Guide to the Best Cooler for Your Camper Van
Because food matters, Combeing has tested the different cooler technologies available on the market for you.
Objective
Our goal was to find the cooler that best suits van use, considering ease of use, efficiency, and, of course, cost.
After some quick research, three technologies stood out:
- Thermoelectric coolers
- Absorption/tri-mix coolers
- Compressor coolers
The last type of cooler, known as compressor (like Dometic or Alpicool), is the most widespread because it is commonly found in most homes. It offers a good balance of price, size, and sufficient power. However, many camper vans use a Tri-mix technology, which can cause some hesitation when choosing.
Table of Contents
The Desired Product
As a reminder, Combeing’s core principle is to transform your van into a fully-equipped camper on a budget in just a few minutes (assembly, disassembly). To achieve this, we developed a modular system that can be customized based on personal preferences, allowing for spontaneous trips.
In line with this spirit of freedom and simplicity, we were looking for an efficient, easy-to-assemble system with a digital display. We also wanted it to cool quickly with a standard 12V outlet. A cooler accessory that would allow us to:
- Keep a quantity of food and beverages in good condition
- Be powered by auxiliary batteries
- Work anywhere, regardless of the environment (external heat, sloped vehicle…)
In summary, we were looking for a portable tool with good capacity, allowing us to enjoy a cold bottle of water after a hike in 35°C heat, but without draining the van's batteries. A cooler that is easy to use and doesn't require a PhD in thermodynamics to operate.
The Chosen Product
The item that checked all the boxes is the Dometic compressor cooler. With a good capacity of 31 liters, you can take your food storage anywhere. After placing it where desired (dimensions, length, and weight of the components specially considered), it can be secured with the two tie-down rings and straps provided.
Then, after plugging the 12V fridge into the vehicle’s 12V outlet or auxiliary batteries, you’ll only need to adjust 4 settings:
- The desired cooling temperature (from -15 to 10°C)
- The unit of temperature (Celsius or Fahrenheit)
- The screen brightness setting
- The battery protection setting
This food and beverage fridge is the one we chose because it perfectly matches Combeing’s spirit. It reaches its operating temperature in just 2 hours and offers more advantages than its competitors (power consumption, capacity, and noise volume). Its easy installation, requiring no exterior venting, and its ability to work in challenging conditions in terms of climate and tilt, won us over.
The video below quickly explains how to use this compressor cooler:
For further details on the battery protection setting, click below
- The "Low" mode is to be used when the equipment is powered by one or more external batteries. This mode allows the cooler to draw from external batteries until reaching a 10.1V threshold. The 11.1V value is the minimum voltage required to activate "Low" mode.
- The "High" mode is to be used when the equipment is powered by the vehicle's main battery. This mode allows it to draw from the battery up to a limit (11.8V). This threshold prevents the voltage from dropping too much, ensuring the vehicle can still start. The 12.6V value is the minimum voltage required to activate "High" mode.
Some examples:
- The battery is at 11.5V: It is not possible to activate "High" mode because a minimum of 12.6V is required. However, "Low" mode can be activated since 11.5V > 11.1V (the minimum voltage for "Low" mode activation). In this case, the cooler will draw power until it reaches a lower threshold of 10.1V.
- The battery is at 12.8V: "Low" mode can be activated since 12.8V > 11.1V (the minimum voltage for "Low" mode), and "High" mode can also be activated since 12.8V > 12.6V (the minimum voltage for "High" mode).
- The battery is at 10.8V: Neither "Low" nor "High" mode can be activated since 10.8V < 11.1V and 12.6V. In this case, the vehicle must be started to recharge the battery.
The Principle of a Compressor Cooler
As mentioned earlier, the "compression" technology used by Dometic or Alpicool is the same technology often found in homes to cool our food. There are more vendors, spare parts, and stock available. This technology relies on the phase change of a special refrigerant fluid to absorb heat (and thus cool a volume).
To understand the process, it's important to first grasp the following concepts:
Liquid State opacity
Condensation
Pressure increases
Temperature decreases
←
→
Pressure decreases
Temperature increases
Evaporation
Gas State cloud
Then, the first diagram below shows the elements that make up the system, the 4 main components. The second diagram explains the operation of a fridge (or compressor refrigerator) that can be installed in a car, camper, or even a tent. It consists of 4 main stages.
Main Components of a Compressor Cooler
1 Compressor
2 Condenser
3 Expander
4 Evaporator
Main Stages of a Compressor Fridge
1 Compression stage by the compressor. The refrigerant fluid arrives in gas form and exits in a compressed gas state.
→ Pressure and Temperature increase
2 Condensation stage by the condenser. The gas, with a temperature higher than the surrounding environment (in a van, car, house, tent, or outdoors), cools and becomes liquid.
