And someone who actually purchased it themselves. Too many product whores on RUclips pretending getting something for free doesn't affect their reviews. They goes against every study ever done on gifts.
One thing I found was good to do with my fridge to help even out the temperature swings was to freeze some bottles of water and stick those in with my normal bottles of water and food and drinks.. It's like adding ice, but without the mess, and you do eventually drink the water at the end of the trip so it's not really wasted space.
You could wash your dishes, hands have a shower or even give it to your dog to drink? Also always keep a couple gallons of distilled water for emergency radiator issues if your going out bush! This could be the difference between getting to a mechanic or being stranded!
I always like how you speak in practical, everyday terms. Your use of anticipating scenarios of how people might use and item, or want to use it, I think is a great way of presenting. Thanks. I've already decided that out on the road this year I'm going to "graduate" from a cooler to a fridge.
i went all last summer and fall just running mine off a jackery 240 with a 100 watt solar panel plugged into it o it charged in the day and powered the lpicool all night and never got below 70% ever. it worked great. pass through charging is awsome !
I have the exact same fridge. It worked out well on my 7-week trip last summer/fall. What worked well for me is to plug my jackery 500 into the car and the fridge into the jackery. The jackery would charge faster then the draw from the fridge. So the fridge never had to turn off during my trip. It came in handy recently when I was getting a new fridge for my home. I put the Alpicool in freezer mode and stored my freezer contents in it. I stored the refrigerator contents in a cooler with freezer packs.
The problem is that Jackery supports pass-through usage like this, but the manual states it will damage the battery life. I returned my Jackery and picked up a LifePo4 pack.
I’ve had my Alpicool 15 for 3 years and it has NEVER FAILED ME! I live in my minivan & buy only the food I need for cooking 1-2 full meals with my instant pot. I put that food into storage container and place in the fridge once cooled. The rest of the fridge has fruit so I can make fresh liquids to drink. I agree it’s a fantastic buy with small footprint. Also I want to say I really like your channel been watching for a loooong time thanks again!
I made a simple Reflectix cover (made sure not to cover the side vent👍) for my Alpicool. Keeps it cooler and takes care of the bright display at night. 👍
So glad that you gave this review! I have been researching exactly this one you are reviewing and was looking for info on how the Jackery 500 would do with it! Totally stoked! You made my day! Thanks! 😃🙌🏼🚗
I can think of a reason to use the Alpicool for making ice. I could set the Alpicool at it's lowest temperature to function as a freezer and also carry an ice box. I could use a jug of frozen water to cool the ice box and keep another jug to freeze in the Alpicool. I would keep the food that I don't want to freeze in the ice box and keep it cool by exchanging the frozen jugs daily. This would allow me to take ICE CREAM in the Aplicool !!! Excellent review Tristan. Thanks for the video!
Just got one on Prime Day. Holy Hell.... They're $230 now, just a year later! I paid $170 and thought I got a deal. Really impressed with how effective and compact it is. It fits nicely in the rear foot well of my 97 4runner. By the time you deduct the volume of Ice, it fits as much as I was packing in my 50L Yeti. Fits 1L bottles standing up. Haven't calculated the power draw yet. I put mine on a foam pad to keep it off the hot floorboards & that significantly reduced the noise.
Great, sensible long term review. Thank you. I've got a C20 that I plan on putting in my Sienna between the front seats, and possibly attaching the console "tray table" to the top of the alpicool, if clearance allows. Keep on travelling, and thanks for bringing us along, it's very inspiring!
Tristan, in my opinion - nobody explains it better! You answer every question I get as you go along. Best reviews! I can’t wait to get a frig. Ice is very hard to find here at Lake Mead area!
I have the Alpicool mini. Only holds 10 liters. It takes a much smaller footprint. After using it for month long trip, I wish I would have gone a little larger. Same with my jackery. I had the 240 for this trip and I ended up buying the jackery 500 when I returned home. The 240 worked fine because I moved around a lot. I had no issues and didn't notice a noise while trying to sleep. Love my Alpicool!
I am obsessed with the tiny 9/10 liter alpicool! Can't find more than a tiny few legit video reviews in Twitter by real & practical channels. Glad to read your comment. We NEED SMALL! THANK YOU!
@Michelle-n7f I've been using the alpicool mini for 4 years now. Never had a problem. I took it out to my car and let it sit for 24 hours before I plugged it in. I'm pretty sure that helped.
Thanks for the review on how it's worked. Since I'm in CA could not get it shipped here (prop 65 and cancer warnings) so got the JoyTuTus brand. I'm very pleased with it and it's nice having cold food on the road. I power it with my Jackery 300, I'm on the move everyday so that works. My compressor does not come on much, maybe once or twice a day for 15 minutes. I've been using it in freezer mode before taking off on a trip, I've gone two days without the compressor coming on. Then it just slowly warms up to 35 degrees. Glad it has worked out for your needs, sweet price you got for it. 👍😊
I've been using this same fridge on my sailboat for about 2 years now and it is fantastic and totally agree with everything said. Your comments are exactly the way I use this fridge, economy mode and set the temp about 39 degrees, run off my house batteries and have never had an issue. I actually came back to the Amazon Alpicool site to buy another one, one to use as a fridge the other to use as a freezer for longer off-grid stays and saw this review.
I use my Jackery 240 with my C20. I set it at 38 f, and at 70f ambient temp the Jackery will last about 9 hours. So it’s ok for overnight camping but then I have to recharge the Jackery and try to keep the Alpicool cold. The Jackery takes 7 hours to recharge to 100%. So, I wish I had the 500 or 1000 model. But, I also camp with a regular ice cooler and both will keep my food safe. When we travel and stop to sightsee, I unplug from the car and plug into the Jackery. Overall, I make things work as needed and do not mind having the regular cooler and the Alpicool. Mostly we have power at campgrounds, but some trips we are in both non electric sites or electric sites That’s when we plan food for ice only. Then the car takes care of the Alpicool when traveling. We have camped this way for almost 2 years in our Runaway Range Runner . Your review is right on with my experience. Thanks.
Fair review. I have the sane unit, and have run 24/7 for about a year in my garage to keep beverages and it works very well. No complaints. Thanks for sharing.
I've ran one of these for several years non stop on my boat as a full time freezer... never failed me though before putting anything in it I ran it full power for 3 days to ensure it was fully chilled inside... I power it by 2 120aph leisure batteries hooked into 2 150w solar panels... just bought an alpicool 50l fridge to go alongside it too
Everything you said about this is exactly correct. I have my Alpicool with a Jackery 240. On a multiday trip, I found that it would keep cold overnight, but the power station needed to be recharge fully over the day. Great for a long roadtrip, driving 8 hours or more a day. I always felt that it would hold 2 weeks worth of cold food if you only cooled a few drinks as needed. 20 liters of food (in plastic bags) would be a lot of packages of meat or veg! I kept the Jackery plugged into the car 12v, so that it would recharge when the car was running during the day. Whenever the car was turned off, during the day at stops or all night, the fridge would keep running. A+ review and fridge.
