BARGAIN BUY
MOST of us have dipped into the world of online shopping to save a penny or two – which is fine, mind you – but there are issues you’ll encounter when buying an essential item like a portable fridge … something you don’t want breaking down in the middle of the Simpson Desert.
Buying from an unknown brand without a reputation in the industry can lead to problems due to the use of unknown components, and you’ll have no aftermarket support and no warranty if something goes wrong. “You risk buying a knock-off fridge where they’ve cut corners,” adds Marc Jarvis.
Trusted brands will list in detail every component fitted to their products. Plus, extensive warranties will be offered on components and the fridge itself.
You’ll also find a lot of superseded models online, with less features and lower warranty periods; so it’s best to navigate to respected websites for the latest and greatest units. “You also want genuine factory-approved accessories, not cheap inferior accessories,” adds MYCOOLMAN’S Darren Sloan.
Basically, it pays to use common sense. If you recognise the brand and it has a trusted reputation, you should be good to go. “Some major retailers have their own ebay accounts with good deals – these are safe,” advises Marc Jarvis. “But if the brand is not majorly known, I would steer clear.”
As mentioned, and we can’t stress this enough, it’s important to buy from a brand that provides support when it comes to servicing, parts and back-up. For example, look for brands that have distributors all over Australia that can assist customers if something does go wrong, or if you have an accident and break something.
So, how much are you going to need to shell out for a quality unit? Well, there’s plenty of variety, and you’re going to have to swipe the credit card for something with a few more digits to ensure you get a reliable, honest fridge. For comparison’s sake, here’s a quick pricing guide for a selection of similar-sized fridge/freezers: Evakool 40L Fibreglass (from $1299); Ironman 4x4 65L Icecube (from $1300); ARB 69L Zero (from $1599); MYCOOLMAN 60L Allrounder (from $1345); and Thunder 60-litre (from $1064).
“You get what you pay for,” adds Darren Sloan.