Getting away from it all, and away from other people, has taken on new importance. Among the most popular gear for overlanding, van life or daily family routines are electric coolers. They don’t require ice, eliminate the leaky mess and do double duty, charging your phone or keeping your food warm. Plug it into the 12V adapter to chill your drinks on the way to the lake and warm your barbecue on the way home. Here are five great options for plug-in electric coolers.
Best Overall: Dometic CFX28 77-Quart Cooler-Freezer
Why We Picked It:
Dometic, the gold standard for overlanders and RVers, offers this nicely sized unit with separate compartments for both cooling and freezing. It has an easy-to-read control panel, a USB port and is Wi-Fi enabled to communicate with a smartphone app so you always know the temperature of its contents.
Pros:
- In-cooler baskets allow for storage of more items.
- Without ice, this unit can hold up to 60% more than a similarly sized ice chest.
- Runs on 12-24 volts DC, 120 volts AC
Cons:
- It’s pricey, more than $700 .
- No warmer
- 2-year warranty on comparatively costly product
Best Value: Igloo 25-Quart Electric Cooler
Why We Picked It:
Igloo is a classic name in coolers, offering reliably sturdy products and now, an electric cooler that can store in a cargo space like an ice chest and then stand upright like a refrigerator for easy access to its contents.
Pros:
- Weighs just 12.6 pounds
- Has an easy-to-manage size
- Price around $100
Cons:
- This is simply a cooler—no fancy features
- Won’t maintain refrigerator-like temps above 77 degrees air temperature
- No warmer
Best for Packing Flexibility: Koolatron D25
Why We Picked It:
Sized more like a standard cooler, this soft-sided unit cools to 40 degrees and warms to 135 degrees, keeping drinks, snacks and food cold or warm. It has built in exterior cup holders and pockets for extras like sunscreen or snacks.
Pros:
- Soft-sided means it can be wedged into a packed cargo area or sit in a car’s rear seat footwell
- Cools and warms both
- Takes less cargo space when not in use
Cons:
- Soft sides offer less protection against bruised fruit or squished sandwiches
- Thermoelectric technology, limited cooling on hot days
Best In-Car Cooler/Warmer: Wagan EL6206
Why We Picked It:
This armrest-sized cooler fits neatly between the rear seats for convenient access. It cools to 40 degrees below ambient temperature, warms to 140 degrees and holds 9 standard soda cans. The lid has two cup holders and there’s a carrying strap so, with an empty weight of 9 lbs, you can take it with you, too.
Pros:
- It fits in the car cabin so you can grab a drink without accessing the cargo area
- Small size means it fits comfortably in a small car
Cons:
- It’s small, limiting how much you can bring with you
Coolest Cooler Around: LiONCooler Solar Rechargeable Cooler/Freezer
Why We Picked It:
Maybe the most versatile of all, this unit can plug in at home, in the car, or connect to a solar panel to keep it humming. There is a phone app for controlling it, a USB port for charging phones and a rechargeable, replaceable 10-hour lithium ion battery to keep it cooling when not plugged in. An extendable handle and wheels eases moving this 42-quart, 40-pounder.
Pros:
- An internal compressor circulates cold air so items at the bottom are colder than those at the top
- Includes a 10-hour lithium-ion battery
- Make claims “excellent vaccine storing” capability
Cons:
- The battery takes up precious interior space
- No warmer
Bestselling Electric Coolers on Amazon
- DUAL STORAGE AREA&POWERFUL; CAPACITY - Euhomy car refrigerator is equipped with two zone. Portable refrigerator freezer allows you to store a variety of foods while keeping fresh. This powerful rv fridge can hold 46cans cola, or 28 bottles water or 15 bottles red wine, which fully meets RV1 / truck drivers,boat owners and campers to store seafood, snacks, meat, and beverages, travel, boating, and camping needs.
- HIGH EFFICIENCY&LOW; ENERGY CONSUMPTION - Euhomy 12 volt freezer adopts advanced 3D refrigeration technology and is equipped with a powerful compressor for fast cooling. Our 12v freezer has UL energy-saving certification, which consumes very low energy. You could choose ECO mode for energy-saving or MAX mode for fast cooling.Our car portable fridge average energy consumption is only 45W, which is equivalent to the power consumption of a car navigator.This will benefit your wallet.
- SMART BATTERY PROTECTION&HOME;/CAR DUAL-USE - Euhomy car fridge 12v is equipped with 120/240V AC and 12/24V DC adapters, which can be used at home or in the car. The RV refrigerator provides three (low, medium, and high) battery protection functions at different levels. This design can prevent the car power supply from being overloaded or short-circuited, so you don’t have to worry about running out of car power when using the 12 volt fridge. All this is for you to enjoy the journey.
