Why Fit a Portable Fridge in Your Car? The Benefits and How to Do It

There are plenty of excellent reasons why you should have a fridge installed in your car. If you are an adventure lover, like to camp outdoors or simply take extended road trips, a fridge at the back of your car gives you autonomy and even luxury that you might not have known before.

Imagine having cool drinks in the middle of the desert, cold cuts and cheese with chilled beer on a beach or real dinner at night in the wilderness. Proper storage and transport keep your provisions fresh and safe for consumption. If you are planning to get a fridge but do not know how to do it, here are some tips to get started.

There’s nothing wrong with using a cooler for your trips. They are economical and you only need to pay for ice that can last for a few days. It can be messy with all that water and while ice packs are practical, they take up a lot of space and won’t cool your food and drinks as well as ice. A real fridge does the job better of preserving food without taking up space and the mess.

Today’s fridges are much better in terms of performance, design and price points than they were decades ago. Brands such as Engel, ARB, Whynter and National Luna are some names to consider.

They are sold in different sizes, makes and prices so there is one that would suit your needs. For example, a 25-liter fridge is good for day picnics or for one person’s needs while a 35-liter fridge is already adequate for a couple. For a family of 4, 50 liters will be suitable for their needs over a weekend. If you plan to stay longer than a week, you should buy a 60 to 65-liter fridge minimum.

Get A Second Battery

One of the biggest fears of having a fridge in a car is that it will drain the power of your battery. Not really. Fridges will sense if there is a power drain and will automatically shut off when this happens. An alternative is to get a dedicated battery for your refrigerator.

Although this may involve retrofitting and rewiring plus extra costs, it is all worth it in the end especially if you are spending a long time on the road or in remote places where grocery stores are few and far in between. In addition, dual battery systems not only keep your fridge going but can also help power equipment and lights when your car is stationary.

Preparing Your Fridge

In addition to making sure that you have everything you need for your adventure travel such as tents and sleeping bags, a good pair of binoculars, food, and water, you must organize your fridge in a way that will take you until the next stop where you can restock especially if you are out in the bush where there is nothing but wildlife and endless land.

Fridges are fitted with baskets allowing you to separate stuff such as meat, fruits, and veggies. It can be used as a fridge or freezer which means that you can keep stuff frozen by adjusting the thermostat. Heck, you can even take popsicles with you or frozen yogurt without a problem. The key is to organize your food rations for the duration of the trip and make every space useful.

Investing in a fridge might cost you a lot of money for they are not cheap at all. But if you are going to do long-distance travels for weeks or months, a ref can provide you with some much-needed creature comforts while you are away from home.