ndPicking campervan fridges sounds simple, until three boxes all promise cold milk. This guide stays in plain English. It covers compressor, three-way and thermoelectric types, portable cool boxes versus fitted fridges, and a spread of current UK models. You can also read it at https://dubbedout.co.uk/latest-news/campervan-fridges-explained/.
The three types, without the jargon
A compressor fridge works like the one in your kitchen, only it runs on 12V. Many also take 24V or hook-up. A little pump starts, cools the box, then stops. Daily battery use is much lower than the “amps when it is running” figure, because of that on-off cycle. This is the usual choice for a modern van with a leisure battery.
A three-way, or absorption, fridge has no compressor. It cools with heat from a gas flame, a hook-up element or a 12V element. The Caravan Club’s technical advice says most modern caravan fridges are this type. It also says 12V mode is for the road, and only works properly when the engine is running. In a van, use gas or hook-up once you park. Do not treat 12V as an off-grid setting. The Club also advises against bottled gas while you drive.
A thermoelectric cool box uses a simple electric plate, not a compressor. It can take drinks down a bit, but it is not a proper fridge-freezer. Dometic’s official energy label for the TropiCool TCX 21 classes it as a pantry box, with a 17C storage temperature. A fitted fridge lives in the kitchen furniture. A portable compressor cool box sits on the floor or in the boot. Older Waeco boxes now sit in the Dometic CFX line. The current range is CFX5, which has replaced CFX3.
Power in plain English
You do not need a degree in electrics. You do need a leisure battery. Do not run a fridge from the starter battery, or you may not get going in the morning. Our campervan electrics guide at https://dubbedout.co.uk/latest-news/campervan-electrics-explained/ covers leisure batteries, solar, split charge and DC-DC chargers in more depth.
A compressor fridge only draws a higher current while the pump is on. Then it rests. Makers often quote that running figure, plus a daily figure in Ah or kWh per 24 hours. Amp hours just count how much you have taken out of the battery over a day. As a rough conversion, 12 watt hours is about 1 Ah at 12V. So 0.76 Ah each hour is about 18 Ah over a day, in the test the maker states.
A typical 100Ah lead-acid leisure battery usually only goes down to about half. That leaves around 50Ah to play with. An 18Ah-a-day fridge, on its own, then lasts about two to three days before you put charge back. Lithium packs can use more of their rating, which the electrics guide explains. While you drive, a split-charge relay or a DC-DC charger tops up the leisure battery from the alternator. Solar helps on a sunny pitch. Hook-up can run a 230V input, or charge the battery. Gas keeps a three-way fridge happy off-grid, not the 12V setting.
Fitted compressor fridges
For a T5, T6 or new T7 kitchen, a slim 40 to 80 litre compressor fridge is the usual fit. Factory Californias also use a compact compressor fridge. See the used California buying guide. A Caddy or T25 often suits a smaller unit, or a portable box. A Crafter or large van can take 80 to 120 litres, or a big three-way.
The current Dometic camper-van compressor line is the NRX series. The NRX 50C is a typical mid-size unit. Dometic’s official UK page lists the IEC volume at 44 litres, even though some shops still say 50 litres. It is 380 mm wide, weighs 17 kg, and runs on 12/24V DC. The official UK page does not publish a daily Ah figure. Give it a leisure battery and a way to charge as you go. We did not find a detailed independent review of this model, so we have stuck to official specifications.
The Thetford T1090-E is a taller 12V compressor fridge, with a curved back and no exterior vents. Thetford’s official 2027 overview gives it 84 litres and 26.6 Ah per 24 hours. Some UK shops still call it 90 litres. Use the official 84 litres. It suits a T5, T6 or T7 with taller cabinets, not a tiny Caddy hole. Isotherm still sells the Cruise 65 Elegance, a 65-litre fitted compressor. Vitrifrigo’s C51iX is a current 51-litre slim fridge, about 380 mm wide, and a common T5 and T6 fit.
Portable compressor cool boxes
A portable compressor cool box is still a real fridge. It just does not sit in the furniture. That suits a Caddy, a T25, a weekender without a full kitchen, or anyone who wants a second freezer.
The Dometic CFX5 45 succeeds the old Waeco and CFX3 45. Official volume is 46 litres. It runs on 12/24V and 100-240V and weighs 18.26 kg. Dometic rates it at 9.4A at 12V while the compressor is drawing. Official use is 0.76 Ah per hour at 12V, with the air at 32C and the inside at 4C. That is about 18 Ah over 24 hours in those conditions. Official reviews on Dometic’s UK page sit at 4.4 out of 5 from 77 ratings. Louis N. gave it 5 out of 5 after nine days in the Kgalagadi, and would recommend it. Other owners have said it can be a bit noisy, and that the USB port is the older USB-A type.
Truma’s current UK line, as far as we could find, is the Cooler portable range, not a fitted van fridge. The C30 is a 30-litre box on 12/24V and 230V. Truma’s 2025 brochure lists 12V consumption at 3.4A while the compressor is working, not as a daily average. It is a neat size for a Caddy or T25. Alpicool has a current official UK shop. The CX40 is a 39.3-litre portable compressor box with app control, wheels and battery protection. That page did not publish a daily Ah figure, so we have not guessed one. It still needs a leisure battery. We did not find a solid independent review of this exact current UK model. Bodega also makes portable 12V compressor boxes, but we could not verify a clean live UK price for a specific model.
