Which Fridge to buy?

[gphcald Member Find all posts View Profile Close gphcald]

Missed out on getting a Waeco by a couple of hours (couldn't get off work early) and the same with a companioon dual zone. I started looking around at new fridges. The normal ones (Waeco/Engel etc) are way oput of my budget. I wanted a Dual zone between 55-90 litre capacity.
Looking around it seems the same fridges are being sold under different names.
I have narrowed it down to two fridges both dual zone

The 75 litre EvaKool $849 with free shipping,
http://www.evakool.com/fridges/evako...freezers/g75dx

and the

60 litre Techni Ice $859 + $45 shipping $904
6 year warranty but a smaller fridge and more expensive
http://www.techniice.com/car-fridges-1.html


Both come with insulated travel bags

Just wondering if any body has any experience with either of these fridges (good or bad)
I have a Techni Ice ice box and am baasically happy with it

All comments appreciated

Regards

Gerry

[Black120 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Black120]

Friend i know has a techniice fridge and has had it for about 6 years, looks very similar to a Waeco, he has had no trouble with it and rates it.

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

I have been running a Techniice for 2-3 years now without any problems.
Would love a waeco or engel but yeah the price is way up there

[Thruster Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Thruster]

Eva Kool make good gear. I've been using one of their eskies for years (the Evakool not Icekool) and have their fridge/freezer now too. I like their gear and they a Sunny Coast based company so I like them for that too. I've heard good things about Techniice too but don't have any experience with their gear.

[LongHorn Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LongHorn]

At the same price it's a mater of litres.

The techni has double doors/lids allowing you to only open one compartment at a time.
That's a small saving if one side is a freezer and the other side people are in and out of all day!

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

They both look good. That said SWMBO has permitted the purchase of an ARB 78 Litre (she didn't say size so I made an executive decision). Express thank to AJ120 for his efforts in this regard. Now I just need to beat my favourite ARB manager into submission for a bloody good price including cover and tie down straps.

[Redsand Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Redsand]

I would make the decision based on the thickness & quality of the insulation (sides & lid)

The better insulation equals less power usage ( and colder beer)

[Goggo Member Find all posts View Profile Close Goggo]

I have got Engel fridges and wouldn't have anything else, they draw the least amount of current of any fridge on the market, they are a bit more expensive but they are built to last, my local camping store has an Engel fridge running in their store that is 35+ years old and it is as cold as the new ones. To me, that means you by it once and enjoy it for a lifetime. No further outlay. Cheers

[Tauras Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tauras]

I have a Waeco and can't wait to get rid of it to get an Engel, I've replaced the lid 3 times and the plastic around the compressor has now warped. Engel is the way to go if you want reliability in construction.

[Rusty62 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rusty62]

Like the Trailblaser fridge. Our 60 lt is now 15 years old and gets used a lot. Worth the extra coin.

Our backup fridge is a second hand 39lt eutectic fridge made in Australia by autofridge. Pity they don't make them any more as the imports out priced them.

Buy the best fridge your budget will allow. But like others I do like the Engels. They will last forever.

Rusty.

[D4Dforme Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4Dforme]

Out of both the fridges you have narrowed it down to I'd go the Evakool hands down...........I have an Engle 60 and a Trailblazer 70 both are good fridges in their own right.......I use the Engle a lot more nowadays as it fits in the back of the wagon better than the Trailblazer but if permantly mounted in the back of a ute the Trailblazer all the way......horses for courses IMO.......Mates have Evakool stuff and it's good gear I'd look that way especially at that price point.

Dan

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

Just looked on the website and that Evakool is listed at $799 its dropped by $50 and $250 cheaper than the techniice. I'd go the Evakool. Though the techniice has individual doors vs the evakool single door. So every time you go into the fridge you'll be opening the freezer door too

I've got one of the yellow polyethelene Evakool Fridgemates and have had no issues at all with it. Sure, it is a bit more basic, but I like the fact it can be used as an eskie, can handle a few knocks, the kids can sit on it, use it as a table etc. and I don't need an additional insulating blanket. It can be either fridge/freezer or both.

Evakool have been good to deal with in my limited contact. Fridge arrived (via a 3rd party supplier ) with a broken basket and Evakool sent my out two new replacements

I'd prefer a 'set and forget' digital gauge over the analogue dial though. But 1 for fridge only, 4 for Fridge/freezer and 5 for Freezer only seems to work well LOL. Though I have to monitor the temp via an additional external temp gauge.

[Corigator Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Corigator]

Several young fellows I know have gone Eva Kool and are very happy with them.

[gphcald Member Find all posts View Profile Close gphcald]

Guys
Thanks for the very informative feedback. it looks like the EvaKool gets my hard earned $.
Will post feedback when I get it all set up

[Grantw Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Grantw]

Guys
Thanks for the very informative feedback. it looks like the EvaKool gets my hard earned $.
Will post feedback when I get it all set up

Great choice - I have an 85l fibreglass fridge freezer, and cannot find a single fault.