The HIDDEN COSTS of Electric Coolers 😳

[@theoutdoorempire]

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[@danaldridge9804]

I freeze gallon water jugs put them in my Coleman cooler the one you're showing there and add frozen meals that I cook and I've got cold for a good week and I eat my food and I got my cold water when the frozen water jugs thaw out.

[@Emshoot90]

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[@WayneTheSeine]

No doubt the fridge will cost more per day to operate, given all of the honest parameters you mention. However, the convenience of not having to leave a campsite every day or two to go fetch ice adds a whole lot to the value. You can purchase a LiTime LiPo4 100Ah (1,200 Wh) battery for $223, which should power a fridge for just over 4 days. A portable 100W panel for $129.00 should be more than sufficient, even if putting out only 60 watts of power in fair lighting (60 x 6hr. = 360 Watts). In fact, 60 watts should run the freezer and also maintain the battery at 100% and there is no need to deal with draining water or worrying about certain items getting wet, including meat. All of that being said, the cost would undoubtedly be higher than ice and an ice chest, but as pointed out, you do not have to keep making ice runs and we will not bother figuring in the gas. Also, dual-zone fridges allow for freezing, going as low as -4 degrees.... popsicles for the kids, ice cream, frozen meat, etc., Yeah, glamping. 😂 If you really want to get down and dirty, you can bring along a decent ice chest, I have a 28 qt. LIfetime, for your drinks. That way the fridge will not be opened and closed so much and you can make ice for the ice chest. DISCLAIMER: I have an Iceco 55APL being delivered today so, I am justifying my purchase. 😁Note that the ICECO has a 3 watt idle and around 40 watt Eco. Most tests I have researched show a 24 hour consumption of 276 watts per 24 hr in dual zone and 180 watt in single zone. 180 watt Hr. should get you almost 7 days on a 100Ah battery.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Fantastic insight, Wayne, thank you. Sorry about my timing of this video with your purchase, but it sounds like you've justified it well 😂. You raise a lot of good points. Enjoy that ICECO! I'd like to try a reputable midrange fridge like that sometime for a better comparison. Have a great weekend!

[@WalterPidgeonsForge]

Good insights that mirror my own about the fridge vs. cooler thing.. I have an ICECO VL60 and a JP30 as well.. the “everything winds up wet” and the fact that you need to use half the volume for ice with a cooler we’re maddening for decades.. it is a No Brainer.. it is cheaper than the food loss, time suck and other cons. But I only camp with a vehicle.

[@diedfrombored5295]

There's cheap ones that work, one of the guys I trucked with had an 18qt one that cost him like 100 dollars at a Loves truck stop and worked perfectly, we did cement operating in the Permian Basin so there's sand everywhere and that thing held up really well. Also to note they don't need to run 24/7 because they keep everything as cold as they need to be even if it shuts off for more than a day, but obviously if you open it repeatedly you will need to cool it back down. This means you will have more than enough time to charge it with solar if you have sun and don't need to worry about things spoiling, their insulation is very good and if you don't have solar just running your vehicle for 30 minutes will do the trick to get everything cold as ice again as long as it was already cold.

[@velcapitan]

During his analysis I was thinking they would be good for road trips, construction workers, truckers, and delivery drivers.

[@knottheory79220]

Honestly most people only use a cooler for a day or a part of a day occasionally. The 12v fridge is overkill. I can see use cases though for them, but honestly most people are probably fine with a cooler and picking up some ice now and again.

[@varunkumar83]

The things you missed in your calculations: 1) cost of driving up and down to keep getting ice every day. 2) batrery pack can be used for other things at camp and gives you more option. Similarly you can use the fridge as a can cooler at home (everyone's fridge is always out of space😂). 3) although you did mention about depreciation (life of a fridge), that should be added too in the calculation. 4) Actual discounted price of the fridge rather than retail price. I think the cost analysis is helpful but at the end of the day its about what you are trying to achieve. Fridge with battery/generator gives you more control and less heavy than a filled ice box and less hassle. Ice box is good for weekend trips where if you filled all chilled items and ice, you can go through the weekend.

