All about Portable Freezer
With average temperature having crossed 60 degrees Fahrenheit, the chances of our food items deteriorating have also risen. It has become increasingly difficult to store frozen foods like meat or cold snacks by keeping their freshness intact for long. This has made the demand for freezers shoot up considerably. And it becomes all the more necessary to have one if you are traveling with your food like a wanderlust. Who doesn’t want to enjoy his fresh-caught fish with family by bringing it back home? And to store it freshly until then, you’ll need the best portable freezer out there. See more here. But why do we need one? Let’s dig deeper.
What’s a portable freezer?
A portable freezer is not a portable fridge kept at a cold temperature. Rather it is a different unit altogether. It is meant to keep the frozen food items fresh for a long time. Such items are the ones that are at a greater risk of going ad quickly like meat, frozen meals, snacks, grocery items, et al. They also are of great help to store medicines on-the-go. With temperatures set at par to professional chillers, food items stay fresh for extended periods in hotter temperatures.
What will you use your portable freezer for?
Contrary to the belief, a portable freezer has many uses other than being a permanent companion on your road trips:
- Portable freezers are a hit among those who like to hit the road too often. The portable freezers help them keep the food fresh and worth-eating for days.
- The freezers are a blessing for those living alone in apartments or dorms. Living like bachelors, it gets easier for them to store frozen foods for days and eat them fresh when hungry. All they need is to take the food out and toss it in the oven or deep-fry, as the case may be. The freezers not only prevent their daily trips to supermarkets but also grocery stores.
- Another common use of portable freezers is storing medicines in many healthcare storage facilities. Many medicines are meant to be stored at cool temperatures from the point they are manufactured until they are administered. They are, thus, stored and transported inside portable freezers throughout the supply chain.
- Portable freezers are also a common fixture at the counters of major grocery stores or supermarkets. They are used to display many food items like high-earning food items which tempt the customers to buy instantly in a bid to try them.
What is a two-way portable freezer?
A two-way portable freezer runs on the same technology that the freezers of our refrigerators at home uses. That said, they have two minor differences:
Portable– As evident from the name, the portable freezers are specifically designed to add portability to their main functioning feature. This sets them apart from our home freezers since they can’t be loaded on and off an RV for weekend excursions.
Energy consumed– The second feature that makes the two-way portable freezer work differently than our home freezers is the amount of energy they are made to run on. This is because they need to be run on-the-go off your car’s battery. The lesser battery of your car is drained by them, the more terrain you can cover. They are made to run either on the usual 12-volts battery or with 110/240 volts energy sources. These days the solar energy option has also been added to the energy source list.
What is a three-way portable freezer?
Unlike the two-way portable freezer, the three-way portable freezer does not run on the compressor technology. Talking about the energy source, they can run on multiple energy sources like a 12-volt battery set up, 240 volts power supply, or gas heat exchangers.
Pros of Three-way Portable Freezers
There are many reasons people choose three-way portable freezers over the more efficient two-way freezers.
- Since these freezers do not have compressors in them, this makes them practically noiseless.
- Unlike two-way freezers, they can be run on multiple power sources. Single gas supply can make them last for several weeks. This particularly helps if you are out with your friends for trips lasting beyond just a week. All your food stock doesn’t face the risk of going bad.
Cons of Three-way Portable Freezers
That said, they aren’t as successful as the two-way portable freezers due to the following reasons:
- Lack of a compressor renders them less powerful in functioning when compared to the two-way freezers.
- For optimum functioning, they need to be leveled all the time. This may seem impractical, especially when taken along on the rough terrains.
Do they come in the same size?
Just like portable fridges, there are varied sizes in portable freezers too. One can select the size based on factors like:
- The expected efficiency in terms of consuming power, especially of your car’s battery.
- The extent of cooling required to keep the food fresh. Where the smallest freezers in the range of 15 liters are mild in keeping the food chilly, the standard size of 40 liters is considered the best for maintaining chilly temperatures inside.
- The number of people for whom the freezer is meant to store food items.
- The number of days for which one needs to keep the buffer food stock.
- And lastly, the size of your vehicle or the place at home where the freezer is meant to be placed. Where large RVs can very well accommodate big portable freezers by still leaving enough space for your brood, if space is premium, it is best to go for smaller freezers.
What are the differences in portable freezer sizes?
Since the trend of having a portable freezer is catching up real quick, it is important to know your ideal size.
25 Liters– Designed specifically for personal use, they are great to store certain vaccines like insulin or petty food items. They are the smallest sized portable freezers on the market. That said, a few companies are making portable freezers as small as 10.5 or 15 liters, but they aren’t as efficient when it comes to cooling.
30-35 Liters– They are great for keeping your food or drinks fresh for your long solo trips or a day’s trips of two or three. They are popular among those fond of fishing as they boast enough space to store your hunts.
40-45 Liters– Considered as the standard size, they are big enough to serve your small brood for 2-3 day trips. They have enough space to store all your food and drinks for the said time.
50 Liters– It is deemed best for solo long trips or extended weekend trips meant for small families. These freezers can store food and drinks to sustain your small brood for full 4-5 days.
60-65 Liters– These big freezers can often be spotted at house parties and are a favorite among those fond of hosting weekend house parties for their fellow party animals. And for your road excursions, these freezers are pretty big to store enough food for days at a stretch for large families and friend groups.
80 Liters– They are the preferred go-to size for cross-country trips. They can store a huge amount of food and snacks for days without a refill. Keep refilling it whenever you stretch your vacation.
Fridge, freezer, or both?
Following are the reasons you should either have a fridge, a freezer, or both:
Fridge– If the purpose is to just keep your food and drinks cold or maintain its freshness, it is always good to invest in a good-quality fridge. Also, if you aren’t the one to undertake longer excursions than a day, a portable fridge would certainly be enough.
Freezer– A portable freezer becomes a must if the purpose is to keep your foods and drinks chilled. It is also essential in case you intend to store items like freshly-caught fish, other packed meats, frozen snacks, or medicines like insulin. Only a portable freezer is the best alternative if you take rips longer than a day or two.
Fridge and Freezer– If the price is premium and you can have only either of the two, go for specialized cooling units that are compartmentalized into a fridge and a freezer. It helps both in maintaining the freshness of your frozen meats as well as keeps your drinks cold.
Summing Up
Having a portable freezer is a must for keeping your food fresh and drinks chilled for longer periods. And if you are an avid meat eater along with wanderlust, it is a must-have for you to keep your meat fresh along the way. All that is left to consider before making the purchase is the perfect size of the portable freezer by looking at the required storage capacity and the size of your brood for sustaining well. Add to it your preference of two-way or a three-way portable freezer decision, and you get the best portable freezer out there for yourself.