Thanks Gene! If you're going to be running it off of something like a Jackery 240 (and have no solar), you really need to drive a lot each day, as you said. Just an hour or two won't cut it. And yes, my fridge is often at least a quarter full of drinks 😁
Really appreciate the review. I'm currently working on outfitting my SUV for short camping trips and have been on the fence about whether to get a cooler or fridge. Definitely leaning toward the fridge now. Thanks!
We have an Alpicool 60qt. pretty much the same as yours, but much larger. Ours has wheels with retractable handle. We made a trip from Texas to California and back hitting Disneyland and several parks, Sequoia, Yosemite, along the way. The thing works great, no ice to deal with. We freeze some of our bottles of water and set the set point 40 degrees while on the road. When we would make an extended stop, say like at Meteor Crater in Arizona and the unit was off for several hours at a time the frozen water bottles kept is cool just fine. The thing works great. We would take in to hotel rooms and plug in with no issue. Next morning load in back of Tahoe and plug in with 12v cord. Well worth the money for anyone who travels the roads.
Great review! We use the smaller one, Alpicool C15, hooked up with a Jackery 500 and it keeps us going for about 4 days at around 8-10°C without charging or using the car alternator to power the fridge. We chose the C15 so that it could fit underneath our sleeping platform in the back och our Defender, easily accessed on a slide-out platform from the rear passenger door. I'd say a Alpicool + Jackery combination is an affordable and robust setup for most car-camping situations.
I have the same fridge and the Explorer 500. In the eco mode at 37F , ambient room temperature of 75F , the explorer powered it for 37 hours with 25% battery life left.
I have the older version of this. I've had it for 3 years and it is still running. I keep a thermometer in it to make sure it is keeping the correct temperature, and made a custom case for it, out of reflectix and it helps it run a little less. I also typically throw a blanket over the top when not using, which keeps the sun off of it, and provides a little extra insulation. I run it off the car while driving (and have a sticker to remind me to plug it into the Jackery on my dash) and I keep it plugged into a Jackery, and the Jackery is plugged into a foldable solar panel, while in camp. Love the Alpicool!
@@einnockate I have a 500, but you could run it on a 300w if you are not running much else, and you charge the Jackery every day with an ample-sized panel or by plugging it into your car while driving. I used a 240 watt Jackery for a weekend trip and did this. I typically charge my phone and ipad with an external battery (charged by a small panel) anyway or charge your electronics while driving. Summer will not be an issue, but in Winter you might need to use car battery to fully charge the Jackery, if you panel is not at least 100 watts. The trick to using this efficiently, is to always use it in “Eco” mode, and keep it plugged in while you are charging your Jackery, (to make full use of all the available sun if you are using solar) or if you are charging the Jackery from the car….same thing. It is surprisingly power efficient.
Thanks for an honest and thorough review. I have been wondering how well an Alpicool works versus some other more expensive (and they are all more expensive) units. And, thanks so much to all of your subscribers who commented about their experiences in using these units. I now feel confident that an Alpicool would be sufficient for my needs. It is great to know that I can get a unit that performs well without spending several hundred dollars.
Have this exact same fridge and run it using either my truck when driving or a Jackery 1000 when parked, and I love it. Was a little worried since I do a lot of off-roading when traveling, but the bumps and uneven terrain have not effected its performance at all. Totally agree that it is a big improvement in convenience and space saving over an ice chest/cooler. Highly recommend it!
I wish I had one of these on my trip from Chicago to Anchorage in 1993. I got a nasty case of food poisoning after something in my cooler went bad (even though I was consciousness about keeping it filled with ice). I had to give up camping and got a hotel in Trout Creek, MT to ride it out. Not fun. BTW, the CDC recommends keeping food at 40⁰ or less for cold storage. Thanks for the detailed review.
I don’t know if somebody else already mentioned this, but like in my car, all the cigarette lighters were switched, but I was able to get in the fuse box and move a fuse to a different location, and that allowed one of my cigarette lighters to stay on all the time you may look into that😊
I am a SUV CAMPER not a full timer but since I love to roam around in nature to hike.( been car camping and hiking solo many years) My first bucket list was driving to Alaska when I turned 70, only 4 years ago, I, I DID IT!! Solo. I think I can do it again b4 I get too old(I am already too old hahaha) Someday I like to share my experiences after I learn how to do it(learning a lot from you) I am grateful for this video because I just got 30liter from Costco by Massimo. I was having panic attack for not knowing how to use it or what else I need to get to work this properly. I only have Massimo 240 Wt power bank. What should I do now?
For the price this has been excellent! There have been a few times that i’ve used it in my home as extra frig for drinks or as a freezer. As I have home canned meats, dehydrated foods and freeze dried foods I just needed something small to carry a gallon of milk but have decided to use it as a freezer by putting in a gallon of water and smaller quarts of water and use those in a small regular cooler to keep my drinks cold but have another set of water bottles freezing to rotate. Our family goes to Yosemite every year and the ice is very expensive! This worked very well for that and of course, my husband had ice cream for those hot days. I’ve had my Alpicool for over 3 years and when it gives up well, didn’t pay that much for it so it’s paid for itself already.
I have the Alpicool T36 Dual Temperature Control 12 Volt Refrigerator 38 Quart Portable Car Fridge Freezer (-4°F~68°F) - I make dinners and place them into the freezer section - I move one package into the frig area early in the morning and its thawed for dinner time.
Good review, I bought the C40 a little over a year ago. Didn't know if I would like a fridge or not, so I didn't want to go expensive. The fridge works great both on the road/off the road and at home for extra fridge capacity. Also have a solar generator which runs it fine when camping.
I think I have some good news for the the c20 fans. I will start by saying I loved my c15 (same fridge with a different lid) After a year of working perfect in an RV, I sacrificed it in an extreme off road test in the back of an prerunner. Even attached to a shock absorbing platform. It was extreme, even getting air with the vehicle. My c15 did fail. I pulled it apart and the line from the compressor failed. Not alpicools fault. I abused it until it broke. So 5 years ago when I built my box truck beach house, I used a $2,000 Isotherm fridge with a small built in freezer. I also installed a brand new Alpicool c20 as an additional pull out freezer. The box truck video is called "His secret beach house is inside a box truck!?" That little freezer has been running continuously on 12 volts for 5 years. I have only defrosted it once in 5 years. Except for a few burnt out pixels on the display, It has worked flawlessly as a freezer. I don't need the display. I can always put my other display from my broken c15 in it. I don't care. I haven't changed a setting in 5 years. I have a remote thermostat on my galley wall that tells me both fridge temperatures. I just checked it, and it's at 5.3 degrees fahrenheit and is full of food. If that little freezer fails, in a heartbeat I will order another one. Today 9/29/24 it is priced at $191 on amazon. I might buy a c9 or c12 as a drinks fridge for my box trucks back porch. Any questions, get back to me on my video's Comment's. Thanks Scott
Thsnk youuu! I want the tiny micro mini 9l to se just to freeze ice packs/water bottles to rotate into tiny cooler w coldest temp + longest Ice retention ! I'm happy to read of your satisfaction with the 15. Much Appreciated! Will definitely che k out your channel for more !
