Boat Refrigerator Guide: 12V Fridge, Drawer, Portable Cooler or Cold Machine?
Keeping food and drinks cold on a boat comes down to four options: a built-in compressor refrigerator, a portable electric cooler, a drop-in cooling unit for the icebox you already have, or a custom system built around your own box. Each one fits a different boat and a different way of using it. This guide compares them using Dometic’s published specifications for the refrigeration products we carry, so you can pick the right type before you worry about the model.
The short answer
- A galley or cabin with a cutout: a built-in 12/24V compressor refrigerator such as the Dometic NRX, in door or drawer versions.
- A center console or a boat without a galley: a portable electric cooler such as the Dometic CFX5, which runs on 12/24V DC and on AC.
- An existing insulated icebox you want to keep: a self-contained Dometic Cold Machine CSX that drops into the box.
- A custom or large box, or a fish box: a Dometic Cold Machine condensing unit (CX) paired with an evaporator (VX).
Built-in compressor refrigerators: Dometic NRX
The NRX line is a compact compressor refrigerator designed for installation on board, fitted into a cabinet cutout. We carry it in 35, 50, 60, 80, 115 and 130 liter sizes, with door versions in dark silver (C), black (E) and matte stainless steel (S), plus drawer versions in 50 and 60 liters for tight galleys where a swinging door gets in the way.
Dometic lists a variable-speed compressor with three operating modes, a removable freezer compartment (4.4 liters on the 35 and 50, 6.1 liters on the 60 and 80, 8.2 liters on the 115 and 130) that can come out to use the whole cabinet as a refrigerator, a reversible door hinge, and a winter mode that holds the door slightly open to air the cabinet out while the boat is laid up. Installation frames, standard or flush mount, are sold as accessories.
Power: the NRX runs on 12 or 24 volts DC. Dometic states the C series is DC only and needs the AC/DC converter, part number 9620013451, to run from AC power. Rated input power is listed at 50 W for the 35 and 50 liter models, 55 W for the 60 and 80, and 70 W for the 115 and 130.
| NRX size | Freezer compartment | Rated input | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 L | 4.4 L | 50 W | NRX 35C |
| 50 L | 4.4 L | 50 W | NRX 50C |
| 60 L | 6.1 L | 55 W | NRX 60C |
| 80 L | 6.1 L | 55 W | NRX 80C |
| 115 L | 8.2 L | 70 W | NRX 115C |
| 130 L | 8.2 L | 70 W | NRX 130C |
Portable electric coolers: Dometic CFX5
The CFX5 is a compressor cooler, not an ice chest: it refrigerates or freezes with no ice at all, and Dometic lists a temperature range from -7°F to 68°F. It runs on AC from 110 to 240 volts and on 12 or 24 volts DC, so the same cooler works on the boat, in the truck and at home. A Bluetooth app shows temperature and energy use and alerts you when the lid is left open, and a three stage battery protection system is designed to stop it from draining a starting battery.
We carry the CFX5 25 (about 40 cans), 35, 45 (67 cans), 55IM, 75DZ and 95DZ (up to 133 cans, dual zone). On a center console with no galley, a portable cooler is often the simplest way to replace ice for good.
Turning an icebox into a refrigerator: Dometic Cold Machine
Many boats already have a well insulated icebox built into the galley or the cockpit. Instead of replacing it, you can add refrigeration to it with a Dometic Cold Machine.
Self-contained CSX. The CSX150FZ, CSX200 and CSX400 combine the compressor, a fan-cooled evaporator and digital temperature control in one unit that drops into the box and connects to 12 or 24 volts DC, with no remote refrigerant couplings to make. Dometic lists them for boxes up to 150, 200 and 400 liters, with R1234yf low global warming potential refrigerant and, in its words, up to 20% lower power consumption than the previous models.
Split CX and VX. For a custom or larger box, the Cold Machine is built from two parts: a condensing unit (CX100, CX250 or CX400) mounted outside the box, and an evaporator inside it. Evaporators come as flat roll-bond plates (VX150, VX250) or fan-cooled units (VX150FZ, VX200F, VX400F), which Dometic describes as giving faster pull-down and more even temperature, and as particularly suited to high ambient temperatures. Quick-connect couplings join the two, and the VX200F lists a 2.2 meter refrigerant line so the compressor can sit where there is space and air. Match both parts to the volume of your box.
Planning the power
A boat refrigerator runs around the clock, so the question is not only the rated input but how many hours the compressor runs, which depends on insulation, how often it is opened and how hot the boat gets. As a starting point, a 50 W rating works out to a little over 4 amps at 12 volts while the compressor is running. Size the battery bank and the charging (alternator, shore charger or solar) for a full day of that duty, and keep the refrigerator on its own properly fused circuit. If the boat sits on shore power, a DC refrigerator still runs from the batteries, so the battery charger has to keep up with it.
Can a boat refrigerator run on shore power?
Portable coolers like the Dometic CFX5 run on AC from 110 to 240 volts as well as 12 or 24 volts DC. Built-in NRX refrigerators run on 12 or 24 volts DC, and Dometic states the C series needs its AC/DC converter, part number 9620013451, to run directly from AC. On most boats the DC refrigerator simply runs from the batteries while the shore charger keeps them topped up.
What size refrigerator do I need on a boat?
As a rough guide, for day trips on a small boat, a 25 to 45 liter portable cooler usually covers drinks and food for a few people. For weekends aboard, a 50 to 80 liter built-in refrigerator is a common galley size. Larger cruising boats and long trips move to 115 to 130 liters or to a Cold Machine in a big insulated box.
Can I convert my boat icebox into a refrigerator?
Yes. A self-contained Dometic Cold Machine CSX drops into an existing insulated box and runs on 12 or 24 volts DC. For a larger or custom box, a CX condensing unit outside the box and a VX evaporator inside do the same job. Pick the unit rated for the volume of your box.
Is a portable cooler better than a built-in refrigerator on a boat?
It depends on the boat. A portable compressor cooler needs no installation, moves between boat, car and home, and suits center consoles and boats without a galley. A built-in refrigerator frees deck space, looks finished in a galley and usually offers a separate freezer compartment. Both use compressors and neither needs ice.
Shop marine refrigeration
Every model above is in our Marine Refrigerators category and on the Dometic brand page. Not sure which one fits your boat? Call (786) 277-2596 with the space or the icebox dimensions and we will help you choose.