arb portable fridge freezer

Some of the best relationship advice I’ve ever gotten came from a couple who’d just spent a summer roadtripping around America.

“Whoa, I’m about to do the same thing!” I said. “Got any advice for me?”

“Lots of solo hikes,” Jess offered.

Al just leaned in and intoned, “Beware… of car bod.”

And so Doug and I bought a fridge: the ARB Portable Fridge Freezer 50 quart. (We also considered the 37 quart, but since the width and length were the same and it was only an extra $80, we figured we may as well GO BIG OR GO HOME.)

Overall, we’re happy with it. Like a lot of the decisions we made during this build, this one came down to space. Each individual build is going to be different, so you might go with another brand that has dimensions that fit your specific floorplan. Other big players are Dometic and Engel.

Pros:

Efficiency: Because hot air naturally rises, a top-loading fridge lessens the rate at which cold air can escape. And unlike a side-loading fridge, hot air can’t move in from below and push the cold air out.

Durability: It’s built to handle vibration.

Cons:

Organization: The flip side of the top-loading fridge is that you have to develop a system of organization. This can mean the door is open longer while you dig around, but we’ve found that as long as we’re strategic about what food goes where, it’s fine.

Condensation: Another downside to keeping the door open longer is condensation buildup. Story time!

During our two-week trial run, we discovered a small leak coming from a drain on the bottom of the fridge. We rigged up a solid plug for the hole, and while we were at it, we took out the cage from the inside of the fridge to make it easier to clean. Pretty sure this was a mistake. With no drainage and our food pressed right up against the walls, condensation built up and made everything soggy. Our solution: Put the original plug back, accept that it leaks a little, and put a microfiber towel underneath to catch the moisture. We’ll report back on how well that works.

Doug says: Even if you live in a van with a mattress in the back, get a fridge. It’s worth it if you want to eat healthy at all. Car bod is definitely a thing, but only if you let it be one. The fridge is the game changer.