I'm so happy to see your review. I bought the same one about the same time. I've been very happy with it, I went through a learning process re car charger vs battery pack (aimtom 540wh). I appreciate your posts.
A great and honest review and so many are not. I agree it is all dependent on what you expect and how you plan to use it. I have a C30 because it has handles that I can strap it down but I have been pleased with it. The fridge keeps a steady temperature of 38 on ECO mode and I use it from my 520wh RockPals. In some of my testing I have gotten 2 12 hour runs out of the power station without having to charge it. In reality that would not be happening but it is nice to know. For the money you can have anything better.
My daughter and traveled 3000 miles cross country and the Alpicool worked very well keeping our food and drinks cold. The temperature did fluctuate but never caused us concern for the contents.
If I wrote a review on my C20 (or C16) it would go exactly like this-Right down to the panel lights, which I solved by putting it under the bed. The vibration from the compressor starting DOES wake me up at the beginning of a trip, but after a night or two, I sleep through it. I run it on a timer so it shuts off at sundown and comes back on in the morning, so the solar can support it. I keep water bottles in the bottom to keep it cool at night. It’s nice to have a cold drink but in the end, I find it is a luxury. I usually travel with non-perishable food so in the winter, I leave it at home. However, in the Utah desert in the summer…it’s VERY nice to have.
Just picked up one of these with an EcoFlow River 2. I also have my folding solar panels from my EcoFlow Delta 2. Looking forward to testing these out. I may try to add some extra insulation... Foam board and reflectix. Thanks for the great review!
I'm very pleased with my Alpicool C20 in that it has a small footprint and does well to keep my food and beverages cold on my overnight trips. I use a Jackery 240 and it's fine for one night. I do plan to get a Jackery 1000 when I trade my Jeep SUV for a van or pick up. In the winter I sleep in my SUV and haven't had any issues with "hot air" or noise.
A suggestion for more room harbor freight sells the cargo carrier to install in the trailer tube hitch at night you could place it outside covered or open depending if is raining or cloudy, for more room in bunking time. Also wrap a bungee cord around it outside to keep out small animals out of your freezer. Hope that helps with you extra space in the car.
I agree. It's a convenient little fridge. I have a little Jackery 240. What I do is plug the Jackery into the car and run the fridge off the Jackery. When driving the Jackery stays charged.
Perfect timing -- I was literally just thinking about what kind of fridge I'd want to live in my car or a pick-up truck (still in the dreaming/planning stage). Now I know! Thanks. (Edited to say: I'll buy it through your amazon if you have one to get a commission, btw.)
Come on folks....this channel ROCKS. Lets get some more SUBS here !! Thanks for the review....getting ready for long road trip and will be buying based Aplicool C20 on your review. Best Regards
I have the C15, which is the same fridge but with a flush lid. I use it both in my vehicle, and in my living quarters at the front in Ukraine. I run it off the vehicle when in the vehicle, and often off of a Jackery 1000 when not. I've found your experiences with it to be very similar to my own. I run on it on max, however, and I don't get wild fluctuations in the internal temps. I have, however, found that I have to program the temperature to be a few degrees below what I want the actual temp to be. I use it primarily as a freezer, so I have to set it a few degrees below freezing (-4 c here) in order to get it to freeze a couple of cube trays solid. Also, the battery saver feature works great, as I have left it running in my vehicle overnight several times, and found that it had turned itself off and left plenty of charge in the battery to start the vehicle. This fridge has taken quite a beating in this environment, and has performed way above its $130 cost to me. No, it's not a premier fridge by any measure, but as a rugged little fridge (freezer) that won't set you back much, it's great.
I used the AlpiCool C15 for several years full time van living ---running from a 105 Amp hour AGM 12 volt (which also serviced my heavy computer usage) charged from foldup solar panels ---the math was pretty much the same: 28 Watts for 5 mins. out of every 23 minuets (or 25% of the hour) =7 WH, plus 2 Watts for (75% of the hour) = 1.5 WH ---so overall just under 9 WH ---9 WH / 12 V = 0.75 AH x 24 hours = 18 AH / day ---or 9 AH over-night when I didn't have solar input ---it is so much better on a Jackery 500 because you have the full 41 AH rated capacity instead of just the top 30 AHs usable portion of a standard "100 AH" AGM battery
Tristan: I recently bought the next size up (I think, c30), have used it for 2 trips 10 days each, quite satisfied with it, powered it from car during day, from a battery during night if it was not cold out, worked good for us. Wanted to get away from buying ice, and as you say, the mess of melted ice getting the food wet. Before that we tried the Coleman "thermo-electric" cooler, which claims to keep contents 40 degrees cooler that ambient temperature, that did not work satisfactorily. It did cool somewhat, but 40 degrees was probably a stretch, and the variablity of the temperature made it useless. That is the big advantage of the compressor refrig in my opinion, the interior stays reasonably the same temp, good enough for food preservation, and no water, no hunting for ice.
Very impressive review -- both thorough and and accurate . . . until the very end, that is. If it's cold outside and the frig is operated in max mode inside the vehicle, I believe it will produce enough waste heat to warm the enclosed space 1 iota exactly . . .
I've had one the exact same aplicool with the higher lid. Higher lid is totally worth it. U can actually stack 2 pop cans high. Had it running 24/7 in my work van(,Ford transit) for over 3 summers and winters now. So all yr. I run mine off 2 6 volt golf cart deep cycles that charge with a VSR relay from the front battery,/alternator. U would b fine with q group 24,27,31 deep cycle too. I run alot of other stuff in my van. I also use eco mode. It works best if u keep it plum full of stuff fluids it works great for pop and Gatorade. I can also say it will hold a 1/2 gallon of milk standing up just barely. This it totally worth having. It's very very quiet. The temp is not accurate to the inside so I set mine at 24-20°f and it keeps pops about 34-36°. This is how they all r u just have to get used to what temp doesn't freeze stuff. I'd start at 24°f and then u could try dropping temp 2° and see if things r still not frozen the next day. Again it's best to keep the fridge full even with water bottles to hold the cold in. The chest design also helps it not dump cold air out when u open the door.
Bought this finally. 8 years of cooler with ice, sneaking into hotels for ice, making friends freeze soda bottles for me, I literally would freeze soda bottles in mexixo hotel and put in my bag when I walk into San fiego everymorning the hotel clerks thought i was a weirdo haha
I have the same brand fridge but the smaller one. Love this fridge. Not fancy and it sips power. I run it on my Battle Born 100 AH battery with no problems. I charge my battery as I drive and so it works great for me.
I use my Alpicool 20L primarily as a freezer and it does fine. Temp never rises above freezing so frozen food stays well frozen. It takes months before defrosting interior seems appropriate. Don't worry about that. Let's Roll! 🐺
Thanks MUCH for great share and video! Great information and put in on my wishlist for my next Van I hope.. Saw the Rav in background, and had to search for solar on roofbox, as it seemed like another great idea! Thankas again, and ALL THE BEST to you! Cheers from PNWest :)
Well presented. I'm actually taking a break from installing a Engel combi and Duel input 50 amp Renogy controller/charger. My requirements are different then yours. It's a good thing there are so many options out there for us now!