3 Expansion stage. The liquid refrigerant, still under pressure, is expanded.
→ Pressure and Temperature decrease
4 Evaporation stage by the evaporator. The liquid refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates into gas. This is the stage we seek, as it cools the desired volume.
Other Products
Looking for the best camping food and beverage equipment for our vans, we were not set on compressor technology. That's why we also looked into two other promising technologies:
- Thermoelectric coolers
- Absorption/tri-mix coolers
Of course, brands like Alpicool, Mestic, Cfx, and Mobicool stand out among these types of electrical accessories. Below we will analyze the technical parameters of the electric camping fridge, considering price, capacity, dimensions (length), weight, power requirements, and spare parts availability.
For the first technology, called thermoelectric, one advantage quickly emerged. These units can also generate heat. However, this comes at the cost of high energy consumption (about 4 times more than a compressor cooler), which contradicted what we were looking for. Moreover, they required a converter since this type of equipment doesn’t handle the direct current supplied by standard 12V cigarette lighter outlets well.
The price, often more attractive than competing technologies, might have swayed us, but we found that its efficiency remains average. This technology can lower the internal temperature by a maximum of 30°C below the ambient climate. For example, if the road trip is in Spain during the summer and it’s 45°C inside the van, the fridge would only be 15°C (far from a freezer or regular fridge). We also found that performance degrades further if the volume exceeds 40 liters, meaning these coolers must be relatively small. The price is consistent with the performance of the cooler, the availability of spare parts, and the stock available.
For the second technology, called absorption, tri-mix, performance is rather good. Often used in camper vans, this technology allows you to switch between 3 power sources: 230V mains, gas, and 12V. Quiet, long-lasting, and with a decent volume (liters), this cooling system seemed ideal for van installation. However, further research revealed that this type of technology (unlike our Dometic or Alpicool) requires a ventilation grille to expel heat to the outside of the vehicle. While this is possible if we’re willing to cut part of the van’s body, it’s not what most Combeing users want.
The quick installation and simplicity are also part of Combeing’s design philosophy. However, we were discouraged by the absorption technology when we learned that it would take over a day to reach a suitable cooling level, making it difficult to embark on a spontaneous trip like our users enjoy. Additionally, the operating principle (detailed in the next section) does not tolerate tilting. This means the vehicle must remain on flat ground or be propped up at each stop for the cooling system to function properly. While this technology is sometimes less expensive (slightly cheaper for this type of accessory, but not accounting for spare parts or additional components), its downsides and the presence of gas in a confined space like a camper van, caravan, or tent convinced us otherwise.
The Principle of a Thermoelectric Cooler
By exploiting and repeating this phenomenon (see diagram below), it’s possible to generate a good amount of Heat/Cold that can be used for a small camping cooler, van cooler, or camping car cooler. Note that if cold is the goal, heat will necessarily be produced, so it needs to be expelled. Likewise, if heat is desired, cold must be expelled. Again, the vendors and available stock are limited with this technology.
The Principle of an Absorption/Trimix Cooler
This type of cooler, often used in camper vans (and sometimes in caravans), is illustrated in the diagram below.
Elements:
Heat
Separator
Condenser
Evaporator
Absorber
Liquid ammonia
Gaseous ammonia
Hydrogen
Water
Water + Ammonia
Ammoniacal water tank (H2O + ammonia mix)
Boiler (heats water + ammonia)
Separator (captures evaporated ammonia and returns low-ammonia water to the tank via return coil 6)
Condenser (ammonia arrives as gas and turns liquid)
Evaporator (contains hydrogen and receives liquid ammonia).
At this stage, ammonia turns gaseous and absorbs heat (thus cooling a volume): this is the desired operation.
Return coil (ammonia gas mixes with weakly charged water and returns to the tank by gravity).
At this point, no tilting is allowed. If the cooler's tilt is opposite to the return coil's slope, water accumulates and disrupts the function.
Which Cooler for Your Van?
In summary, here are some options for our vans:
- You can buy our compression cooler, easy to use, efficient, well-priced, and perfect for "van life".
- The absorption camper fridge is great for use in motorhomes (on a flat parking lot...) and when small modifications to the vehicle are possible (ventilation...).
- The thermoelectric fridge is a good option if your electrical system is suited for it and if you're visiting hot places.
- In any case, an electric refrigeration system for food is a very practical and useful tool for any trips away from home. A freezer like the ones from Cfx or Alpicool, with digital, USB, or Bluetooth technology (beware of the price), was, however, too far from the Combeing spirit!
- Idea: pairing it with a solar panel would take autonomy and freedom even further!
Transform your utility vehicle into a camper van in 5 minutes.
Combeing is the ideal solution for owners of utility vehicles, vans, and campers who want to temporarily repurpose their vehicle for leisure in just a few minutes.
