I go camping often, sometimes also incorporating some fossicking activities or photography and drone flying. I was tired of the ‘obligatory’ warm drink after 30 or so minutes, so went searching for a way to have cold drinks at hand and easily.
Seeing as I have a 4 wheel trolley for equipment for whatever activity I am up to that day, it had to be small enough to not take up the entire trolley, but big enough for more than 2 drinks. An esky and ice didn’t cut it, as the ice melted and if I had bought lunch, it would be ruined.
Some searching online, a lot of those little thermoplastic types, that are limited, draw lots of power and well, they suck.
A 12v fridge was needed, but it had to have a secop compressor, for real cooling and efficiency. I found some but they were 50L or more. Then I found it.
Introducing the myCOOLMAN 20 Recreational fridge/freezer. Basically an esky on steroids.
Weighing in at a reasonable 10kg, this refrigerated esky was the answer. Being ~450mmmx350mm and a tad under 370mm high. A perfect fit for my trolley.
As it is ideally for picnic, a days fishing, boating, or keeping cold drinks in a truck (this unit is able to be run on 12v and 24v), the interior capacity 19.3L, more than enough for lunch, some drinks and even snacks like unmelted chocolate. If it’s just for say, cans for a day on the water, 24 is the magic number, coincidence?
With the ability to maintain a temperature range of +10*C to a super chilly -18*C, all your portable fridge/freezer needs are covered.
Better still is the efficiency. Drawing only ~0.8Ah. So this will run on the smell of a basic 12v battery. To make this a truly portable unit, myCOOLMAN also offer a Power Pack that will run this fridge, depending on settings/environment for anywhere up to 12-18 hours. So far, I have had it running for 3.5 hours and set to 2*C on a mild 28*C day and inside, it has used 1 out of 4 LED’s, but that’s is another review.
The interior is a two level affair, with a wire rack style divider. The lid has four drink recesses to keep that cold can from sliding off. A sturdy handle that folds to either front or rear is provided.
On the exterior of the lid, there are also 4 tie-down points, to keep this secure in your vehicle. And speaking of vehicles, this unit will still operate at up to a 30* angle, so having it keep your drinks cold, while bouncing up a rutted track, the myCOOLMAN 20 will still be keeping your food and drinks cool.
My first run of the empty unit from 22*C down to 2*C in under 10 minutes, using its ’Turbo” mode and the power pack that is sold separately. A quick press of the mode button is all it takes to change between Normal and Turbo.
The back of the unit has inside the outer cover, a sheet of metal, to enable the power pack to attach magnetically, out of the way, but easily accessible.
The myCOOLMAN 20 Recreational is Bluetooth enabled and can connect to the myCOOLMAN app, with either Android or IOS. I haven’t connected to it, it is a feature I wasn’t concerned about. But from my research, the app allows for to remotely change the temperature, turn the unit on or off and change from normal to turbo mode.
Overall this is a great addition to anyone camping equipment list. It also suits a couples getaway, picnic, trucks, heavy equipment, even just for frozen/groceries, if like me you live in a regional area, and the nearest Cole’s/Woolworths is ~30 min away.
The ability to run this from a 240v adapter (sold seperate), the myCOOLMAN 15A Power Pack, or plugged in to your vehicles 12v cigarette lighter style plug, gives this unit bonus points.
With the ability to take a truly portable, I’m assessing no less than 10-12 hours of run from the power pack, and powered from other 12v sources it uses so little, you can stop being concerned about flattening a battery.
This is that answer to my needs, and I’m pretty sure a majority of those reading this will find this either fits a need in your life, or you will think ‘Hmmm, that would be a real help’.
Road trips will no longer cost $20 in cold drinks. Your food will be kept at the ideal temperature, using very little power. It’s a true portable fridge/freezer.
