Has any one got or use one of these ? do's it work ? is it worth the money?? Iain

I've got one. Doesn't really cool down that much but it's good to keep cooked meat fresh for the day. Have a look around on eBay, I think that is where I got mine.

I have one, paid £35 in Halfords, on a warm 22 degrees (C) day it will keep the grub at around 8 degrees. Just to help it along initially I add an ice pack to the food as they take a while to cool because it's an evaporation system using no gas.

It does what it says, look for one that drops the internal temp about 12-16 degrees below the ambient outside (obviously that doesn't work in winter)

I can recommend this one
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/outwell-ecocool-24l-coolbox-p262929/

You can run it on mains or 12v. I have had one for years and it has performed very well. Its not a fridge though. I help ours out by putting items in the home fridge overnight before we go out with the coolbox so they start out cold. Also sometimes pop in a couple of freezer blocks if there is space and its particularly warm weather.

Another option is:-

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/...yId_165657

Both get very good reviews

I've got the Halfords 1. I got the mains adaptor and I plug it in at home the night before I use it. I don't have any complaints about it.

I just bought a waeco tropicool 21l it was £148 cools down everything as you would expect and is great for providing a bit of extra space in the caravan fridge for beers/wine

In the car it was just like been plugged in to the mains kept everything cold for 3 + hours on my trip down here (Cotwolds)

Cools to 30c below ambient and heats to 65c it you need it too Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

These coolers appear in the Aldi/Lidl shops regularly and are cheap and fairly effective. I have a Waeco as well, but it is large heavy and bulky and it won't fit in the middle seat, even if I could lift it full! So Aldi's is the one we use.

Some more tricks to improve the effectivness as well as freezer blocks:-
Get one with a mains plug/adaptor and run it for 12 hours before use.
Stick everything that is to go into it in the house fridge for 12 hours first, and turn the house fridge up (err - down?) a bit.
If there is bottled water involved, freeze some of them as well. This MAY NOT work with beer, wine or carbonated drinks - experiment with one beforehand in case you have to drink it right away.
Any milk intended for tea/coffee/sauce etc can be frozen into cubes in the house fridge in an ice tray.
Pack cooler with stuff to be used last at bottom. Open briefly and infrequently. Don't expose outside to sunlight.

Enjoy the contents! Everyone can spread it - Anyone can catch it. Stay home - the life you save can be your own!

Hi Papa,

I bought a large Halfords cool box - works a treat at keeping the wine/beer chilled. Used it for a month in Europe, the weather was rather hot at times approximate 38 degrees. I really bought to keep the drinks chilled - it did a reasonable job, as I prefer really cold drinks I used the caravan fridge however the Halfords box was very good and wife was happy. Note, I was reluctant to keep food in the box long term as the weather was far to hot besides most boxes only claim to reduce the interior temp by x degrees depending what the ambient temp is, so be weary of that.

For trips, use mains night before, then plug into car 12 volts, excellent for short trips etc.

BTW Halfords usually do excellent deals on cool boxes - mine was heavily discounted.


Pablo 'There is thunder' then 'There is the warble of a V8'

SD4 HSE Fuji White (my car): sidesteps, door protection
Golf 2.0 tdi White (wife's car)
Triumph Stag (my 1975 V8 toy - 37,600 miles... Just started its 2nd restoration... had it since 1986)

Tiguan Summit (gone, but nice car)
Porsche Boxster (gone, it was too fast)
SLK (gone, did not like it - lost loads £s)
Discovery Cairngorm (gone,very tractor like)
+ loads of other cars

The firm had a car freezer when I Used to work for an Ice cream company years ago, and had to deliver samples to advertising company in London from North Wales one time
Had mains and 12v. worked well had to plug it in on mains for 4 hours first to get it to -20 c was made by Carreair (think that was the name , bloody expensive couple of grand )
freezer plugged into the boot of the bosses Jag 12 volt , and was told to get it down to London before it melted ,
funny he had 6 points on his license shortly after ...  Wales
Were the mud is thicker, and the ruts are deeper.
(And we have the water to wash it off, and more on the way..! )
Sd4 and chrome Ar*e piece, Auto box for best fun
09 Xs Gone
12 xs Gone
HSE with Leather seats and 4 years warrenty.. staying for now !

On 12v they will keep things cool, but thestuff should be cooled beforehand, either in fridge or on mains power if you have that option. Of course overnight it either won't work or will drain your battery, depending which socket you use! Remember they need ventilation - don't pack them in tight - and produce a certain amount of heat.

The one we bought from our local caravan dealer uses 48 watts, on mains, or 12 volts. It works very well, but I don't leave it on in the boot for long, when the engine isn't running. It's been used for a number of years, on laning days, journeys with the caravan etc., and works as a wine cooler in the awning when we arrive......