Best Electric Cool Box 2026: 10 Ranked, and Why the Litre Count Misleads
By Felipe Iglesias · Updated
An electric cool box is sold on one number, and it is the least reliable figure in the listing. The TZS 25-litre model calls itself a '32-litre gross capacity (25L net)' in its own bullet point. The TZS with wheels is a 40L box in the title and a 45L box in the bullet and the specification. The Igloo IE27 is 26 litres in the title, 27 litres in the bullet and on the spec sheet. Only the Amazon Basics box publishes both measurements without contradicting itself: 24L total, 22L net. So count on two to five of the litres you are paying for being the outside of the box rather than the space you can fill.
We ranked ten of the best electric cool boxes on Amazon on things we could actually check: the listed price, the number of ratings behind each score, and the places where a specification disagrees with its own marketing copy. Thermoelectric and compressor designs sit in the same list, and they are not interchangeable. One cools to a fixed number of degrees below the air around it; the other holds a temperature you choose.
At a glance
| # | Product | Price | Rating | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TZS First Austria 25L Electric Cool Box, 12V/230V | £69.95 | 4.6 | View |
| 2 | EUHOMY 40L Compressor Car Fridge, 12V/240V, App Control | £199.99 | 4.6 | View |
| 3 | Crystals 26L Electric Cool Box, 12V DC & 240V AC | £47.97 | 4.5 | View |
| 4 | Amazon Basics 24L Electric Cool Box, 12V/230V | £73.45 | 4.3 | View |
| 5 | TZS First Austria Wheeled Cool Box, 40L or 45L | £99.95 | 4.3 | View |
| 6 | Igloo IE27 Electric Cool Box, 26L or 27L, 12V | £59.82 | 4.1 | View |
| 7 | Subcold Euro30 28L Electric Cool Box, 12V/240V | £63.74 | 4.5 | View |
| 8 | GlamHaus 30L Electric Cool Box, 12V/240V/USB | £84.99 | 4.3 | View |
| 9 | Crystals 33L Electric Cool Box, 12V DC & 240V AC | £61.90 | 4.3 | View |
| 10 | Alpicool NL9 9L Compressor Car Fridge | £88.22 | 4.4 | View |
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TZS First Austria 25L Electric Cool Box, 12V/230V
Highest rating count in the list — 1,668 reviews at 4.6 — and the only electric cool box here that admits its gross and net capacity in the same sentence.
Pros
- 1,668 ratings at 4.6 stars, with 81% five-star
- States both figures: 32L gross, 25L net
- Dual power from a 12V car lead or 220-240V mains
- Runs at 49dB or under, with cables stored in the lid
- Cools 18°C below ambient and warms to +50°C
Cons
- 18°C below ambient is not a fixed temperature — around 12°C in a 30°C car
- No compressor, so it cannot freeze anything
- Spec sheet lists a BS 4573 shaver plug rather than a mains plug
- 58W cooling draw against the Crystals 26L's 40W
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“My first order of this item never arrived but after finding a way to contact the seller through Amazon chat the matter was rapidly resolved and less than 48 hours the toolbox arrived. Very impressed.So far only test it but after an hour the cold temperature on eco had dropped from 23 to 12 oC.”
Verified purchase“I'm really happy with the cold box. I have a couple of observations. First, it can be really heavy when full. The box itself is quite heavy on its own. Something to remember if you need to carry it any distance. Second, I hadn't thought about the possibility of condensation building up inside the box. Don't put cardboard boxes in the bottom or paper bags. Run the cold box on "eco" wherever possible.I haven't tried the heating function yet.”
This sits at the top on the strength of its review base: 1,668 ratings at 4.6 stars, with 81% of those ratings five-star and only 5% at one or two stars. The cooling claim is 18°C below ambient, and the unit draws 58W while cooling and 52W while heating. Crucially, the capacity is the one figure here that is honest about itself — the bullet reads '32-litre gross capacity (25L net)', so the 25 litres you are buying is the usable number, not the box size.
