ARB or Engel Fridge?

[SuperDavid Member Find all posts View Profile Close SuperDavid]

Must say 'set and forget' has sold me too along with the other features and all the positive feedback on these units.

Better run a plug to the back, I've done two other Prado's just not my own lol

Now, when is ARB running their free cover and $100.00 Coles voucher promo?

Hazza

I'm not sure about ARB where you are but. I was at the Osborne Park ARB a month back and the fellow said he could either take off about $200 from the asking price or he could throw in a cover. So I guess that type of deal is available anytime, never heard any mention of a coles voucher!!

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

So I guess that type of deal is available anytime, never heard any mention of a coles voucher!!

They had it running last summer I think it was, there was a brochure in the mags we were given at the ARB factory tour.

By the way, my Waeco has the "set & forget" temperature control and low voltage cutout (I have a CFX65DZ). I'm surprised no-one has suggested them as an alternative to ARB or Engel (although granted the thread title is "ARB or Engel fridge"). If you buy a Waeco CFX at the moment you get a small thermocoupled cooler, a stand for the CFX, a cap, stubby holder, and a fancy bbq tool set in a metal box. But wait there's still more....you also get a 12v powered cooler for your car seat. BCF were including the pack, I think other dealers are as well. There's also a deal where you get the cover thrown in but you have to pay full price on the fridge.

[Darran K Member Find all posts View Profile Close Darran K]

Well i just came back from a week on Moreton Island with the family and i must say, very happy i bought the ARB fridge. It was big enough for 4 people and it never missed a beat running off just the starter battery set at high cut off and -3 deg the entire trip. (running it off an ARB wiring loom)

One thing that did play up was the internal light, some times it worked and others it didnt.. Not that i mind,(read not taking it back to fix a light) i just want my food to stay cold.

Love the fridge.. Thanks to every one that's added to the thread, im sure others will find it helpful..

Cheers.. Now back to work.. :-(

[PLAYDOH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PLAYDOH]

I went with an Engel run it all day in the house to keep my drinks cool, chuck it in the Prado for weekends and pick up shopping 64k's away. Picked it up when they had a deal on as someone else mentioned, got all the fruit, containers, umbrella, fold out chairs, stubby coolers, carry cooler bag that I use all the time.

ARB make their own fridges.

ARB get someone to make their ARB branded fridges yes?

Developed in Australia

Website says it, developed in Australia, not made in Australia. If my product was made in Aus, I'd be including that in my sales pitch.

ARB entered into an agreement with the Japanese manufacturer of the Engel range, Sawafuji, and the ARB Freezer/Fridge range was born. Mechanically the same as the Engel

So has anything changed since then? If anything ARB has taken the best of Engel, and made something of their own, good on them.

Just out of curiosity Sam has made a comment in this thread but not mentioned anything about where it's made? I'd be interested to know.

[pete8205 Member Find all posts View Profile Close pete8205]

The original ARB fridge was a Engel with an ARB Badge

The new ARB fridges run the Danfross Compressors same as Wacoe and many others, which is why they have there battery protection they cannot run on low voltage where as the Engel can operate on as low as 8 volts.

[Snowy FNQ Member Find all posts View Profile Close Snowy FNQ]

Made by Dometic (who make Waeco) according to ARB.

http://www.arb.com.au/media/newslett...r_Summer09.pdf

"Taking all these points into consideration, the
fridge needed to be as reliable as or more reliable
than the current ARB range. To ensure this, a
reputable manufacturer needed to be sourced
– one that could provide the required levels of
cooling performance and build quality, as well as
being able to work to ARB’s designs. ARB selected
Dometic, a subsidiary of Electrolux, one of the
world’s largest manufacturers of air conditioners,
white goods and portable fridges with state of the
art manufacturing facilities around the world."

[Snowy FNQ Member Find all posts View Profile Close Snowy FNQ]

Double post, slow internet.

