A reality check? How different are all these brands? Waeco and Dometic are the same company? Arent most of them fitted with the same compressors? Chinese ones aside. Isn't really just about the box and lid? Just saying.
mixo said
01:06 PM May 1, 2021
I got an engel its o.k had it for a few years tough metal exterior.
I did order a waeco but it arrived in pieces when the courier delivered it(but waeco was good , go my money back)
Friend bought a my coolman 105 litre fridge, massive, runs really well, but it's brand new.
Like someone else said go with what fits your needs, these days fridge tech has reached its pinnacle and they all work fine for years.The only thing new is blue tooth connectivity, which really does nothing much but tell you the temp.
Good luck fridge hunting.
mixo
HandyWalter said
02:23 PM May 1, 2021
bgt wrote:
A reality check? How different are all these brands? Waeco and Dometic are the same company? Arent most of them fitted with the same compressors? Chinese ones aside. Isn't really just about the box and lid? Just saying.
For those brands yes but Engel has had its own motor for ever. Same motor in mine as the newer models, perhaps with some upgrades. Perhaps it is the reason why a bit more expensive because they lack economies of scale.
Whenarewethere said
03:23 PM May 1, 2021
mixo wrote:
The only thing new is blue tooth connectivity, which really does nothing much but tell you the temp.
Together with fridges getting darker to soak up the sun.
Make them white & thicken up the insulation would be actually something useful.
Izabarack said
09:00 PM May 1, 2021
Warren-Pat_01 wrote:
I was told by North Coast Refrigeration Company P/L (Trailblazer manufacturer) .........
Any manufacturer would say that about their own product.
banjo said
11:13 PM May 1, 2021
Ten years ago I would say Engel was the best, I bought one in 2000 and sold it with my last caravan as it was on a slide out, but not anymore, the modern ones just don't seem to have the quality like they used to.
My mate has had two 40lt late models fail just out of warranty, engel specialist said $600 to replace cooling unit ! so he refrained and bought a new one.
After his experience I went with Bushman 32-52lt car fridge, bit noisier than engel but has BD35 compressor and better insulation than the engel, time will tell but so far very happy and very low power consumption.
Rob Driver said
09:48 AM May 2, 2021
I bought a 38 litre Engel in 1983. It travelled with me in various trucks, it rolled around in the back of utes and in boats on fishing trips. It sat under the bench for a couple of years and when I retired I got it out and Angie used it as a freezer to supplement the caravan 3 way fridge. It is now once again just sitting idle under the verandah. Maybe it will die one day.... In 2014 I bought an Everkool 60 litre fridge and a slide to mount it in the car. It is still going strong being used mainly as a fridge but sometimes a freezer as well.
My point is I could buy two and a half 60 litre Everkools for one Engel. Both me and my wallet are happy with the Everkool
Regards
Rob
-- Edited by bentaxlebabe on Sunday 2nd of May 2021 09:50:18 AM
Cupie said
12:01 PM May 2, 2021
After reading all of the responses, while still happy with my original decision to purchase the Engel, things have changed and any of the much cheaper leading brands might be the go these days.
montie said
07:13 PM May 2, 2021
I bought an Engel top loader from Roger at ARB when they were in Ringwood back in the late 70's.
It careered out the back of the BJ in the high country a couple of times, survived the bulldust crossing from Burketown to Borroloola, crossed the Simpson both ways and is sitting in my garage today working as good as ever 35 years later.
Would I buy another one.....No need to, the original one is still working like new!
Eaglemax said
10:11 PM May 2, 2021
Bought a Waeco 40 litre in 2015...fell off my Ute and over the Westgate bridge 200 metres to hard rock, got ran over by a Mack truck and keeps fish frozen in a bonfire.. would I buy another? No need to...
