Manufacturers of chest freezers have to get creative to come up with products that are low in energy consumption. The result is that there are many different options sold as 12v refrigerators, but they are not all the same. let's see.
Electric cooler
Electric coolers are the aforementioned landscaping freezers. They help keep ice frozen by using a small electrical current.
These types of coolers are very affordable, but they are not very effective. Simply put, they take the heat inside the cooler to the outside. There is no real refrigeration. Plus, they require a fair amount of energy to do the equivalent of freezing your ice for a while.
These are great solutions if you only go to the lake occasionally on weekends or Sunday afternoons and don't want to spend too much money. But if you need real refrigeration, stay away from them.
Thermoelectric 12v cooler
Thermoelectric coolers are another relatively affordable alternative to true 12v refrigerators. While they're more effective than electric coolers at keeping food cool, they won't keep your ice frozen.
Also, many of these coolers are not very well constructed. Peltier technology requires expensive metal to work optimally, and many manufacturers skimp on these, and the result is just another glorified freezer. That said, there are models out there that offer the right solution to keep your beer cold on short trips and weekend trips.
12v compression vehicle refrigerator
In most cases, a proper 12v compression refrigerator is the best choice in terms of power efficiency and cooling capacity. Of course, while they won't be as expensive as a refrigerator in the kitchen, they're still more expensive than the other alternatives here.
Cixi Zhuoyue Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. is a chest freezer factory and also a water dispenser supplier. It provides Mini Car Freezer, Solar DC freezer, and other products.