Engel 22 Qt. Portable Fridge / Freezer

• Variable Temperature Control
• Incline Operation up to 30° off level
• Highly Efficient Engel Swing Motor - Low Amp Draws (even at start-up)
• 100% CFC-Free Compressor
• Vibration Resistant for Extreme Conditions

I've tried plastic coolers and a Peltier cooler/warmer over the years for multi-day (as opposed to multi-week) camping trips.Coolers have barely cooled things and are messy with melt.The Peltier cooler had the same minimal performance, merely slowing the rate of thawing.This year (2012) I decided to get a real baby refrigerator and the Engel seemed to have a good pedigree.I wanted something to fit in the back of my 2-door Explorer, which has a rather small "trunk" area.The standard size MT-35/MT-40 measured to fill up half the floor space but would disrupt access to the spare tire tools.The lid would likely hit the roof, and a fancy slide-out tray would probably be the to make it work.That seemed like total overkill for something I knew I would really only fill a few times a year (for camping trips).Most of the time it would just carry a few drinks and snacks for picnics and workdays at the boatyard.Stepping down the Engel range, I settled on the MT-27.It fits the Explorer with proper spacing for ventilation. The top is about level with the bottom of windows and does not block vision.I use the Engel transit base for a tidy installation and added an aft power outlet for power.I actually wired it downstream of a fancy carging relay for the pop-up trailer.This works out very elegantly since the relay lets the alternator charge the truck battery first, then supplies the trailer.This means when the trailer is attached, the trailer battery runs the refrigerator continuously so it can cool down during the drive to the campsite.For local use, the refrigerator runs when driving around but cuts out when parked, preventing battery drain.

I set the MT-27 to "3" for the initial test run, loading it with "cool" items to start.After a day of continous operation, the contents seemed a little non-quite-cold-enough, so we cranked it up to "4".The next morning, things were getting a little frozen, particularly items close to the cooling element around the top of the box.We tried nudging it back to a lower number and eventually ended up back near "3".Other items to note are that the maximum noise is a gentle hum and most of the time I need to check the lights to see if it is running.The wire basket works great to leave the main unit in the truck but access "everything" for major operations, like loading or retrieving ingredients for a meal.The weight of the empty MT-27 is pretty easy to sling around.I think this is an optimum unit for my casual operation.