Compression Fridge

The goal was to find a fridge with good performance and a reliable operating principle. For this, nothing beats a compression fridge (also known as a compressor fridge). The Dometic CDF2-36 fridge with a capacity of 31 liters keeps food and drinks at the right temperature (between +10°C and -15°C) while remaining silent. From an electrical perspective, this compression fridge is compatible with 12V (cigarette lighter socket) or 24V systems. It can also be powered by an auxiliary battery. Due to its strategic dimensions, this ultra-efficient fridge can also serve as a seat or support for sleeping.

Many of our users who enjoy wild camping have an auxiliary power system and wish to maintain complete autonomy. For this reason, we have studied and tested several products/fridges to select the one that performs best (even in challenging conditions like high temperatures) while being the least energy-consuming. More information is available in our article on choosing the best fridge for converted vans.

Compared to its more commonly used rival in campers, the compression fridge does not depend on a flat surface. Even if the van is parked on a slope, there will be no issues with the fridge's performance. Similarly, the fridge does not need to be turned on hours or even a day in advance to reach a suitable temperature; 1 to 2 hours is sufficient, and the temperature is like in your home fridge!

However, there are no significant differences between the two products in terms of size, price (aside from the cost of gas refills to remember for tri-mix refrigerators), or the capacity of each unit.

Generally, the volumes of compression fridges range from 5 liters to 45 liters for converted vans. Ours (Dometic fridge) with its 31 liters of volume is on the higher end of portable camping compression fridges. Recommended for 6 people, this capacity strikes a balance between a fridge that is too bulky and one that cannot hold two water bottles and a meal. These accessories allow for storing many foods and drinks at an adequate temperature while being reasonably priced for this type of refrigerator.

First of all, the first type of refrigerator (cfx) includes options that increase its price; these notably include phone control via Bluetooth and generally an LCD display. We find that for such a product, integrating digital modules makes the system less reliable. Also, this accessory has a freezer that unfortunately increases its energy consumption. For the second model, Mobicool, which is priced lower than the two Dometic fridges, the quality seemed inferior, and we encountered problems with the compressor after just two months of use. To summarize, our product is a compromise and an excellent value for money for this cooling product.