Dog not included - Pictured the Dometic CFX-65DZ, ARB 50, SnoMaster USA 60D, Indel B 51, and the ArkPak 715 we used to power and test each fridge with.

Winter 2017 Fridge Shootout:

By Christopher Kracht

There are a number of new refrigerators on the market so we wanted to take the opportunity to preview them and do some testing. A friend of 4XOA let us borrow his SnoMaster USA 60D Classic. This is a true dual zone fridge/freezer with 2 unique compartments. We also put our Indel B 51/Truckfridge through the testing cycles. Turtleback Trailers was nice enough to let us test a new Dometic CFX65DZ dual zone fridge freezer along with an ARB 50. Pros and cons for each product are listed. There are many other comprehensive reviews out there. This is just our take on things. Based on owning an ARB 37 and the Indel B 51 I personally am always trying to find the “Perfect fridge.” Everyone has unique requirements depending on the length of trips, group size, type of food you like to keep etc.

Products Tested:

SnoMaster USA 60D - $1149.95 ARB 50 - $875.00 - $924.00 depending on retailer and promotions Dometic CFX 65DZ - $699.00 Indel B 51/TruckFridge - $549.00

How We Tested:

ArkPak and attached power meter

We set up a simple lab indoors in a climate controlled room. The average temp was around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. All of the refrigerators were pre-cooled with items in them before any testing began. We ran them off of our ArkPak with a 55ah battery. In most cases, we were not concerned with voltage drop and only wanted to test power consumption. So while the fridges were running off of 12 volts the ArkPak was plugged into AC power to keep it topped up. Remember that just because your vehicle starts after running a fridge for a period of time does not mean you are not prematurely killing your battery.

See the graph below on battery voltage reading vs percentage left.

Performance numbers can vary greatly depending on where your fridge is located, the temperature inside, how you packed your fridge and if you pre-cooled the items. This is a good baseline test and the easiest way to test a group of refrigerators all at once.

In summary, you really don’t want your battery dropping below 12.1 if you want to extend its life.

Best Practices When Running a Fridge in Your Vehicle:

• Pre-cool your fridge and food before your trip. The longer you can pre-cool prior to loading in your vehicle the more efficient your fridge will run
• The more full your fridge is the more efficient it will run
• Protect your fridge from the sun. Use shades and even a blanket on top but make sure you are not blocking the ventilation ports
• Make sure there is room around the ventilation ports of at least 2-3”.
• USE SOLAR to supplement your power needs. A basic 100watt solar suitcase is around $250.00. This will greatly prolong the life of your battery(s) and make sure you have enough power to start your vehicle in the morning. The good news is all of the fridge/freezers we tested have voltage cutoffs. I currently own a Renogy 100 Watt Suitcase and love it. Other than being a bit bulky a 100 watt setup can keep my vehicle battery and 2 trailer batteries charged up.

Fridge Summaries:

SnoMaster 60D Classic - Retail price $1149.95

Free bottle opener and easy to read display/control panel

Inside the SnoMaster 60D Classic. 2 baskets are included for the smaller area and 1 for the larger area.

Web Site: https://www.snomasterusa.com/product/classic-series-bdc-60d-stainless-steel-acdc-fridgefreezer/

Key Selling Points: A true dual zone fridge/freezer, insulating bag and wireless remote include, rugged design.

The SnoMaster USA is fairly new to the US market. SnoMaster is a South African company that has been selling in S.A. and Australia for quite some time and has now found a US distributor along with other retail outlets.  The nice thing with SnoMaster is everything is included in your purchase. For some manufacturers, the cost of an insulating bag can be high. So when you are making pricing comparisons be sure to include the price of a bag and remote control.

