An RV refrigerator is a must-have for everyone who wants to live the camper van life. It helps you keep food and beverages cold and fresh, as well as to prolong its life. With its straightforward features and compact design, you can still bring along with you some convenience despite living off-grid.
But even if you don’t own an RV, you can still benefit from having a compact RV refrigerator. If you have experienced an electricity cut during a bad storm or snowfall, you know that having appliances that do not rely solely on electricity to work is a great investment. And propane ref included.
A propane refrigerator is usually installed in RVs and uses gas as its power source. Yet, most models utilize two or more power sources to make it more flexible to your needs and situation. You can keep a propane RV refrigerator at home as an emergency backup, or have one in your bar, garden, garage, or room where you do not have immediate access to electricity.
Even if your camper fridge utilizes gas or electricity, it does not mean that it automatically consumes less energy. In fact, when looking for an RV refrigerator, you have to check the gas consumption or energy efficiency versus your needs. You don’t want an RV refrigerator that chugs your gas fast, leaving you without a power source in the middle of nowhere.
There are different sizes and capacities of an RV refrigerator to choose from. Consider your needs and choose the one that best fits your lifestyle. For this review, I am focusing on the compact ones, which are below 5 cubic feet. You will also not get short of designs and finishes for your RV refrigerator.
Do you want to know what are the best compact RV refrigerators in Amazon today? Here are the top 3 products that made it to our list this year.
Best Compact RV Refrigerator – (Comparison)
| Name | Key Feature | |
| Norcold N412UR RV Refrigerator – 4.5 cubic feet – AC/LP – (Editor’s Choice) | Automatic fire re-ignition | Check Price |
| SMETA 3 Way Fridge 2.1 Cu.ft Outdoors Refrigerator without Freezer | 3-way power source – propane gas, 110-volt AC source, or 12-V DC source | Check Price |
| Techomey Propane Refrigerator 2.1 Cu.Ft, Camper Refrigerator 12 V/110V/GAS LPG | Versatile to be installed on a countertop, as a freestanding appliance, or a built-in one | Check Price |
Norcold N412UR RV Refrigerator – 4.5 cubic feet – AC/LP – Editor’s Choice
This RV refrigerator makes it easier for you to operate and service it with fewer hassles. It comes with automatic functions and an easy-to-clean body and finishes.
This Norcold RV refrigerator comes with a medium-size capacity of 4.5 cubic feet to fit more food and beverage to bring along on your trips, stock up on your bar, or store up in your RV. It also comes with a freezer for some frozen items like meats and desserts. You can load up the inside as well as the inner door side of your RV refrigerator to maximize the space.
The Norcold refrigerator can be powered either by gas or electricity. It also changes the power source automatically depending on the availability. Meanwhile, another automatic function is flame ignition. It automatically re-ignites the flame for uninterruptible use. This RV refrigerator also runs in automatic cycles to keep frost from building up on the cooling fans.
The Norcold fridge is installed with a two-way/reversible door. The door also opens close to 180 degrees – 150 degrees to be exact, so you can fit your food and beverage stash more properly. This also allows you to fit it in a cabinet-style space in your RV or anywhere in your home. The door also self-latches for your convenience. Meanwhile, this RV refrigerator comes with a door latch lock so it remains closed during motion, particularly when it is installed in your RV or camper van.
The Norcold RV fridge comes with programmed control diagnostics that track important data about your refrigerator, which can be very helpful in the event of servicing or repair. Meanwhile, the parts are also easy to clean, with some even removable.
Pros
- With a medium-size capacity of 4.5 cubic feet
- Comes with a freezer
- Can be powered either by gas or electricity
- Automatic fire re-ignition
- Runs in automatic cycles to keep frost from building up on the cooling fans
- Comes with programmed control diagnostics that track important data about your refrigerator
- Comes with a door latch lock
- The door opens at 150 degrees
- With spacious compartments and with door interior having shelves as well
- Installed with two-way/reversible, self-latching door
Cons
- Expensive
Conclusion
The Norcold N412UR RV Refrigerator – 4.5 cubic feet – AC/LP is your functional and reliable RV refrigerator that provides the space and features similar to a full-sized refrigerator at home.
SMETA 3 Way Fridge 2.1 Cu.ft Outdoors Refrigerator without Freezer
This RV refrigerator is can be powered in 3 ways so you’ll be more flexible with your appliance. Whether you use it as a back fridge, as a fridge in your bar or garden, or to be installed in your RV, you can use it with no hassles. You can use propane gas from the tank, plug it into a 110-volt AC source, or to a 12-V DC source. It already comes with a pressure regulator so you can use it almost immediately. In the same way, it also includes a power cord for the DC source.