- 【Keep Ice Cream Frozen】With a powerful compressor, the 12 volt refrigerator in an empty can cool down to 32℉ within 20 minutes and reach the lowest -7.6℉ about an hour. You can get a refrigerator or freezer by adjusting the temperature. The portable refrigerator for car has two cooling modes, including MAX(fast cooling) and ECO(energy saving). There is no need to buy ice, and you can keep ice cream frozen and store fresh food like cheese, drinks, vegetables, muffins, and snacks.
- 【Proven Magnetic Door】 Compared with the lid that needs to be pressed, the magnetic door of the F40C4TMP 12 volt portable refrigerator has better sealing performance and durability. There is no need to worry about the leakage of cold air caused by the door not being closed tightly, which helps reduce energy consumption.
- 【Consumes 1 kWh Per Day】The rated power of the 12V truck refrigerator in MAX mode is 45W, which consumes less than 1kWh per day.H/M/L three-level battery protection can protect the car battery from draining. The LCD display panel can help you set the temperature in a dimly lit environment. You can also charge your phone when needed with the USB charging port.
- ❄ STORAGE SPACE:Exterior Size 27.2”x13.6”x20.6”, 58Quart(55 Liter) capacity ,fits 60 x 12ozs cans of Cola.
- ❄ FREEZES WITHOUT ICE: -4°F(-20°C) powerful chilling down performance ,can adjust the temperature be a fridge or freezer. Run great with your small solar system as well.
- ❄CAR BATTERY PROTECTION:With temperature memory function and 3 different levels for battery protection: Low, Med and High to protect your vehicle battery without run down.
- SPACE-SAVING TRAVEL COOLER- 17 L /18 Quart capacity 12 V DC powered cooler holds up to 23 standard 12 oz/355 mL cans and fits easily into narrow spaces in your vehicle or boat
- ICELESS THERMOELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY- CFC-free thermoelectric technology and brushless fan motor efficiently cools to 40°F (22°C) below surrounding temperature or warms to 140°F (60°C), using less power than your vehicle’s tail light
- WARMING AND COOLING FUNCTIONS -Use in cooling mode to safely store meats and keep snacks and beverages cool on the go or switch to warming mode to bring home take-out or transport hot dishes to a family gathering
- ❄ COMPRESSOR COOLING TECHNOLOGY:High quality brand compressor provides fast and deep cooling performance from -4℉～68℉(-20℃～20℃), LCD PANEL with temperature and ECO/MAX Mode selection
- ❄ Accessories:This 54Quart(50 Liter)Car Refrigerator Includes 2 power cables to separately connect with 12/24V DC and 90V to 250V AC power inputs.Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.Also included a internal basket.
- ❄ Battery protection mode：The machine has three battery protection functions to protect the refrigerator and the battery of the vehicle.They are H3 (high), H2 (medium) and H1 (low).It is recommended to set the battery protection at H2 (medium) when it is used in the car.
- 14L 12v cooler/warmer lets drivers save money and time by enjoying food and drinks on the go inside your vehicle, reduce or eliminate stops at fast food joints during road trips, and save gas by avoiding the line at the drive thru; ideal for road trips
- Keep food and beverages cool without messy ice, or keep them warm instead; unit holds up to 12 soda cans; standard size water bottles also fit inside (if desired, you can even pack healthy snacks like fruit and yogurt)
- Hot/cold/off switch has indicator lights for quickly viewing which temperature mode is in use; maximum cooling capacity is 32 Degree-36 Degree F below room temperature and it can heat up to a maximum of 140 Degree
- 🍻【Fast Cooling & Keep Fresh】You will never get crazy for the long waiting to get it cool down. With Artestia 12v refrigerator powerful compressor and the newest refrigeration technology, the12v refrigerator in an empty can reach the lowest -4℉（-20°C） only within one hour. 12v refrigerator keep cooling performance during your journey. Car cooler fresh all way and super energy saving.
- 🚗【Perfect for Outdoor Camping and Traveling】Keeps your food and drinks cool while on-the-go: ideal for road trips, RVing, camping, boating and tailgating; electric powered cooler plugs into standard 100V AC outlets and 12V DC vehicle outlets for superior, regulated Car cooling.
- 😴【Quite Working & Anti-shaking】Artestia 12v refrigerator works so silent that It neither disturb your driving nor resting in the car or truck. Because of its overall external smooth lines and equipped with a multi-functional non-slip base, the lateral displacement is greatly reduced. When your car is climbing at an inclination angle of 30 degrees, the car portable freezer can still run stably.Our portable car refrigerator allows you to enjoy cold drinks stable and quiet during the trip.