71 reviews
What our customers say...
Alain Martin
2 month(s) ago
Welcoming, very professional and competent team, very practical, functional and quality equipment, well done, great company, well-deserved stars.
salmandra x.
3 month(s) ago
I had put my kit in the basket. Sent an email with a question, Mathieu called me straight away, and even advised me on a better configuration. Appointment made 2 days after installation, with removal of my partition. And I was so well received that I added the kitchen module. A lovely, warm team. Go there with your eyes closed. I'll go back and do my insulation later... Thanks again... Sandra
Morane Barguillet
3 month(s) ago
We ordered our kit in September 2023 for our Opel Vivaro H1L2, we have used it well and made it profitable since. Received on a pallet with a very fast turnaround. A smooth and simple installation with several layout choices. We do not regret our investment. The materials after a year and a half are like new, you just have to take care of them. I recommend ??
Joel Joel
7 month(s) ago
5 stars well deserved. Great team A simple email resulted in a purchase. I felt considered, taken seriously and at the center of attention Once there, Matthieu was more than incredible. Really at the top. Knew how to satisfy, fulfill all my wishes. The family thanks you.
Hervé LOZES
9 month(s) ago
Ingenious and really well thought out concept, quality material and precision manufacturing, with a responsive team, I highly recommend!
Laetitia Coudrai
9 month(s) ago
We bought a Combeing kit a few months ago for our VW T5 transporter and we are very satisfied with it! Delivery was free and fast. Customer service is top notch, whether for information or responsiveness. The kits are adaptable to your type of vehicle but also to your use whether it is road mode, night mode or day mode (with table). Very good value for money. We highly recommend. And a big thank you to Mathieu for sending goodies!!
Laurent Gréco
11 month(s) ago
A great team, a high-quality product, a very competitive price. We sold our converted van because our annual usage time did not justify such an expensive investment. We bought a utility vehicle that we converted to our taste with the possibility of modifying its configuration according to our needs following the many very professional tips received from COMBEING. The team took the time to welcome us into the company and to assemble our modules in order to have a tailor-made layout with everything necessary to live independently: gas, water point, electricity, toilet, solar panel, shower... In short, everything necessary to live pleasant moments according to our desires without having to have our vehicle approved in VASP. Thanks again to the whole team for their welcome, their availability and their professionalism which really deserve to be highlighted
Domie Palet
11 month(s) ago
Very satisfied with the modules, fast delivery, a super friendly team, thank you Mathieu for his advice and his professionalism, the best!!!! We recommend without moderation...
Johann Manassian
1 year(s) ago
Really great, the team is really cool, the products sold (sports kit for VW T6 for me) are really great (but I didn't doubt that, I had already planned everything thanks to their website, but with their advice I made some changes that suit me better). I also did the sprayed cork insulation before going to get my kit, super simple and beautiful rendering. I really recommend more than ever. Thank you and good luck in your new premises.
caroline faure
2 year(s) ago
5 stars without hesitation for this professional company for the modular fitting out of Vans and Campers. Special dedication to Mathieu, who was able to listen and find all the solutions to my constraints while respecting my budget! The team is great, the atmosphere friendly! I recommend!!
Laurent FOUCHARD
2 year(s) ago
I was looking for a van that could be used as a daily, utility or leisure vehicle and with the Combeing Full kit, I found exactly what I wanted for my L1H1 van. I spoke several times with Mathieu and Raphaël, their listening, their responsiveness and their availability as well as their advice and services were very valuable in guiding me in my choices... In short, very well-made kits, easy and quick to set up, as well as a great team mean that I highly recommend this friendly company...
Stephane Picard
2 year(s) ago
We made an appointment, Mathieu welcomed us warmly and showed us around the workshop, then we went to the selection area to recap and make the quote. We had all the necessary technical explanations as well as his advice and feedback. The guy is sincere and super professional. Our choice validated, he helped us throughout the time needed to set up the modules. Again, lots of advice and tips, thanks to him. I thought the idea was absolutely brilliant on paper but it's even better in the van, the possibilities are endless, the quality is great, everything is thought out down to the smallest detail. In the end, it confirms that with my 1m70 we can sleep across without any problem and therefore keep the table in place during the night. Conclusion: we are satisfied beyond our expectations. Thank you COMBEING, thank you to the brilliant inventor and thank you Mathieu for your advice
Our strengths & values
No VASP approval required
Shipping within 48 working hours
Come and leave with your kit
Local and artisanal production
Low ecological impact
Professional integration (ESAT)
Infinite combinations to suit your wishes
Our kits adapt to all types of vans. Combeing selects the appropriate floors for your utility vehicle; you will just need to move the boxes around on this floor as you see fit. In just a few seconds, switch from a configuration with a table and seats to a large bed that covers the entire interior of the vehicle.