[@theoutdoorempire]

All good points, well thought out. Thanks for sharing. Indeed, it's not just about raw costs for folks, even if that's the focus of this video. And your point #2 is spot on. That Bodega has remained in my garage since I did this test, full of nice cold sodas without taking up any real estate in our kitchen fridge. 😂

[@BubbaBearsFriend]

Great comparison, especially with the calculations of total cost. There are so many variables depending on how one usually camps: in the middle of nowhere? near places where one can get ice? So there's also the time and effort needed to go and fetch the ice that can cut into camping time, and on the other hand if one leaves an expensive fridge/power station at camp unattended, it's a nice target for theft (but that's also the case for an expensive cooler.) An electric car will change the equation as well if one is just camping near a DCFC station since most have batteries that have greater than 60kWh of energy especially if one was going to buy an electric car anyways for every day driving.

[@nickhtk6285]

Perfect timing as Ive been looking at a 12V cooler/freezer. I think you need to do an ice maker version of this. I live a few 100km from a city so a 12V freezer would certainly be useful to bring frozen food from the city... but that aint cheap.

[@mc9551]

I have a BougeRV 12/120 v cooler. I have to keep at 29 for it to stay around 35. Great test.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Sounds about right.

[@shannonagain3]

Great video. Very thorough analysis. Benefit of power station and fridge far outweighs the hassle of ice for me. To each his own.

[@danaldridge9804]

I just freeze some gallon water jugs and add them to the Coleman cooler you're showing add some frozen meals then wrap my Coleman cooler in an itchy blanket and I have a cold cooler for a good week plus cold water to drink as the water bottles melt.

[@2avcrm]

I have a 96L Bodega Cooler that holds between 1 and 2 months worth of food. I run a rather large solar array (with generator backup) to keep it and my computer/internet running (I work online). I tend to live out in the middle of nowhere on a fulltime basis and only pass through a town about once per month to resupply. I end up having to go into town to get water refilled long before I do for food. I end up saving way more on gas for my truck than I spend on gas for my generator to keep my battery charged. If I had to run between 20 min and an hour into the closest gas station every 2-3 days I would not be able to afford to live this way. I really think this question depends on how you want to live, what your priorities are, how often you use it, and where you are located. And yes it is very common to run the fridge/freezer about 15 degrees cooler to keep it at the right temp. I have yet to meet someone who owns one of these coolers that doesn't have to do that.

[@ChrisSgaraglino]

Wow, you beat the snot out of the electric fridge idea! First, it is a 12v fridge, yet if you reviewed it using 120v power from a brick, 12v is far more efficient than that giant power 120v brick. 2nd, I can almost guarantee that these days, almost everyone camping already has some kind of power station. And then you didn't factor in the gas to drive to the store, the human time needed to drive to the store (which could be 20-30 minutes each way), the fact one may have to break down camp to be able to drive, the annoyance factor of having to worry about ice, or having to "stop camping" long enough to do a chore. The convenience alone of an electric fridge far outweighs having to deal with ice. A simple setup, like the one I use when truck camping, can power the Bodega indefinitely and provide power for things like a radio, charging my phone, laptop, lights, a 12v kettle for coffee, etc. A traditional cooler can not do that! As for cost, I have the Anker C300 DC 288Wh $89 (frequently discounted) 100w solar panel as low as $59 Amazon - which is 7x less expensive but 20x the versatility. When people are deciding which way to go with any product comparison, they always (but rarely do) need to factor in Human Time and Convenience. Silver lining: I really do like your videos. I do like how thorough you are (most of the time) :)

[@damian99669]

I love my 12v fridge for road and day trips. I plug it in and load it up at home, move it to the car and power it off the vehicle while driving. A small battery keeps it cool while out and about making it so easy to bring lunch/dinner and cool drinks for all kinds of day trips.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Nice!

[@williamolliges2622]

When we bought a 12 v cooler the “price of ice” was never, ever part of the calculus. This was a convenience purchase only, not to mention the dual zone cooling. The ice cooler will never, ever keep something frozen.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Fair enough.

[@williamolliges2622]

@@theoutdoorempire Oof. In retrospect my comment was unfairly blunt. The humorous snark inside my head didn’t come across, and I should’ve just deferred to previous commenter Wayne.

[@roberttrull6739]

I just bought AC 70 for 399 and a iceco j 50 seccp with a 5 year warranty on both the j50 cost 429 both around 850 but last year I lost over 1000 in meat form a power outage , I love my back up

[@theoutdoorempire]

Awesome!