Pros:

• Everything is included
• Drain plugs on both sides of the fridge/freezer
• Freezer area is large and easy to fit food containers
• Both sides can be run as a fridge or freezer. You choose via the temperature settings
• Classic steel box design with good handles
• Open door alarm
• Easy to use controls with voltage indication if you are running off of DC power
• Wireless Remote included
• SnoMaster states they have the best insulation in the industry
• 5-year warranty

Cons:

• Highest amp draw of any of the fridges we tested. This can be managed with a good solar panel and in fairness to SnoMaster, there are 2 individual zones to cool. Hopefully, we can test a single zone fridge in the future.
• A bit big and heavy. The footprint of the SnoMaster and weight are bigger than the comparable Dometic CFX65DZ

Specifications from SnoMaster:

Dual AC/DC 12/24 DC 110/220 AC fridge or freezer with Stainless steel cabinet, hinges, locks and handles and Lid open Alarm.

3 Internal baskets included, Each compartment can be set independently from -8ºF to 50ºF, Digital thermostat, LED Light /Lid alarm. Travel bag and remote included.

Size: 28.1496 x 17.7165 x 20.6693” 715 W x 450 D x 525 H mm

Capacity: 56 Liter (32/24 Split) Weight 59.5 Lbs

60mm Polyurethane Insulation Stainless Steel Cabinet, Hinges, Latches, Handles Solar wireless temperature controller Battery Monitor Snomaster 66 Watt Compressor 5 Amps on High Speed, 2.5 Amps on Low Speed, variable on Auto @12v DC Voltage cut-off can be set to; 10.0, 11.5 or 11.9 @ 12v DC AC or DC Can be wired simultaneously 5 Year Warranty Free Bottle Opener

Our Test Results:

Testing Notes: Power Consumption: High Setting 6.0 amps draw, Auto 5.8 amps, and Eco 2.8-3amps when running

Review of a single door SnoMaster: https://www.whichcar.com.au/gear/electronics-gadgets/eight-way-fridge-comparison

Dometic CFX-65DZ: Retail Price $699.99

Dometic CFX-65DZ

Freezer section installed

Web Site: CFX-65DZ Product Information

Intro Video: https://youtu.be/VPu2aU6RU58

Review from TCT Magazine: https://tctmagazine.net/spring-2016/dometic-cfx-65dx-long-term-review

Dometic is making a big push into the US market with a new very efficient compressor. It was best in class out of the 4 models we tested. Waeco is the brand name used in Australia so some of you may be familiar with seeing other models tested in similar reviews. Dometic acquired Waeco in 2007.

Dometic understands you may want to keep some stuff frozen and provides a unique way to do this. They offer a method of blocking off a section of the fridge to hold the temperatures down in that area while keeping the rest of the fridge at standard fridge temperatures. It looks like Dometic may be updating its branding. All the models pictured on the website are now black and grey vs blue and grey as the model we tested.

Pros:

• Excellent energy efficiency
• Ability to act as a freezer and fridge at the same time
• Competitive pricing for the units and accessories
• Reversible door

Cons:

• No drain plug
• Cooldown time took a bit longer than on some other models.
• If you need a larger freezer section the SnoMaster 60D would be a better option

Specifications from Dometic:

Capacity: 61L Height: 22.09in Width: 26.03in Depth: 17.92in Weight: 51lbs (empty) Voltage: 12 / 24 / 120 Rate Current: 5.5 / 2.6 / 0.63 Compressor type: Waeco VMSO 2

Accessories: Cover: $65.00 Wireless Remote: $58.00 Fridge Slide: $179.00

Our Test Results:

Testing Notes: Fridge set at 15 degrees F to use as a fridge freezer. Power Consumption: 3.3-3.45ah when running.

Indel B 51/Truckfridge - Retail $549.00 from TruckFridge.com

Cover - None specifically sold by Indel this cover works, $39.99 Smittybilt 2789-99 Transit Bag

Link: https://a.co/4CPIEWO

Fridge Slide - $199.00 from TruckFridge.com

ARB 37 vs Indel B 51

Inside of the Indel B. Storage basket not shown.

