Camping fridges and stoves

[CatsRule]

I'm looking for some advice and ideas on fridges and stoves.

Currently we have a 24L camping fridge that works from the car and off the mains. It's a good fridge but it is very noisy and we tend to have to half empty it to get things from the bottom so maybe a different shape or design would be better. We would like to still be able to plug it into the car on the way and run it off the mains. Any suggestions or ideas?

For cooking we have two small portable gas stoves that use the small gas canisters. We have been thinking about getting a 2 ring stove but my reservation is having to use the big gas bottles. Are there any 2 ring type stoves that work from the small gas canisters or any other cooking alternatives that I haven't found as yet that anyone could recommend?

Anyone? Meant to say we do have EHU as I need to take practical things like hair straighteners!

Yes there is a small 2 ring stove that works off disposable cylinders, but I can't remember the details, will have a look later and post a link when on the computer rather than attempting on the phone

For the fridge how long do you need it for ?

Are we talking week long camping trips or just weekends away

We have been using one of the Coleman tri colour extreme coolers for the last year and just have 2 x 2 ltr bottles full of water to use as ice packs sat in the freezer at home to keep it cool with whilst away

The smaller model holds ice for 3 days and the middle and larger for 5 days, the more you put in them the cooler they stay

There is a knack to getting the best performance from them and they keep cool much better if you fill them with cold stuff from the fridge to keep cool rather than warm stuff from the shop on the way

Just re read your OP regarding the fridge, if your main problem is the having to unload it then the cool box won't be much better, must have missed that bit the first time

As far as I know there aren't any fridges on the market that are practical for camping as they are mainly bulkier caravan style fridges if you want a proper door and generally will be too heavy to lift in and out easily

There was one around a few years ago manufactured by Sunnflair which was an absorption method of cooling and cooled to x degrees below ambient temp but in all honesty they were crap

They used to air lock in the cooling system regularly and then not cool properly, the 12v was quite battery heavy for draining battery's and overall they were more hassle than they were worth

Can't think of any others in the market at the moment but will have a good look when back in the office on Monday and see if any suppliers catalogues have any lurking in there that I have missed

You can change the regulator on any stove to a campinggaz one and use smaller bottles - google campinggaz 904. It is big enough for a few weeks camping for us but not that big.

We just use a good coolbox, unless you wan/have room for a proper expedition fridge I think they are all much of a muchness.

Thanks...will search again for the 2 ring stove that works off the small canisters...this is the kind of thing I'm thinking of but just haven't found so far.

I'm undecided re the fridge. Would like a plus in one, maybe a bigger size would make a difference and I'm not sure of they're all noise and the same.

We normally go away for a max of 10 days...it doesn't have to hold 10 days worth, just basics like milk, water, butter/spread plus some lunch stuff and a couple of days dinners. We usually shop as we go as opposed to doing a big shop. I like the idea and shape of the mini fridges but they're too small and the caravan ones are too heavy/big...maybe I'm too fussy lol

Have found 2 stoves both of them double burner and both use disposable gas cylinders

www.lightningleisure.com/acatalog/Cookers---Stoves.html

The campingaz one uses either the CV300 or CV470 cylinders both of which are widely available and the Sunngas one uses the aerosol type cylinders that the very common flat single burner stoves use and can be bought almost anywhere

Of the 2 the sunngas will be more stable on rough ground but the campingaz one could always have a peg placed around the bottom of the leg to stabilize it

If using on a steady table then stability wouldnt really be an issue with either

The campingaz one is the smaller one when packed as the legs fold under it

Brilliant thank you...the Sunngas one is the type I've been looking for.