It is a thermoelectric box, which means there is no compressor and nothing to seize the way a fridge compressor can. Dual leads cover a 12V cigarette lighter and a 220-240V mains socket, noise is quoted at 49dB or under, and the lid has an integrated cable compartment. In practice that makes it a picnic and camping box rather than a kitchen fridge, which is exactly what most buyers want it for.
That said, 18°C below ambient is not a set temperature. On a 30°C afternoon the box is aiming for roughly 12°C — fine for drinks, wrong for anything you would not leave out. Worth noting too: the specification lists a 'moulded 2-pin BS 4573 UK Shaver plug', while the bullet promises a mains socket connection. Those are not the same thing, so check what arrives. If you need 0°C or below, skip this and look at a compressor model.
EUHOMY 40L Compressor Car Fridge, 12V/240V, App Control
The only machine here with a real compressor, two zones and app control — and a price to match, at £5.00 a litre.
Pros
- Compressor cooling from 25°C to 0°C, quoted at about 15 minutes
- Dual-zone storage with a grid basket
- Adapters included for 110/240V AC and 12/24V DC
- Three-level battery protection and 42dB operation
- Bluetooth app control and an electronic lock
Cons
- £199.99 for 40L works out at £5.00 a litre
- No net capacity published, so the 40L cannot be verified
- The cooling-time bullet is truncated in the listing
- Five one-star ratings, and the biggest outlay here
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“I would recommend this fridge I was in a tent in 29c outside temp hotter in tent it stayed between 1c-5c over 3 days the only thing I will say this only has one zone not two zone as in instructions it has one big compartment that works fine the small compartment has no temp control and does not get cold the fridge freezer looks good quantity ps you use it as @fridge or freezer not both at once I haven't tried it on freezer setting but as @ fridge it works really well for uk”
Verified purchase“Solved the problem of having raw fed dogs when away in our camper, had one section for their food and other half for ours so could actually take a weeks or mores supply of food away with us and not have to worry about finding a shop, very pleased with it”
Second place goes to the one product in this list that is a fridge rather than a cooler. Its compressor is quoted as pulling 25°C down to 0°C in about 15 minutes, although the listing's own text cuts off mid-number at 'within 15', so there is no unit to check. Two storage zones and a grid basket let you separate food, and the spec lists a convertibility setting so the freezer section can be switched on or off.
Power is the point of the design. Adapters for 110/240V AC and 12/24V DC are both supplied, with three levels of battery protection so the box cuts out before it flattens a car battery. Noise is quoted at 42dB, second quietest in this list. Meanwhile a Bluetooth module allows app control from the driver's seat, and the anti-slip base is there to stop the unit sliding across a boot on a roundabout.
However, £199.99 for 40 litres is £5.00 a litre, roughly two and a half times the Crystals 26L. The listing never states a net capacity, so the 40L claim is unverified in exactly the way the cheap boxes' figures are. Even so, five one-star ratings out of 912 is a short tail. If you want a compressor car fridge for a campervan, this is the one to beat; if you want cold cans in a garden, it is overkill.
Crystals 26L Electric Cool Box, 12V DC & 240V AC
The cheapest box here per litre at £1.85, and the one whose spec sheet contradicts itself hardest.
Pros
- £47.97 for 26 litres — £1.85 a litre, the cheapest here
- Heats to 65°C as well as cooling 15°C below ambient
- Both a 12V DC car lead and a 240V AC lead included
- 30 x 40 x 43cm, with 1.5-litre bottles standing upright
Cons
- Spec sheet lists a 24-litre freezer capacity on a box that cannot freeze
- Cools only 15°C below ambient — around 12°C in a warm car
- No dial to a set temperature, just a cooling delta
- Six ratings out of every hundred are one or two stars
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“Decent bit of kit... mainly used for work pack up box and 2 ,1.5ltr bottles of juice. I use two small ice blocks and find everything perfectly cool especially the drinks over a ten hour day. Very quiet just a gentle hum on the seat next to me... highly recommend”
Verified purchase“Brilliant cool box. Keeps everything cool when plugged in the car as the description said. Supplied with 12v cable that is long enough to keep the box in the rear footwell 10/10”
At £47.97 for 26 litres, this works out at £1.85 a litre — around half the Amazon Basics box and a third of the EUHOMY. It heats to 65°C and cools to 15°C below air temperature, drawing 40W cooling and 46W heating at 12V. Another bullet states that 1.5-litre bottles stand upright inside, which for most buyers is a more useful measurement than any litre figure on this page.