---just joking Monty :)
-- Edited by Eaglemax on Sunday 2nd of May 2021 10:11:50 PM
suengreg said
03:54 PM May 4, 2021
Re Izabarack's comments on North Coast Refrigeration fridges/freezers. Did you take the time to review the photos and comments. Their fridges were attached externally to Abrams tanks during the gulf wars and are still used by sections of the UN because of their reliability when transporting vaccines etc
And no I don't have one of their fridges/freezers no do I have any made by any other company
Safe travels
Warren-Pat_01 said
05:02 PM May 8, 2021
Final statement, the Trail blazer is made of strong marine grade aluminum with fibreglass inserts & has excellent insulation (minimum 2.5 inches & 3 inches). They don't have to be treated kindly!
The best test for me was bringing the frozen whiting fillets back from Ceduna to Townsville - & that was using a 24v car with a 24v-12v converter - YES, using the start batteries! I used to wind up the thermostat up to max about two hours before stopping for the day turning the fridge off before starting off the next day (had to keep the tomatoes, lettuce clear of the sides, though). With the marine carpet divider, food under it stayed frozen, above it was cold!
vince56 said
12:54 PM May 10, 2021
Have had 18 and 50 litre Waeco's for many years, no problems at all.
I did order a waeco but it arrived in pieces when the courier delivered it(but waeco was good , go my money back)
Friend bought a my coolman 105 litre fridge, massive, runs really well, but it's brand new.
Like someone else said go with what fits your needs, these days fridge tech has reached its pinnacle and they all work fine for years.The only thing new is blue tooth connectivity, which really does nothing much but tell you the temp.
Good luck fridge hunting.
mixo
For those brands yes but Engel has had its own motor for ever. Same motor in mine as the newer models, perhaps with some upgrades. Perhaps it is the reason why a bit more expensive because they lack economies of scale.
Together with fridges getting darker to soak up the sun.
Make them white & thicken up the insulation would be actually something useful.
Any manufacturer would say that about their own product.
My mate has had two 40lt late models fail just out of warranty, engel specialist said $600 to replace cooling unit ! so he refrained and bought a new one.
After his experience I went with Bushman 32-52lt car fridge, bit noisier than engel but has BD35 compressor and better insulation than the engel, time will tell but so far very happy and very low power consumption.
I bought a 38 litre Engel in 1983.
It travelled with me in various trucks, it rolled around in the back of utes and in boats on fishing trips.
It sat under the bench for a couple of years and when I retired I got it out and Angie used it as a freezer to supplement the caravan 3 way fridge.
It is now once again just sitting idle under the verandah.
Maybe it will die one day....
In 2014 I bought an Everkool 60 litre fridge and a slide to mount it in the car.
It is still going strong being used mainly as a fridge but sometimes a freezer as well.
My point is I could buy two and a half 60 litre Everkools for one Engel.
Both me and my wallet are happy with the Everkool
Regards
Rob
-- Edited by bentaxlebabe on Sunday 2nd of May 2021 09:50:18 AM
After reading all of the responses, while still happy with my original decision to purchase the Engel, things have changed and any of the much cheaper leading brands might be the go these days.
It careered out the back of the BJ in the high country a couple of times, survived the bulldust crossing from Burketown to Borroloola, crossed the Simpson both ways and is sitting in my garage today working as good as ever 35 years later.
Would I buy another one.....No need to, the original one is still working like new!
Bought a Waeco 40 litre in 2015...fell off my Ute and over the Westgate bridge 200 metres to hard rock, got ran over by a Mack truck and keeps fish frozen in a bonfire.. would I buy another? No need to...
---just joking Monty :)
-- Edited by Eaglemax on Sunday 2nd of May 2021 10:11:50 PM
And no I don't have one of their fridges/freezers no do I have any made by any other company
Safe travels
The best test for me was bringing the frozen whiting fillets back from Ceduna to Townsville - & that was using a 24v car with a 24v-12v converter - YES, using the start batteries! I used to wind up the thermostat up to max about two hours before stopping for the day turning the fridge off before starting off the next day (had to keep the tomatoes, lettuce clear of the sides, though). With the marine carpet divider, food under it stayed frozen, above it was cold!