Having the right caravan refrigerator makes your travel experience more easy and comfortable. It keeps your food fresh and drinks chill. But nowadays there is a huge variety of caravan’s fridges in the market, which makes everybody confused about which will work best for their caravan. If you have the same confusion, you are at the right place; we will provide you features of every type of caravan’s fridge.
There are mainly two types of Caravan’s fridge in the market:
2-way Caravan refrigerator
A 2-way caravan fridge is also known as a Compressor fridge. These refrigerators run on either 12/24V battery power or a 240V electrical hook-up from mains power or a generator. It works as your home refrigerator compresses the refrigerant vapor back into liquid form to continue the cooling cycle.
3-way Caravan refrigerator
It is also known as an absorption fridge. A 3-way caravan fridge works on three power sources: 12/24V, 240V, and LPG gas. It doesn’t have a compressor; instead, it uses evaporating ammonia as a cooling agent. The big advantage with this refrigerator is the efficiency you get from running on gas – your fridge runs for two weeks on a standard gas bottle.
There are the following things you have to consider before choosing your Caravan refrigerator.
Space
The capacity of a caravan fridge ranges from 30 liters to 230 liters. You can choose a refrigerator according to your needs. But remember, one thing bigger is not always the best. The more the capacity of your refrigerator, the more it consumes the power because a bigger fridge needs more cool air to be circulated through the compartment.
During caravanning, you have a limited power supply, so choose the appropriate size of the refrigerator according to your need.
Also, consider the size of your caravan before selecting your RV fridge. Check whether the refrigerator you are choosing fits in your camper van or not. Some refrigerators have a freezer section that can be removed – perfect for when you need a little extra space during your long travel. Remember to consider the overall weight of your caravan when choosing a fridge, as it may influence your cars towing capacity.
Energy Consumption
Before making a final decision, ensure to look at how much energy consumption the fridge is going to use, whether your caravan can handle it or not.
An absorption refrigerator provides an option of three different power sources, including LPG. In contrast, a compressor refrigerator will only have 12/24 volt or 240-volt options – but they will be more efficient when running on a 12/24 volt power source.
Now you have to decide what your need is, whether your refrigerator gets the power it needs from your RV or not.
Noise Generation
The absorption refrigerator has the benefit of being completely silent, as in the absorption cooling method, there are no moving parts. Compressor fridges are not silent and make a small noise when the compressor kicks in. These can be annoying, particularly when it comes time to sleep in a compact caravan.
Budget
This is one of the most important factors you must consider while buying your caravan’s refrigerator. A good fridge is a valuable purchase for your camper van, but they are very expensive. The price of a 12V caravan fridge is similar to a house refrigerator price.
Choose a refrigerator according to your needs and keep in mind that its pricing can range from $300-$2000.
Styles of caravan fridges
- Top loading
- Traditional
- Drawer
Top-Loading Fridge
It is one of the most common fridge styles for camper vans as it is more energy-efficient because less cool air can escape when you open the door. However, top-loading fridges aren’t always the best use of space since you can’t store anything above it. The thing you have to consider with these fridges is how your van is laid out. Does it allow you to place the refrigerator in your campervan?
Front-Loading Fridge (Traditional)
Front-loading is a more traditional fridge used at home but has less storage space than top-loading fridges. Many people choose this style as it fits nicely in their van layout. In addition, it is easier to access. The compartments allow easy organization of food and drinks. It is also easier to clean than top-loading fridges.
Front-Loading Fridge (Drawer)
The compartment slides out to the front like a drawer in this type of fridge. Food items are stacked like you would do in a top-loading fridge, so it contains more food than a traditional front-loading fridge but less than a top-loading fridge.
In the end, we can say that you have to consider these five things before picking a refrigerator for your campervan. The fridge is one of the most important items you will buy for your caravan – ensure that you do your research wisely and choose accordingly so that your next caravan trip will be more enjoyable and adventurous.
