EdgeStar Fridge/Freezer 43 qt

[Corbet]

I'm bummed to hear this as well as I was thinking of getting one as a 2nd fridge. But like Christo and Kevin. My Engel has been a champ. Its been running 4.5 years straight since the day I got it. I guess I'll ave to save my pennies for a MT60 down the road.

 

[Caribou Sandstorm]

Sorry to hear there are issues..

For what it's worth mine is running great and works in the heat just fine.

I have the smaller 42 qt, I wonder if the smaller ones are more reliable? Less space to cool. I also bought the extended warranty.

 

[nakman]

My Engel in the 80 is also a champ.. clearly a better product. Was hard to justify dropping all that dough though on a second fridge, I was hoping I could get away with the cheaper one on the second truck.. but hey you get what you pay for. tune in tomorrow for the next chapter..

 

[satchel]

Well it looks like I'm going to go ahead and buy an ARB or Engel tomorrow as my wife is wanting something for the Ouray trip. In the meantime, I'm going to try and get my money back, but if I can't, I'll send it in for repair (free 90 day repairs) and then post it up for sale for $100 off and see if anyone wants it.

So, being that I want a large fridge, would you guys go for Engel or ARB? The ARB 50qt looks like it is as close to the 64 that I have without being in the over $1000 range.

 

[Hulk]

I bought the ARB. I know the Engel is legendary for reliability, but the features of the ARB are so darn nice. It was nice to be able to compare them both at Slee Off-Road.

 

[satchel]

Does anyone think the ARB is inferior to the Engel? I've heard great things about both, but had heard nothing but great things about the edgestar too when I bought it. I'm going to spend the extra cash and get a better fridge, but would any of you say one is better than the other. Mostly I'm looking at reliability issues, but all comments are welcome. I'm leaning towards the ARB because it is 50 qts vs Engel's 43 qts for the same price.

 

[satchel]

And just to go on the record about edgestar customer service, several people mentioned that it was great for them, but I've had the same experience as Nakman where it is pretty much impossible to get a human on the phone without waiting a couple of days for them to call you back.

 

[wesintl]

I can only comment on my norcold since that's what I have. I know you can still pickup scratch and dent models for 450-500. I've had mine for something like 5 years and it's a champ (knock on wood)

 

[Corbet]

Does anyone think the ARB is inferior to the Engel?

I know of one person with that feels that way but I can't mention a name. He has a lot of experience with both.

My neighbor has the ARB and comparing it to my Engel it sure as some nicer features. IMO the Engel is just plain simplicity nothing more. I just wish we got the digital temp readout like AU here in the USA.

 

[nakman]

It was nice to be able to compare them both at Slee Off-Road.

x2 Satchel you should go check them both out at Slee's shop in Golden, the latching of the lid is significantly different on the two, also the Engel's allow you to do a mod to make it open sideways, I don't think the ARB could do that but I'm not sure... and don't know if that's important to you. I hear the amp draw is a little lower with ARB but I don't know the numbers.. I bet Christo does.

 

[Corbet]

you can get that add a lid thing for the Engel to increase its size when needed. But that has its drawbacks too. (height/price).

 

[Hulk]

I hear the amp draw is a little lower with ARB but I don't know the numbers.. I bet Christo does.

Hmmm. I thought the opposite was true. The ARB will get colder, faster, but the Engel is a low draw champion.

There's no way to move the lid to a side-open configuration, but on the plus side, the ARB lid is easily removable when you need to pull it off (and easy to put back on, too).

The latest issue of Overland Journal had a review of most of the currently available fridge/freezers.

 

[satchel]

Update to the status of my return: I called Edgestar and they again transfer me to voicemail. I wrote them back again saying that they need to have someone around that can answer a call or answer emails instead of always saying they’ll call me back when it’s convenient for them and at a time when I’m at work and probably won’t be able to talk anyway. I told them in email that they needed to give me a refund and they directed me to compactappliance.com.

