12 Best Portable Camping Fridges For Road And Trails 2025
/A camping fridge is probably the most important item when you’re overlanding on a trip in a campervan or hitting the trails.
It’s not as simple as replacing it with a cooler in the back of your vehicle and grabbing whatever you want because let’s face it that cooler box will turn into an icky pool of foul-smelling liquid and all your food will turn soggy and wet!
Having the ability to keep food frozen allows you to camp and stay put for longer period of time without having to worry about supplies. And if you’re stuck in a remote place, it is quite the hassle to even rely on Plan-B!
There’s no denying that the hefty price tag of 12V camping fridge is not a luxury option for everyone, unless you absolutely have to in swelling temperatures.
At the end of the day, your best camping fridge investment boils down to how often you camp/stop, where you are at, and what you prefer to eat when on the move.
here are the best camping fridges 12v or not if you’re on a campervan, road or trail
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The Best Portable Camping Fridge When You’re On The Road Or Trails
1. Dometic CFX3 75DZ Portable Refrigerator and Freeze
Due to maximum efficiency and capacity, you can store an incredible amount of fresh food and drinks in the Dometic CFX3 thanks to the internal compartment design.
The CFX3's robust design and ExoFrame construction is built for tough outdoor use. Think of it as a top of the line build for all your van trips, camping nights and road trips!
The CFX3 eliminates the dairy compartment, which means more room for all your favourite foods. This really is a lifesaver in every situation when you’re on the road! You can organize the space with a removable wire divider and enjoy a more even distribution of cool air with the extended evaporator on all inner walls of the unit.
2. ARB 10802692 ZERO Camping Fridge Freezer
Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? The ARB Zero Dual-Zone Fridge Freezer has the perfect solution to keep your food, drinks, and frozen goods sorted.
The ARB is built around convenience and personalised configurations making it quite the breeze when you’re overlanding.
Quick-release lids, DC-power inlets front and rear, AC power conveniently positioned on the front for a quick connection, even pouring a drink is easy with the anti-slip lid inserts that have a provision for your glass and bottle.
The compartment divider is removable allowing you to convert your dual-zone into a single zone. It is also suitable for medium to large SUVs, wagons and trucks and the likes.
3. ARB Element 63Qts Fridge/Freezer 10810602
If we’re talking about efficiency and an amazing fridge setup for your overlanding journeys, the ARB element wins hands down!
The new ARB Elements Weatherproof Fridge Freezer is constructed of stainless steel and offers a fully weatherproof exterior. Engineered to withstand the harshest conditions and tough enough to permanently mount in the back of an open ute.
The main interior difference in the new Elements Weatherproof 63QT Fridge Freezer is the full height evaporator that also extends around what has previously been referred to as the ‘dairy section’.
With the added surface area of the evaporator, the entire cabinet area will have a uniform temperature. The ARB can essentially run for a week and months no matter the weather and terrain!
4. Aspenora 54-Quart Portable Fridge Freezer
If you’re looking for a well-made sturdy and portable fridge, the Aspenora 54-quart runs perfectly well for week-long trips!
The aluminium core design makes the portable compressor fridge run more efficiently, and the 1.57 inches thick insulation enables the refrigerator to maintain 10 hours of cooling after the power is turned off.
It is large in capacity and has a better space utilization, stores more food for your family outdoor travelling.
5. Igloo BMX Cooler
This is the daddy of coolers! Engineered for sturdiness and performance, the lightweight Igloo BMX stands up to tough conditions and goes wherever you want. It has durable construction with reinforced base and kick plates for increased strength and protection.
You can use it all the time on multi-day road trips due to its MaxCold body with 20% thicker foam and insulated lid providing advanced cooling performance and up to 4-day ice retention.
Take it with you if you don’t want to break the bank and want something for 3-4 days!
6. Mobicool MCF40 - Compressor Cooler
Think of this just like a home fridge- but in a portable cooler package!
The Mobilcool MCF40 allows you to refrigerate your food on the go without depending on ice to keep things cold.
You can bring homemade snacks and lunch on a road trip, make one-pot camping meals, cook seafood with fresh veggies on the next camping trip, or bring some cool friends to the nearest waterfall.
It weighs 25 lbs with ergonomic handles and can hold 48 cans, 50% more capacity vs traditional ice chests of the same size.
7. Coleman Rolling Cooler 70 Quartz
Large enough to hold 85 cans and tall enough to hold 2-liter bottles upright, the Coleman cooler is the trusty brand of cooler that you need for your camping and road tripping needs!
