Whether you’re a seasoned camper or just starting out, keeping your food and drinks cold during a camping trip is very important. Sure, if you’re just going for a day or two you can get by with an esky and plenty of ice, but if you’re heading out of town for longer than that, then an esky just doesn’t do the job. Opening an esky full of water with food floating on top isn’t a good look, and all the food you hadn’t eaten at this point is potentially non-perishable. So to make your trip a whole lot easier and more convenient, consider purchasing a portable 12V fridge. While they can be a little expensive, the investment is certainly worthwhile particularly if you’re a regular camper. So, what is a 12V fridge and why should you buy one?

A 12V fridge is a fully portable, mobile cooling system designed to keep your food and drinks cold when in remote locations and power may not be readily available. Not only is a 12V fridge ideal for camping, it can be used for a range of occasions such as caravanning holidays, fishing trips, and even a spare fridge for parties. Most 12V fridges can be connected to a standard 240V electricity socket at powered camping sites, but when power isn’t available they can be connected to a battery with some fridges being able to run on a gas cylinder.

There are many reason why you should invest in a portable 12V fridge:

1. As opposed to an esky, your food and drinks will stay cold all the time – all you need to do is keep the battery charged by going for a long drive every few days, or running a decent sized solar panel.

2. Most 12V fridges are much larger than an esky (when you account for all the ice they need) meaning you’ll be able to go on longer camping trips by being able to bring more food and drinks with you.

3. You won’t need to worry about soggy food again, or worse yet, fetid water! 12V fridges uses a compressor to keep it cold, just like your fridge at home. And you can forget about plunging your hand into a pool of ice to grab a beer!

4. Most 12V fridges have a temperature control built in, so the compressor only needs to work enough to maintain that set temperature. This ensures that your food and drinks remain at an ideal temperature, your fridge life is maximised, and your contents will always be safe to consume.

5. Unlike esky’s, there’s no preparation required. You don’t need to worry about buying the right amount of ice and strategically placing food to maximise its lifespan. Just switch on your fridge, load it up with all your food and drinks and off you go!

There are a range of 12V fridges on the market so there are certain things that you need to account for to ensure you buy the best fridge for your camping needs.

Size

12V fridges come in a range of sizes (and weights), so you need to ensure that there is enough space in your car for the fridge to fit in. You’ll also want a fridge that will fit everything you need and of course, the muscle to move the fridge when you get to the campsite.

Compartments

You’ll need to think about what you’re going to put in the fridge and decide whether you just want a fridge or a fridge and freezer model.

Recharging

Always check to see how much battery your fridge will consume and make sure that you have enough resources to recharge your fridge when needed. You should also consider the inbuilt battery protection if you plan on using your car battery to run the fridge – look for models that cuts out and in again at a fairly high voltage to prevent the battery from going flat.

Controls

Make sure that the controls are easy to set and adjust when needed to maintain an ideal temperature.

Off-Road Use

Take into account what type of terrain you’ll be covering and make sure the manufacturer recommends the fridge for off-road use. Ensure the fridge has plenty of tie-down points and can handle steep hills (you may even want to place the fridge on a foam base for shock-minimisation).

There’s no doubt that a 12V portable fridge is a great investment for any avid camper. Having cold food and drinks all the time will make your camping trips much more comfortable and enjoyable. If you’re thinking about purchasing a 12V fridge, TJM Caboolture have a wide range of portable fridges at affordable prices. Visit https://www.tjmcaboolture.com.au/ for more information.