Decided you need a fridge for your boat? You won't regret it. To help you choose, we've gathered the top marine fridges on the market.
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Why choose marine fridges?
For a boat, you need appliances that are going to survive exposure to salt water and salt air. Your average portable fridge won't have the same longevity. Over time, the parts and body will rust and corrode. A marine fridge, on the other hand, use a special anti-corrosive coating or corrosion resistant metals, such as stainless steel, to protect them from the environment.
What's more, while normal fridges will only operate when they are completely level, marine fridges are designed to withstand violent movements and uneven ground.
Top brands for marine fridges
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Portable Marine Fridges: Evakool Fibreglass Marinised range
When you choose a marine fridge from Evakool, you know you're onto a good thing. They have taken their high quality Evakool Fibreglass Portable Fridges and marinised them. This means they have applied a special anti-corrosive treatment to the internal components in order to protect the fridge in harsh marine environments.
Evakool's marine fridges are made in Australia from heat-resistant insulated fibreglass, which keeps goods icy cold in the hottest temperatures. This, combined with Evakool's famous compressor, means you benefit from the best efficiency going. In fact, they go so far as to say that you don't need an insulation cover.
The smooth fibreglass construction is easy to clean, lightweight and highly impact resistant. Another design advantage is that they have no gaps or joins, which means the marine fridge won't rust or corrode.
Evakool has thought of everything with its marine fridges: there are removable baskets, digital controls, and handles that can be used to tie down the fridge. But one of the best features is that these units will operate at angles up to 30 degrees.
There's a huge range of sizes to choose from - a compact 40 litres all the way up to a massive 150 litres (that's a lot of fish!). All run on 12 or 24 volt DC power, and you can invest in a heavy duty power adaptor to run the fridge from a 240 Volt AC mains power source if needed. To finish the package, Evakool marine fridges carry a generous 5-year warranty.
Browse Evakool marine portable fridges here
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Upright Marine Fridges: Isotherm Stainless Steel Models
Isotherm is one of the world's leading manufacturers in marine refrigeration, and their marine fridges prove why. Because Isotherm specialises in energy-efficient marine fridges for sailing yachts and motor cruises, there's something for every size galley - whether you want a compact 49-litre capacity or a humungous 200-litre double-door fridge freezer; an upright model or a fridge drawer.
The stainless steel Isotherm Cruise range is built from a food-preparation-compliant stainless steel case, with stainless steel doors and trim. They feature one piece inner lining of high density plastic with rounded corners for easy cleaning. And you don't need to worry about the door swinging open on rough waters - the magnetic rubber seals keep the door firmly closed and moisture out.
Running on 12- or 24-volt, all Isotherm's marine fridges use a Danfoss/SeCOP compressor, which is fan-cooled, silent and highly efficient. With the larger fridges, you'll enjoy added extras such as cradles and adjustable holders on the doors. These features might not sound exciting, but in rough conditions you'll be thanking them for keeping bottles and jars upright! Isotherm's marine fridges only come with a 1-year warranty - but it's a small sacrifice for an otherwise exceptional range.
Browse Isotherm marine fridges here
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Upright Marine Fridges: Vitrifrigo Stainless Steel Models
Like Isotherm, Vitifrigo leads the way in marine fridges. It offers upright fridges and drawer style fridges in various sizes to fit any galley. Vitrifrigo fridges are made in Italy and special care has been taken to ensure they not only function efficiently, but look stylish at the same time. They are 100% compliant with Australian food health and safety laws, and you have peace of mind that they are backed by the Camec national service agent and spare parts network.
With Vitrifrgo marine fridges, it's the little things that make a big difference. Highlights include a door with reversible hinges, so if your tight on space, you can switch the door around for easy access. The door also has an air front operated lock to ensure the door stays tightly sealed even on choppy waters. There's a 3-star insulated freezer door and a new 0.8mm laminate panel for a more stylish and streamlined finish.
Again, these are compressor fridges that run on 12- or 24-volt DC power. You can also buy a power adaptor to run the fridge from 240-volt mains power. One thing to note about these fridges is that they need sufficient ventilation at the back of the unit for optimal operation.
Browse Vitrifrigo marine fridges here
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Alternatives
Stainless steel upright fridges are a premium option in marine applications, however while stainless steel is corrosion resistant, the material is not corrosion proof. There are many other materials that are still extremely popular, high quality and won't break the bank!
Thetford upright compressor fridges are popular due to their slimline design and offer powerful, but efficient cooling. These fridges are perfect for narrow dimensions and carry a 3 year warranty.
Dometic 2-way fridges feature the most technologically advanced fridge compressors across the market: THEIR OWN! Dometic Waeco Compressors are extremely efficient in the Australian environment and have exceptional cooling performance. Check out My Generator customer Tom from Mooroolbark, VIC who provides a video review of their Dometic WAECO CoolMatic CRX110 Fridge & Freezer (now replaced with the Dometic NRX range, which is even more energy efficient) in their boat!
Need more help choosing a marine fridge freezer? Our friendly team are here to help! Contact us here!
DISCLAIMER* Please note, this advice is general in nature and we strongly recommend consulting the product manual and where relevant, a professional installer.
