The car refrigerator with compressors is the most common type of 12-volt refrigerator you'll see on the road, and for good reason. These 12-volt refrigerators are typically designed for use in 4×4 vehicles and boats and are built with durability and efficiency in mind—two things you really need in an off-grid adventure vehicle.

    These 12-volt portable refrigerators feature high-efficiency, variable-speed compressors that consume very little power and can be used as refrigerators, freezers, or both, and they come in a variety of configurations—including chest, upright, and dual-zone refrigerator/freezers— They are usually able to operate on slopes of up to 30 degrees (other types of refrigerators need to be perfectly level when operating).

    As great as compressor refrigerators are, they do have one downside - cost. These 12-volt refrigerators are more expensive than other options, and that's before you consider the need to add auxiliary batteries and charging methods such as solar panels or battery isolators.

    But if your goal is to turn your van into a comfortable off-grid mobile home, investing in a high-quality 12V compressor refrigerator is totally worth it.

    Freezers tend to have thicker insulation than refrigerators, which means your DIY fridge will be more efficient than a standard mini fridge.

    The general idea is to take a freezer, plug it into a small inverter, and connect it to the thermostat you set to your fridge temperature. The thermostat is connected to a relay that turns the inverter on and off as needed. When the temperature inside the refrigerator is higher than our target, the relay turns on the inverter. Once the refrigerator reaches the low temperature you set, the relay turns off the inverter. This keeps it from overcooling and also keeps the power draw from keeping the inverter on all the time.

    Zhejiang Yunge Electric Co., Ltd. is a Chinese manufacturer of car bridge freezers, which sells 12-volt cooler refrigerators cars, small portable car refrigerators, and other high-quality products all year round.