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Every once in awhile, you come across one piece of kit that really changes the way you operate. Something that really makes life better without any measurable drawbacks. After getting into the Overlanding scene a few years ago, I can confidently say that the Dometic CFX 75DZW electric cooler is the biggest game changer thus far. Before embarking on this journey, my wife and I came up with our three pillars of Overlanding. Comfortable sleeping, great food and epic locations. Check those 3 boxes and you’re guaranteed success. Hell, check two of the three and you’ll still have a good time.
We made a conscious decision to bring and cook real “at home” type meals when we travel. No more PB&J’s or ramen noodles or those Mountain House meals in a bag. I want to sit down and enjoy a fillet, salmon or scallops while we enjoy the outdoors. What the CFX line of powered coolers from Dometic does is allow us to bring with us, anything we would normally have at home. Maintaining that second pillar of Overlanding…great food.
Dometic CFX 75DZW Video Review:
Dometic CFX 75DZW Specs:
- 113 Can/70l Capacity, deep-freeze to -7°, dual zone cooling compartment
- Dimensions: 18.6″H x 34.9″W x 19.5″D
- Advanced compressor electronics ensure ultra-low power consumption using AC, DC, and solar power – enjoy the freedom to go off-grid!
- Enjoy 60% more storage capacity in the same exterior space! Compared to similar capacity ice chest using recommended ice/content ratio.
- 3 Stage Dynamic Battery Protection System automatically shuts the product off to prevent a dead car starter battery and improves car battery performance.
- Precisely control and monitor temperature +/- 2°F via a digital display or WiFi App.
- Dual Zone (DZ) models enable independently variable temperature control so you can cool and freeze simultaneously.
Rather than just regurgitate the in-depth specs and data from the Dometic website, I urge you to click here and take a look at the science behind the CFX 75DZW. The Dometic engineers are much smarter than me anyhow. What I will do is speak about our experiences thus far…
Our summer consisted of Overland trips to Drummond Island, the Daniel Boone National Forest, KOAR (Keewenaw Overland Adventure Retreat, Overland Expo East and a 4000 mile journey to Colorado and Moab, Utah. While most of the trips were 5 days or less, the 2 week trip out west was the true test of the Dometic fridge. Experiencing ambient temperatures ranging from 40F in the mountains of Colorado to a scorching 106F in the Moab desert. The fridge took a licking and kept on ticking. Steadily maintaining the interior temperatures.
The power to be present – Built for the outdoors
2 years under our belt with the Dometic electric cooler and I can say that we’ll never go back to a conventional cooler for Overland purposes. Although I’ve tested the best of the coolers on the market, I’ll never miss searching through pink tinted ice water to find that my steaks have submerged into the abyss. Or having to worry about replenishing ice while off the grid. Utilizing 100% of the interior volume to beverages and food storage essentially doubles or triples what you can haul in an ice chest. Allowing more time to do what you left home for in the first place. Enjoy your adventure.
Dimensions:
So far, we’ve used the Dometic exclusively in a fridge/fridge configuration. Although you can set up the zones any way you’d like. For example; fridge/freezer or even freezer/freezer. Despite the two lids being the same size, both sections differ in volume due to the space required to house the compressor and electronics. We typically use the larger section for beverages while the smaller section stores our perishable food. The bottom portion of the smaller section is where we store our meat as it seems to be the coldest. While the upstairs basket keeps our vegetables, cheese and other food fresh and easily accessible. Interior LED lights make those late night fridge runs more manageable too. Ironically, the only drawback to the fridge/fridge is lack of ice cubes for our cocktails. 1st world problems indeed.
The most common question I get regarding the fridge is, “how much juice does it draw from the battery?” Or, “how long until your battery is dead?” Unfortunately, or fortunately, I don’t have a good answer for that. Although the ridiculously efficient cooler can easily run on a single vehicle battery, I chose to upgrade my Tundra with a dual battery set-up over the winter. Allowing all of my accessories to run off a “house battery” while the second battery is reserved to handle the starting duties. So we’re never really concerned with running a battery down due to the fridge. Fortunately, for those with a single battery set-up, Dometic offers vehicle battery protection protocols that the user can program to alleviate the dreaded dead battery scenario. (see below)
Battery protection information from dometic.com
“The device is equipped with a multi-level battery monitor that protects your vehicle battery against excessive discharging when the device is connected to the on-board DC supply. If the cooler is operated when the vehicle ignition is switched off, the cooler switches off automatically as soon as the supply voltage falls below a set level. The cooler will switch back on once the battery has been recharged to the restart voltage level.”
- High: Fridge shuts off at 11.8v and restarts at 12.6v
- Medium: Fridge shuts off at 11.4v and restarts at 12.2v
- Low: Fridge shuts off at 10.1v and restarts at 11.1v
CFX 75DZW WiFi
Another nice feature of the CFX line is its WiFi connectivity. This feature allows the user to connect a mobile phone or tablet to the fridges WiFi signal via the Dometic App to monitor and control the CFX. Raising or lowering the temperature in either zone depending on your specific needs. Additional accessories like the slide-out hardware or the insulated cover further improve the whole fridge experience. When mounted to the truck bed, the heavy duty slide allows easy access to the electric cooler and its contents. The insulated cover also acts as padded protection. We typically stuff the Tundra with gear so the cover adds an extra layer of protection as cargo shifts in the bed of the truck.
The CFX line of electric coolers are not your average fridges either. They’re specifically built with the Overland and off road market in mind. Built for extended off-the-grid use in a rugged and dusty environment. Able to take the constant and sometimes violent shock and vibrations experienced while off-roading. Designed for use in a wide variety of ambient temperatures. As well as powered by a variety of sources like AC, DC and even solar. And finally built to last with high quality materials. If you’ve been using a conventional cooler for your Overland adventures, I urge you to take a look at these Dometic electric coolers. Don’t wait as long as I did to take the plunge. It’s a true game changer.
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