- 【 Warranty for your rights】With CE and FCC certificated, we guarantee you a 2-year warranty for the compressor and all other accessories . If you have any questions, please reach out to BougeRV, we provide 24h friendly customer service. （Package included: removable partition,dc power cord, ac power cord and user manual)
- 【Fast Cooling:time and money saving】With Compressor refrigeration technology, this 12v portable freezer could achieve 16 min fast cooling from 77℉ to 32℉ and 50 min from 77℉ to -5℉, keeping your food fresh. No ice needed, no food spoiled, money and space saving. (Demension：22.44*12.60*15.55in, Weight: 24.14lb lightweight)
- 【ECO mode: energy efficiency】With ECO energy saving mode, this 30 Quart portable refrigerator's operating power is less than 45W. Even running on MAX mode, it consumes far less than 1kwh/day for its intelligent cycle work. You can run this portable freezer fridge with 12/24 V DC power on various vehicles, such as SUV, Truck, RV, Camper, Jeep, Van, Boat, etc.
- Warranty Policy-We provide 3 years warranty on the compressor and 1 year for the other parts. SetPower offers a professional technical support team, located LA. The message will be responded by technical support team within 24 hours.
- Functional Design- The LED touch control panel can display the actual temperature of the refrigerator and you can set any temperature between 0℉-50℉on the control panel. The handles on both sides are recessed, there is no protrusion, space is saved, and it is easy to carry.
- Home & Car Use: This portable refrigerator for car includes one 12/24V DC power, which you could use the portable freezer for car camping. You could connect the 110/240V ac adapter to the dc cord for household. (The fridge unincluded the ac adapter.)
- CONVENIENT + LIGHTWEIGHT: The Cooluli Classic 4-liter thermo-electric cooler/warmer mini fridge sports a matte finish and a modern profile that’s perfectly portable. This unit measures: 7.25" W x 10.25" D x 10.75" H and weighs 4 lbs and inner unit measures: 5.3"L x 5.7"W x 8.3"H
- MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS + USES: The Classic 4-L is super-versatile. Use it anywhere to store food, drinks, beer, snacks, breast milk, insulin, skincare and medications
- PERFECT FOR SKINCARE & BEAUTY ESSENTIALS: Store your skincare, personal care & beauty product faves! From moisturizers to masks… serums to creams…& everything in between!
Methodology
Forbes Wheels examined portable coolers that run on 12 or 12/24 volts DC to cool food and beverages. Some also run on 120 volts when brought in from the vehicle. There are two kinds: compressor refrigerators work like downsized home refrigerators with compressors and coolants; and less-costly thermoelectric coolers lower the internal temperature 40 degrees below the vehicle or room temperature, which means that they’re of limited use when the outside or vehicle air is above 77 degrees, since a refrigerator should be at 32-37 degrees.
Some units can warm foods; some can refrigerate in part of the cooler and freeze in another part. We evaluated based on features, storage capacity, external size, energy efficiency and bells and whistles such as USB jacks for charging phones and end-user evaluations.
FAQS (frequently asked questions)
Which cooler type is better?
Compressor-type coolers keep food colder longer; they work the same way as home refrigerators. They also cost more than other in-vehicle coolers, in some cases a lot more. Thermoelectric coolers are more affordable but they’re limited to lowering temperatures by 40 degrees, which means they may not keep food cold enough for long-term storage. There’s a third-type of portable refrigerator, the absorption type cooler that runs off propane (or 12 or 120 volts); it draws a lot of power and is more suited for RVs as well as in seasonal camps where there’s access to propane but not electricity.
Does it matter where the cooler opening is?
Used in an SUV or car, the cooler typically sits between the passengers, so a top opening makes for easier access. In an RV, there’s more room, so a side opening works, too. Some coolers can be turned 90 degrees and the same unit can be top- or side-open.
Why should I buy a very small refrigerator that costs more than $500?
Better compressors and temperature regulation keep your food safely cold for days or weeks at a time. They also do a better job keeping cold in one section and frozen in another. They make sense for truckers, for people who do a lot of driving, or people who need to keep medicine cold.
Will a cooler drain the car battery?
Not while the car is running and the alternator attached to the engine delivers plenty of juice. With the car turned off, the cooler could deplete the battery in several hours. It’s never a bad idea to carry a jumper cable just in case, such as one of the five jumper cables recently tested by Forbes Wheels.
Does a cooler that also heats keep hot food hot?
It keeps warm food warm. It keeps hot food from getting cool quickly. Sometimes that’s enough.