This is a thermoelectric cool box with two leads supplied: 12V DC for the car and 240V AC for the house. As a result it covers a picnic and a spare-room drinks stash equally well. The shell measures 30cm deep by 40cm wide by 43cm tall, which fits a boot without a fight — more than the wheeled boxes manage.
That said, the specification carries a problem the marketing copy does not mention: it lists a freezer capacity of 24 litres on a box whose cooling method is thermoelectric. A unit that only reaches 15°C below ambient cannot freeze anything. Either way, this is a box for drinks and sandwiches, not ice cream.
Amazon Basics 24L Electric Cool Box, 12V/230V
The only electric cool box here that publishes both gross and net capacity — 24L total, 22L net — and the only one quoting an absolute temperature.
Pros
- Publishes 24L total and 22L net in the same bullet
- Quotes absolute cooling: about 6°C at a 24°C ambient
- ECO mode draws just 8W on a 230V mains supply
- Handle locks the lid shut and supports it open
- Ships with divider, UK and EU mains leads and a DC cable
Cons
- 22L net is the smallest usable capacity in the top five
- 11% of ratings are three-star and 6% one-star
- ECO mode needs 230V, so it will not work in the car
- No compressor, so no freezing
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“I'm really loving this little travel fridge, and really want to buy another one to double the volume and possible usage scenarios as its exactly what I was after (a compact additional fridge for home, travel and picnics)! It really is just so cute, and I've found its performance (after 6 months of usage) to be excellent! I only use the cold mode as the heater is irrelevant for my needs. Would have preferred an additional 'mid' setting instead but it's impressive how versatile it is with having that all the same! For example when you're camping and cooking on a Trangia you could use it to keep food warm as you build up complex or multi course meals etc!I've used it through winter on quiet/eco mode then through summer on normal mode (louder naturally but not OTT and certainly necessary) ...considering heat waves are the new norm! Throughout this it has been excellent and a cherished addition. It's really well made and designed (it feels very rugged and made of high quality materials)! Essentially, it's incredible value for the price and been used continuously. Further, it can be easily wiped down externally and internally for essential hygiene/cleanliness!With some thoughtful layout you can fit lots of things in it as you can see. (Eggs, tomatoes, Avocados, Peppers, Cheese, Salad, Milk and still space for more)! I purposely purchased a series of stackable Sistema storage boxes (different sizes based on its internal dimensions) these allow me to be flexible in how I use them/it.Temperature retention is excellent but you have to be thoughtful naturally. It shouldn't be left in a hot vehicle but instead kept in cool shade with good ventilation so the temp is always ambient and not allowed to build (go figure)! Every time you open it you let the cold out and warm air in. So don't treat it like a compressor fridge and it will perform very well (be organised and plan)!As it uses a small fan (thermo electric) sure there's noise but it is not overly loud in normal mode. In quiet mode it's like a whisper! My PC workstation produces around as much noise so it's not excessive to me. I wouldn't want to sleep with my head right next to it (I'd use ear plugs for that ) but then I'd place it in an awning or tent annexe also (out of the way) not an issue!The thing that is super useful about it is that in the absence of power its simply reverts to being a cool box! Thus, you can plug it in when you can and then throw a bag of ice in it any other time (or those cute little frozen reusable blocks that you can often get from the facilities of campsites) when in a remote location or setting.Personally I take a remote travel battery with me wherever I go (EcoFlow River 2, Jackery or DJI - they are super useful technologies). My River 2 can easily be used to power this or anything else as it is a very low power device unlike a compressor! Again be organised/plan!I think the size is perfect as its super compact, takes up very little space and if you need more cool storage space simply get another one and divide how they are used (one for frequent opening the other for occasional opening etc). All in all an excellent product and very smitten!”
