I've been looking into different fridges and was wondering what people thought of the new Engel dual zone?

I'm also curious as to what people would recommend in general.  45qt?  45qt w/ the topper?  Dual zone?  Other?

I'm limited on price, but would love to hear what you guys think is the best option of the Engel/ARB line.

Craig

Oops I said the wrong thing, and Davis picked up on it.  I did mean to ask about the TwoZone Refridgerator Compartment... e.g. http://www.sierraexpeditions.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=172

After reading Michael Ks post about them last year, and seeing it again in Overland Journal this month I was thinking that maybe an Engel 35 with the twozone would be ideal.  The TwoZone on a 45 seems a bit tall if the TwoZone is on the top.  It's an additional $300 over the regular fridge though.

I'll go with an Engel/ARB 45 now and then add the TwoZone later if I find that I need more room for particularly long trips (unlikely).

Craig

Dale, et al...I stand (er, sit) corrected.  Your question led me to my garage to physically check them and as it turns out, the baskets do indeed sit up a bit in my ARB fridge.  To what degree this occurs, does depend on where you locate the basket (if using one) or if using two.  And, by a "bit", I mean the basket(s) sit about an 1/8 of an inch above the primary inner basket of the fridge - worse case.  Using two baskets at the same time definately creates the situation described in OJ.  I suspect removing the inner basket from the fridge itself would eliminate this issue, but I wouldn't do as it, too, serves a purpose.

That said, I've only used one basket at a time (usually the larger one) thus far as there's always a bottle of wine and/or a quart of milk that needs to stand upright; the opening also allows quick access to the beer below.  At any rate, when closed up [whether using one or both baskets] the lid just contacts the basket(s) enough so they are lightly pushed down when latched.  At best it's a minor issue and most importantly, when latched, the seal is complete all the way around.  I have never noticed the fridge running more than it did before I got the baskets and things stay as cold as ever.  Hope this was a more useful assessment than my previous fuzzy memory one.  Would I buy them again?  In a hearbeat.

Davis,

thanks for the clarification.  I'll be ordering a set soon!

Dale WU7X

Someone should get Dale a chair.  He's been drinking a lot of beer...