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Are Dometic and Vitrifrigo fridges worth the extra money?

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Hi. Why should I be spend an extra £250 buying a 35 litre Dometic CFX3 35 (£700) (or Vitrifrigo) when I could buy a 35litre Outwell Deep Cool for £450? Both are compressor fridges with a 2 year warranty, similar power usage, both A++ rated for efficiency, of similar size and appearance and the Outwell comes with a mains lead (not sure about the Dometic). What am I buying for the extra £250? - the name and maybe reliability or longevity (does anyone know if they are better?). Any advice greatly appreciated, thanks
 
I’m happy with my Outwell. There’s a review on here I wrote if you search. I had the same questions. I work in engineering and I looked at the specifications and thought I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the same generic guts in all these fridges. I could be wrong of course, but the deep cool does what I need from a fridge and nothing extra. There’s no frills but it keeps stuff cold reliably so far 12 months ish in.

I expect (I’ve never seen the others in the flesh) the Outwell is a cheaper build quality. But, it’s fine. Chunky handles to lift it are good. Lid design excellent. Plastic a bit thin in places. A few cheap looking edges inside, but who cares really. I normally pay for quality, this time I was spent up and went cheaper and for once didn’t regret it.


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Hi Neilos, thanks for your review of the Outwell, could you comment in the noise the fridge makes and if you can hear it while sleeping in the van.
Thanks
 
I find it pretty quiet. You can hear when the compressor comes on but it’s not too bad at all. In the boot I don’t notice it. If it’s behind the passenger seat and your head is that end then you’ll hear it. I would be surprised if the other fridges are much quieter. It’s quieter than the domestic vertical fridge which was in a conversion we hired before buying the beach. That I did notice clicking on and off with my head next to it.


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My local camping shop had them for £350 the other day when it reopened. I had just bought the Dometic CFX3 35 at ~680
I obviously didn't hear it turned on, but I had wished I had waited for that price saving.
I'd say the only downside is it would need to be fully out on a tray as it had a side hinged lid
 
I find it pretty quiet. You can hear when the compressor comes on but it’s not too bad at all. In the boot I don’t notice it. If it’s behind the passenger seat and your head is that end then you’ll hear it. I would be surprised if the other fridges are much quieter. It’s quieter than the domestic vertical fridge which was in a conversion we hired before buying the beach. That I did notice clicking on and off with my head next to it.


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Thanks for the information
 
My local camping shop had them for £350 the other day when it reopened. I had just bought the Dometic CFX3 35 at ~680
I obviously didn't hear it turned on, but I had wished I had waited for that price saving.
I'd say the only downside is it would need to be fully out on a tray as it had a side hinged lid
Could you let me know the shop selling for 350? Thanks
 
Thanks for all of your help. It's so difficult to compare these things. It seems such an enormous price difference and I wonder what is so much better.
 
The deepcool has a double hinged lid. It opens from either side. Or if you press both sides it comes off completely which is what I do when packing it.


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Just got the CDF36, essentially the old CDX, no smartphone connections etc, for £400. Couldn’t see the point paying an extra £300 for this years model. Heard great reviews, happy to do a comparison if I get a look at the Outwell in detail.
 
I can't answer the OP's question as I've only ever had the one fridge/freezer. We have the Waeco/Dometic CFX35 compressor model as was. I think it has since been superceded by a newer model.

All I can say is that it is brilliant. It's very well made, capacious at 32 litres, easily portable, runs on 240v as well as 12v, it's quiet and it uses very little energy so doesn't quickly drain your battery. It will run for three days or more off grid and will automatically cut out before it drains your leisure battery to a critical level. You can use it as a fridge or full blown freezer with temperatures down to -22 degrees celcius. It has at least one USB port so you can charge things up from it when its connected of course. You can even monitor it and make temperature adjustments via your smart phone, if you are into those things. Oh and it has a light inside. Yes, it was expensive but IMO it's worth every penny.

Sorry, I can't speak for the other makes and models. :thumb
 
It seems that people are happy with what they have chosen. They work! So I am still not sure what the extra £250 is buying. Maybe I need to find a better price........
 
In the camping shop near me they also have this option at 335
 
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