Verified purchase“Used this on a caravan trip to keep food cold during the journey. Taking advice from other reviews, I ran this empty on full overnight before loading with chilled food and wine. During a warm days journey, plugged into the socket in the car boot on the lowest setting, it kept everything pretty cold. Some bottles were left overnight without power and these were still cold in the morning, a testament to the quality of the insulation.All in all, a good way of transporting and storing chilled food and drink. Just don't expect it to quickly chill food like a fridge - it is designed to keep cold more than make cold.”
This is the most transparent listing in the category. It gives 24L total and 22L net in the same bullet, and it quotes an absolute cooling figure rather than a drop: approximately 6°C at a 24°C ambient. That is a number you can plan around, unlike '18°C below ambient', which changes with the weather. The 4.3-star score comes from 262 ratings.
Two modes split the job. Max mode handles the cooling; ECO mode runs at just 8W and requires a 230V supply, which makes overnight indoor use realistic rather than aspirational. The handle locks the lid shut for carrying and props it open while you load, and the box ships with a divider, UK and EU mains leads and a DC cable. Outside, it measures 30 x 39.8 x 43.5cm with one adjustable shelf.
In practice, though, 22 usable litres is the smallest net capacity in the top five. The histogram is also less forgiving than the headline score suggests: 11% of ratings are three-star and 6% are one-star. By contrast, the Crystals boxes give you more litres for less money. If you want a capacity figure you can trust before it arrives, nothing else here matches this one.
TZS First Austria Wheeled Cool Box, 40L or 45L
The only wheeled box here, and the clearest example of the capacity problem: 40L in the title, 45L in the bullet and the spec.
Pros
- 45 litres on the spec sheet, holding 65 cans or 15 wine bottles
- Wheels and a telescopic handle, so no lifting
- Dual 12V and 230V connections with cable storage in the lid
- Cools 18°C below ambient and warms to 50°C
- 4.3 stars from 233 ratings
Cons
- Title says 40L, bullet and spec say 45L
- 11% one-star ratings — the highest share in this list
- Thermoelectric, so no freezing and no set temperature
- Spec lists a shaver plug rather than a mains plug
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“Excellent quality fridge, arrived really well packaged. We took it on our camping trip during the Aug 26 heatwave. The fridge performed magnificently, it kept milk, cheese, beers and butter very well refrigerated, despite it being +40c in the tent at the height of the afternoon sun. The instructions said it can reduce the ambient temperature by 18c, so by rights, the food and beers should have been cooking in there (at about 22c!). However, this beauty kept everything about 8c somehow. We were very impressed. Been camping for years and this was the first year we took a fan instead of a heater! Getting a chilled beer out of the fridge when it was needed the most, deserves a Nobel prize IMO. Also, my wife probably would have divorced me if I pulled luke-warm cheese or of it. Joking aside, this fridge surpassed our expectations, is light to carry, even has wheels too. Wish we bought this years ago.”
Verified purchase“Very good service. Cool box is brilliant. Holds plenty of cans & bottles. Takes a while to cool down but after a few hours drinks are as cold as when in a full size fridge.Great value for money & is easy to move around with the wheels”
Its title says 40 litres. Its bullet and its specification both say 45. Five litres is the widest gap in this list between what the headline promises and what the details confirm, which is why a wheeled box is worth checking twice before you buy it online. The 45L figure is justified in the copy as holding up to 65 cans of 330ml, or 15 wine bottles lying down.
Mechanically it is a thermoelectric cool box like the cheaper TZS model: 18°C below ambient cooling, warming to 50°C, dual 12V and 230V connections, a built-in cable store in the lid and an internal divider. Being thermoelectric, it can only chill, never freeze. Sized at 55.5 x 39 x 41cm, it is the longest unit here, and the wheels plus telescopic handle are the reason to pick it over anything else in the list.
The catch is the ratings. This box scores 4.3 from 233 ratings, but 11% of them are one-star and 2% are two-star — the highest one-star share among the ten. Meanwhile the spec sheet repeats an oddity from its cheaper stablemate: a moulded 2-pin BS 4573 shaver plug listed as the power plug type, on a box whose bullet promises a 230V mains socket.