Good review! The price is not that high. Would like to see how it holds up over the next year or two. We bought a Dometic 55IM CFX3 (pricey but with great warranty) and have used it constantly for 1 year as a spare home fridge/freezer. We mainly have it for power outages during wildfire season in California and for camping.
I have used mine on a couple of trips, one 11 days and it worked well. I only have a Jackery 160. I used the Jackery on a couple of nights in the 50s and it worked but had to recharge the Jackery by morning. Thanks for the info about the car battery option. I will check into that further. Good video.
I have this one and now looking for a solar power generator.. so trying to decide if the 500 or 1000 is what I needed, so this was super helpful. Thanks
If you are just going to use the power station to run the fridge, the 1000Wh is serious overkill. I've got a 700Wh power station that I use and it will run an efficient 12V fridge for 4 or 5 days (outside temp 80F, inside temp 38F) without any charging.
Nice report, thanks! I have 2 in my minivan, 1 is used as a freezer but I run a small 200 watt solar setup with 2 remanufactured golf cart batteries. No need for the over priced ones in my opinion I can buy 3 of these for the price of 1 so called "good" one. I'm also not a full time vanlifer only 6 months at a time but I use them at home for snack and beer coolers so they are used full time...
I have a C22. The model that has the tiny little freezer, just big enough for ONE Popsicle. (I don't think they make that model anymore. That little freezer is worthless for any practical purposes.) I bought it in fall of 2018, and I have used it continuously for all but about one of those six years. It still runs as good as the day I bought it. Now, I modified a large Coleman cooler to serve as an insulating and protective shell around the fridge (cutting out vent holes, duh), so it did not have to run as hard or as much as it would have, but it still held up well no matter how hot my minivan got inside. In all that time, I never had it fail to keep my food just as cold as I wanted it to be. Note: You have to set it to a different temperature than you want. Each unit will be off a different amount, in either direction. Just think of the setting temperature number like those numbers on your fridge temperature dial. They aren't the actual temperature, but they give you a point of reference.
I have the Alpicool C12 mini fridge and have been very happy with it... it's pretty small but it works for my needs with the space (Xterra PRO4X) , etc... I have the Jackery 500 but I run the C12 on my boat battery which, instead of leaving it in the garage, I keep charged with solar behind the passenger seat for extra energy needs like this, running small things - small fans, fairy lights, charging laptops, devices and with decent sun, even overcast, the solar tops off the boat battery enough to run the fridge pretty much indefinitely... I agree a fridge is a marked improvement, no wet food, ice management - compact, cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, and a few drinks stay cold, pretty much worry free... I also like the app so I can see what's going on with the fridge... I eventually want to get a small travel trailer so I plan to keep the C12 in the Xterra as an additional freezer... it is really good for the price...
I thought about getting a small freezer fridge just keep it on freezer and just freezing my blue ice pack things and using my cooler and just placing like 6 ice pack things in my cooler (I have 13 blue ice pack things). What I do when I go on the weekend I'll take half of them, keep the other half in the freezer at home, it lasts the whole weekend with no problem. If I have something to freeze them I can rotate them. I forgot to say that with in the freezer mode I could still keep freezer stuff in there also along with my freezer packs.
I thought through that same logic. I eventually bought a larger unit, but I still think the premise is valid. Plus, if the freezer broke, there'd still be the option of buying ice for the cooler. Most fridge/freezers aren't very convenient or efficient with ice.
I tried it like that. Froze icepacks. Unfortunately it turned out to be more work than what it was worth plus between the cooler and freezer it took up a lot more space. I was constantly alternating the ice packs because they didn't stay frozen long in the cooler.
@@cathybutler4532 well that's a bummer, my blue ice packs will stay frozen in my cooler for 5 days at least and I love that. Just to take those packs out and replace them with the other 6 is no problem for me. And it doesn't take up too much room, I stand them up and put them around certain things and sometimes I put them on top of things. What I like about the blue ice packs is they don't get water all over the place.
@@weekendlovinggypsy1737 i used a soft sided cooler. I'm sure a decent cooler would work much better. I had an Alpicool mini and it froze the icepacks very solid. I'm very happy with it.
Thanks for watching! Here's the direct link to the fridge on Amazon: amzn.to/3s6ohpg (affiliate link)
good to know! i MAY GET ONE FOR THE TRUCK OUTINGS.
I appreciate your honest, not paid for reviews. 👍
Just bought one using your link,thanks for the review😎
Good review!!
It’s been 3 years, is it still kicking?
Good review. Nice to see a review by someone that uses the product for a long period of time.
And someone who actually purchased it themselves. Too many product whores on RUclips pretending getting something for free doesn't affect their reviews. They goes against every study ever done on gifts.
One thing I found was good to do with my fridge to help even out the temperature swings was to freeze some bottles of water and stick those in with my normal bottles of water and food and drinks..
It's like adding ice, but without the mess, and you do eventually drink the water at the end of the trip so it's not really wasted space.
You could wash your dishes, hands have a shower or even give it to your dog to drink? Also always keep a couple gallons of distilled water for emergency radiator issues if your going out bush! This could be the difference between getting to a mechanic or being stranded!
I always like how you speak in practical, everyday terms. Your use of anticipating scenarios of how people might use and item, or want to use it, I think is a great way of presenting. Thanks. I've already decided that out on the road this year I'm going to "graduate" from a cooler to a fridge.
Thanks Eric, I appreciate the kind words. I think you'll be really happy with the fridge upgrade. It's definitely worth it.
This is the best review, with the most detail, I have seen on these types of refrigerators. Good job. Great details without being overly complicated.
i went all last summer and fall just running mine off a jackery 240 with a 100 watt solar panel plugged into it o it charged in the day and powered the lpicool all night and never got below 70% ever. it worked great. pass through charging is awsome !
Great to hear it worked for you! Thanks for watching, Dave.
This is the comment I wanted to read!
THank you! This was my exact question. I bought the solar panel/ generator combo and was wondering if itll keep my fridge running
Thank you. This comment is about the only useful comment here.
I have the exact same fridge. It worked out well on my 7-week trip last summer/fall. What worked well for me is to plug my jackery 500 into the car and the fridge into the jackery. The jackery would charge faster then the draw from the fridge. So the fridge never had to turn off during my trip. It came in handy recently when I was getting a new fridge for my home. I put the Alpicool in freezer mode and stored my freezer contents in it. I stored the refrigerator contents in a cooler with freezer packs.
Thanks for sharing, Peter!
Thank you for the comment. I’m going to try this on my road trip!
Peter, I am curious which model of Alpicool that you are using? Thanks.
@@johnberger3338 Same as Tristen's. The C20.
The problem is that Jackery supports pass-through usage like this, but the manual states it will damage the battery life. I returned my Jackery and picked up a LifePo4 pack.
I have Alpicool 53 quart which gives me fridge and freezer separately and I love it !!!
Nice! I don't have a huge need for a freezer on my trips... except for maybe ice cream. How great would it be to have a dedicated ice cream freezer? 😁
I’ve had my Alpicool 15 for 3 years and it has NEVER FAILED ME! I live in my minivan & buy only the food I need for cooking 1-2 full meals with my instant pot. I put that food into storage container and place in the fridge once cooled. The rest of the fridge has fruit so I can make fresh liquids to drink. I agree it’s a fantastic buy with small footprint. Also I want to say I really like your channel been watching for a loooong time thanks again!