Wrote compactappliance.com and they said I could not be helped via email either (why list email on your customer service page then) and requested that I call them. I called at lunch and finally got someone on the phone. In talking to the rep on the phone, I mentioned the statement by EdgeStar that the coolers don’t work well above 100 degrees as stated by Nakman, and that my intention was to have this sitting in my truck most the time which would consistently be over 100 degrees and that they should add something about this in their description on the website or at least call EdgeStar to verify this. His statement, “Why would you assume that this product would work in your car? Would you also assume it would work in space?”. My response, “You sell the Engel fridges as well which come with tie downs and slides specifically made for a car, yet they do not specifically claim that they work well in a car. Don’t you think it is realistic that a person might look at both these fridges, especially seeing the accessories that are made for cars, and assume both would have no problems being mounted in a car?”. He basically said that they cannot write descriptions on their website about every possible assumption people might make. I see his point, but I don’t think it’s a far fetched assumption that this would work in a car, and I think the edgestar in most cases does work fine in a car over 100 degrees, but if in fact it doesn’t like their reps state, I feel there should be some sort of description added.

Anyway, they said they would refund, so I guess I’m going to try out the ARB next. Sorry for the rant, but that guy is frustrating.

 

[nakman]

I was on hold for another hour today with Repair Master... nice light jazz, I was able to complete 4 expense reports and quote 2 projects while on hold... but they aren't able to help me, can't refer me to a repair service center. Best they could do is suggest I look in the phone book, find someone, then I get reimbursed for the service.. and they work with Edgestar on parts. I'm ready to return this thing- I tried calling Edge Star again but only had 5 minutes then had to go to a meeting...

 

[nakman]

Hmmm. I thought the opposite was true. The ARB will get colder, faster, but the Engel is a low draw champion.

.

Wait I thought it was you who told me that... maybe you said ARB's amp draw is lower than it used to be?

FWIW, I really like the sideways lid mod- enables you to flip it open in the back of the wagon, and it stays open without you holding it. When it opens "longways" it will smack the roof, and only leaves you a crack to get stuff through with your one free hand..

 

[sleeoffroad]

His statement, “Why would you assume that this product would work in your car? Would you also assume it would work in space?”.

Hugh? They list it under Travel Coolers on their site? How the hell are you going to travel with 12v other than by car? A horse with a battery strapped to the back?

and I quote from their site "this portable refrigerator freezer is great for boaters, campers, hunters, medical transportation/storage, recreational vehicles, cabins and all your outdoor applications. "

 

[nakman]

I got a hold of Edge Star, no returns after 60 days... so now I'm on the hunt for a refrigerator repair man who can work on these, so I can submit his quote to Repair Master for approval... any recommendations?

 

[satchel]

Yeah, I thought about the 12v plug right after I hung up. Makes me want to call him back and argue where else I would plug in a cigarette lighter cord. Doesn't really matter now as I get a refund, but I'm still paying to ship a heavy item back out to them which sucks.

 

[satchel]

Nakman, how long ago did you buy it? If it is fairly new, like within the last year or so, then I would submit a claim to the better business bureau stating that you were told it would not work well over 100 degrees but that it was never mentioned to you when you were buying it. I hate having to do that to a company, but if they are going to tell you that now, then they should have put that on the specs when you were buying it.

 

[rover67]

Wow, this is a bummer to hear.....

Mine started doing some funky stuff when i knocked the plug off of the back of it with a log that I threw in the truck a few weeks ago. I just figured it was that plug.

Either way mine stayed cool in moab when the interior temp of the truck was probably retarded hot... or maybe ti was just me that was retarded..

Jeeze, I hope it doesn't start to do what Trey's and Tim's is doing...

I bet that circuit board is pretty simple.. maybe there is a way to diagnose and fix what yours is doing tim?

Trey, glad you can return it...