This 12v RV refrigerator is versatile with power sources so you can still use it with what’s available in your area. Just remember to use one power source at a time to avoid damaging the appliance. It is just reassuring to know that you have different choices to power up your RV refrigerator.
The SMETA 3 way RV refrigerator is not the compressor type, so it may take a while before it cools after it is opened for the first time. It also does not contain Freon, which means less maintenance on your end. And since this RV refrigerator does not have a compressor, it also runs quietly.
This RV refrigerator gas and electric is also compact at 2.1 cubic feet in total capacity. It comes with removable shelves so it will be versatile with your needs. You can also organize your food and drinks inside with these shelves.
For convenience, this RV refrigerator comes in dual/reversible door openings. This is also to allow you to fit it in any space and still will not have any trouble accessing it.
Meanwhile, this SMETA RV refrigerator is energy-efficient and has a low power requirement of 65 watts. It also consumes about 0.4-pounds of propane gas per day on average. Its thermostat control can be adjusted between 32 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it does not come with a freezer.
This camper refrigerator comes with an intuitive control interface located conveniently on the top of the door. It comes with rotary knobs for flame control and temperature control, and an on/off switch. It also comes with a flame indicator.
Pros
- 3-way power source – propane gas, 110-volt AC source, or 12-V DC source
- Thermostat control between 32 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit
- 65-watts; consumes at an average of 0.4 pounds of gas per day
- Intuitive control interface with rotary knobs for flame control and temperature control, and an on/off switch
- Compact in size at 2.1 cubic feet or 60-liter capacity
- Reversible door opening
- An absorption fridge
Cons
- Non-auto defrost option
Conclusion
The SMETA 3 Way Fridge 2.1 Cu.ft Outdoors Refrigerator without Freezer is a dependable RV refrigerator that provides ample space for your food and beverage stash.
Techomey Propane Refrigerator 2.1 Cu.Ft, Camper Refrigerator 12 V/110V/GAS LPG
This RV refrigerator is pretty straightforward with its functions but still remains reliable for all your needs, whether as an emergency backup appliance, as a companion for your off-grid life, or as a personal appliance for your office, bar, or room.
This RV fridge also runs through 3 power sources – 12 volts DC, 110 volts AC, and propane gas. This allows you to be more flexible with your purpose for it, particularly for RVs and camper vans that might go off-grid once in a while.
As a propane fridge, this RV refrigerator roughly consumes about 0.8 pounds of propane per day on average. Meanwhile, as a 12 volt RV refrigerator, it consumes about 0.7 kWh per day.
The Techomey Propane Refrigerator 2.1 Cubic Feet Camper Refrigerator 12 V/110V/GAS LPG runs using absorption cooling technology. This RV refrigerator does not utilize a compressor, does not use Freon, and also runs quietly in the background. Being so lessens your carbon footprint while remaining efficient and reliable.
Aside from running using the absorption cooling system, it also has an auto-defrost feature that keeps ice from building up on the fans. This RV propane refrigerator also has a thermostat control that adjusts the temperature from 32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It is only at 65 watts, with intuitive controls, and comes with both fridge and door shelf storage.
This RV refrigerator is also versatile to be installed on a countertop, as a freestanding appliance, or a built-in one.
Pros
- Runs through 3 power sources – 12 volts DC, 110 volts AC, and propane gas
- Consumes about 0.8 pounds of propane per day or about 0.7 kWh per day
- Uses absorption cooling technology
- Thermostat control between 32 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
- Versatile to be installed on a countertop, as a freestanding appliance, or a built-in one
Cons
- No freezer
Conclusion
The Techomey Propane Refrigerator 2.1 Cubic Feet Camper Refrigerator 12 V/110V/GAS LPG is a compact but functional RV refrigerator.
Final Verdict
Getting an RV refrigerator can be quite tricky since there are a lot of choices for you out there. But, it should not be a daunting experience throughout since we can help you narrow down your options through this review.
I find that the Norcold N412UR RV Refrigerator – 4.5 cubic feet – AC/LP provides you with the most convenience with its automatic features, thus, the best on this list.
The Norcold N412UR RV Refrigerator – 4.5 cubic feet. – AC/LP also comes with a freezer, which may come in handy during trips and while living the off-grid life. This RV refrigerator works similar to a full-sized refrigerator yet it is compact.