If we’re talking overlanding, besides maybe a roof top tent, there is hardly any accessory that is more debated and discussed than a 12-volt portable refrigerator/freezer. We will make no qualms about which direction we lean in this debate: We believe they are one of the greatest innovations in adventure travel of the past 100 years. It’s one of the last off-roading accessories we’d be willing to give up, frankly.

So why are we so over the moon over an accessory that on the surface of things seems like a luxury? They’re expensive, bulky, power-hungry, and they demand a whole mess of additional equipment and accessories installed in order to run properly. So at a time when the new generation of roto-molded coolers on the market are so thermally efficient, especially when even the most expensive ones are half the price of a fridge of less capacity? 

Let’s open the lid on all these questions and more:

How Do These Portable Fridges Work?

Well, just like your fridge at home, actually. These portable 12v fridges run on a compressor that circulates refrigerant, which creates a cooling effect inside the fridge through an evaporator by alternating between its liquid and gaseous states. While there are a handful of these portable refrigerators with a vertical door design, most have a sealed and latched lid on the top. This is done for practical reasons (such as food spilling out when you open the door), but also because the fridge retains its cool temperature better when the lid is opened this way.

Higher-end models come with dual compartments whose temperatures can be adjusted individually, allowing you to use one side as a freezer if needed. For power, these usually feature a cigarette-style 12v plug for DC power on the road, as well as 110v AC for when you want to bring it into the house (they make handy garage fridges). For the convenience of hauling them around, as well as strapping them down in your vehicle, heavy-duty handles are usually included as well.

Of course, this being the modern age, many newer models feature some pretty advanced electronics as well as Bluetooth-connected apps for monitoring battery life and keeping temperatures in the sweet zone. Accessories like insulated covers help to and improve cooling performance and to protect your investment. 

Contrary to what you might think, these portable fridges aren’t a new trend. Overland travelers in Africa, Australia, and Europe have made good use of mobile refrigeration for many, many years. It has only been in the last 10 or so years that the market opened up in North America for venerable brands like ARB and Dometic. 

Why Should I Get One?

The advantages of carrying a legitimate refrigerator in your overland vehicle are legion.

Of course the first is just the sheer convenience of the thing. After switching it on, a typical fridge will reach operating temperatures in under 15 minutes. Toss in a couple of your favorite beverages, some fresh food, and you’re ready to hit the road. Coming from using a cooler, you never have to worry about draining it, tracking down ice to refill it, or having to worry as your those poor cubes slowly turn to water. Also, with it mounted in the back of your rig, your back will thank you, as you almost never need to move it unless you just need to clear up space.

Looking from a food safety standpoint, another big advantage of the fridge is that it maintains a constant temperature throughout the entire compartment, regardless of environment. With coolers on the other hand, you tend to see temperature gradients. Items towards the bottom stay colder than those closer to the lid. 

It Will, Quite Literally, Save Your Bacon.

So, as we mentioned earlier, you can drop internal temperatures low enough to turn the fridge into a freezer -- and then you have the dual-compartment models that offer a fridge/freezer combination that’s tough to beat. Especially when taking longer adventures, the advantage of making meals ahead of time, and then storing them frozen for the journey is a huge convenience. When your frozen foods are finished, raise the temps in the freezer compartment, and it offers its extra storage space as a fridge again (Or, just keep it that way for ice cream). 

Finally, it can often be a challenge to eat balanced meals on the road. The fridge offers refuge for your fruits, vegetables, fresh meats, and dairy products that benefit from refrigeration to stay fresh longer. This gives you much more flexibility for meals on the trail.

As an added bonus, if your adventure rig is also your daily driver, grocery runs on a hot day become a little easier by transporting your cold items home in temperature-controlled. And, if you need the space instead, you can pull the fridge out of the vehicle, plug it into a wall outlet, and boom - instant garage fridge!

What Do I Need to Do to Run a Portable Fridge in My Vehicle?

Here’s where the 12-volt fridge presents a couple of issues for the overlander. First, while not as bulky as coolers, even the smaller models take up a decent amount of space. It’s not just the size of the fridge itself, as you need tie-down points to hold it secure, as well as room to open the lid, and breathing space to allow for proper ventilation for the compressor. These units are also pretty heavy -- maybe not as heavy as a huge cooler with bags of ice, but the weight does need to be taken into account for your total payload capacity.

For some rigs, the height of the fridge may be an obstacle, and shorter members of your crew might find it challenging to look inside to find things without a boost. In many cases, a fridge slide (a kind of drawer that extends the fridge outside the vehicle) helps with this issue -- with some of them also featuring drop-down mechanisms that lower the fridge closer to waist level for even easier access. The price of all this is space, however. If space is already limited, you may not be willing or able to sacrifice the real estate. 

Second, if you are going to install a fridge in a dedicated overland vehicle you will likely need to invest in some form of auxiliary power and power management. This definitely adds an extra layer of cost and complexity over just using a cooler. Almost all portable fridges on the market come with an adjustable automatic low voltage cut-off that switches off the compressor when battery levels drop too low. However, for longer trips or adventures where there is comparatively little driving, this could leave you stranded. While modern units draw surprisingly little current, over time it will eventually affect the health of your main battery.

So, What Does an Auxiliary Power System Look Like?

First, you need a deep-cycle battery that’s designed for long, slow drain and constant recharging. You can mount this battery permanently, or use a portable power pack of some sort.

If you choose to mount your auxiliary battery permanently, you need to find a spot for it, as well as install a battery isolator or DC-to-DC battery charger. This will allow your alternator to charge the auxiliary battery while also protecting the main battery from the draw of the fridge. An optional addition to this would be a fixed or portable solar panel and charge controller to add some extra charging power to the system. 

Once you add in the wiring, fuses, and a dedicated power point for plugging in, your investment can quickly grow well beyond the original cost of the fridge itself. That said, with a properly installed aux power system -- especially if it’s supplemented with even modest levels of solar charging, your fridge can run almost indefinitely -- not something you can say about ice. In addition, this new power grid opens up other options for upgrading your electrical system. The installation of house lights, water pumps, inverters, fans, and power points for charging electronics are all now on the table.

A final point - the fridge is a machine, and, unlike coolers, they can break. This is fairly rare, many veterans of overland travel have had fridges that have run without issue for decades. But, a broken fridge deep in the wilderness presents a problem that’s difficult to address. In all cases, tie-down your fridge securely, don’t let it rattle around in the back of your rig, protect it from dust, and make sure it has plenty of ventilation.