4x4 Action Group

Having a Look at Drawer Fridges. One day Two of them, One Fridge, One Freezer if space allows.

Has anyone ever used them, downsides (except from 20-30l size).

Positives:
No Need for Fridge Slide(BIG Plus) and damn expensive)
No need to build a cage around to prevent fallen objects
Space Saving(efficiency)

Negatives:
Volume
Maybe sealing?
Running two will mean running two compressors.

One like this, cheaper than a fridge slide only. R7900 abouts

https://flexadventures.co.za/product/fl ... e-freezer/

Your Rands per volume ratio is horrible on those....

The one in your link is R8k for 20L, that's R400 per liter.
You can get a 60L Snomaster for under R12k.
That's less than R200 per liter.

But other than the price - I think they are lekker....

Bugjuic wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:23 pm

Having a Look at Drawer Fridges.
One like this, cheaper than a fridge slide only. R7900 abouts

https://flexadventures.co.za/product/fl ... e-freezer/

Flex Fridge.JPG

This sounds expensive…

Nice idea but with 40l of fridge I will be dry on day two.[emoji30]My current setup is 80l of fridge an 60l of freezer.
And I does not have fridges mounted on rails[emoji12]

Sent from my SM-S901E using Tapatalk

For me the biggest drawback is the price...

They are actually quite practical. Had one in my truck (lorry not bakkie) when I worked in the USA. Also did a few trips in trucks the last few years that had drawer fridges in them. (so cannot comment about this specific brand but more on the practicality). All of these worked perfectly.

Sealing → no issues on any of the ones I used.

Size → biggest issue for me. Bigger water bottles etc. had to lay down in the fridge reducing limited space even more

Efficiency → not sure on the impact it has but what I like a lot, is that I placed frequently used items in the front (water, snacks etc.). Only had to open far enough to get these items out, and not the entire lid like conventional fridges.

Practicality → similar than efficiency. From the moment you draw it out, you will have access to the fridge. Others on a conventional slide system with items above them (cage), you will have to draw out the entire fridge to gain access.

Durability → Had no issues with general durability on any we used and all indications are that they should last as long as their conventional counterparts. I have seen one where a truck driver pressed on the drawer when het got out of his chair and stuffed up the sliders, body of drawer and front lid. This basically ruined the fridge as these are inherit to the fridge. On conventional fridges on drawers you just replace the sliders. Should not be an issue if decent care is taken

I know this is feedback on your specific fridge, but more insight into the concept of a drawer fridge. Hope this helps?

Great thank you for the feedback Redman. Really appreciated

I am toying with the idea of getting/building a drawer system in the vehicle and indecisive if I am going to build a 'Large' system and fridge next to two vertical drawers or a 'flat' drawer system with two drawers on the bottom of the vehicles(Like Front runner ones)

So Option 1: Use my current 80l Snomaster, put it on a Fridge slide on one side of the vehicle, and two drawers stacked on top of each other next to it. Picture as reference idea:
Believe this will create more storage, but will have to be taken out, as this is also my Daily. Option 2:
Build/Purchase a flat drawer system(such as Front Runner etc...), where the drawers are side by side as the picture indicated below, whereby my current 80l fridge will not fit in above the drawer system(measured it), and will have to be on a dropdown fridge slide, making it very heavy and equally as expensive as just purchasing a Drawer fridge as indicated from Flex D30. Thus with this setup, I can leave the drawers in as a daily and add the Drawer fridge when needed... Picture for reference. Also to add, this will be meant for trips with SWAMBO and kids, thus back seats are rendered useless, everything has to go in the luggage compartment. Arguably for a maximum of 5 days before civilization. Thus believe with a 20-30l capacity, freezing meat, and keeping 4-6 drinks cold at any given time should be enough... Maybe add second one, when money allows, making it a 40 or 60l capacity in total.

So for those of you that have built similar setups, why have you chosen a flat drawer system or an 'upright' drawer system?

With regard to your Option 1 above.
With all of the storage units I've custom built for customers I've used the seat mount points and other tiedown points in the back of the vehicle to secure the unit in place. This way you don't drill any more holes into the vehicle body so when it is removed you don't sit with unsightly holes. For ease of removal, I'd make a frame with the fridge slides and a separate box with the drawers that then bolts to the frame. This gives you the option of having the fridge in the vehicle without the drawers. To install the system you bolt in the frame with the fridge slide. Once that is secure you attach the drawers box to the frame and drop the fridge into its frame and tie it down.

Also, besides price, the dropdown fridge slide system takes a lot of space.
If the 80 litres size if important to you, I will keep it low and on its own slide.

Sliders (for draws and fridges) generally also take a lot of space and is a 'nice to have' for a dedicated touring vehicle.
But a pain to take out for a car that is also a daily.

So, my suggestion would be to mount your fridge, and use a wall split in an L shape,. I.e. the fridge sits on the bottom part of the L, and the upright part separates it form the rest of the packing area. This way your fridge remains accessible during picnics and dinner time, and you can pack to the top on the other side of the car's packing bay.
More space available than any drawer system and, more importantly, easily converted back to a daily.

I've done exactly that with the partition at the side of front of the fridge area but left enough gap for ventilation. In the attached photo you will see the aluminum vertical panels.

Those flat fridges are great, but dear.

You really can build the fridge slide with very little money, no need for all the fancy stuff off-the-shelf. Couple of standard angle iron peices, welded togeter, not heavy at all. Most expensive part of the slide is the actual sliders - most people go overboard and buy the 900Kg ones, not needed.

I am in Centurion if you need help.

Paul#25 wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 21, 2023 8:49 am

With all of the storage units I've custom built for customers....

You should take out a banner advert Paul, so more people are aware of Venter's Fabrication Factory.... VF+

Solution. Sell 80l fridge. Get or make side by side drawers. Buy one of two of the drawer fridges. Mount then on top of drawers. Then you can still pack above.

Thank you everyone for the input everyone.

I made a 'mistake' a few years ago to buy the 80l fridge, should have bought a 40l one, but done is done.

Andreas, that solution will be my final setup one day I believe.

But for now, thank you Alex and Paul, I think the L-setup with dedicated storage to one side, and the fridge to the other will make for a great solution now.

I went searching for similar setups and found one which I will be able to live with. Now time to build.

Where and what size sliders did you use Jotto? Thinking Of Furnlock 7330 90kg slides?

Attached is more or less what I hope my final setup will look like. The L-Shape version for now.

YOU NEED THIS