[@RaiderTheGhost]

You and your viewers bring up an interesting point with having an ice maker. How much power would that use a day to make ice? Could be the best of both worlds. I think that would make for an interesting test.

[@theoutdoorempire]

I didn't use it enough to measure that, but given you wouldn't have to run it 24/7 I imagine it would be quite a bit less than a fridge.

[@ronvosick8253]

Most ice makers can't produce super chilled ice.

[@nickhtk6285]

@@ronvosick8253 Thats a good point. There are a lot of variables with ice.

[@JakesFamilyRC]

Imagine the effect on the ice chest from having to open it every 10 mins to dump in that 1 pound of ice each time just to keep up...

[@jamiepizz]

Nice comparison! Like most things, you're just paying for convenience. Another option is putting ice in the fridge to give the power a break. I've never done it, but I'd be concerned about excessive water building up as the ice melts.

[@tommygatch]

Most 12v coolers specifically say to not put ice in them. Maybe if you did it in a sealed bag that you trusted to not leak.

[@jamiepizz]

@@tommygatch Yeah, that seems like it would be a good idea.

[@heathen_7]

I would definitely go the ice maker route. I want my choice in cooler/size for whatever I’m doing. So I’ve never been interested in the small capacity and overall size/weight of the electric fridge cooler things.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Good point.

[@somestuffithoughtyoumightl6985]

Except work Sir! You covered so many angles, especially longevity of current consumer goods. Those costs make a good argument for the new Oyster What’s the best way to keep iced food dry? Baggies get holes; drain shelf?

[@theoutdoorempire]

We put a lot of things in Ziploc bags, but one trick I really like is using one of those cheap closed cell foam camp sleeping pads, cutting it to sit inside your cooler perfectly, then setting it inside your cooler on top of the ice. You can leave beverages and well sealed things below the foam layer, then set things you want to keep out of the slush above, like veggies, fruits, etc. it won't be as cold above as it is below, but it can also help ice last a little longer too.

[@somestuffithoughtyoumightl6985]

@@theoutdoorempire That’s exactly what I was thinking with a “drain shelf”, but my vision is plastic with a mesh pattern to allow more air flow; something manufacturers could provide. I’m in the “don’t drain cold water” camp, so sealed items get better contact, but you definitely need a way to keep unsealed out of the water. Your foam is likely less effective as times are consumed and the shape becomes uneven?

[@jorgellamas7907]

Do both when needed and enjoy. I have a makita 18v cooler and down in Mexico worked great at the Beach!! When needed… some ice and problem solved. Also… power helps when supplies are hard to find. My 2 cents.

[@Sulucion6Tone]

Bought a 55L dual zone fridge about 7 months ago for all my camping. Have a 160w solar charger during the day and have yet to have any issues even on extended overnights. Didn't start my car for 5 days last week with the fridge running the whole time; even came home with burgers still frozen. I do use 4 or 5 cold packs in there as well to keep the fridge from turning on more than it should.

[@theoutdoorempire]

That is awesome!

[@bronstadheim164]

Great comparison 👍🏻

[@theoutdoorempire]

Glad you liked it!

[@rockyracoonanddogman1720]

Using an overpriced power station will definitely inflate the ROI. I have a Setpower 37L with a 100ah Lifeop4 that was around $400 that will last me 4 days plus, and I prefer that to my roto molded 45L cooler that costs about the same. The Setpower allows one side to be a freezer, which is a bonus for ice cream in the woods for my family 😊. I still use the roto, but for drinks and ice in beverages. No water logged food with the 12v is another bonus.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Good input, thanks.

[@Stewmiester86]

I personally would go with my big Grizzly every time, something to consider is the campsites that come with electricity. Then you only have the cost of the refrigerator.

[@marilyn2]

I've been using REI's Cool Haul soft-sided cooler for road trips. I replenish the ice about every 1 1/2 days in hot weather. I can live with that, but the problem is not having a drain plug. I have to remove the contents in order to pour out the water. That gets old on a multi-week trip. I haven't found a small, reasonably priced cooler (around 35 quart would be ideal) that will fit comfortably in my small sedan. The soft-sided cooler is a manageable weight, whereas, a lot of the coolers are quite heavy for me. I once had a 55 quart Coleman Extreme which I really liked and wish I'd kept as they stopped making it. Still, it would be too large for my current needs. Do you know of anything decent in the 35 qt range?

