TESTED: COMPANION 60L FRIDGE-FREEZER
COMPANION’S NEW 60-LITRE FRIDGE WITH INTEGRATED LITHIUM BATTERY SOUNDS GREAT IN THEORY, BUT HOW DOES IT STACK UP IN THE REAL WORLD?
YOU REALLY are spoilt for choice if you’re in the market for a 12-volt fridge in 2021. There’s a huge array of options to suit a broad spectrum of budgets, and that’s great news; but for the most part, it’s a struggle to come across an offering with a significant point of difference. Companion’s rechargeable, lithium-equipped fridges are relatively new-to-market and they’re particularly unique due to the fact they’re packing an integrated 42amp/h battery. There’s a 60-litre single-zone and a larger 75-litre dual-zone model available, and I’ve been getting acquainted with the 60-litre jobbie for the past few months.
When I first got hold of the fridge I hadn’t yet sorted my vehicle’s dual-battery system, so I charged up the fridge’s internal battery from mains power, threw it in the back of the ute and let it run under its own steam as I made my way out of the city and up the coast for the weekend.
Companion’s claimed 16-hour battery life seems on the mark, and I reckon running the fridge off a vehicle’s factory 12-volt outlet during transit, then charging it with a portable solar panel or blanket during the day, would probably see you through a weekend away in favourable conditions, without needing to rely on a second battery. You just need to ensure your solar regulator has a setting suitable for a lithium battery.
For longer off-grid adventures you would certainly need a more reliable external power source. I have now installed a dual-battery system in my ute, but the fridge effectively serves to extend my battery life by 42amp/h of lithium power, which is no small thing. I still have the option of removing the fridge from the ute and running it off the internal battery if I ever need to camp away from my vehicle, or even just spend a day at the beach. The fridge’s integrated USB outlets allow you to charge phones, tablets and torches, and run additional campsite
equipment like LED lights, or even another fridge via the unit’s second Anderson socket.
Internal battery aside, as a fridge, it’s a good thing. The control panel is user-friendly, the lid opens in both directions and is removable for ease of cleaning and airing out, and the dual bottle openers are a neat feature. It cools down quickly and the temperature remains stable in hot conditions, despite regular access for fresh cans. Speaking of which, the internal proportions are perfect for beer drinkers; you can slot a 30-pack of cans in sideways, leaving roughly half the capacity for tucker. Or another 30-pack, depending on your priorities.
The external dimensions on the other hand are one of the few drawbacks I’ve encountered so far. Due to the battery, it has a large footprint relative to some other 60-litre fridges, and that means it eats up a bit of space in your vehicle and limits your options in terms of compatible fridge slides. The power ports (whilst conveniently located in both the front and the rear of the fridge) are positioned fairly low, which meant I had to clear the rear of the tray on the fridge slide I opted for to allow access to them. And while it’s not an issue with the fridge itself, I found the pockets on the optional fridge cover are positioned similarly low, so they jam up in the runner of the fridge slide when you retract it.
The fact that the 42amp/h lithium battery pack is removable is awesome; it has its own USB outlets and so it can be used to separately charge and power other devices around camp if the fridge is being powered by an external source. The battery pack can’t be recharged separately from the fridge, though, which would be handy for those who don’t have a 240V power source close to where they store the fridge.
All in all, the Companion Lithium 60L Single Zone Rechargeable Fridge/freezer is a great quality fridge that stands out for the versatility it offers thanks to its innovative internal lithium battery.