Igloo IE27 Electric Cool Box, 26L or 27L, 12V
The cheapest 12v electric cool box in this list at £59.82, and the lowest-rated — 4.1 stars with 10% one-star ratings.
Pros
- £59.82 — the cheapest 12V box in this list
- 2-year warranty, longer than most here
- 3.9kg, with the handle doubling as a lid support
- Two connection cables stored inside the lid
Cons
- 4.1 stars — the lowest score in this list
- 10% one-star and 4% two-star ratings
- 12V only, with no 240V mains lead
- Title says 26L, bullet and spec say 27L
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“Took this in a road trip to Scotland from London. Couple of ice blocks and everything was still frozen 9 hours later.Good product for the price.Difficult to get the leads stowed away.”
Verified purchase“Buen espacio cabe de sobras una botella de litro y medio de pie .No pesa vacía y enfría bastante bien o mantiene la temperatura si metes los alimentos y bebidas frías”
Igloo calls this the IE27 and sells it as 26 litres in the title. The bullet and the spec sheet both say 27. It is a 12v electric cool box only — the listing describes it as powered by 12V, with no 240V mains lead included — so it lives in the car, the boat or the caravan rather than the kitchen. Two connection cables store in the lid, and the handle doubles as a lid support while you load it.
At 3.9kg it is among the lighter boxes here, and it carries a 2-year warranty, which is longer cover than the Subcold's single year. Measured outside it is 29.6 x 39.6 x 44.4cm, compact for a box claiming 27 litres. The handle-as-lid-support design is a small thing that matters when you are packing one-handed on a wet campsite.
The catch is the ratings and the power. At £59.82 it is cheap, but 10% of its 270 ratings are one-star and a further 4% are two-star, and it is the only box in the top six with no mains option at all. If you want cold drinks at home as well as in the car, this is the wrong buy. If it only ever goes in a boot, it is £2.22 a litre.
Subcold Euro30 28L Electric Cool Box, 12V/240V
The quietest claim in the list at 26dB, and no two-star ratings at all out of 77 reviews.
Pros
- 26dB — the quietest claim in this list
- 28L holds 45 cans, with room for 1.5L and 2L bottles upright
- Runs on 12V DC, 240V mains or a portable power station
- No two-star ratings at all out of 77
- MAX mode cools 15-20°C below ambient; ECO mode saves power
Cons
- Only 77 ratings against 1,668 for the top pick
- 26dB is a manufacturer's claim, not a measurement
- Spec table lists chamber depth as '2E+1 centimetres'
- 1-year warranty, shorter than the Igloo's two
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“A great product which is both versatile by means of dual power connections together with a larger than normal capacityfor a range of items including 1.5 L bottles. A hinged lid which can be held open with the carry handle.Also good value when compared against the competition.”
Verified purchase“Recently used this cool box in a very warm caravan awning - on the coldest setting it kept the various soft drinks stored within refreshingly cold. Just the right size for a small awning and very very quiet. Based on this experience I would recommend this cool box.”
The Euro30 claims 28 litres and 45 standard cans, a capacity nobody else in this list occupies. Cooling is quoted at 15-20°C below ambient in MAX mode, with an ECO mode for shorter trips, and it holds 1.5L and 2L bottles upright. At £63.74 it works out at £2.28 a litre, mid-table for this group.
The noise figure is the headline: 26dB, against 42dB for the EUHOMY and 45dB for the Alpicool. It runs on 12V DC in the car, 240V at home, or a portable power station, which makes it a genuine portable electric cool box rather than a car-only one. The multi-position handle locks the lid for transport and props it half-open while packing. The warranty is one year.
Two things to weigh. First, 77 ratings is a thin base for a 4.5-star score — the 1,668 behind the TZS 25L are a far steadier signal. Second, the spec table gives a chamber depth of '2E+1 centimetres', which is 20cm written in scientific notation. If quiet running matters most, nothing here claims lower. If you want a long review history, this is a newer entry.