Battery packs, thermoelectric and three-way
EcoFlow’s current UK line is the GLACIER Classic, in 35, 45 and 55 litre sizes, with an optional plug-in battery sold separately. Official figures, in Eco mode at 25C, give 165 Wh per 24 hours at 4C, or about 14 Ah a day at 12V in that test. Freezer mode at -18C is much thirstier, at 520 Wh per 24 hours. EcoFlow says a full official battery holds 4C for up to 43 hours on the 35-litre model, tested at 25C, or 39 hours on the 45 and 55. We could not verify a live UK page for the BLUETTI MultiCooler, so we have not quoted a price.
Thermoelectric boxes are cheaper and lighter, and they are not the same job. The current Dometic TropiCool TCX 21 is a 21-litre example, rated at 3.8A at 12V. This type often keeps drawing current, rather than cycling like a compressor, so it can flatten a battery far faster. The official energy label classes it as a pantry appliance, with a 17C storage temperature. Use it for day-trip drinks, not a weekend of milk and meat. Dometic’s official UK page did not show a usable price, so we have left that figure out.
Three-way fridges, for the bigger vans
If you have a Crafter, a large van or a motorhome, a three-way fridge is still in the mix. Dometic’s current 10-series includes the RMD 10.5XP and 10.5XT. Leisure Shop Direct lists 177 litres gross, with a 35-litre freezer. On hook-up, the listing gives 4.40 kWh per 24 hours. On gas, consumption is 580 g per 24 hours. And on 12V the rated current is 14.2A, so you only use that mode while the engine is charging. These are tall, extra-deep cabinets, not a T5 kitchen fridge. If you fit one, get the gas side checked as part of a proper habitation check. See our gas and habitation post at https://dubbedout.co.uk/latest-news/campervan-gas-safety-habitation-checks/.
Which van does each type suit?
A Caddy or other small van wants a 30 to 40 litre portable compressor, such as the Truma C30 or Alpicool CX40. A T25 is tight on space too. A portable box, or a compact fitted compressor, is more realistic than a big three-way. See our T25 buying guide.
A T5, T6 or T7 usually takes a 44 to 84 litre fitted compressor, such as the NRX 50C, Vitrifrigo C51, Thetford T1090-E or Isotherm 65. A CFX5 45 works if you have not fitted furniture yet, or as a second freezer. Our T6 buying guide, T5 buying guide and T7 buying guide cover those vans. A California already has a compact factory compressor fridge. A portable box is the usual way to add space. A Crafter or large van can take a bigger fitted compressor, or a 10-series three-way if you have gas and the depth.
Campervan fridges compared
UK prices from 14 November 2026. Prices change. “Not verified” means no live price that day.
| Model | Type and size | Power, in plain English | Suits | Price, 14 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dometic NRX 50C | Fitted compressor, 44 L official | 12/24V leisure battery. No official daily Ah on the UK page | T5, T6, T7 slim kitchen | £569.99 Leisure Shop Direct, in stock. Official £749, out of stock |
| Thetford T1090-E | Fitted compressor, 84 L official | 26.6 Ah a day official | Taller T5, T6, T7 cabinets | £829 Jacksons Leisure, in stock |
| Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance | Fitted compressor, 65 L | 12V leisure battery. No official daily Ah verified | Mid-size van kitchens | £718.02 Webasto Marine UK, sold out |
| Vitrifrigo C51iX | Fitted compressor, 51 L | 12/24V leisure battery | Slim T5, T6, T7 furniture | Not verified |
| Dometic CFX5 45 | Portable compressor, 46 L official | About 18 Ah a day at 32C/4C | Any van, 18.26 kg | Official £799.99, in stock. £719.95 at Leisure Shop Direct. |
| Truma Cooler C30 | Portable compressor, 30 L | 3.4A at 12V while the compressor works | Caddy, T25, small vans | £688 Berger Camping UK, out of stock |
| Alpicool CX40 | Portable compressor, 39.3 L official | Needs a leisure battery. No official daily Ah found | Small vans, or a second box | £153.99 official UK shop, in stock |
| EcoFlow GLACIER Classic 35 | Portable, optional battery, 35 L | About 14 Ah a day at 4C, Eco mode, 25C | Any van with a battery pack | £629 for 35 L, available. 45 L £729, unavailable |
| Dometic TropiCool TCX 21 | Thermoelectric, 21 L | 3.8A at 12V official. Pantry-class, not a true fridge | Day-trip drinks, not weekend food | Not verified |
| Dometic RMD 10.5XP / XT | Three-way absorption, 177 L gross | Gas 580 g a day, or hook-up. 12V at 14.2A only with the engine charging | Crafter, large van, motorhome | £2,394.99 / £2,435.99 Leisure Shop Direct, in stock |
Bottom line
The campervan fridges that make sense for most VW owners are 12V compressor models, fitted in the kitchen or as a portable cool box. Give them a leisure battery, and a way to put charge back while you drive, or from solar and hook-up. Three-way fridges still have a place in big vans, but they want gas or hook-up once you stop. Thermoelectric boxes are fine for a day of cold drinks. They are not a weekend fridge. Match the litres to the van, and check today’s price.
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