Are you thinking about getting an Adventure Kings fridge but wondering whether it’s worth it? Perhaps you’ve heard some bad things and are wondering whether it’s best to steer clear of it?
Well, in this Adventure Kings fridge/freezer review, I go through the pros and cons, main features, what makes it different to its main competitors like Brass Monkey, Engel, Dometic etc. Finally, I’ll let you know whether I think this fridge is a good buy or not.
To get started, here's a quick comparison of some of the most popular units in this range!
| 15L Fridge | 45L Fridge | 60L Fridge | 90L Fridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  | |
560 (L) x 240 (W) x 375 (H) mm | 713 (L) x 405 (W) x 461 (H) mm | 768 (L) x 470 (W) x 461 (H) mm | 973 (L) x 525 (W) x 461 (H) mm | |
7.9 kg | 23.6kg | 25.3 kg | 33.1 kg | |
15 L | 44 L | 61 L | 94 L | |
18 cans | 70 cans | 101 cans | 151 cans | |
Single | Single | Single | Dual | |
-18°C/+10°C | -18°C/+10°C | -18°C/+10°C | -18°C/+10°C | |
35W | 85W | 85W | 85W | |
1 year | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years |
Pros & Cons
With these pros and cons in mind, let’s take a deeper look at these fridges.
Design
The Kings fridge/freezers come in 5 capacities: 15L, 45L, 60L, 70L and 90L. Unfortunately, all models except the 70L/90L are single zone units which can be operated as either fridges or freezers, not both.
Kings 15L fridge
The 15L size is designed to fit in the centre console of your car, or on the back seat. It’s a simple yet smart looking black/blue portable fridge, weighing in at just under 8kg.
Kings 60L fridge
The 45L and 60L units make up Kings’ mid-range offering. They are blue/black and come with an internal dairy basket which makes it easy to organise your food/drinks.
These units are a great balance of capacity and portability, weighing about 24kg and 25kg respectively.
Kings 90L fridge
Next up are the 70L and 90L models. These are chest freezer style models, coming in a blue colour.
The main point of difference here is that both of these models are dual zone units, meaning that they can be run as both a fridge and freezer simultaneously, with separate temperature settings for each compartment.
Each compartment has its own lid, so you only need to open the side that you wish to access.
They are very heavy, so they are better suited to staying put in one spot, rather than being moved around a lot while you camp. They weigh 30kg and 33kg respectively.
They all come with an internal light to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for late at night.
Temperature Settings
All of the Adventure Kings fridge/freezers can be set at temperatures ranging from -18°C to +10°C. For the 70L and 90L models, there are two separate temperature settings, one for each compartment.
Unfortunately, a number of users have claimed that their units struggle to hit the set temperatures and often hover a few degrees higher. It’s not yet clear whether this is an isolated problem with a few units or a more widespread issue.
Power Specs
As you would expect, they can be powered using either 12V/24V DC or 240V AC.
This means that you can use them at home by running them on mains power (useful for cooling them down before going on a trip) or you can run them off your vehicle via the cigarette lighter connection (or Merit connection).
Of course, you can also run them directly off a 12V battery. The table below outlines the power consumption for each of the units, along with the expected current draw.
Scroll to the right or rotate your device to see the full table ⮧
Capacity | 15L | 45L | 60L | 70L | 90L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Cons. (W) | 35 | 45 | 55 | 85 | 85 |
Current Draw @ 12V (A) | 3.5 | NP | NP | 7.5 | NP |
Power Cons. @ 240V (Ah/day)* | NP | 0.7 - 1.0 | 0.7 - 1.0 | NP | 1.0 - 1.3 |
Power Cons. @ 12V (Ah/day)** | NP | 14 - 20 | 14 - 20 | NP | 20 - 26 |
Power Cons. = Power Consumption
NP = Not Provided
* Provided by Adventure Kings - based on initial and ambient temperature of 32°C, set temperature of 3°C over a 24 hour period
** Calculated by Outdoor Explorer
Unfortunately, the power information provided by Kings is incomplete (they only list this in the 45L & 60L manuals), so it is difficult to get a clear picture of how much power you can expect each unit to chew through. I will get in touch with them to see whether they have any additional power consumption info.
In any case, the power consumption numbers for the 45L and 60L fridges look pretty comparable to their competitors, so you don’t need to be worried about these units draining your batteries faster than normal.
Do be aware that these power consumption figures tend to be slightly optimistic, as they assume that you aren’t opening the fridge at all, nor adding warm contents to the fridge.