GlamHaus 30L Electric Cool Box, 12V/240V/USB
Three power leads — 240V, 12V and USB — in a listing that also advertises a 22-litre version in the same title.
Pros
- Three power options: 240V, 12V DC and USB
- Cools and warms, with PU foam insulation and an ice pack
- 30L body measuring 45.2 x 29.3 x 43.4cm
- 2-year warranty with UK spare-part support
Cons
- Title advertises both a 22L and a 30L version
- No wattage given for the USB lead
- £2.83 a litre — more than the wheeled 45-litre box
- 8% one-star ratings from 137 reviews
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“I used it for the first time a few weeks ago on a 170 miles drive including two stops for a break and when we arrived at our destination 7 hours later everything was still as if it was straight from the freezer. Slightly cumbersome but a small price”
Verified purchase“GOOD QUALITYCAN BE USED WITH 240V MAINS CABLE AND 12V CABLE IN CAR, INCLUDING A USB OPTION. ONE OF THE REASONS I BOUGHT IT.ONLY ISSUE THE ICE PACK WAS LEAKING WHEN IT ARRIVED AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS ARRANGED ANOTHER TO ARRIVE VIA AMAZON”
GlamHaus sells this as 'Large 22L or 30L Cool Box' in a single title, and the specification settles on 30 litres, so check which size you are adding to the basket. As a cool box hot and cold unit it warms as well as chills, using a Peltier thermoelectric system with PU foam insulation, high-quality seals and a supplied ice pack.
Three leads is unusual. You get a 240V adaptor for caravans and garden use, a 12V DC lead for the car, and a USB lead — although the listing does not state the wattage the box draws on USB, so there is no figure to check. The handle folds down, the insulation is polyurethane foam, and the 30-litre body measures 45.2 x 29.3 x 43.4cm. It carries a 2-year warranty with UK spare-part support.
However, 8% of its 137 ratings are one-star, and the price is £84.99 for 30 litres — £2.83 a litre, more than the wheeled 45-litre TZS at £2.22. If dual power options and a spare-part service matter more to you than price per litre, this makes sense. If you just want cold cans in a field, the cheaper Crystals boxes do the same job for less.
Crystals 33L Electric Cool Box, 12V DC & 240V AC
The cheapest way past 30 litres here — 33L for £61.90, or £1.88 a litre — with the shortest warranty in the list.
Pros
- 33L for £61.90 — £1.88 a litre, the cheapest past 30 litres
- Cools 15°C below ambient and heats to 65°C
- UK mains plug and a 12V car lead included
- Detachable lid and polypropylene body
Cons
- 30-day warranty, the shortest in this list
- 10% of 131 ratings are one or two stars
- 15°C below ambient is not a set temperature
- 43 x 33 x 46cm outside — around 65 litres of shell for a 33-litre claim
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“This functions as a really useful fridge for camping. It kept things as cool as a real fridge, even in a hot tent in a heatwave. Tall enough for most bottles, and a good size - more capacious than the typical 24L offering of others, but not so big as to completely take up all the boot space in your car. It's incredibly quiet too, even on the standard setting we slept no problem, and on the quiet setting it's practically silent. Yes, you'll collect a pool of condensation at the bottom, but that can't be avoided with this cooling technology, and is easily mitigated with a couple of sheets of kitchen roll/tea towel in the base to absorb.”
Verified purchase“Used once so far for 6 day camping trip so cannot comment on longevity. Replaced a smaller cooler that was 20 years old. It's never going to cool like a proper fridge but cooled enough with ambient temperatures in the high 30's. Hinged lid helps when opening and internal divider helps to keep things together. Will take upright 2l bottle if kept to one side. Foam cloths on the bottom soaks up condensation drips.Overall good value for money.”
Crystals' second entry is the cheapest route above 30 litres: 33L for £61.90 works out at £1.88 a litre, close to the 26-litre version's £1.85. It cools to 15°C below ambient and heats to 65°C, drawing 48-55W cooling and 45-50W heating. The lid detaches for cleaning and the body is polypropylene, with a carry handle and a UK mains plug plus a 12V car lead in the box.
