Which 12V fridge or cooler...

[tbrown]

Do you use either an electric cooler or refrigerator in your truck?

If so, which ones work the best?

Do the electric coolers keep drinks, etc. cold enough?

How long will food (e.g. lunch meat) last in an electric cooler?

I would appreciate any input - I'm trying to get one for my husband and want to make sure I get him a good one !

Thanks in advance...

[rickstephens]

i use the coleman 40q plug in cooler and it does a fine job i keep pop,orange juice,lunch meat mayo cheese and milk it keeps things pretty cold bought it from walmart about 80 bucks

[roadranger]

The under $200 thermoelectric coolers are better than nothing. I got sick of barely cool soda and got an Engel MRFD-015D-A for just under $400. It is actually a freezer but can be used as a refridgerator. It uses about one half the power of the cheap coolers. Coleman has a similar unit called a "Stirling Power Cooler" which I think I would buy instead these days. There are also fridges that fit the built in fridge openings in the sleeper but they can be specific to a particular model truck - plus you can't reach into them while you are driving. Some drivers have both - If I was OTR I'd do that eventually but definitely the portable first!

[Uturn2001]

I always used the 12v coolers.

I have used Igloos and Colemans and have had good luck with both.

Unless you let the interior of your truck hit 80+ degrees on a regular basis for a long period of time....more than a couple of hours......you will not having any problems getting things cold and fresh.

Lunch meats will last at least 2 weeks
Fruits and veggies will last up to a week.

A little tip. When home, take a 20 oz water bottle, fill it 1/2-3/4 full and freeze it. Then place it in the cooler. This will help cool it down faster and keep it cool longer if you need to shut the truck down. When on the road just get some ice from the fountain dispenser, put it in a double zip lock bag for the same result.

[Malaki86]

I have a small cooler (coleman, i think) that barely holds a 12-pack. If I leave it running and not "cycle" the cans of coke in it, they'll freeze up the 2 bottom cans toward the front of the cooler.

Ya, it does a good job ;-)

[BanditsCousin]

I have a fridge in my truck, and as little as I use it"s its wayyyyy better than a 12v cooler.

Inhad an igloo that quit working, then bought a coleman 12v cooler/heater> I ended up selling that to Devildice (cad member) for a very fair price>

You get what you pay for :wink: If the truck is hot, your cool-able are warm.

[roadranger]

Darn, all this talk made me go out and order that Coleman Stirling Power Cooler - it is quite a bit bigger (26 quart) than the Engel (14 quart) I have now. About $380 delivered from here: http://www.electronicsshowplace.com/...er-167529.html

[Uturn2001]

I have a fridge in my truck, and as little as I use it"s its wayyyyy better than a 12v cooler.

Inhad an igloo that quit working, then bought a coleman 12v cooler/heater> I ended up selling that to Devildice (cad member) for a very fair price>

You get what you pay for :wink: If the truck is hot, your cool-able are warm.

Yep, an actual fridge is nice. Unfortunately many of them need to be hardwired to the batteries or you need a large inverter hardwired in which may not be possible for a company driver.

There are "fridges" that will plug into a 12v outlet and look a lot like a 12v cooler.

The other issue with any of these too is the cost. $80-$100 for the 12v cooler vs. $300+ for most any type of fridge set up.

If you are allowed to hardwire a big inverter, 600 watt or larger, and you have the room you can get a small dorm fridge for about $80.