Throughout my roles with various appliance companies over the years, I learned a lot about fridges. That knowledge grew significantly while travelling Australia with a car and caravan that hosted three portable fridges between them. One thing’s for sure: the days of ice and eskies are definitely over for me.
The Anker SOLIX EverFrost 2 40L is a portable fridge with 40 litre capacity. If you prefer the Australian measure, that’s equivalent to 60 cans of beer or soft drink. The unit measures 75 x 46 x 49cm and is fully self-contained, with a removable 288Wh battery that powers the unit. A second battery can be added, providing up to 104 hours of cooling, according to Anker. A single battery would provide around two days of use, but less in hot weather and when the fridge is used as a freezer.
Temperature can be set between +20 and -20 Celsius. Like any portable fridge, there is a high-power draw while it reaches temperature. When stacked with room-temperature drinks, for example, it fully depleted a single battery in seven hours. As with all portable fridges, best practice is to cool the fridge and contents before you need them, using mains power.
For adventures or picnics?
I really like this fridge, but there are some limitations so let’s get these out of the way. First, the instructions indicated that the SOLIX EverFrost 2 might not be suited for bumpy off-road touring, so I looked for confirmation from Anker, which responded with the below:
- Rough Terrain: Not recommended for use in highly bumpy or vibrating environments (e.g., intense off-road driving).
- Tilt Angle Limits: Operates normally at tilt angles up to 20°. Cooling pauses automatically if the tilt exceeds 30° for safety. When the level is restored, cooling resumes after system stabilisation (typically under 3 minutes).
- Performance & Lifespan: Cooling interruptions under tilt are temporary and do not affect long-term reliability.
The SOLIX EverFrost 2 is, however, ideal for picnics, weekends away (not 4WD tracks) and entertaining. No cords are needed as long as you start with a charged battery, and it comes with wheels, which makes it easy to move. Note that its empty weight is 23kg, so by the time you fill it, you will need two people to lift it out of a car. Included in the box are one battery, a car charging and AC adapter, and wheel chocks (to stop it from moving in a car).
The fridge does not come with a wire rack insert. From previous experience, this can mean that food placed against the fridge walls may freeze, even when the fridge is working in fridge mode. It’s a minor consideration – and not specifically tested on the Anker SOLIX EverFrost 2 – but something to be alert to.
I placed a temperature logger in the centre of the fridge compartment, and it reported a discrepancy of a few degrees. The actual fridge temp was higher (ie. warmer) than the fridge LCD indicator.
Design and convenience features
If not using a second battery, there is a handy storage container in the second battery slot. On the side opposite the wheels, a convenient table lifts to help with drink preparation and doubles as a handle to help wheel the fridge around. You will also find a built-in bottle opener.
Anker’s Australian website doesn’t indicate available accessories, but a fishing rod holder, knife sheath, cutting board, and drinks holder are listed on the USA site.
On the inside of the fridge lid are a light and a fan. The fan will help circulate air and maintain an even temperature for goods stored in the fridge. This is a feature I haven’t seen before, and it also helps the fridge reach temperature faster when you first power it on. When stocking the fridge with tall bottles, be careful not place them in the centre as the fan may prevent the lid from closing.
The fridge will drop from 25 to 0 degrees in 15 minutes in max mode. This is handy if you live a long way from the shops, allowing you to turn the fridge on to store your shopping while you get it home. The fridge can also be controlled and monitored from the Anker App for extra peace of mind.
The battery can also be used to charge other devices via a USB-C port at up to 60W, including a laptop. To recharge the battery itself, there are four options: via the included cigarette socket cable (car), mains power, an optional 100W solar panel, or a USB-C power adapter (5.5 hours recharge via 60W charger).
Anker offers two Solix EverFrost 2 models: a 40 L model for $1,298 and a 58 L model for $1,499.