You can have plenty of space for refreshments for a whole group of people. Whether you're headed on an overnight camping trip, to a tailgate party, or out to a BBQ, this is made to last!
It has leak-resistant channel drain for easy draining without tilting the cooler and it has a 5-day ice retention at temperatures up to 90 °F but can even last up to one week!
8. AstroAI Portable Freezer 12 V
If you’re looking for a portable freezer that can go further on your overland trips, the AstroAI portable freezer is incredible. With 12/24V DC and 100V to 240V AC adapter, you can use it at home, car, and outdoors (with a portable power bank) and save energy while on the go!
You can adjust the temperature to switch the freezer to a fridge, which is favourable for outdoor using.
It is easy to use with only four buttons. With three-levels of battery protection mechanism- Low, Medium, and High, you can opt for an energy efficiency mode.
9. ICECO GO20 Dual Zone
Talk about smart tech usage and controlling your temperatures all on the app! Just like a home refrigerator, GO12 provides a temperature control range from 0°F to 50°F.
This is great for car camping if you’re not aiming for an elaborate setup and want all your drinks and light food being kept chilled. The detachable partition design makes it easy to comparmentalise, the GO20 provides 2 separate zones for refrigeration and freezing, which can be operated with 2 digital panels at the same time.
Also has two functional modes from MAX Mode for fast cooling and ECO Mode for energy saving, which is designed for outdoor limited energy usage.
10. SetPower AJ50 53 Quartz
Sometimes we need a powerful camping fridge that takes care of all our modern conveniences.
SetPower has known to offer value, and good quality portable car refrigerators from 12 to 45 liters, which ultimately covers all your need when you are on the road but have been fed up with buying ice to keep storage food frozen.
You can choose what works best to your needs and capacity — between mini size portable refrigerator FC12 or large capacity RV45 according to your camping, or a couple of day off-gird excursion as needed.
It’s not a Dometic freezer but still does a pretty good job in running under 30 degrees. Overall, the construction, materials and value are solid and presents excellent cooling performance, even at extreme ambient temperatures and with minimal power consumption.
11. NORCOLD INC 1.1 cu. ft. Portable Refrigerator/Freezer for RV, Trucks, Boats, Camping
The Norcold portable refrigerators are perfect for short trips as it works as a 2-in-1 product, having both freezer and refrigerator compartments, and was designed for big families, long trips or just big appetites.
The exterior is made of strong, corrosion-proof plastic, ensuring its durability. Two heavy-duty removable handles help with maneuvering the unit, while the reversible and removable hinge makes it easy to change the way the refrigerator opens.
NRF 30 comes with a stainless-steel interior which prevents stains and improves cooling. The separate refrigerator-only section prevents freezing of selected items, while the removable wire basket is easily removable, for fast cleaning.
12. Adventure Cold For Day by Stanley (Outdoor Cooler)
If you are looking for top of the line cooler that will lasts you for days on an epic road trip, the Stanley coolers is worth buying!
This cooler can keep your food and drinks cold for 4 days, even under sweltering conditions. The durable, leak-free design and extra height is built to accommodate 2-liters, longnecks, fifths, and magnums so everything fits comfortably and stays protected. Close it up and use the top as a table, step stool, or seat.
You can also pair this with a full adventure kitchen set. The stainless steel pot and 3-ply fry pan are built to perform like pros, ensuring that food heats more evenly. With all the tools needed to prep, cook, serve and clean up, you may even keep this set in your kitchen for everyday use.
Tips For Using A Camping Fridge
Also Read: The Best Pop-Up Tents For Effortless & Easy Camping: Large To Small
Switch food from the freezer into the fridge area the night before to thaw your food.
Do not waste your power. Use the thickest power cable possible to ensure minimal electrical resistance and maximum voltage supply.
Avoid car battery to power camping fridge — this will drain your car battery before it’s too late.
Be smart with your packing and choose the food you’re going to eat first when you stack it.
Keep your cooler away from the sun
Temperatures are important and make sure you adjust them to maximise power usage. When driving, set it to the coldest degree and lower it as you arrive at your destination.
Drinks in cans cool faster than those in bottles.
Always carry spare fuses for your camping fridge / freezer.
Allow hot food to cool before putting them in the fridge to avoid your fridge overworking
Keep your camping fridge as full as possible. An empty fridge is less power-efficient.
Also read: 20 No-Cook Delish Camping Food Ideas and Meals
Tell me in the comments which camping fridge has been useful for your journey on the road or trail
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