[ARB 4X4 Accessories Corporate Member Find all posts View Profile Close ARB 4X4 Accessories]

Made by Dometic (who make Waeco) according to ARB.

http://www.arb.com.au/media/newslett...r_Summer09.pdf

"Taking all these points into consideration, the
fridge needed to be as reliable as or more reliable
than the current ARB range. To ensure this, a
reputable manufacturer needed to be sourced
– one that could provide the required levels of
cooling performance and build quality, as well as
being able to work to ARB’s designs. ARB selected
Dometic, a subsidiary of Electrolux, one of the
world’s largest manufacturers of air conditioners,
white goods and portable fridges with state of the
art manufacturing facilities around the world."

Good spot Snowy, there's heaps of good development info on the ARB fridges in that article.

It is worth pointing out though that although they're made by Dometic, the ARB fridges are not simply Waeco fridges. They're very different in terms of manufacturing and features.

All of the development work was done by ARB after considerable research and development, including a lot of customer and industry feedback.

Cheers, Sam.

[Snowy FNQ Member Find all posts View Profile Close Snowy FNQ]

Yes, I like the look of the ARB fridges and appreciate the design work that's gone into them, I'd buy one tomorrow. But that would also be true (at least for me) for Autofridge, National Luna and Engel, all quality gear. Apologies if it sounded like I was Waeco bashing, I have had one since 2003 and it's still performs very well here in the tropics all year round. Cheers

[nige Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close nige]

Hi all

I've got 2 x 29 litre Engels that are 35+ years old and still working strong. One runs constantly as a beer fridge in the garage. The other I use for trips.

Just got back from a 3 week trip up the centre, 38 degrees every day. The old fridge kept going, but drained the spare battery on the car as it had to run constantly coz of the heat. It started making a few funny noises on the way home, so me thinks its done its time.

Went out and bought a new 32 litre engel when I got home. I figure if my two old Engels are still working after 35 years, I'm sticking to the same brand!

Had a bit of a battle with the wife explaining why I have 3 fridges for camping now!

[nige Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close nige]

Sorry. Repeated message.

[Rob L Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rob L]

I'm favouring the ARB. Used an Engel that I borrowed recently and it worked well but found it hard to keep at a constant temp as someone mentioned earlier. Accidentally froze the beers then later accidentally unfroze the bait. Left us with a week to go traveling in a car smelling of rotting fish. Also found the Engel quite heavy even when empty so think the ARB wins.

Nice touch that you can remove the lid for easy access on the ARB but the Engel has the same feature as the lid just slides off the hinge pins easy as.

[SuperDavid Member Find all posts View Profile Close SuperDavid]

I'm favouring the ARB. Used an Engel that I borrowed recently and it worked well but found it hard to keep at a constant temp as someone mentioned earlier. Accidentally froze the beers then later accidentally unfroze the bait. Left us with a week to go traveling in a car smelling of rotting fish. Also found the Engel quite heavy even when empty so think the ARB wins.

Nice touch that you can remove the lid for easy access on the ARB but the Engel has the same feature as the lid just slides off the hinge pins easy as.

I'm not sure if the new Engels lids come off?
A fellow at a 4wd shop was trying to demonstrate the lid coming off the Engel like his does but it wouldn't come off. So maybe the lids have changed or maybe he didn't know what he was doing.

[Darran K Member Find all posts View Profile Close Darran K]

Bought a fridge slide for my ARB today, what a great bit of gear. Well built, now the fridge wont fall over on those tricky slopes.. :-)

[SuperDavid Member Find all posts View Profile Close SuperDavid]

I bought my 47ltr ARB fridge today from the 4wd show at Mc Callum park!
They had it marked as $1150 with a free transit bag and a free camping chair but I asked them what price they could do if they didn't give me the chair.
He sold me the fridge and transit bag for $1000! I'm fairly happy with that! I dont think I could have gotten that in the shop.