[@maceoperson2622]

Most people who want a portable fridge already know how they are going to power it.. in most cases battery power is going to be supplemented by solar.. definitely think it's more convenient than running back to town 2 times a day for ice

[@jessemullins8144]

You should do an ice cost comparison for a cheap cooler vs expensive cooler.

[@theoutdoorempire]

That's a great idea, thanks!

[@bonniehaldeman2566]

It's not about cost for us. We don't want our food floating in water and having to put everything in plastic bags. We camp where we have electric hookups.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Makes sense.

[@ronvosick8253]

Some people place chilled water to 2 inches of the bottom of the coolers and superfreez the entire cooler for one week and use large frozen water bottles.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Love that idea.

[@rogergrant8865]

Did you include the mileage to purchase the ice? If you use either .58 or .64 per mile to the cost of driving to and from a filling station locally but what if you are out in the middle of the forest or etc. You may have to drive 20 to maybe 50 miles to purchase the ice then how would you be able to keep it cold? You can't use a cooler to operate other devices either. Anker Solix C1000 with 1056wh/1800 can run a full-size fridge. for 14 hrs. Just think how long it could run that small bodega T36?

[@theoutdoorempire]

Good point on the mileage. I haven't needed to go into town for ice before. My trips usually are less than a week and I'm good with the ice I come with.

[@aedanhickey5264]

I’m not a math guy, but it looks good to me lol. Also, could you do a test where you do spray foam on a cheap cooler and see if it helps it at all. I’m thinking about doing it to my 25 dollar cooler, but I don’t have a yeti or a high end cooler to compare it to.

[@mattwinkler105]

Converting to 12 V to 110 sucks a lot of electricity out of the wall if you use 12 V through all your testing it would’ve been less

[@tedz.]

How cold will the Bodega get? If longevity isn't the standard you're looking for, the convenience of the 12V Fridge is undeniable. I have one that makes ice in one section or it can freeze water in the other section. I'd like to see how well ice cream would keep in the ice cooler. It works great when it's your turn to bring snacks for the little leaguers. I also have a 145 qt rotomolded cooler that will keep food for a long time (8-9 days) when I use block ice.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Haven't pushed the limits on the Bodega, but it can be a freezer.

[@CharlesCHubbard]

I have a Bodega 80quart dual zone. Paid $506.87 out the door. Each compartment can be individually controlled and can be adjusted from -4F to 68F. I can attest that this 12v compressor refrigerator will keep frozen foods frozen even in direct sunlight on hot Texas summer days. Additional thoughts: Full capacity can be used for food since no ice is needed. I purchased the optional battery which allows for cord free power. With the battery installed, I can attach my 200w portable solar panel directly to the refrigerator to provide auxiliary power to keep the battery topped off. One downside to the compressor fridge is that they produce warm air into the room as they work.

[@ronvosick8253]

For those items that are okay for 30-45°...( unless you purchase dry ice)

[@fr0styqrc1]

Doesn’t the ice maker use 100watts of power? I have one and gave up on making enough ice for a evaporator cooler to use as a ac.

[@tommygatch]

The one thing I can say is, I like not worrying about getting water finding its way into my cheese and lunch meat if they don't get sealed well. A 40qt 12v cooler is quite a bit smaller than my 65qt RTIC, and ultimately I have similar amount of food storage. So there is the space component to consider. Yes a power station takes room, but I have one for other needs. So either a 40qt + power station or a 65 qt cooler + power station. They do each have their pluses and minuses. I still use both depending on the needs for a trip. Regardless, excellent comparison.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Well said. I can see where it would be nice to have both for different trips.

[@rogergrant8865]

The cost of the Anker Solix C1000 range from $599 to $999

[@theoutdoorempire]

Thanks for the info!

[@jessemullins8144]

Ice availability is the only factor that would sway a person to choose the fridge. In my opinion

[@nattydred2593]

Plug into an electric car, or test charging a small power station off an ICE with the motor running. Maybe use a small generator to make ice for your cooler once a day?

[@vansgardens2304]

The 12 V fridge drastically reduces the risk of cross contamination between foods. That alone is worth the price for me. I don’t want my fruits and veggies swimming in salmonella water.

