recommendation for mini medecine fridge for travel

[drguiom]

Hello,

anyone using a portable mini fridge such as this one? or can you recommend an alternative? I would rather buy based on real recommendations ;-)

 

[Inka]

I use a Frio wallet @drguiom They’re very popular. What travelling are you doing? And for how long?

 

[helli]

I too am a Frio gal.
They have been fantastic and compact for years of travel to some very warm places, often with no access to electricity let alone a fridge.
They are easy to activate and I have never had a problem with insulin going off even on long (usually bumpy) journeys in hot non-airconditioned mini-buses.

 

[Matchless]

Hi drguiom thats a difficult name to remember HaHa any way i have had the same type of fridge for a few years but have not used it much as it will only bring the ambient temp down by about 15deg C i travel around france where its often 35deg plus and it never got cold enough but they may have improved by now i suggest you check how much it reduces the outside temp ,i tried making my own fridge couple of years ago using a polystyrene box and a peltier +heatsink+computer fan but gave up as did not get cold enough but ended up buying proper waeco travel fridge that has a compressor but was well worth the expense as it can freeze as well when wanted ,I did try a frio but sent it back as it was not big enough for my medtronic pump at the time i hope i have given you something to think about .

 

[drguiom]

ha I was always thinking that a Weaco would be the way (or whatever their new owner's name is now). Combined with the Frio for occasional use (e.g. day trek) that will do the trick. thanks all!

 

[drguiom]

Hi drguiom thats a difficult name to remember HaHa any way i have had the same type of fridge for a few years but have not used it much as it will only bring the ambient temp down by about 15deg C i travel around france where its often 35deg plus and it never got cold enough but they may have improved by now i suggest you check how much it reduces the outside temp ,i tried making my own fridge couple of years ago using a polystyrene box and a peltier +heatsink+computer fan but gave up as did not get cold enough but ended up buying proper waeco travel fridge that has a compressor but was well worth the expense as it can freeze as well when wanted ,I did try a frio but sent it back as it was not big enough for my medtronic pump at the time i hope i have given you something to think about .

also love the DIY approach. I did consider a Pi based solution but then considered spare time etc... already have too many projects going ;-)

 

[Barfly]

There are 3 types of technology used in 'fridges nowadays.

1. You are probably familiar with the most common, the compressor type. This is the type used in 99% of domestic and commercial refrigeration. It has a motor which drives a pump that compresses an inert gas (R32 is the current flavour) which reduces it's temperature. That is then pumped around the 'fridge in small capillaries. This type unfortunately takes quite a lot of energy to work, but is by far the best way of cooling.
2. Evaporative. This uses water running through small pipes with a small fan blowing on them. As the water evaporates, the change of state uses energy in the form of heat. It was the only form of refrigeration available until type1 came along.
3. Peltier effect semiconductor technology. This is the cooling of one junction and the heating of the other when an electric current is passed in a circuit of two different type of conductors. You find this type of small 'fridge in budget hotel rooms, they are not great at cooling enough for a cold beer on a hot day. Many of these are also reversible (not the hotel ones usually!)

If you have the electrical capacity for a type 1 'fridge, then that is what you should go for, the other two will not get anywhere near as cold.
Tony

 

[Matchless]

ha I was always thinking that a Weaco would be the way (or whatever their new owner's name is now). Combined with the Frio for occasional use (e.g. day trek) that will do the trick. thanks all!

That sounds like a good idea I have never been disappointed with my waeco fridge it keeps beer cool as well as insulin .