If you love traveling by car as often as possible and you’re planning an epic road trip, a car cooler or fridge is a must-have gadget. There are hundreds of them to choose from on websites such as Amazon but we narrowed it down to these three options to make it easier for you.
With temperatures soaring all across the globe, there’s nothing worse than hitting the road without having fresh food and cold drinks at hand. This is especially true if your route takes you through remote places where there are no gas stations, truck stops, or convenience stores.
Taking an old-fashioned cooler with you can help but even the best options out there can only keep things cold for so long. Eventually, the ice packs will warm up and you’ll need to get new ones which might be difficult to do in remote areas.
Your best bet is to get an electric cooler or compressor-type portable fridge that can be plugged into the vehicle’s 12-volt socket to keep items cool for extended periods.
If you’re looking for a cheap ice pack-free option for shorter trips or you’re planning to travel alone, the AstroAI Minifridge is the best choice out there.
With a rating of 4.4 out of 5 on Amazon from more than 25,000 buyers, this tiny yet capable fridge measures 10-inches (25.4 cm) high by 9.45-inches (24 cm) deep, and 6.9-inches (17.5 cm) wide. It won’t take up too much space in your car and has a 4-liter (4.2-quart) capacity which is enough for six regular-size soda cans.
The minifridge can cool stuff down from room temperature to 37 degrees F (2.7 C) in three hours but if the items are already cold it will maintain their temperature for as long as it’s plugged in. Depending on ambient temperature, it can also be used to keep food or drinks hot at up to 150 degrees F (40.5 C) for several hours while being turned off.
The freon-free and environmentally friendly unit comes with a 12-volt DC cable for use in your vehicle and a 110-volt AC adapter that allows you to plug it in at home or your office. It is also covered by a 3-year warranty and can be ordered in five different colors.
If you need a higher-capacity unit but you don’t have too much money to spend, then the 27-quart (25.5-liter) Ivation electric cooler is what you should consider buying.
It can keep items as cool as 40 degrees F (4.4 C) and can also keep them warm up to 130 degrees F (54.4 C). It can also cool or warm things from room temperature, but multiple reviews note that it will take a very long time to do so. As the manufacturer advises, it will work best if you fill it up with drinks or food that has already been pre-chilled or pre-heated.
The cooler is delivered with two power cords that enable you to use it in your vehicle but also plug it into a conventional 110-volt outlet.
The third and final item on our list is perfect for those of you who are looking for a capable car fridge with an ample capacity.
While it’s not cheap, the SetPower AJ50 can carry up to 53 quarts (50.1 liters). According to the manufacturer, that’s enough for 70 soda cans, 42 pint-sized water bottles, or 12 wine bottles. Setpower also says the built-in compressor is powerful enough to quickly chill or freeze items, and the temperature is fully adjustable between 0- and 50-degrees F (-17.7 - 10 C).
It measures 27.5-inches (69.8 cm) high by 13.6-inches (34.5 cm) deep, and 20.7-inches (52.5 cm) wide which is not small by any means so it’s more suitable for larger vehicles like full-size SUVs or trucks.
The AJ50 comes with a DC power cable for your vehicle and an AC adapter you can use to plug it into a standard wall socket. Its warranty covers two years for the compressor and one year for other components.
Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times. Full profile
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