Most people buy a camping fridge by guessing, then spend the next five summers either playing Tetris with the milk or lugging half-empty litres around the country. The size you need comes down to three things: how many people, how many days between shops, and whether the drinks ride in the fridge.
| Two people, a weekend, food only | About 40 L |
|---|---|
| Two people, three days, drinks too | About 50 L |
| Family of four, a weekend, drinks too | About 55 L |
| Family of four, a week, drinks too | About 95 L |
| Fridge and freezer at once | Dual zone |
Start with the trip, not the fridge
A fridge is sized by the trip it has to feed. The same family needs a very different box for two nights at a caravan park with a shop down the road than for a week somewhere the nearest supermarket is a day's drive away.
So before you look at a single model, write down three numbers:
- People. Everyone who eats out of it, kids included.
- Days between shops. Not the length of the holiday. If you restock on day three, the number is three.
- Drinks. Cans and bottles take up more room than food. If they go in the fridge, allow for them. If they live in an esky, leave them out.
The rule of thumb we use
Start with about 30 litres. Add 2 litres for each person for each day between shops. Add another 10 litres if the drinks go in as well. Round to the nearest size that is actually made.
Four people, three days, drinks in: 30 + (2 x 4 x 3) + 10 = 64, so look at about 65 litres. It is a rule of thumb, not a law. People who cook from scratch need more room than people who pack sausages and bread. It will still get you into the right part of the range, which is where most of the expensive mistakes are made.
Find the fridge that fits your trip
People, days between shops, drinks or not. We show only the fridges in that size, with live prices and stock.
Put your numbers in above and we will show only the ones that fit.
Nothing in that size right now. Browse all 34 fridges or ask us to source one.
Rule of thumb: about 30 L, plus 2 L per person per day, plus 10 L if the drinks go in. Check the outside dimensions against your boot before you order.
See all 34 fridgesMyCOOLMAN fridges in stock now
Single zone or dual zone
A single zone fridge has one compartment at one temperature. Set it cold and it is a fridge. Set it colder and it is a freezer. It cannot be both at once.
A dual zone fridge has two compartments with separate temperatures, so the milk and the frozen meat travel in the same box. That is worth having on longer trips, where frozen food is what lets you stretch the days between shops. On a weekend away it mostly adds cost and weight.
One thing to check on the product page: the litres on a dual zone fridge are the total across both compartments. If you plan to run one side as a freezer, the fridge side is smaller than the headline number.
Why a bit too big beats a bit too small
If the fridge is slightly larger than you need, the trip goes fine. If it is slightly smaller, you end up buying ice for a second esky, which is the thing you bought a fridge to stop doing. That is why the calculator shows sizes from a little under your number to about a third over.
Much too big is its own mistake. A large fridge takes boot space you wanted for other things, is heavier to lift in and out, and spends its power cooling empty space. Buy for the trips you actually take most often, not the one big lap you might do one day.
Will it fit the car?
Litres tell you what goes in the fridge. They do not tell you whether the fridge goes in the car. Before you order:
- Measure the boot floor, length and width.
- Measure the height to the roof lining or parcel shelf, then allow for the lid to open.
- Leave a gap around the vents so the fridge can breathe.
- Compare with the outside dimensions and weight on the product page.
If it is close, measure again with the seats where you actually have them on a trip.
Load it cold, keep it running
Two habits make any fridge work better than its size suggests. Load it cold: food and drinks that go in already chilled take far less effort to keep cold than warm ones. And pack it so you can find things, because every minute the lid is open is cold air lost.
Power is the other half. A portable fridge runs from the car while you drive. Parked up for a few days it needs something else, whether that is a second battery, a power pack or solar. That is a subject of its own, and our camping solar panels guide is the place to start.
Our take
Work out the number first, then choose the fridge. For most families doing weekends and school holidays, that lands between 55 and 75 litres, single zone. Go dual zone when you are away long enough to need a freezer. Go bigger than 90 litres only when you are a week or more from a shop.
If you are stuck between two sizes, take the larger one, provided it fits the car. If you are still not sure, ask us before you spend.
Ready to look? See every portable fridge we stock, or go straight to myCOOLMAN or Dometic.
Questions people ask
What size fridge do I need for a family of four?
For a weekend with the drinks in the fridge too, about 55 litres. For a week between shops, 85 to 95 litres. The calculator on this page does the sum for your own numbers.
Is a 40 litre fridge big enough for two people?
For a weekend, yes. Two people for two days with food only works out at about 40 litres. Add the drinks or a third day and 45 to 50 litres is the safer pick.
Do I need a dual zone fridge?
Only if you want fridge and freezer running at the same time. A single zone fridge can be set as a fridge or as a freezer, not both. If you are away for more than a few days and want frozen meat as well as cold milk, dual zone earns its space.
Is it better to buy a bigger fridge than I need?
A little bigger, yes. A fridge that is slightly too large still does the job, and one that is too small means a second esky. Much bigger is a mistake: it takes boot space, weighs more to lift, and you pay to cool air.
How do I know a fridge will fit in my car?
Measure the boot floor and the height to the roof or parcel shelf, then compare with the dimensions on the product page. Allow room for the lid to open and for air to move around the vents.
Can I return a fridge if I picked the wrong size?
Every order is covered by our 30-day returns. For a change of mind the fridge has to come back unused, in its original packaging, at your own cost, so it is cheaper to measure twice first.
