All the Cooler Power You Really Need: Dometic CFX2 45 Review

Dometic’s CFX2-powered cooler models have significantly lower prices than their CFX3 counterparts. Our test sample is the 45L size, with an MSRP of $800. The CFX3 of the same capacity sells for $950. Dometic electric coolers still cost a significant chunk of change. But ditching ice has many advantages that expand as the time you stay out there grows longer.

Dometic launched the CFX2 during the summer, which is brutally harsh in my home state of Texas. So, testing conditions were harsh from the beginning. It lived in my campervan and accompanied me on many outings to test cycling and climbing gear. It also served duty for a handful of cycling and climbing event trips and a week at the beach and swimming holes of the Lone Star State.

The Dometic CFX2 electric cooler was the sole refrigerator in the van. It was powered on for almost the entire three-month testing period.

In short: The Dometic CFX2 45 powered cooler delivers the dependable refrigeration that the CFX3 series provided for years, but at a lower cost. Its ruggedness, cooling power, and quietness are all on par with those of its more expensive sibling. A touch of color adds a bit of fun to the otherwise drab CFX3, too. For long road trips, van lifers, or general outdoor enthusiasts who travel with food or drinks, this powered cooler is a reliable tool to keep things cool.

Main Specifications and Features

The CFX2 45 seemed ideal for two people camping for two nights. Although the van has massive house batteries, the unit could just as easily be powered by a portable power supply, like Dometic’s own PLB40. Dometic offers the CFX2 in 28L, 37L, and 57L sizes.

The CFX3 45 powered cooler can hold up to 60 cans of your favorite beverage in its single compartment. It also has a smaller, higher “crisper” area. The polypropylene body has reinforced corners and stout foldable ABS handles on each end. The latched lid can open from either of the short sides. An LED light inside illuminates the interior when the lid is open.

Dometic claims a temperature range of -7 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

A closely fitting wire basket eases loading, unloading, and cleaning of the main compartment. A drain port ensures the camper can drain moisture when necessary.

The LED control panel display relays the set temperature and actual temperature, as well as other pertinent stats. The panel also has a USB charge port. Dometic’s app can connect via Bluetooth to the CFX2 45 to monitor and control the cooler.

The cooler can run off 12/24V DC or 100-240V AC, and Dometic supplies both cords. A three-stage battery protection system keeps the cooler from draining the house or car battery.

Finally, for the first time, Dometic offers a color that breaks away from the brand’s understated gray and black colors. The CFX2 line launched in Ocean Blue. I was a bit shocked when I opened the box.

The Dometic CFX2 45 in the Texas Summer Heat

I consider the oppressively humid and hot-as-the-sun months of July and August in Central Texas as the ultimate proving ground for any camping gear that cools anything. The Dometic CFX2 45 was on duty through the entirety of those months.

Start Me Up

When the humidity is above 80% and the temperatures are 100+ degrees, any cooling system I’ve used shows stress. The van’s air conditioner struggles while driving to maintain a comfortable temperature. I’ve had some coolers fail in these conditions.

Although the multiple CFX3 coolers I’ve run in the van and other cars passed with flying colors, I was wary at first with the CFX2 45 due to the lower price tag. Something had to give, I figured.

With any powered cooler I’m testing, I monitor how long it takes to reach the set temperature when starting at the ambient temperature. The first time I loaded the Dometic CFX2 45 was midmorning in June, and it was already in the 80s. Combine that with the radiant heat that built up inside the closed van, and cooling off quickly is a big ask for any electric cooler.

But the CFX2 45 fired up and, with a full load of groceries, reached the 39-degree set temperature within 20 minutes. That’s on par with the CFX3 55IM, and to my ear, it wasn’t any louder. Your mileage may vary, as this all depends on how much dead air space is left in the cooler and the temperature of the foods, among other things.

The main point was that there was no difference in cool-down time between the more affordable CFX2 and the “premium” CFX3.

At Camp

The Dometic CFX2 45 accompanied my family and/or crew on several summer trips. The most demanding was a trip to the Texas Coast in July. The air was consistently thick with humidity, and there was no possibility of dodging the sun by seeking shade.

I left all the van doors open all day, so the interior temperature of the van was in the high 90s most of the time. And at night, it didn’t get much below 80.

Surprisingly, the compressor wasn’t running all the time, which spoke highly of the CFX2’s insulation and sealing. I monitored the internal temperature constantly at first, fearing that the powered cooler wouldn’t be able to keep up.

It was well within its operating capacities for the duration of the trip. I never saw the temperature waver, and almost every time I looked, it was a solid 39 degrees.

And even when my daughter didn’t push the lid down hard enough to click and seal completely, the Dometic CFX2 still didn’t allow the temperature to rise.

During almost any usage period, there were unavoidable hours when I had to lock up the van and let it sit in direct sunlight. The van is a tall Ford Transit, and its massive front windshield turns it into a greenhouse.

It’s during these periods, even with a rooftop fan circulating air, that the internal temperature of the van quickly goes way over 100 degrees. That’s when lesser coolers fail to maintain the correct temperature. This has never happened with a Dometic CFX3 55IM or 75, and it never occurred with the CFX2 45.

When I took it to the beach, fine sand blew into the van, or my daughter, dog, or I tracked it in. It inundated the van and the CFX45. By the end of the first day, there wasn’t a crevice or opening on the cooler’s exterior that wasn’t completely coated. But none of it breached into the interior.

The cooler’s sealing was really effective. I used my onboard air compressor to blow the sand out before leaving the beach, and all was fine.

I would assume the exterior of the CFX2 is more resistant to impact than the CFX3 because of the reinforced corners. Either way, the CFX2 resisted impacts for the entire time it lived in the van. I bumped into it with bicycles, paddles, and other outdoor gear and treated it with my usual rough handling. It visibly looked the same at the end of the summer as the day I unboxed it, save for some handprints, dust, and dirt.

And this is just a personal note. My daughter and I appreciated that Dometic broke away from its usual bland color schemes. After so many years of gray and black, we were both fans of Ocean Blue.

Final Thoughts on the Dometic CFX2

After years of being spoiled by nothing but positive experiences with the higher-tier CFX3, I was a bit wary of the Dometic CFX2 45. I was especially so during the demanding conditions of a Texas summer. However, the CFX2 provided equally impressive performance at a lower cost.

I cannot think of any reason to pay more for the CFX3. The Dometic CFX2 is such a solid value proposition in relation to the CFX3, and Dometic must agree. Although the CFX3 is still listed on the brand’s website, it will be phased out and replaced by a new “luxury” line of powered coolers dubbed the CFX5.

Until I review the CFX5 (one is on the way), I’ll withhold judgment on whether the upgrade from CFX2 to CFX5 is worth it. But, I firmly believe that the Dometic CFX2 line will please most.