How much power do you need to run it? I have a jackery 300 and 160 at the moment
I've had mine for 2 and a half years and it works great!. Thanks for the video.
Great to hear! Thanks for watching, Mike.
I made a simple Reflectix cover (made sure not to cover the side vent👍) for my Alpicool. Keeps it cooler and takes care of the bright display at night. 👍
Nice! Thanks for watching, Judith.
So glad that you gave this review! I have been researching exactly this one you are reviewing and was looking for info on how the Jackery 500 would do with it!
Totally stoked! You made my day! Thanks! 😃🙌🏼🚗
I can think of a reason to use the Alpicool for making ice. I could set the Alpicool at it's lowest temperature to function as a freezer and also carry an ice box. I could use a jug of frozen water to cool the ice box and keep another jug to freeze in the Alpicool. I would keep the food that I don't want to freeze in the ice box and keep it cool by exchanging the frozen jugs daily. This would allow me to take ICE CREAM in the Aplicool !!! Excellent review Tristan. Thanks for the video!
TERRIFIC COMMENT! Do you ha e a favorite icebox/cooler that keeps your stuff fridge/cool safety temp LONGEST? THANK YOU°
Ive had my Alpicool C20 for about 2 weeks. It sips energy. Very pleased with it so far!
Cool! I'd rather try thetiniest 9ltrfreezer for Us but find very little customer feedback k, whi h does t seem to bode well.
Just got one on Prime Day. Holy Hell.... They're $230 now, just a year later! I paid $170 and thought I got a deal.
Really impressed with how effective and compact it is. It fits nicely in the rear foot well of my 97 4runner. By the time you deduct the volume of Ice, it fits as much as I was packing in my 50L Yeti. Fits 1L bottles standing up. Haven't calculated the power draw yet.
I put mine on a foam pad to keep it off the hot floorboards & that significantly reduced the noise.
I kept the foam packaging that it came with and it helps significantly, especially the foam on top of the bulbous lid.
Great, sensible long term review. Thank you. I've got a C20 that I plan on putting in my Sienna between the front seats, and possibly attaching the console "tray table" to the top of the alpicool, if clearance allows. Keep on travelling, and thanks for bringing us along, it's very inspiring!
Tristan, in my opinion - nobody explains it better! You answer every question I get as you go along. Best reviews! I can’t wait to get a frig. Ice is very hard to find here at Lake Mead area!
I have the Alpicool mini. Only holds 10 liters. It takes a much smaller footprint. After using it for month long trip, I wish I would have gone a little larger. Same with my jackery. I had the 240 for this trip and I ended up buying the jackery 500 when I returned home. The 240 worked fine because I moved around a lot. I had no issues and didn't notice a noise while trying to sleep. Love my Alpicool!
Those really tiny ones look great! Thanks for watching, Cathy.
I am obsessed with the tiny 9/10 liter alpicool! Can't find more than a tiny few legit video reviews in Twitter by real & practical channels.
Glad to read your comment. We NEED SMALL!
THANK YOU!
@Michelle-n7f I've been using the alpicool mini for 4 years now. Never had a problem. I took it out to my car and let it sit for 24 hours before I plugged it in. I'm pretty sure that helped.
@cathybutler4532 That's Fantastic! So wonderful of you to get back to me! Very kind & very much appreciated!
Thanks for the review on how it's worked. Since I'm in CA could not get it shipped here (prop 65 and cancer warnings) so got the JoyTuTus brand. I'm very pleased with it and it's nice having cold food on the road. I power it with my Jackery 300, I'm on the move everyday so that works. My compressor does not come on much, maybe once or twice a day for 15 minutes. I've been using it in freezer mode before taking off on a trip, I've gone two days without the compressor coming on. Then it just slowly warms up to 35 degrees. Glad it has worked out for your needs, sweet price you got for it. 👍😊
I've been using this same fridge on my sailboat for about 2 years now and it is fantastic and totally agree with everything said. Your comments are exactly the way I use this fridge, economy mode and set the temp about 39 degrees, run off my house batteries and have never had an issue. I actually came back to the Amazon Alpicool site to buy another one, one to use as a fridge the other to use as a freezer for longer off-grid stays and saw this review.
Really great review, the Q&A adds quite a bit of context. Prices have definitely crept up on these.
I use my Jackery 240 with my C20. I set it at 38 f, and at 70f ambient temp the Jackery will last about 9 hours. So it’s ok for overnight camping but then I have to recharge the Jackery and try to keep the Alpicool cold. The Jackery takes 7 hours to recharge to 100%. So, I wish I had the 500 or 1000 model. But, I also camp with a regular ice cooler and both will keep my food safe. When we travel and stop to sightsee, I unplug from the car and plug into the Jackery. Overall, I make things work as needed and do not mind having the regular cooler and the Alpicool. Mostly we have power at campgrounds, but some trips we are in both non electric sites or electric sites That’s when we plan food for ice only. Then the car takes care of the Alpicool when traveling. We have camped this way for almost 2 years in our Runaway Range Runner . Your review is right on with my experience. Thanks.
Great review... particularly the Q&A at the end - very informative, straightforward responses.
Fair review. I have the sane unit, and have run 24/7 for about a year in my garage to keep beverages and it works very well. No complaints. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve had a great experience owing the Alpicool C20 as well. Good review. Thanks!
I've ran one of these for several years non stop on my boat as a full time freezer... never failed me though before putting anything in it I ran it full power for 3 days to ensure it was fully chilled inside... I power it by 2 120aph leisure batteries hooked into 2 150w solar panels... just bought an alpicool 50l fridge to go alongside it too
Everything you said about this is exactly correct. I have my Alpicool with a Jackery 240. On a multiday trip, I found that it would keep cold overnight, but the power station needed to be recharge fully over the day. Great for a long roadtrip, driving 8 hours or more a day. I always felt that it would hold 2 weeks worth of cold food if you only cooled a few drinks as needed. 20 liters of food (in plastic bags) would be a lot of packages of meat or veg!
I kept the Jackery plugged into the car 12v, so that it would recharge when the car was running during the day. Whenever the car was turned off, during the day at stops or all night, the fridge would keep running. A+ review and fridge.
Thanks Gene! If you're going to be running it off of something like a Jackery 240 (and have no solar), you really need to drive a lot each day, as you said. Just an hour or two won't cut it. And yes, my fridge is often at least a quarter full of drinks 😁
Really appreciate the review. I'm currently working on outfitting my SUV for short camping trips and have been on the fence about whether to get a cooler or fridge. Definitely leaning toward the fridge now. Thanks!
We have an Alpicool 60qt. pretty much the same as yours, but much larger. Ours has wheels with retractable handle. We made a trip from Texas to California and back hitting Disneyland and several parks, Sequoia, Yosemite, along the way. The thing works great, no ice to deal with. We freeze some of our bottles of water and set the set point 40 degrees while on the road. When we would make an extended stop, say like at Meteor Crater in Arizona and the unit was off for several hours at a time the frozen water bottles kept is cool just fine. The thing works great. We would take in to hotel rooms and plug in with no issue. Next morning load in back of Tahoe and plug in with 12v cord. Well worth the money for anyone who travels the roads.
