It’s winter now, but warmer weather will be here before we know it. If you’ve got kids’ sports games to attend, enjoy road trips or get into car camping, you know how critical cold capabilities on the move can be. That’s where the brand-new Igloo ICF Series comes in.
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Now, electric compressor coolers and fridges aren’t new — white label options are a dime a dozen on Amazon. What separates the ICF line from the rest of the frosty pack are two key details: one, Igloo has 75 years of cooling tech and innovation to lean on and two, the brand is keeping the prices (relatively) affordable.
Igloo’s ICF Series: A Different Approach to Keeping Cool
After two years of development, Igloo is releasing its first foray into what it calls “active cooling” tech. While these coolers don’t require ice, like last year’s innovative Oyster Tempo, the cooling power doesn’t come from vacuum insulation. In fact, these aren’t really coolers at all — they’re fridges, powered by electricity.
The new line of ICF Series fridges come in five sizes: the ICF 18, 32, 40, 60 and 80DZ, with each capable of a temperature range between 0 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. (Those numbers roughly equate to quart capacity, from what we can tell.)
Active Cooling vs Passive Cooling
The ICF Series is just the beginning of an expansion into a new category for Igloo. While the brand has innovated in passive cooling (i.e., using ice to cool food and drinks) for years, this is the first-ever active cooling line from the brand — and Igloo is ready to serve a whole new category of customers.
Igloo’s VP of Product Development, Jeff Diamond, told Gear Patrol in an interview that the ICF Series is designed to serve “sports families and those on the go.” In Europe and Australia, it’s common practice to keep a small fridge in one’s vehicle for grocery shopping, sports games and daily life. The practice isn’t so common in the US, and Igloo is looking to change that.
Using the ICF Series is simple: the portable fridges can be powered by both AC and DC power, meaning you can plug yours into your car, wall outlet or battery bank. The dimmable digital display makes it easy to adjust temperature on the go, and depending on your ambient temperature and whether the fridge is in full sun or shade, the ICF Series can reach your desired temperature in 10-20 minutes.
The 3-stage battery protection prevents the Igloo from draining your car’s battery (a plus if you’re forgetful like me and leave things plugged in), and the latch and handle are both robust and easy to use. (We just got a review unit in, so stay tuned for more details as soon as we can spend quality time with it.)
While the ICF Series does trend toward the heavier side (34 pounds for the ICF 18, the smallest size available), this line of mini fridges isn’t intended to be physically lugged around; rather, they are meant to live in your vehicle or home, providing refrigeration on the go, when you need it.
The ICF Series starts at $399.99 for the ICF 18 and runs all the way to $999.99 for the ICF 80DZ, a dual-compartment fridge with independent temperature control for each section. If you’ve been looking for a portable fridge that can keep snacks and drinks perfectly chilled on the way to your next outing, this new line is worth checking out.
Igloo ICF 18
Igloo ICF 40