[@Jaypher]

Not gonna lie, I wish I had spent the $200 I splurged on a YETI cooler and got a fridge lol

[@theoutdoorempire]

Next year perhaps!

[@Jaypher]

@@theoutdoorempire you and I both know that ain’t how gear buying works in camping. When I get that itch to buy, I just do, no self control 😭😭

[@khrome13]

Unless your like me and already own an F-150 Powerboost...

[@briankeithwood]

lot of bad assumptions, like you can get to a source of ice every day or day and 1/2. Hopefully you camp next to a gas station. You can't use your car to charge up a portable battery, but you can use it to fetch ice daily. Add in the gas to make all the trips back to some store to get ice, which is also not free and not part of your calculations And then your time is worth something - right? The idea of camping is to get away and relax, not drive constantly to drag back ice. Based on how far the ice is from your camping location, you would have to take the ice chest with you, so your family can't grab a drink while you are making your daily commute. I think your prices on the solar and batter were a little crazy, but I am sure others who have purchased them will correct the cost estimates. A solar panel that puts out 100 watts an hour, during a normal day in the summer when you are likely to be camping, would produce more than enough to run your fridge during the day and have a full charge to carry over the evening. I assume you won't take any electronics with you camping, since you would need a power source for them... unless you want to run your car to charge them up. Let's see, you also have the mess... like a drain plug getting knocked loose and losing all of the cold water (even worse if it happens when you have the cooler in the car / truck. In that case, not only do you lose the food you brought, but depending on the level of water damage, your repair might exceed the cost of the fridge, power source AND the solar panel. And, biggest assumption of all, people who buy a portable fridge would only use them for camping. If you had one, you might use them for road trips, watching children play soccer or football, etc.

[@jakemostov1]

Why cant you just use the 12v DC power cord and power it with your car? You literally called it a "car Fridge" in the first 3 seconds of the video. Maybe do a test on how long the temperature will stay below 40F after the power is removed, and how long it takes to bring it down to the ideal temperature.

[@chrisp1598]

Unless the car is running you could only run the fridge for a relatively short period before you’d drain the vehicle battery down.

[@twloughlin]

Well, a valiant and decent first effort, but there are simply too many variables in your test that don't really pass the smell test, so whether this is the "true cost" about fridge v. cooler is debatable. Most people camping will run a fridge on DC power, not AC - which is much more efficient, so that's the first glaring issue. There are far less expensive power supply options out there, both in terms of solar panels and lithium batteries. A Dr. Prepare 100AH (1280WH) LiFePo4 battery with a DC hub connector runs $250. Tack on a $170 Elecaenta 120W solar panel, and a $270 Bouge RV 30Q fridge, and that's about $700, reducing your claimed Bodega fridge upfront costs by half. Not to be too harsh here, because I love your channel, but the fridge setup you chose to compare ice coolers against is biased towards the coolers. I realize you don't consider this any sort of definitive test, as you're too honest a person to make that claim. But I think, if you choose to run this test again, using a fridge under actual camping situations (using DC power, power station, solar panel) would make a far more convincing video.

[@theoutdoorempire]

Always detailed insight, thanks for the feedback. I like your idea of an actual camping test with the whole DC setup. Maybe I'll work on that for next summer.

[@twloughlin]

@@theoutdoorempire You're welcome. I should also point out that, if you never plug your setup into the electrical grid, but always use solar power to re-supply, your actual electrical costs are $0.00 in terms of use. Measuring the cost of the kW hours from your house's power supply (and hence from the grid) is a cost factor that should simply be eliminated from the equation. Once you invest in your setup, your solar power is FREE.

[@mattsailor4966]

The electricity cost of this test was $0.37 so DC being more efficient or using solar is not going to have a big effect.

[@twloughlin]

@@mattsailor4966 Fair enough.

[@matthewhughes3765]

It really is a stupid comparison. If you are camping like most people, you are going to a campsite with water and electrical outlets provided at the individual camping places. If you are camping in the deep woods, where the hell are you getting ice from?

[@theoutdoorempire]

I appreciate the thought, but I've never camped anywhere with electric outlets and water at the campsite. That's usually only at RV parks where I live and I'm not a fan of those kinds of places. When camping out in the woods, I stock my cooler with ice before I leave town and I'm good to go. Cheers.