco didnot go well up in the Pilbara heat and heavy.
Maybe Im just a week one?
dano83
Posts: 790
Date Joined: 25/05/12
Like above said 2 40l are
Like above said 2 40l are ideal
you can get the Engels eclipse 40l around $800 with fridge cover, they are the plastic version but has same internals as the metal version and still tough. I've had my eclipse for a few months now as I had an 80l before and was to big and always in the way
I use it for camping now as dedicated freezer or if we have parties for extra cooling room
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Not even a fair choice. I'm
Not even a fair choice. I'm an engel fan but I would jump at a national Luna at the price you are quoting. Any chance I can slip you some cash and you get 2?
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
tadpole
Posts: 387
Date Joined: 28/01/13
Haha. I live in Leinster
Haha. I live in Leinster dodgy, the logistics of that fridge pick up/delivery just wouldn't work, otherwise I would. I'll try and ring them for a discounted quote tomorrow. Was meant to this morning but me and telephones don't get on well after N/S! I have heard they are brilliant fridges though the Engel has a pretty good reputation as well. I like the idea of 2 40L Engels as mentioned, easier to take 1 camping than to lump around an 80L!
tadpole
Posts: 387
Date Joined: 28/01/13
Whats the EvaKools
Whats the EvaKools construction like? Are they pretty tough? My brother broke the plastic hinges on his fridge, not sure what brand it was though, wasn't EvaKool. Its a pain in the backside living where I do not being able to do some window shopping and have a good look over each model before making a decision
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
There is atom supply in Kal.
There is atom supply in Kal.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
tadpole
Posts: 387
Date Joined: 28/01/13
Yeah I know, do you live in
Yeah I know, do you live in Kal?
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Nah. Just pointing out that
Nah. Just pointing out that if it was a transport issue you could order it to be picked up from their Kal store.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Didley
Posts: 58
Date Joined: 09/02/12
I live in Kal
And the mrs works at atoms
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Have the 80lt engel. Great
Have the 80lt engel. Great fridge/ freezer but as others have said bloody heavy and its a 2 person lift either full or empty.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
I've had an 80 litre Waeco for 6 years.
Had a fairly hard time of it, only issue was an overtemp cutoff(?) when it was locked in a tin shed for weeks in very high ambient (up to 45 deg official temp) Inside shed must have been cooking. It had defrosted then refrozen, but the bait inside had gone off
At least I think it was an overtemp cutoff--can they self reset? Didn't think they could, but the only other explanation would be that someone turned it off, realised their mistake, and turned it back on a week later, but they swear they didn't
As others have said, an 80 is big and heavy, I can carry mine empty, and it fits the slide on my camper, or I'd probably have 2 smaller ones, which can't be made to fit.
The_Wanderer
Posts: 735
Date Joined: 24/09/08
If you look on the box the
If you look on the box the Waeco can only cool to a maximum of 55 degrees below ambient temprature, so if it got to 60 degrees in the shed it would only coold to 15 postive as the night air cooled it would have refrozen and conintued this process.
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
My two are 60's, my folks
My two are 60's, my folks have 2 x 35's but they don't drink.....
Wes F
Posts: 1060
Date Joined: 07/01/12
Engel
Have had a 80 litre Engel for 12 years and love it. Yes it is a large fridge but once loaded it to 4WD I don't take it out unless parked up for more than 3 days. Have recently put in a pull out drop down system which will make it a lot easier to use. They are quite efficient on power usage and have not had it over heat/trip out once. Have done many trips up north and hasn't missed a beat. Might back it up with a 40 litre one in the future 1 as a fridge the other as a freezer. They do have a sensitive control setting so don't put any higher than 2 or else frozen goods.
Old fishermen never die they just smell that way.
Peko
Posts: 185
Date Joined: 01/10/14
I have an 80 litre Waeco in
I have an 80 litre Waeco in the Landcruiser thats taken a power of beating over the last 7 years and a 30 litre Engel in the boat. My preference would be for the Engel. They are genuine fridge freezers and far more robust in construction.
Deleted
Posts: 6265
Date Joined: 26/04/14
65ltr engel I've had a few
65ltr engel I've had a few cartons in that bad boy
tadpole
Posts: 387
Date Joined: 28/01/13
Yeah I'm going to grab the
Yeah I'm going to grab the Engel. Pretty darn good reputation and recommendations everywhere. Cheers guys
Paj man
Posts: 359
Date Joined: 16/09/12
I've got an Engel
Next one will be a National Luna - they can't be beaten in my opinion.
aka Nick
DTrain
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 10/02/12
I have a 35L waeco and I've
I have a 35L waeco and I've had all sorts of problems with it.
The self resetting polyfuse that came with it was not big enough for the current the fridge draws and kept on cutting out. So I had to replace it. Then the thermostat broke so I had to replace that too. Then the plastic cover over all the buttons melted and warped so that I couldn't press some of the buttons anymore. So I had to take the cover off and press the buttons directly on the circuit board. Then one of the buttons broke off the circuit board because it didn't have the plastic cover on it. So now I have to change temperature by sticking a bit of metal across the circuit board where the button used to be.
So the compressor which is made by Danfoss is ok, but all the other bits made by Waeco seem to fall apart. I would probably go with an Engel next time.
BarraSlayer
Posts: 287
Date Joined: 14/04/14
ARB 60L
Had issues with this... went to steep point with 6 days of food in there and stuffed up.. Error light, thought it was bad connection. Changed that out for a anderson plug. I now noticed that it does it when plugged into mains power. Dont trust it at all. It doesnt like the heat in the back of the utw either P.O.S that coat $1800
Cheers
BarraSlayer
spinksy
Posts: 266
Date Joined: 06/10/10
Jaycar
Bought one from jaycar a 40ltr about 2 years ago and no dramas and a fair bit cheaper. Has the danfoss compressor and 5 year warranty. Very happy with it
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Super Cheap are doing 25% off car fridges this weekend
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf