On offer at £19.99 this week. OK, so I'll need a transformer as well to run off the mains, but as they also have EHU's at £29.99, even with a transformer that's cheap.
They're all pretty much of a muchness IMO, these 12v cool boxes. Great if you've got EHU, not much good if you haven't (not for long periods anyway).
I would say go for it, especially at that price. They're a reputable retailer, you can always take it back if any problems.
Be warned, don't expect miracles with these things, they prefer stuff to be cold when it goes in, they will keep stuff cold very well, but they don't like actually cooling stuff from warm.
Have used a normal coolbox so far and taken frozen milk, water, ice blocks, etc but by the end of the weekend things are getting a bit warm, butter very soft, etc. Aim to go for a week later in the year so by freezing stuff to start with, using the 12v in the car then the EHU we would hope that stuff will last a bit longer.
Take your point though, that stuff needs to be cold when it goes in.
I'm off to France for several weeks & I'm taking no cool box whatsoever! I'm going to have a go at a solar (water evaporation) cooler, if that doesn't work I may buy myself a normal cool box, although I don't think I will have that much need for it. I really want a 3 way fridge, but unless these are massively cheaper in France I won't be getting one any time soon.
I'm camping on my own & on a budget, & most definitely without EHU, so it'll be trial & error for me. I don't drink much milk & am quite happy with red wine, so don't foresee any problems. Only butter, which I like, but I'm hoping the solar fridge will be enough for this.
Quote: Originally posted by nutgone on 06/7/2010
I'm off to France for several weeks & I'm taking no cool box whatsoever! I'm going to have a go at a solar (water evaporation) cooler, if that doesn't work I may buy myself a normal cool box, although I don't think I will have that much need for it. I really want a 3 way fridge, but unless these are massively cheaper in France I won't be getting one any time soon.
I'm camping on my own & on a budget, & most definitely without EHU, so it'll be trial & error for me. I don't drink much milk & am quite happy with red wine, so don't foresee any problems. Only butter, which I like, but I'm hoping the solar fridge will be enough for this.
Good luck, we're off to Germany this weekend with an Aldi 12/240v coolbox and a 2yr old.
Do you have a link to that solar water evaporator?
purchased one today, got it home out the wrapping and it must have took a bang in transit it was circulating hot air instead off cold and was marked heavily. go outdoors exchanged without fuss. i also picked up the 12v converter at £12 with my discount card while i was there. and this one works a treat!!
I got the solar fridge idea from this article. I did have some others book marked but I seem to have lost them.
My first attempt is a stainless steel bread bin (like a big biscuit barrel) from tesco, covered with some tesco value towels & shoved into a plastic (vented) waste paper basket. I will soak the towels in water & hope that the evaporation will do the rest.
I'm not expecting miracles & have purchased a few other bits (mainly an alternative fine mesh type wast paper basket) for a possible mark 2.
As I said, I'm on my own, & not fussed by UHT milk, or even powdered. But I do like my butter & french cheeses. But I will most likely be shopping every other day. I tend to cook big pots of food & eat the same thing for 2-3 days, usually kept at room temp & re-heated thoroughly.
Maybe I will post some pics when I have tested & perfected the idea. They used to put similar units in the early VW campers, they were called "Easicool".
Quote: Originally posted by ritchie rich on 06/7/2010
purchased one today, got it home out the wrapping and it must have took a bang in transit it was circulating hot air instead off cold and was marked heavily. go outdoors exchanged without fuss. i also picked up the 12v converter at £12 with my discount card while i was there. and this one works a treat!!
So, £32 for the Cool Box and converter, £30 for the EHU - I can see a trip to Go Outdoors tomorrow evening after work!
Might even pick up a carpet for the Corado 6 whilst I'm there!!
I agree with the previous posts, the stuff needs to be cool when you put it in. One way we kept ours cool was to use freezer packs, if the site you're on has the facility to freeze them for you, they keep cool air circulating in there. As you need EHU to run these anyway, i've brought a tabletop fridge instead as it has more room in and you no longer have the need to put cold stuff in there.
0ne thing to beware of with these coolbox's it states it will take 2 x 2 litre pop bottles standing up. we have tried and the lid does not close properly with 2 bottles in there.
although you can stand one up and lie one down on its side and pack your other food stuffs around it
Yea always the problem with the 'Cooler' boxes is that they only cool also they are made to different qualitys check the ambient temp ratings but keep in mind that they only cool to about 5 deegrees in the first place when there full of food as they all work on circulating air to then cool it ! so the fuller they are the better and dont leave them plugged in the car for no longer than an hour or your camping trip could last longer than expected =D !