Engel Fridges
Posted by Electronic-Echo3627@reddit | overlanding | View on Reddit | 35 comments
Anyone in the U.S. using Engel fridges? We don't even get the latest version of these 12v fridges, like they have in Australia. What is up with that? All I see here (in the good ol' USA) is ICECO and other Chinese garbage flooding the market. Nah, dawg. Nah. Who is using ENGEL 12v fridges? Where did you get it? I need some feedback on the long-term usage bro. Anyone using a non-Chinese 12v fridge? I need some feedback on how things are. Holla back bros.
SivlerMiku@reddit
Engel is grossly overrated and overpriced. No reason at all to buy one in Australia
n93s@reddit
A 20 year old Engel will outlast a 2 year old Engel. Almost everything now have the same compressor.
SivlerMiku@reddit
Yeah that’s what I’m basically getting at. There’s no reason to spend 3-5x the money for an Engel with the amount of options out there these days.
I had a 60L fridge freezer that I got on clearance from Aldi for $350 in my campervan for 3 year and it never skipped a beat, it’s still going strong now albeit with a different owner
ThinkSeries8894@reddit
National Luna FTW
bob_lala@reddit
my overland shop wont sell anything else
lathamb_98@reddit
I have a Norcold that I bought well used off eBay in 2006, Same as an Engel. It was probably made in the 90's, and it's still going strong.
myfishisvegan@reddit
I have a really old one and the new one, and they are all the same in performance. Engel doesn't have all the offerings everywhere, it isn't specifically US vs. AU markets. Kind of the point of engel is that they don't innovate. You choose your fridge by the volume you need and whether or not you want dual zone.
SpiritofKokua@reddit
After quite a bit of research I bought a MT45 direct from Engel several years ago. It has worked very well for us on the road as well as for extra space at home. 100% agree with buying whatever product best fits your specific use case. Also the use of a seperate thermometer is an also great call. I like the Govee Bluetooth ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R586J37?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share ) to monitor temperature remotely.
Electronic-Echo3627@reddit (OP)
MT is the old version. AU now has MT-V. Better handles and a few other improvements. We (USA) don't get that. We get the previous version they wanna liquidate. So weird.
Unfair_Dish3740@reddit
Import one
fpssledge@reddit
Dometic upright is awesome.
I tried a Bodega brand upright for a weekend and it was awful. Home Depot refunded me fortunately.
BetweenInkandPaper@reddit
Have a 60L Engel (almost 25 year old now) passed down from my Dad, And I’ve picked up second hand 15L (approaching 20 years old) in my wife’s Tesla. Both pretty much run 24/7. We’ll be passing this into our kids. They’re expensive but, id consider it BIFL.
estunum@reddit
Calling all ICECO fridges garbage is wild. You’re just here to flex Japanese made fridges, which I get, but my APL55 would run the same circles as your Engel would. Perhaps broaden your range and not be set on brand loyalty.
Electronic-Echo3627@reddit (OP)
Engel isn't Japanese made, bruh. I wish.
ThinkSeries8894@reddit
Try National Luna
estunum@reddit
Would have thought an Engel fanatic would know this. They are a Japanese company. Founded in Japan. Sure, assembly may occur elsewhere like Thailand, but the compressors are very much Japanese from Sawafuji Swing Motor. It’s the reason they are sought after, as the key component, the compressor, is Japanese.
MovinOnUp2TheMoon@reddit
Have loved my ICECO for about 8 years, so far.
I thought it was German, but I just looked it up and the parent is Chinese. That doesn’t make it lower quality. It’s been great.
AcadianCascadian@reddit
Buy what you want, but no need to overspend on a fridge. You can replace a cheap (but still good and reliable) fridge several times for the cost of one high end fridge. Meanwhile, your bacon remains unaware of what brand of fridge it’s kept in and doesn’t get any upgrades in the fancy fridge.
No matter what fridge you get, add your own thermometers as a control check. Ideally ones you can program to alert you about high/low temps.
Separate_Mud_9548@reddit
And then it consumes 50% more electricity and break down when you least want it
Electronic-Echo3627@reddit (OP)
Not interested buying cheapo knockoff fridges 3-4 times. Bacon doesn't care but I care if the stuff I use and spend my money on is produced with slave labor or child labor.
MovinOnUp2TheMoon@reddit
This whole focus on country of origin is a few decades old, isn't it?
Check the reviews. Get over your nationalism.
MovinOnUp2TheMoon@reddit
Have loved my (German) ICECO for about 8 years, so far.
Wooderson73@reddit
I am in the US, purchased 3 Engel fridges from Amazon. I've been happy with all of them. I have 2 running all the time in my Sequoia. No issues.
Electronic-Echo3627@reddit (OP)
I'm looking to find the newer/updated MT-V but all we have in USA is the previous version MT. Did you get the MT?
Wooderson73@reddit
Yeah, sorry, I have the MT versions.
Electronic-Echo3627@reddit (OP)
MT-V has better (more robust) locks and better handles (along with batter base protectors at the corner), so I was trying to find that but I don't think that is available in USA market. AU market got it like at least 6 years ago.
Wooderson73@reddit
Yeah, I didn't even realize they had upgraded MT-V versions. I have been very happy with the MT versions, FWIW.
Electronic-Echo3627@reddit (OP)
Yea, it is darker (see pic below) and upgraded elements as I mentioned.
Processing img 4yeoznwla7wg1...
New version is not brand new release for 2026 or anything. At least 6-7 years old (available in AU and EU markets), So, I don't get it.
Wooderson73@reddit
The 1st one I purchased was the MT60 around 7years ago. I keep it running all the time in my camper. I got the MT27 around 6 years ago, and the MT45 about 1 year ago and those both run year round in my Sequoia, my daily driver. I may have blown 1 fuse previously, but I think I did something stupid to cause that. I keep a couple with me just in case. I guess if I was looking at something in particular that would have changed or have been upgraded in the new model is the compressor. As long as that has not changed, then maybe I would consider a newer model at some point, if available. I know that may be opposite of your thinking, but the compressor has always been fantastic in these.
ohv_@reddit
Dometic cfx5 dv75 is decent just the Bluetooth is terrible 😑
Shmokesshweed@reddit
As opposed to the Engel fridges made in Thailand for 5-6X the price? 😂
Electronic-Echo3627@reddit (OP)
Some people prefer non-slave & non-child labor and manufacturing from a non-communist regime, bruh. You know, a place where there isn't a decades-long IP theft and overall knockoff junk quality. And COVID of course. Too hard for you to understand I am sure.
DingleberrySurprises@reddit
Which fridge/freezer companies use child slave labour for production? Curious and would like to read more into this!
Electronic-Echo3627@reddit (OP)
Of course China isn't going to advertise "Yea, we made this with slave labor and that one with child labor" so you have to do some research. Per report,
So the ICECO aluminum shell fridge with Chinese electronic parts? Yea, you just gave your money to support child labor and slave labor.
Here is a linked filtered by China:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/reports/child-labor/list-of-goods-print?tid=5531&field_exp_good_target_id=All&field_exp_exploitation_type_target_id_1=All&items_per_page=10&page=0
pokeyt@reddit
I have a 20 year old Engel that I picked up for $100 and it’s worked great for the last few years, it replaced a 25 year old Dometic 3-way cooler.
I’ve got zero complaints.