Engel fridge review

[FJR Colorado]

I posted this on my Tundra build thread, but since it is more germane to camping gear...

Well, a month later my new Dometic fridge still hasn't shipped. I was tired of waiting and the road to my cabin is clear, so I needed a fridge. I saw a great deal pop up on Amazon for the legendary Engel...

It's from Japan so I liked it right away (see my vehicle list).

I recall seeing these at McGuckin Hardware in Boulder long ago. They are built like tanks.

This model was released in 2008 so it's a very proven design. Aussies on YouTube have some incredible stories about durability. This unit was made for the marine market primarily.

I'm very impressed with the ruggedness and utter simplicity as well as the super-low energy usage. No digital thermo, nothing to set up really at all. One knob. Compressor purportedly has 1x moving part.

Very efficient. I made the mistake of setting it on "3" (out of 5); it turned gallon jugs of water into ice blocks in a hurry. Run this thing on "1" and you're fine. Super quiet.

The lid opening is ideal for my topper...

I still have the Dometic 75 dual zone on order. I was/am looking forward to a freezer. But I think I will keep this Engel either way; whether it's for back-up, usage at the cabin, an aux fridge or freezer for long excursions, etc. I may even mount it on the other side of the enclosed topper and use it for storage but have a unit that can quickly be put into service should the main unit fail.

Cool unit and so far a very good value, I think. Was $729 w/free Prime shipping.

 

[john61ct]

From Japan, eh?

Right on the box, made in Thailand.

But yes, company originated in Japan, along with the swing type compressor from Sawafuji

 

[01tundra]

We've had our Engel MT35 since 2008.

After we sold our Tundra in 2011 I plugged into a 120V receptacle in the shop and started using it as a beer cooler....It's been plugged in and has maintained 32F since then.

 

[FJR Colorado]

We've had our Engel MT35 since 2008.

After we sold our Tundra in 2011 I plugged into a 120V receptacle in the shop and started using it as a beer cooler....It's been plugged in and has maintained 32F since then.

I have anecdotally heard a lot of stories like this and seen a bunch of mad Australians on the web boasting the same.

It certainly does not have all the bells & whistles. Perhaps the utter simplicity leads to such long lifespans.

To maintain that 32F, what setting do you keep it at? Maybe a 1.25?

I have an ARB 47L that was great for 4.5 years and now has developed major issues that seem unsolvable. It is feature-packed, but I'd prefer durability and long life....

 

[FJR Colorado]

From Japan, eh?

Right on the box, made in Thailand.

But yes, company originated in Japan, along with the swing type compressor from Sawafuji

It's like new Tundras Designed in Japan but made in Texas

 

[01tundra]

I have anecdotally heard a lot of stories like this and seen a bunch of mad Australians on the web boasting the same.

It certainly does not have all the bells & whistles. Perhaps the utter simplicity leads to such long lifespans.

To maintain that 32F, what setting do you keep it at? Maybe a 1.25?

I have an ARB 47L that was great for 4.5 years and now has developed major issues that seem unsolvable. It is feature-packed, but I'd prefer durability and long life....

It's been set to 1.25 for about nine years now, I have a wireless thermometer to monitor it.

 

[67cj5]

I have anecdotally heard a lot of stories like this and seen a bunch of mad Australians on the web boasting the same.

It certainly does not have all the bells & whistles. Perhaps the utter simplicity leads to such long lifespans.

To maintain that 32F, what setting do you keep it at? Maybe a 1.25?

I have an ARB 47L that was great for 4.5 years and now has developed major issues that seem unsolvable. It is feature-packed, but I'd prefer durability and long life....

ARB and Engel are just as good as each other, I have seen good and bad with both brands, Your ARB having issues is just the luck of the draw, My ARB is over 4 years old and I use it 24/7/365, The Engels just suck a bit more power than the ARBs, I prefer ARB over Engel because they are more flexible having the Dairy area which allows it to be used as a Fridge and a Freezer at the same time,

I know od someone who has owned the same Engel for 38 years, All ARB Fridges before 2008 were rebadged Engel MT-45's, You won't find any of the Blue and Grey ARB's older than 12 years old but no doubt are time goes by there will be some of the Blue and Grey models still going in 20 or 30+ years time,

I still love the Engels and at the time I bought my small ARB I was going to buy the Engel MT-45 but it just did not suit my needs,

Good luck with the Engel, It's a great fridge.

 

[dreadlocks]

Ive got a Blue ARB from ~2013 and an Engel 80qt from 2017, I like the engel more, metal is better than plastic IMO but the ARB's nice with its interior light.. both are good fridges, I dont like the LVD in the ARB.. I'd rather use an external system wide LVD I have control over than have my fridge shut off early because I hadda lock it in a bear locker on a bit of extension cable.

the control panel on the ARB failed after it drove through a heavy rain storm exposed, I called em up about getting it warrantied and got blew off.. when I needed a bigger fridge I went w/engel because it was simpler without a bunch of buttons, just a knob and a simple display.. the ARB is my office beer fridge now, take it to the back patio during parties..

 

[67cj5]

Yep fridges don't like the Rain, I also have the ARB 82Qt still in it's Box, Still can't make up my mind which one I want in the Van, the 50Qt or the 82Qt, with this lockdown I am using the 50 in the Home

 

[Oz_Traveller]

Hi All,
As someone who has had this exact model since approx 2010, I can vouch for the reliability. It has been running most of the time, in the house as a back-up and drinks fridge or used when camping. In hot weather I like to keep it set at around 1.75 and it will keep beer icy cold. But that is too cold for fruit and vegetables. On longer trips we will take another fridge and then use the Engel as a freezer, set to 5, I monitored with a wireless thermometer and it constantly maintained -19C in extremely hot conditions. Not necessary to keep it quite that cold on shorter trips but I was using it to freeze fish that I caught.
The metal ones can be out in the rain, but not these plastic ones. See plenty of the metal ones riding in the back of the truck as a permanent feature.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I’ve had a plain Jane Engel mt45 running 24/7/365 since 2007. On the mains at home when not in the truck. I get about 36F at 1.5 on the dial. Best money spent ever on camping stuff.