Great review! We use the smaller one, Alpicool C15, hooked up with a Jackery 500 and it keeps us going for about 4 days at around 8-10°C without charging or using the car alternator to power the fridge. We chose the C15 so that it could fit underneath our sleeping platform in the back och our Defender, easily accessed on a slide-out platform from the rear passenger door. I'd say a Alpicool + Jackery combination is an affordable and robust setup for most car-camping situations.
Cool! I'm looking at the micro mini 9 ltr! Good to hear your feedback k on the q6, and your testi.onial on pairing that with theJ500 !
I have the same fridge and the Explorer 500. In the eco mode at 37F , ambient room temperature of 75F , the explorer powered it for 37 hours with 25% battery life left.
I have the older version of this. I've had it for 3 years and it is still running. I keep a thermometer in it to make sure it is keeping the correct temperature, and made a custom case for it, out of reflectix and it helps it run a little less. I also typically throw a blanket over the top when not using, which keeps the sun off of it, and provides a little extra insulation. I run it off the car while driving (and have a sticker to remind me to plug it into the Jackery on my dash) and I keep it plugged into a Jackery, and the Jackery is plugged into a foldable solar panel, while in camp. Love the Alpicool!
How many watts is your jackery? Could I run this on a 300w?
@@einnockate I have a 500, but you could run it on a 300w if you are not running much else, and you charge the Jackery every day with an ample-sized panel or by plugging it into your car while driving. I used a 240 watt Jackery for a weekend trip and did this. I typically charge my phone and ipad with an external battery (charged by a small panel) anyway or charge your electronics while driving. Summer will not be an issue, but in Winter you might need to use car battery to fully charge the Jackery, if you panel is not at least 100 watts. The trick to using this efficiently, is to always use it in “Eco” mode, and keep it plugged in while you are charging your Jackery, (to make full use of all the available sun if you are using solar) or if you are charging the Jackery from the car….same thing. It is surprisingly power efficient.
Thanks for an honest and thorough review. I have been wondering how well an Alpicool works versus some other more expensive (and they are all more expensive) units. And, thanks so much to all of your subscribers who commented about their experiences in using these units. I now feel confident that an Alpicool would be sufficient for my needs. It is great to know that I can get a unit that performs well without spending several hundred dollars.
Have this exact same fridge and run it using either my truck when driving or a Jackery 1000 when parked, and I love it. Was a little worried since I do a lot of off-roading when traveling, but the bumps and uneven terrain have not effected its performance at all. Totally agree that it is a big improvement in convenience and space saving over an ice chest/cooler. Highly recommend it!
I wish I had one of these on my trip from Chicago to Anchorage in 1993. I got a nasty case of food poisoning after something in my cooler went bad (even though I was consciousness about keeping it filled with ice). I had to give up camping and got a hotel in Trout Creek, MT to ride it out. Not fun. BTW, the CDC recommends keeping food at 40⁰ or less for cold storage.
Thanks for the detailed review.
This was the best review I have seen yet thank you very well balanced video
Great review. It was a pleasure to watch.
I don’t know if somebody else already mentioned this, but like in my car, all the cigarette lighters were switched, but I was able to get in the fuse box and move a fuse to a different location, and that allowed one of my cigarette lighters to stay on all the time you may look into that😊
Thanks. You always give valuable info! And like someone said a review from something you’ve been using for awhile! Thank you
I am a SUV CAMPER not a full timer but since I love to roam around in nature to hike.( been car camping and hiking solo many years)
My first bucket list was driving to Alaska when I turned 70, only 4 years ago, I, I DID IT!! Solo.
I think I can do it again b4 I get too old(I am already too old hahaha)
Someday I like to share my experiences after I learn how to do it(learning a lot from you)
I am grateful for this video because I just got 30liter from Costco by Massimo.
I was having panic attack for not knowing how to use it or what else I need to get to work this properly.
I only have Massimo 240 Wt power bank. What should I do now?
For the price this has been excellent! There have been a few times that i’ve used it in my home as extra frig for drinks or as a freezer. As I have home canned meats, dehydrated foods and freeze dried foods I just needed something small to carry a gallon of milk but have decided to use it as a freezer by putting in a gallon of water and smaller quarts of water and use those in a small regular cooler to keep my drinks cold but have another set of water bottles freezing to rotate. Our family goes to Yosemite every year and the ice is very expensive! This worked very well for that and of course, my husband had ice cream for those hot days. I’ve had my Alpicool for over 3 years and when it gives up well, didn’t pay that much for it so it’s paid for itself already.
GREAT system. Do you favor a particular cooler ? Thanks!!!!
@ I bought the C20 because it would a gallon of milk if placed in the center but it looks differently on Amazon now.🧐🧐
I have the Alpicool T36 Dual Temperature Control 12 Volt Refrigerator 38 Quart Portable Car Fridge Freezer (-4°F~68°F) - I make dinners
and place them into the freezer section - I move one package into the frig area early in the morning and its thawed for dinner time.
Thank you for explaining everything. I was afraid I would have to spend 3 or 4 times as much but for now this is all I need.
Good review, I bought the C40 a little over a year ago. Didn't know if I would like a fridge or not, so I didn't want to go expensive. The fridge works great both on the road/off the road and at home for extra fridge capacity. Also have a solar generator which runs it fine when camping.
I think I have some good news for the the c20 fans. I will start by saying I loved my c15 (same fridge with a different lid) After a year of working perfect in an RV, I sacrificed it in an extreme off road test in the back of an prerunner. Even attached to a shock absorbing platform. It was extreme, even getting air with the vehicle. My c15 did fail. I pulled it apart and the line from the compressor failed. Not alpicools fault. I abused it until it broke. So 5 years ago when I built my box truck beach house, I used a $2,000 Isotherm fridge with a small built in freezer. I also installed a brand new Alpicool c20 as an additional pull out freezer. The box truck video is called "His secret beach house is inside a box truck!?" That little freezer has been running continuously on 12 volts for 5 years. I have only defrosted it once in 5 years. Except for a few burnt out pixels on the display, It has worked flawlessly as a freezer. I don't need the display. I can always put my other display from my broken c15 in it. I don't care. I haven't changed a setting in 5 years. I have a remote thermostat on my galley wall that tells me both fridge temperatures. I just checked it, and it's at 5.3 degrees fahrenheit and is full of food. If that little freezer fails, in a heartbeat I will order another one. Today 9/29/24 it is priced at $191 on amazon. I might buy a c9 or c12 as a drinks fridge for my box trucks back porch. Any questions, get back to me on my video's Comment's. Thanks Scott
Thsnk youuu! I want the tiny micro mini 9l to se just to freeze ice packs/water bottles to rotate into tiny cooler w coldest temp + longest Ice retention ! I'm happy to read of your satisfaction with the 15. Much Appreciated!
Will definitely che k out your channel for more !
Appreciate you for the review
Thanks Jeff!
