Best 12V fridge for campervans — 2024 picks

Spot on about the peak draws—that's what did for me on the narrowboat. I went through two Waeco units before realising the startup surge was hammering my battery management system. The BMS was cutting out thinking I had a fault, when really it was just the compressor kicking in at 60-80A for those first couple of seconds.

Switched to a Fogstar 40L like @BigAl and haven't looked back. The thing runs quieter too, which matters when you're moored up near other boats. It's drawn steady around 3-5A in standby and sits at that 35-40A cruising draw once the compressor's running.

The hidden cost with the Waeco isn't just the upfront price—it's needing a bigger battery bank and beefier cabling to handle those spikes. If you're already set up with a decent lithium system, fine. But if you're retrofitting into an older setup, the Fogstar makes more financial sense overall.

Worth mentioning your actual battery capacity and charging setup when asking for recommendations though. A 100Ah LiFePO

Been wrestling with this myself on the motorhome. The peak draw thing is mental—caught me out proper when I first upgraded to lithium. My old leisure battery didn't care, but soon as I went to a decent 200Ah LiFePO4 setup, the Waeco I'd inherited started causing voltage sag that'd trip my Victron inverter.

Ended up swapping to a Fogstar 12V unit and the difference is noticeable. Not fancy, but the compressor draws are way more predictable. Paired it with a decent 100A Victron MPPT and haven't had a hiccup since.

What's your actual battery capacity looking like? That's really the starting point, innit. If you're running anything less than a solid 300Ah setup, you might need to think about when you're actually running the fridge—can make a difference if you're moored up on solar or relying on the engine alternator.

How long are you typically stationary in the caravan? That changes whether you need to prioritise efficiency over cooling speed.

Have you lot considered a compressor unit instead? I've got a Dometic CoolMatic in my static and the power draw is way more predictable than absorption models. Yeah, they're pricier upfront, but no nasty peaks hammering your battery. Worth looking at if you're running decent solar setup.

Good shout on the compressor units, @BayJason. That said, they're pricier upfront and need proper ventilation—bit tricky in smaller vans. Absorption fridges like the Thetford Porta are worth a look too if you're after something mid-range. What's your battery setup like? The fridge choice really depends on your solar/alternator capacity.

Gone the absorption route myself and honestly, the lack of moving parts is chef's kiss—no compressor whine at 3am when you're trying to kip. Bit slower to cool but pair it with a decent Victron MPPT and you've barely notice the power draw, unlike those peak spikes @BurnWalker mentioned.