The 43 x 33 x 46cm shell is the tallest here, and it is marketed as an electric cool box for car and home use. Note the arithmetic: those dimensions are roughly 65 litres of outside volume wrapped around a claimed 33-litre interior. That is normal for insulation, but it is why an electric cooler 12v and 240v almost always looks bigger in the photo than it does in your boot.
That said, the warranty is 30 days, against two years for the Igloo and one for the Subcold. Meanwhile 10% of its 131 ratings sit at one or two stars. If you want the most litres per pound and can live with a short guarantee, this is it. If you want a box you can still send back in year two, look elsewhere.
Alpicool NL9 9L Compressor Car Fridge
A real compressor fridge that reaches -20°C, in the smallest and most expensive-per-litre package here at £9.80 a litre.
Pros
- Compressor cooling from -20°C to 20°C
- Genuine freezer performance in a 9-litre body
- 12V/24V DC and 100-240V AC adapters included
- Three-level battery protection and 45° anti-tilt operation
- 91 kWh a year — the only energy rating in this list
Cons
- £88.22 for 9 litres works out at £9.80 a litre
- 9% one-star ratings from 79 reviews
- 45dB is louder than the Subcold's 26dB claim
- 6.4kg, against the Igloo's 3.9kg for 27 litres
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“Just received this fridge/freezer and thought I'd plug it in to see what it's like, so I plugged it in and thought it's not working but I was wrong it's so quiet you can't hear it when it's on, so left the fridge for about 45 minutes with the setting -20 and when I come back to it was saying -20 on panel and inside was ice cold with even a small amount of ice on the inside this is going to be a game changer for myself and wife can stop in local supermarket when we are out and about buy some ice creams etc instead of paying through the nose off vendors absolute brilliant we only bought the 9litre but that's plenty of room for us”
Verified purchase“Bought this summer because our home fridge was running too warm for my medication (requires circa 3°C to 8°C or 38°F to 46°F). I didn't think my meds would survive at home while I was on holiday, so I took them with me in the 9-litre Alpicool, running off the car's 12 volt outlet. The refrigerator in our rented caravan was nowhere near cold enough in the sustained heat, so we kept the Alpicool running, and it never missed a beat. Super-cool and top value.”
The NL9 is the only sub-10-litre box in this list and one of only two that can genuinely freeze, because it uses a compressor rather than a thermoelectric plate. It cools from -20°C to 20°C and holds 12 cans of 355ml or 11 bottles of 500ml. At £88.22 for 9 litres it is £9.80 a litre — more than five times the Crystals 26L and nearly double the EUHOMY. You are paying for real freezing in a box that fits a footwell.
This is a compressor car fridge built for vehicles: 12V/24V DC and 100-240V AC adapters are included, with three levels of battery protection, and the unit is rated to keep cooling on inclines up to 45°. Noise is quoted at 45dB and annual consumption at 91 kWh — the only energy figure anywhere in this list.
Even so, 9 litres is not much food, and 9% of its 79 ratings are one-star, a higher share than the Amazon Basics' 6%, on the thinnest review base in the top ten. At 6.4kg it also weighs more than the Igloo, which holds 27 litres. If you need ice and frozen food on a long drive, nothing cheaper here will do it. If you want to keep a picnic cool, this is the most expensive way to do it.
Final Verdict
Two boxes carry this list. For most homes, the TZS 25L at £69.95 is the sensible first electric cool box: 1,668 ratings at 4.6 stars, dual 12V and 230V leads included, and the only listing that tells you its net capacity. If you need genuine fridge temperatures rather than 'colder than the car', the EUHOMY 40L compressor at £199.99 cools towards 0°C and splits into two zones, though it costs £5.00 a litre against the Crystals 26L's £1.85. And if the box will only ever live in a boot, the Igloo IE27 is the cheapest 12v electric cool box here at £59.82 — but 4.1 stars and 10% one-star ratings explain its place at the bottom.
Written by
Felipe Iglesias
Founder & Lead Reviewer
Felipe is a computational engineering student who has been working in SEO since he was sixteen. He founded ranked10 and researches every guide on the site.
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