I'm so happy to see your review. I bought the same one about the same time. I've been very happy with it, I went through a learning process re car charger vs battery pack (aimtom 540wh). I appreciate your posts.
A great and honest review and so many are not. I agree it is all dependent on what you expect and how you plan to use it. I have a C30 because it has handles that I can strap it down but I have been pleased with it. The fridge keeps a steady temperature of 38 on ECO mode and I use it from my 520wh RockPals. In some of my testing I have gotten 2 12 hour runs out of the power station without having to charge it. In reality that would not be happening but it is nice to know. For the money you can have anything better.
Great video! I've had the same one for about a year and love it too. I got a little fridge thermometer to throw inside that's been helpful
My daughter and traveled 3000 miles cross country and the Alpicool worked very well keeping our food and drinks cold. The temperature did fluctuate but never caused us concern for the contents.
Thank you so much for this I've been wondering about the Apicool.
If I wrote a review on my C20 (or C16) it would go exactly like this-Right down to the panel lights, which I solved by putting it under the bed. The vibration from the compressor starting DOES wake me up at the beginning of a trip, but after a night or two, I sleep through it. I run it on a timer so it shuts off at sundown and comes back on in the morning, so the solar can support it. I keep water bottles in the bottom to keep it cool at night. It’s nice to have a cold drink but in the end, I find it is a luxury. I usually travel with non-perishable food so in the winter, I leave it at home. However, in the Utah desert in the summer…it’s VERY nice to have.
Just picked up one of these with an EcoFlow River 2. I also have my folding solar panels from my EcoFlow Delta 2. Looking forward to testing these out.
I may try to add some extra insulation... Foam board and reflectix. Thanks for the great review!
I ordered this after watching this video. I tried using the referral link, not sure if it worked. Thank you for making this video.
Great video. If all that money spent on bags of ice I/ we could afford several Alpicool refrigerators. Thank you for sharing. Aloha🤙
I'm very pleased with my Alpicool C20 in that it has a small footprint and does well to keep my food and beverages cold on my overnight trips. I use a Jackery 240 and it's fine for one night. I do plan to get a Jackery 1000 when I trade my Jeep SUV for a van or pick up. In the winter I sleep in my SUV and haven't had any issues with "hot air" or noise.
A suggestion for more room harbor freight sells the cargo carrier to install in the trailer tube hitch at night you could place it outside covered or open depending if is raining or cloudy, for more room in bunking time. Also wrap a bungee cord around it outside to keep out small animals out of your freezer. Hope that helps with you extra space in the car.
I'm a First-time Viewer, " Nice ". Good info :) Honest info :) " THANKS " :))
I agree. It's a convenient little fridge. I have a little Jackery 240. What I do is plug the Jackery into the car and run the fridge off the Jackery. When driving the Jackery stays charged.
just plug into car, and leave the full jackery alone
Perfect timing -- I was literally just thinking about what kind of fridge I'd want to live in my car or a pick-up truck (still in the dreaming/planning stage). Now I know! Thanks. (Edited to say: I'll buy it through your amazon if you have one to get a commission, btw.)
Thanks Julie! It's a good little fridge for the price.
Very nice review. I have the Alpicool c50 and really am glad I purchased it.
Come on folks....this channel ROCKS. Lets get some more SUBS here !!
Thanks for the review....getting ready for long road trip and will be buying based Aplicool C20 on your review.
Best Regards
I have the C15, which is the same fridge but with a flush lid. I use it both in my vehicle, and in my living quarters at the front in Ukraine. I run it off the vehicle when in the vehicle, and often off of a Jackery 1000 when not. I've found your experiences with it to be very similar to my own. I run on it on max, however, and I don't get wild fluctuations in the internal temps. I have, however, found that I have to program the temperature to be a few degrees below what I want the actual temp to be. I use it primarily as a freezer, so I have to set it a few degrees below freezing (-4 c here) in order to get it to freeze a couple of cube trays solid. Also, the battery saver feature works great, as I have left it running in my vehicle overnight several times, and found that it had turned itself off and left plenty of charge in the battery to start the vehicle. This fridge has taken quite a beating in this environment, and has performed way above its $130 cost to me. No, it's not a premier fridge by any measure, but as a rugged little fridge (freezer) that won't set you back much, it's great.
I have all those Jackery power stations too! Kid of overkill, but I love them! ❣️
Great review-- than k you ! wish i could find legit customer reviews of their 9litre micro mini free,er!!!!!
You have so many very informative videos! Thank you!
Your reviews are always grande!
Excellent review, very thorough! thanks!
Thanks Stephanie!
I used the AlpiCool C15 for several years full time van living
---running from a 105 Amp hour AGM 12 volt (which also serviced my heavy computer usage) charged from foldup solar panels
---the math was pretty much the same:
28 Watts for 5 mins. out of every 23 minuets (or 25% of the hour) =7 WH,
plus 2 Watts for (75% of the hour) = 1.5 WH
---so overall just under 9 WH
---9 WH / 12 V = 0.75 AH x 24 hours = 18 AH / day
---or 9 AH over-night when I didn't have solar input
---it is so much better on a Jackery 500 because you have the full 41 AH rated capacity instead of just the top 30 AHs usable portion of a standard "100 AH" AGM battery
Great informative review. Just purchased from Amazon and look forward to using for long camping trips.
Tristan: I recently bought the next size up (I think, c30), have used it for 2 trips 10 days each, quite satisfied with it, powered it from car during day, from a battery during night if it was not cold out, worked good for us. Wanted to get away from buying ice, and as you say, the mess of melted ice getting the food wet. Before that we tried the Coleman "thermo-electric" cooler, which claims to keep contents 40 degrees cooler that ambient temperature, that did not work satisfactorily. It did cool somewhat, but 40 degrees was probably a stretch, and the variablity of the temperature made it useless. That is the big advantage of the compressor refrig in my opinion, the interior stays reasonably the same temp, good enough for food preservation, and no water, no hunting for ice.
Very impressive review -- both thorough and and accurate . . . until the very end, that is. If it's cold outside and the frig is operated in max mode inside the vehicle, I believe it will produce enough waste heat to warm the enclosed space 1 iota exactly . . .
Hmmm, I suppose I need to get my iotaometer out and do more scientific testing.
@@SUVRVing What? No iotaometer ??? Shocking :)
Every iota counts when trying to stay warm! 😉
I've had one the exact same aplicool with the higher lid. Higher lid is totally worth it. U can actually stack 2 pop cans high.
Had it running 24/7 in my work van(,Ford transit) for over 3 summers and winters now. So all yr. I run mine off 2 6 volt golf cart deep cycles that charge with a VSR relay from the front battery,/alternator.
U would b fine with q group 24,27,31 deep cycle too. I run alot of other stuff in my van.
I also use eco mode. It works best if u keep it plum full of stuff fluids it works great for pop and Gatorade. I can also say it will hold a 1/2 gallon of milk standing up just barely.
This it totally worth having. It's very very quiet. The temp is not accurate to the inside so I set mine at 24-20°f and it keeps pops about 34-36°.
This is how they all r u just have to get used to what temp doesn't freeze stuff.
