Isotherm Refrigerator Review – My Campervan Fridge (After 4 Years)

When I built my DIY campervan I researched a ton of van refrigerator options. Ultimately, I decided that I wanted a 12v fridge to save on battery power, and that it needed to be front-loading (not a chest).

Enter the Isotherm Cruise Elegance refrigerator, a top-of-the-line Isotherm fridge option designed with off-grid overlanding in mind. 

After 4 years with my Isotherm refrigerator I am one happy camper! This review will highlight the refrigerator details, what I love about it, and what I’d change.

Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance Refrigerator Review

The Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance refrigerator is a high-quality refrigeration system designed for marine use and widely used in RV and campervans. It is built to withstand the harsh marine environment and is also capable of withstanding bumpy washboard roads and frequent ambient temperature fluctuations. These durable features are what set the Isotherm Cruise Elegance line apart from many other cheap 12v refrigerators on the market.

While slightly more expensive up front, overall I think this was a great investment because this refrigerator is still going strong after 4 years! I’ve had no maintenance or repairs needed (unlike many of my friends who initially installed a cheaper fridge that died inconveniently in the middle of nowhere).

This is my detailed review of the Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance refrigerator four years after I installed it in my self-converted camper van.

Overall, I love this fridge. I would buy it again. I give it 10/10 stars.

Isotherm Fridge for Van Design and Build Quality

The Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance refrigerator has a sleek and modern design that is perfect for van life.

The door panel comes in black, stainless steal, white, and a wood look. If you get bored you can change the door panel- how cool is that?! I’ve also seen people use temporary wallpaper to spruce up their door front, and I’m thinking of giving it a try!

I selected the black door panel, which matches the other black fixtures in my van. Additionally, I was worried that in such a tight space I would dent the stainless steal to smithereens. The dog nose prints are also much less visible on the black door than the stainless steal one I have in my house, so I don’t have to clean it as often.

Door Locking Issues

There is only one design flaw I’ve had to date. The door latch doesn’t always lock closed.

I now know I need to push the door until I hear the latch “click”. Otherwise I end up with the door flying open and groceries strewn across my van when I make a tight turn.

Technically, there’s nothing wrong with the latch – when it’s pushed in correctly it functions 100% of the time, but I do wish it was easier to engage the latch.

Adjustable Door Tabs For Highly Optimized Storage Space

One feature I love are the adjustable door tabs. The tabs allow you to secure bottles so they don’t fall over while you’re driving.

It took me a few months to realize these tabs slide, but once I noticed I was able to store a lot more food in the door shelf! Plus, nothing falls over while I drive so I can keep opened cans there and they won’t dump out everywhere.

Isotherm Refrigerator Capacity and Storage

The Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance has a storage capacity of 65 liters (2.3 cubic feet), which is enough to hold a decent amount of food and drinks for 1 or 2 people for up to a week.

In my experience, I’m able to hold enough produce for myself for just over 7 days if I plan really well and utilize my insane Tetris skills (which I have because I grew up in the 90’s).

After I buy groceries, there’s a few additional steps I take to ensure everything will fit in my refrigerator. Things like cutting my crate of 12 eggs into two smaller crates of 6 eggs so they’ll fit better, taking things out of the packaging box that has a lot of empty space, rolling air out of my spinach bag, etc.

It’s do-able but it’s not effortless. It’s one of the tiny living habits I’ve learned to embrace.

65L Isotherm Refrigerator Vs 85L

In my next van build I’m strongly considering upgrading to the 85L Isotherm Refrigerator so I’m able to be off-grid for longer periods of time.

It’s a lot easier to put non-perishable things into the empty space in a refrigerator than it is to put perishable items into a non-refrigerated cabinet. I can eat my crackers cold, but I can’t eat chicken that’s been on the countertop for 4 days- yuck!

85 liters would give me more flexibility without sacrificing much storage space.

Customizable Storage

Next, the refrigerator has adjustable shelves that allow you to customize the interior to suit your needs.

My favorite feature is the trapdoor shelf which creates space for your wine or champagne bottles to stand upright! This neat update means your bubbly doesn’t roll around while you drive!

A Freezer That Actually Freezes

Additionally, the Isotherm refrigerator has a built-in freezer compartment that is perfect for storing ice or frozen food items.

I’m able to fit a pint of ice cream in the space!

And unlike some competitors who claim to have freezers, this one *actually* keeps things frozen. I’m also able to make ice cubes in my teeny tiny ice cube trays.

If a freezer is important to you I highly encourage you to research and read reviews. There’s a lot of van refrigerators out there that have freezers cool enough to KEEP things cold, but not cool enough to MAKE things cold – this means you can’t make ice, but if you buy it you can keep it frozen.

isotherm fridge power consumption

The Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance refrigerator is incredibly energy-efficient (the primary reason I bought it!), consuming only 360 Wh/day. It has a low power consumption that is perfect for vans and RVs that rely on solar power.

The Isotherm refrigerator features an intelligent fan that helps to distribute the cool air evenly, which minimizes energy waste and helps to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the compressor running constantly.

