Coleman Thermoelectric Cooler?

[KyDan]

We're getting ready to bug out on a pretty long trip.
For reason's discussed in other threads at length, my fridge can't be counted on for much.

We're going to have to go old school with ice coolers OR I thought about one of these Coleman 40-Quart PowerChill Thermoelectric Coolers.

They get mixed reviews. Some say they work OK. Others say they are short lived and may not last more than a year of occasional use.
Wally World has them for ~$73 and I can add a 2 year warranty for $7 more.
After reading the reviews I will get the warranty if I buy one.

It's dual power and my new truck has 120V outlet in the bed so I can power it while on the road and of course we can use shore power when camped. Nearly all of our stops will have shore power.

Anyone here with real time experience with one of these please give us your opinion!
Thanks!

[Flybob]

I have one and it has good and bad points. It uses a reasonable amount of DC current so can't leave it connected to TV overnight.
The biggest issue is the cooling. It only cools a certain amount below ambient temp. In a temp controlled living space it will keep food at a good temp. In the bed of a hot truck on on a picnic table at 95F outside you will have issues. As with any of the thermo coolers look at the temp drop from ambient it promises. If you really want a fridge that you can count on, you will need one of the portable compressor types but they are not cheap.

[Ejs4029]

Originally Posted by Flybob

I have one and it has good and bad points. It uses a reasonable amount of DC current so can't leave it connected to TV overnight.
The biggest issue is the cooling. It only cools a certain amount below ambient temp. In a temp controlled living space it will keep food at a good temp. In the bed of a hot truck on on a picnic table at 95F outside you will have issues. As with any of the thermo coolers look at the temp drop from ambient it promises. If you really want a fridge that you can count on, you will need one of the portable compressor types but they are not cheap.

X2 it has it's good points...I have been using one for years now we only use it plugged in at the campsite and keep it in the shade if it's really warm out I will freeze some water bottles or a half gallon container and place it inside to help keep things cooler it's mainly used for my adult beverages I picked mine up on CL for $10 even when this quits working at some point I will get another to replace it.

[007matman]

We've had one for at least 13 years. It's probably been longer but in not 100% certain. We used to have a pop-up so we'd use it for that as well as for car trips and vacations.

About 7 or 8 years ago the fan died so I bought a new fan that you would put on a computer power supply (maybe $5 on Amazon). Last year the power converter to go from 120 to 12v died (due to someone leaving it out in the rain).

My in-laws have one that's at least 25 years and it's going strong.

There are a couple of dont's
Do not expect your food to be as cold as your refrigerator
Ensure that you don't put anything in there that would block air flow in and around the vents (internal and external)
They need to circulate air in order to work well. So don't pack it too dense.
Don't leave them out in the rain.

Will I replace the power converter? No, I'll buy another unit as the convertera are Half the price of a new cooler
I'll use the old one as a spare.

Don't buy the warranty.. you don't need it. The fan will be the first thing to go out and you're likely looking at years before you have to do that.

[007matman]

Also, remember this when looking at online reviews.

It's well known fact in the industry that people are 7-8 times more likely to leave a bad review if they had a negative or even slightly negative experience than leave a good one if they were satisfied. That's why you're being solicited for more reviews now than you were 10 years ago.

That being said it's also extremely likely that people that leave negative reviews do so because they went outside of the warnings or capacity that the manufacturer specified. Keep it real and you'll love it.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by 007matman

We've had one for at least 13 years. It's probably been longer but in not 100% certain. We used to have a pop-up so we'd use it for that as well as for car trips and vacations.

About 7 or 8 years ago the fan died so I bought a new fan that you would put on a computer power supply (maybe $5 on Amazon). Last year the power converter to go from 120 to 12v died (due to someone leaving it out in the rain).

My in-laws have one that's at least 25 years and it's going strong.

There are a couple of dont's
Do not expect your food to be as cold as your refrigerator
Ensure that you don't put anything in there that would block air flow in and around the vents (internal and external)
They need to circulate air in order to work well. So don't pack it too dense.
Don't leave them out in the rain.

Will I replace the power converter? No, I'll buy another unit as the convertera are Half the price of a new cooler
I'll use the old one as a spare.

Don't buy the warranty.. you don't need it. The fan will be the first thing to go out and you're likely looking at years before you have to do that.

This is 100% True! We have had the same experience too the T! We have had ours 25+ years I bought another one at a Sale for "Backup" have Never had to use it yet! Youroo!!

[Brewhedd]

Bought an Igloo, works well, keeps the beer as cold as fridge.

[007matman]

The igloo is a thermoelectric cooler just like the Coleman. It would perform in a similar manner as the way it operates is the same.

[KyDan]

Thanks guys!

[prairiecamper]

Originally Posted by KyDan

We're getting ready to bug out on a pretty long trip.
For reason's discussed in other threads at length, my fridge can't be counted on for..........
[/SIZE]

We have the original Koolatron, bought in 1978, works like a charm!! Ours has 7 settings and on the coldest it will make ice cubes, it has only the cold ability. Most we see now do both heat and cool. The only drawback is ours will take upwards of 7 amps continuous to make ice. On cooler settings it will cycle. And ours has an external voltage converter. Works on the Pelletier effect. Love it.