After owning an ARB 37 for a couple of years we decided we wanted a bit more capacity. The natural thing to do would have been to buy a larger ARB. I am always willing to try different brands. Saving a few bucks in the process. Two people we go exploring with own the Indel B 51 and are happy with it. We put together a group buy and saved a few additional dollars. We have owned our 51 for about a year. It is a good budget fridge. Our complete write-up can be found here: https://www.4xoverlandadventures.com/first-look-indel-b-51-fridgefreezer/

Initial thoughts vs the ARB Models:

• Lid latch not as rugged
• Insulation not as thick. Simply by width not any scientific testing on efficiency
• Power chords are the same so if you lose one it should easy to get a replacement
• Interior light is blue vs white 
• Max cool is a nice feature on the Indel although time to cool took longer than my ARB from 66 to 32 took 90 minutes. My ARB took 45. 
• Temperature appears to be very consistent throughout the fridge. Meaning walls are the same temp as the floor.
• Plugs angle the same way so they don’t like to be used at the same time. Annoying. ARB they angle away from each other as they should. (QC build issue?)
• After 24 hours the temperature was very consistent around the entire fridge. Dairy area 10 degrees warmer. 
• Indel 51 you control battery protection from the back of the fridge with a switch. On the ARB it is via the electronic panel

Pros:

• Budget friendly
• Affordable accessories
• Slim design takes up less space width wise than most fridges on the market

Cons:

• No drain plug
• The storage area is very vertical oriented. A dozen eggs won’t fit without stacking for example
• DC chord is a 90-degree chord like the ARB but it is oriented the wrong way. It makes it difficult to have the AC and DC plugs connected at the same time. ARB does not have this flaw

Specs:

Exterior Dimensions: 13 ¾”W x 20 ½”H x 23”L

Basket Dimensions:  With Divider  9.5W x 6.125L (1/8th) x 15H

No Divider: 11.5 x 9.5 x 15

Dairy Area: 10.5 H x 10.625 (5/8) W x 4.75 L 

Our Test Results:

Testing Notes: Power Consumption:  Eco 2.5-3.6ah on Max 5.3ah when running

More information can be found on the Indel B web site: https://www.indelb.com/products/automotive/travel_box/tb51a

or at Truck Fridge: https://truckfridge.com/tf51.html

Equipt 1 did a nice review and testing of the Indel B line here: Equipt 1 Indel B Overview

ARB 50 - $849.99

Travel Bag - $130.00 Slide - $350.00 More Information: https://store.arbusa.com/Fridges-C11.aspx

ARB 50

We are not going to spend a lot of time describing the ARB product line. They make a great fridge and you really can’t go wrong owning one. Its one disadvantage is price point. This may be offset by a longer lifespan and/or user satisfaction. Most folks are familiar with the product line.

The performance numbers from the 50 were roughly the same as our budget Indel B. The ARB is more rugged with a much larger latching handle but I have yet to have issues with the Indel B ever accidentally popping open.

Pros:

• A trusted reliable brand with a long track history
• Rugged lid latch and overall design

Cons:

• Official slide and cover are very expensive
• Actual temperature vs reading can vary greatly. However, this can be adjusted.

Our Test Results:

Testing Notes:

Note: Items in fridge were 7 degrees warmer than the fridge setting. The sensor can be re-calibrated but that also means the fridge amp draw will be higher. Power Consumption: 3.5-4.1ah on compressor start and around 2.8 when running

In Summary:

And the winner is… The Dometic CFX-65DZ was the most power efficient of all of the models tested. We were quite surprised by its power efficiency. If you haven’t taken a look at Dometic’s product line now is the time to do so. They offer very competitive pricing along with below average costs for their accessories.

There is a lot of basic information presented here. If you want to read a bit more detailed information on result numbers including voltage drop while testing some of the fridges download our PDF document with all the numbers listed. You really can’t go wrong with any of these models. However, our next fridge is likely to be the Dometic CFX-65DZ.

We would like to do some follow testing down the road where we test power consumption inside the vehicle and test the insulating properties of each fridge by powering them down and testing items inside with our temperature gun.

ARB 50 next to the Dometic CFX65DZ in our FJ Cruiser