Even in very hot climates where my Isotherm refrigerator has to run harder to keep things cool, it’s still insanely energy efficient. I have never once worried that I would run out of power to keep my refrigerator running.

Isotherm Refrigerator Noise Level

The Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance is super quiet, producing only 38 dB of noise. This makes it ideal for use in close quarters – which is good, considering it’s 3 feet away from my bed.

Additionally, the fridge has a built-in compressor that is vibration-free, which further reduces noise levels and helps to extend the lifespan of the fridge.

This is another testament to the high quality of this refrigerator. The design and components used are specifically intended for boat and van use – where noise is especially important considering the small quarters.

The only time I ever notice when the compressor turns on is if I’m trying to fall asleep – and even then, it’s enough to notice but not enough to bother me. However, if you went to too many concerts in your 20’s you won’t notice a thing.

Installing My Isotherm Refrigerator In My Van

Installing my Isotherm refrigerator was the easiest part of my entire electrical system. Literally!

Because the Isotherm fridge is an investment, I have the refrigerator set up on its own circuit just to be extra safe.

My fridge came with a 12v quick-disconnect pigtail, which makes installation quite simple. I ran my own electrical wires from the fuse box in my van (with quick disconnect on the ends) to the cabinet the Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance would be installed in.

I prefer the quick disconnect wire connectors because it allows me to connect my appliance to my electrical system in 10-seconds, while still giving me the option to easily remove the refrigerator from the van (I haven’t had a reason to do this yet – but if you were winterizing your van you may find it helpful.)

Next, I had to get the refrigerator installed into the cabinet before connecting the electrical.

Note: There are two different methods of install for the Isotherm fridge: mounting flanges or an internal anchoring system. I used the internal anchoring system.

The kit includes 3 trim pieces (mounting flanges) for the top and both sides. The trim attaches to both the refrigerator frame and the van cabinet frame to hold the refrigerator firmly in place. I think this is a sleeker look, but it will require a bit more width on your cabinets (which I unfortunately did not have space for).

Alternatively, you can install with the internal anchoring system by running screws through the side walls of the Isotherm fridge and into the cabinet to keep the refrigerator from moving around.

Both options are quite easy, it really comes down to which look you prefer and how wide your cabinets are.

My van layout didn’t have enough space for the supplied trim pieces. They add about 3/4″ to each side (that I hadn’t planned for) which interfered with my adjacent cabinet doors. Instead, I opted for the second installation method; the internal anchoring system.

The inside of the Isotherm Cruise has 4 plugs that cover the pre-molded holes for your anchoring screws. They remove easily and then you just need a screw long enough to run through the fridge wall and into the cabinet anchor. Replace the plug covers when you’re done for better insulation.

Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance Fridge Dimensions

20.9″ Height x 17.7″ Width x 19.4″ Depth (depth does not include door).

Depth with 2″ door is 21.4″. This was confusing to me before I received the delivery and installed. The installed refrigerator will sit in your cabinet 19.4″ deep and the door will sit proud of your cabinet front by 2″. The Isotherm refrigerator door front is not flush with your cabinet frame.

If you install with the mounting flanges this isn’t negotiable, it must sit 2″ forward because the flanges will hold it there. If you install with the anchoring system you could plan to push the entire fridge back two more inches, making the cabinet depth required 21.4″ and the front of the door flush with the cabinet front.

My Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance refrigerator weighs 44 lbs.

What Does the Isotherm Fridge Cost?

The Isotherm Cruise 65 Elegance fridge sells for over $1300 USD. There aren’t many retailers who carry Isotherm (and sadly, they aren’t on Amazon). I’ve found Unaka Gear Co has a good price compared to other retailers – they’re typically a few hundred less!

Isotherm Fridge Features

For such a small package the Isotherm Cruise Elegance line comes packed with features!

• Freezer compartment with hands-free door that stays open on it’s own
• Easy to clean and defrost (I defrost about once every 3 months)
• Warranty – 5 Years Compressor, 2 Years Parts
• Customizable refrigerator door
• Extremely energy efficient
• Interior light
• Quiet operation
• Reversible door for best fit in your rigs existing layout
• Can operate on AC or DC power
• Built-in fan-cooled Danfoss/SeCOP compressor
• Room for a pint of ice cream in the 4 liter freezer
• Adjustable shelf with hatch for tall bottles

Things I’d Like To See Improved on My Isotherm Refrigerator

Latch Design

I’d like to see improvements to the latch function. Currently, it’s too easy to think the door is fully shut and latched only to find out on a sharp curve that, in fact, it is not.

A self closing feature would be nice. Currently, you must manually push the door all the way in until you hear the lock engage.

Freezer Optional

There are generally very few things that I keep in the freezer so having the option to remove it would be nice. While some Isotherm refrigerator models come without the freezer, I’d prefer an “I’m an indecisive person who sometimes wants the freezer and sometimes doesn’t want the freezer” option.

Conclusion: Is an Isotherm Refrigerator for Van Life Worth It?

If you’re a person who eats food then yes, the Isotherm fridge for van life is worth it. It’s an investment piece, that’s for sure, but it’s made with quality materials and excellent design. Buy it right, buy it once.