Fridge Size?

boelt63A

New member
I have looked in a few places but can't find much info on how big of a Fridge or Fridge-Freezer I should be looking at. I have room for as big a unit as is made. But I don't want wasted space either. Use will be for two people on no more than week long trips at this point. I have been using a Pelican 35 quart for food and a bigger igloo cooler for drinks. This has worked well, but I feel the need for a Fridge or Fridge-Freezer combo.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
50 is probably more than you need, and a very common size. Remember that no space is taken by ice and you add drinks as you go because you are actively cooling.
 

dreadlocks

Well-known member
two people on a week long trip can fill up most any sized fridge, especially if you like to consume beer.. I had a 64qt previously and still was restocking beer/water/soda continuously, which consumes more power to chill from room temp.. and two week trips we still went grocery shopping a few times.. I just upped it to an 80qt and like the dual baskets, its like having 2 40qt ones without the power penalty.. one side full of drinks, the other full of food.

If you have unused space, fill it up with water bottles.. its not wasted space then and it'll help keep temps better than being full of air.
 

ducktapeguy

Adventurer
I have a 45 and 63, and the 45 is a decent size for 2 people as long as you don't go crazy. But if you've got the room, no reason to limit yourself, as dreadlocks said you can always fill up the empty space with water bottles or drinks which makes it more efficient. You can never carry too much water.
 

ArkansasDon

Observer
My wife & I started out with a Engel MT27F 22qt. We liked it a lot but as we wanted our travels to be longs stays it wasn't large enough so we went with a Engel MR040 40qt. The Engel MT27F I gave to my son for his RV. The size of portable 12v. fridg\freez'z IMO are personal preference, depends on what you pack inside & how long your stays are. The larger the portable 12v. fridg\freez's are the more room it takes up, & heavier they are.
 

jadmt

ignore button user
I have a Yeti 50 and just bought a ARB 50L and have had it on a 2 week trip and several weekend trips and never ever will I go back to using the Yeti except to haul ice now and then. My first weekend trip I used both and thought it would be cool to have drinks and ice in the Yeti and food in the ARB but ARB works so well and is so roomy after that the Yeti stayed home.
 

Weeds

Adventurer
In our house, it is the number of fruits and vegetables my wife wants to take that take up space. We have a 50 qt and still have room for a frozen bottle to help with the cooling. If you want cold water, look for the rectangular Nalgene bottles. Very few stores carry them, they can be ordered online. They work very good and fit well in any cooler or refer. If I take out a beverage, put another one in. Our ARB 50 very seldom leaves the vehicle. We use it every time we shop in the summer.
 

Graton

Member
I would go with a 50qt, holds a lot and easier to move about than the larger ones. We have an ARB 50 and have been out for a two weeks with, resupplied after one week - but I think that was just to get more beer.
 

kdeleon

Observer
For the OPs need, I think the 50qt is big enough, and can fill it up for one week worth of camping. At least in my fridge, set at around 27, it will keep the bottom as freezer and the top just really chilled down. You will have to play with it, the easiest way to tell is when your eggs are frozen when you crack them, then it may be a bit too cold :).

I personally have a 45qt. From a recent 2-week trip (family of four), i used it primarily as a freezer and bought a cheap ozark soft cooler for thawing, drinks and veggies. I used the fridge to freeze iceshocks. An extra 5qt would definitily have helped. Keeping it fully stocked is the most efficient way of running it so don't get something too big even if you think you have room for it.
 

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