The figures will also vary heavily based on the temperatures that you set in the unit, as well as the ambient air temperature.
Power consumption will also vary depending on whether you are running the unit in Max or Eco mode.
The fridges also come with 3 low-voltage battery protection modes. You can select your preferred mode based on your desired cutoff voltage. The table below outlines the specific voltages for each mode.
Extras
If you have some budget left over after getting your Adventure Kings fridge, consider getting some of these extras to make your unit even better!
Insulating Cover
An insulating cover will wrap tightly around your unit, keeping it cool and reducing how much heat gets into the fridge. This means that the compressor doesn’t need to run for as long, reducing the power consumption and extending the life of your fridge and batteries.
Considering that the default lids that these fridges come with are not very insulating, a cover is definitely a good idea.
Kings sell specific covers for each of their fridge models that include mesh panels to allow the fridge to properly expel hot air.
Check out the Kings range of fridge covers:
Tie Down Straps
If you plan on keeping the fridge in the boot, consider getting some tie down straps to secure it in place and prevent it from sliding around or falling over while you’re driving.
Each strap is rated up to 200kg and can cam-lock into place.
Slide Draw
Reaching deep into your boot to pull out your food or drinks each time can be a pain. With a slide draw, you can easily pull your fridge/freezer out from the boot and access your grub.
They aren’t cheap, so I only recommend a slide draw if you go camping regularly and will be able to make good use of it.
Build Quality & Warranty
As with all camping gear, you really do get what you pay for. Kings gear is not premium by any stretch of the imagination, and is more suited to those who are going camping on a budget and need some entry level gear.
The upside of this is that the Kings gear is available at entry level prices. As I mention later in this review, their units are about half of the price of the likes of Engel and Dometic.
Sure, the Kings build quality isn’t the same as those premium brands, but for many people, it’s a fair tradeoff when you consider the affordable prices.
Known Problems
As I mentioned earlier, a number of people have said that their unit has trouble reaching the temperatures that they set. For some users, the fridge starts off working fine, but ends up drifting to a few degrees above where they set it.
Others have complained of issues with the 240V/12V transformer.
Others still have had issues with the noisiness of their fridge. Kings don’t provide a decibel rating for their fridges.
Warranty
In saying this, Kings do provide a warranty for all of their fridges. All of their fridges come with a 5 year warranty except the 15L unit, which comes with a 1 year warranty.
Considering that they used to offer just a 2 year warranty on the old models, this is quite a step up.
However, a number of people who have returned their units to Kings for replacement/refund have said that the warranty process is very tedious and time consuming.
Kings are reportedly slow to respond to queries about the status of your warranty claim, couriers don’t turn up to collect your fridge when they are supposed to and a whole host of other issues seem to be par for the course when it comes to dealing with the Kings warranty claim department.
Considering this, I wouldn’t assume that you’ll get a quick replacement even if your fridge does turn out to be faulty.
Price
Price is where these fridge freezers really shine.
Most of their fridges cost about half of what premium brands like Engel and Dometic cost. Whereas as the 60L Kings fridge costs about $700-800, the same size Engel and Dometic fridges are easily $1,500.
Even if your fridge does end up failing outside of the warranty period, you could buy a Kings fridge 3 times over and still end up spending the same as a single comparable Engel fridge.
In any case, most people just don’t have a spare $1,500 to spend on a camping fridge. Kings target a different audience, which is people who want entry level gear at entry level prices.
Use the buttons below to check out the latest prices on these units. Adventure Kings and 4WD Supacentre are the main suppliers of these fridges, but you can also get them on eBay.
Conclusion - Adventure Kings Fridge Freezer Review
If you only go camping occasionally, the Kings fridge freezer range is perfect for you. It’s a great balance of price and quality and you can expect to get plenty of use out of these units.
If you are on the road for longer trips (ie. a couple of weeks or more), then I would definitely recommend upgrading to some more premium gear, such as an Engel or Dometic fridge.
Another option is the Brass Monkey fridge range. They are priced quite similarly to the Kings fridges but are a step up in terms of quality, in my opinion. Check out my full Brass Monkey fridge freezer review if you are interested in finding out more.
This list of the best camping fridges might also help you make up your mind!
In any case, I hope you have enjoyed this Adventure Kings fridge freezer review! Did you end up buying one of them? Or did you get something else? Let me know in the comments below!
Review Summary
Reviewer: Louis
Review Date: 2021-04-14
Reviewed Item: Kings Fridge Freezers
Author Rating: 4/5
Product Name: Kings Fridge Freezers
Price: AUD $279
Product Availability: Available in Stock
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Note that while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this page, there may sometimes be errors. Check all specifications with the manufacturer before purchasing any product.