I'd start at 24°f and then u could try dropping temp 2° and see if things r still not frozen the next day.
Again it's best to keep the fridge full even with water bottles to hold the cold in. The chest design also helps it not dump cold air out when u open the door.
Bought this finally. 8 years of cooler with ice, sneaking into hotels for ice, making friends freeze soda bottles for me, I literally would freeze soda bottles in mexixo hotel and put in my bag when I walk into San fiego everymorning the hotel clerks thought i was a weirdo haha
I have the same brand fridge but the smaller one. Love this fridge. Not fancy and it sips power. I run it on my Battle Born 100 AH battery with no problems. I charge my battery as I drive and so it works great for me.
Have you frozen ice with it?
How many hours will it run on your 100ah lithium?
I use my Alpicool 20L primarily as a freezer and it does fine. Temp never rises above freezing so frozen food stays well frozen.
It takes months before defrosting interior seems appropriate. Don't worry about that.
Let's Roll!
🐺
i have the low top version of the one you have. i’ve been using it since 2018 and it still runs like it did on day one.
Hey brother, is it still running? Just got one.
@@berninhotbarbecue yep, still running.
Wow. I'm otw buying it for my business purpose.
Great review. 👍 I'm in the market for a travelling fridge , so this has helped. Thanks!
Thanks MUCH for great share and video! Great information and put in on my wishlist for my next Van I hope.. Saw the Rav in background, and had to search for solar on roofbox, as it seemed like another great idea! Thankas again, and ALL THE BEST to you! Cheers from PNWest :)
The solar on the cargo box works great!
Great information, Tristan. Appreciated.
Well presented. I'm actually taking a break from installing a Engel combi and Duel input 50 amp Renogy controller/charger. My requirements are different then yours. It's a good thing there are so many options out there for us now!
Good review! The price is not that high. Would like to see how it holds up over the next year or two. We bought a Dometic 55IM CFX3 (pricey but with great warranty) and have used it constantly for 1 year as a spare home fridge/freezer. We mainly have it for power outages during wildfire season in California and for camping.
Have this fridge, i love it
Good to hear it's served you well :) Thank you for the review :)
I have used mine on a couple of trips, one 11 days and it worked well. I only have a Jackery 160. I used the Jackery on a couple of nights in the 50s and it worked but had to recharge the Jackery by morning. Thanks for the info about the car battery option. I will check into that further. Good video.
Very helpful!! Ive been thinking about getting this exact fridge. I think you sold me on it.
I have the same fridge and I use it with my Jackery 500 and I love it, I think for the price it is well worth it.
I've had mine for a year-and-a-half I seen it first with slim Potato Head I love it it just what I wanted to but I use it for a freezer
It's a great little unit! Thanks for watching.
I have this one and now looking for a solar power generator.. so trying to decide if the 500 or 1000 is what I needed, so this was super helpful. Thanks
If you are just going to use the power station to run the fridge, the 1000Wh is serious overkill. I've got a 700Wh power station that I use and it will run an efficient 12V fridge for 4 or 5 days (outside temp 80F, inside temp 38F) without any charging.
Great review! So much helpful information-
Nice report, thanks! I have 2 in my minivan, 1 is used as a freezer but I run a small 200 watt solar setup with 2 remanufactured golf cart batteries. No need for the over priced ones in my opinion I can buy 3 of these for the price of 1 so called "good" one. I'm also not a full time vanlifer only 6 months at a time but I use them at home for snack and beer coolers so they are used full time...
I use mine only on my trips, so it's good to hear that they work well for you when on all the time. Thanks for watching!
Excellent? Do u know do they sip or puzzle power when plugged into walk on freezer mode? Great comment thanks!!
I have a C22. The model that has the tiny little freezer, just big enough for ONE Popsicle. (I don't think they make that model anymore. That little freezer is worthless for any practical purposes.) I bought it in fall of 2018, and I have used it continuously for all but about one of those six years. It still runs as good as the day I bought it.
Now, I modified a large Coleman cooler to serve as an insulating and protective shell around the fridge (cutting out vent holes, duh), so it did not have to run as hard or as much as it would have, but it still held up well no matter how hot my minivan got inside.
In all that time, I never had it fail to keep my food just as cold as I wanted it to be.
Note: You have to set it to a different temperature than you want. Each unit will be off a different amount, in either direction. Just think of the setting temperature number like those numbers on your fridge temperature dial. They aren't the actual temperature, but they give you a point of reference.
Thanks much. Very detailing, I like it!
Good honest review thank you.
I have the Alpicool C12 mini fridge and have been very happy with it... it's pretty small but it works for my needs with the space (Xterra PRO4X) , etc... I have the Jackery 500 but I run the C12 on my boat battery which, instead of leaving it in the garage, I keep charged with solar behind the passenger seat for extra energy needs like this, running small things - small fans, fairy lights, charging laptops, devices and with decent sun, even overcast, the solar tops off the boat battery enough to run the fridge pretty much indefinitely... I agree a fridge is a marked improvement, no wet food, ice management - compact, cold cuts, cheese, yogurt, and a few drinks stay cold, pretty much worry free... I also like the app so I can see what's going on with the fridge... I eventually want to get a small travel trailer so I plan to keep the C12 in the Xterra as an additional freezer... it is really good for the price...
I didn't even know there was a C12. I just looked it up. What a cool little fridge! Thanks for sharing, Liz.
This is a very helpful video, I am converting a shortbus and considering option that will use less power than the mini fridge I have.
Great review.....excellent explanations!
thank you!
Thanks for this review. I was thinking about buying one. I would have to buy a bigger Jackery. I only have a 160.
I thought about getting a small freezer fridge just keep it on freezer and just freezing my blue ice pack things and using my cooler and just placing like 6 ice pack things in my cooler (I have 13 blue ice pack things). What I do when I go on the weekend I'll take half of them, keep the other half in the freezer at home, it lasts the whole weekend with no problem. If I have something to freeze them I can rotate them.
I forgot to say that with in the freezer mode I could still keep freezer stuff in there also along with my freezer packs.
I thought through that same logic. I eventually bought a larger unit, but I still think the premise is valid. Plus, if the freezer broke, there'd still be the option of buying ice for the cooler. Most fridge/freezers aren't very convenient or efficient with ice.
I tried it like that. Froze icepacks. Unfortunately it turned out to be more work than what it was worth plus between the cooler and freezer it took up a lot more space. I was constantly alternating the ice packs because they didn't stay frozen long in the cooler.
True! That'd be a good way to do it if you need both a fridge and freezer and don't have a both-in-one unit. Thanks for watching.
@@cathybutler4532 well that's a bummer, my blue ice packs will stay frozen in my cooler for 5 days at least and I love that. Just to take those packs out and replace them with the other 6 is no problem for me. And it doesn't take up too much room, I stand them up and put them around certain things and sometimes I put them on top of things. What I like about the blue ice packs is they don't get water all over the place.
@@weekendlovinggypsy1737 i used a soft sided cooler. I'm sure a decent cooler would work much better. I had an Alpicool mini and it froze the icepacks very solid. I'm very happy with it.
thanks for this review, great information.
Thanks for watching!
Good review ! 👍