Thankyou for yourreview I will do more research onwhich fridge I should buyH
Well, I disagree, I have been on the road for 6 months, and my 90 litre Kings has constantly been running with freezer on one side and fridge on the other, and has not let me down yet, and the unit is over 2 years old, rather pay the smaller amount for the kings, and buy another if it let me down, but doesn’t look like it at this stage
Hi Peter, thanks for your comment. It’s always good to hear what long term users such as you think – even if it disagrees with my own review! Thanks for sharing your honest opinions, it really helps others make their decision.
I’ve had 3 of these useless heaps of **** in less than 12 months & their prices have dropped dramatically but not enough! I never got reimbursed for the loss of items stored inside the “hot boxes.” It’s worth paying a little bit more & getting any other brand. Nothing could let you down like these & trying to get reimbursed takes a long time as well as them stuffing you around!!!
Just thought Id add to your list of cons – if you need a replacement internal drain plug – they dont sell them.
Thanks Karen – I’ll add this to the list!
1st one never worked and the replacement is noisy, I should have done more research as they won’t refund my money.
The onboard volt display shows that the battery voltage is as low as 10.5V. I put my Fluke multimeter on the terminals and it reads 12.6V. The fridge shuts down because it thinks the incoming voltage is too low. Does anyone know if the meter can be recalibrated? I,m sick of waking up to warm milk, warm beer and thawing frozen food.
I have a kings 90ltr for two and half years and now after about 4hrs the fridge stops cooling on 240 volts but works on 12 volts fine
Hi – a mate has just purchased a YCD60k and it has 2 compartments – the larger white one and the smallergrey one just like the photo above your temperature settings heading . Do they operate together or are they separate zones – at this stage the small compartment doesn’t seem to be cooling – user manuals are of no use to answer my questions so hoping you can provide some clarity Cheers
we have one like that and the small grey compartment is always a higher temp for cheese ect. works great for that.
I’m not sure if all dual zone king’s fridges are the same but I can run both as a fridge, both as a freezer but when I want to use both I can only use the smaller side as a freezer and the LGE side as a fridge I won’t let me do it the other way around 🤷
I’ve got the older model 70 litre twin tub had it for 3 years hasn’t missed a beat gets to the temperature I set and stays there I run a 130 amp battery and get 5 days before needing recharge opening it about 4 times a day ps I live in NQ and it runs pretty good in the heat
Thanks for sharing your experiences Colin!
So maybe your consumption is closer to 25’ish Amps per day Colin?
Like the fridge but my old one I could shut down one side as it was no longer needed to save power. I havent found how to do that with my new 90. Any ideas?
Kings 55lt fridge freezer is BAD. It doesn’t freeze at -5. The temperature sensor is faulty. I DO NOT recommend this fridge at all. Waste of money in fact
Don’t buy the Kings fridge. It’s bad
I have a Kings 90L fridge freezer. I have had 2 trips and in both instances the unit has malfunctioned. I have set both compartments at +2 while driving with Anderson plug on and everything is fine. If I then place a fresh item (at room temp) into either compartment, one of the compartments will drop to -18 and the other compartment will rise to +20 and above. I will give it a 3rd go but will expect a new unit if the problem persists
I purchased a 75l dual zone kings fridge 6 months old off marketplace it’s still under warranty and have been told the compressor is failing but 4wd supacentre won’t help as I’m not the original owner so don’t get caught out
I bought a kings 15 litre console fridge freezer. It is a dud, from first day it went to 0, wouldn’t get colder, then went 6+ then to 15 and stayed there. Took it back to kings next day, they wouldn’t replace or refund. They kept it for warranty evaluation, they do this on sites. 5 days later they let me know they have checked and working fine on 12 and 24 volt. I picked it up today, it’s been running in my car for 9 hrs, i set it for -6 and it’s got to about 14 degrees. I looked at the manual and it says to pre cool it 24 to 36 hours in advance which is ridiculous. I wouldn’t recommend this product. Especially for the way Kings deal with warranty. They could have checked it within an hour and found it faulty. I think they believe I’ll just go away. I have now bought a 15 litre brass monkey, it goes well 3 years warranty. -10 degrees in 20 min. But I’ve still got to deal with Kings Malaga wa. Cheers.
G/day mate I have a kings fridge freezer it is showing E1 on the screen I’m hopeing you can tell me what is wrong with it
Could you run theses off a Portable Solar Generator? If so, how much watts is need from the Generator