Engel fridge V Waeco Fridge

well the statemant that Engel is best is a bit over simplistic.

You buy an engel because you want the engel motor and the engel build......engel make the motor and make the fridge...start to finish end to end.

There are some disadvantges with the engel...the largest is that the engel can not produce the temperature gradient that the conventional fridge motors can....

now Waeco, buy their motors from someone else....so you are buying a motor and some relativly simple electronics in a box that waeco build.

There are other fridge manufacturers who use the same motor as engel or a lower cost copy of that motor.

So if you are thinking about a cheaper fridge other than an Engel.....look at what other fridges are on the market...some of those fridge makes build a far better box than waeco.


THEN you have to consider are you comparing apples with apples.....both engel and waeco are offering down market fridges from their traditional units.

If you are comparing a metal bodied Engel with a plastic bodied Waeco of the same capacity......that is not an even deal...you need to compare the plastic bodied engel and then, possibly not with the cheapest waeco.

OH and yeah baby you need to look at other places than BCF...they don't offer full range of anything and they most certainly are not always the best price or deal.

The fridge market has changed a hell of a lot in the last 5 years.....there is a lot of choice out there.

cheers

Why not buy an Engel Eclipse?

As a previous Waeco owner - I had two for 5 years. I would not recommend to buy them.

This is two Waeco fridges that came with my camper. I go off road in very rough conditions for weeks on end.

I have now replaced them with two engels. Yes the Engel fridge cost more but they work.

My mate has a Engel 60L Fridge/freezer purchased new, I have a Waeco 60L fridge only or freezer only, purchased 2nd hand @ 3 years old, both units haven't let either of us down in the past 2 years.

Form what I heard about the Waeco's................the older fridges motor are German made and are fantastic. The last 24 months, Waeco now have the same motor produced in China and they have their problems.

Waeco is supposedly uses less power to run than the Engel.

Cheers

Hi Speedy

You mention $1349 for an Engel at BFC....

First question is what model is it???

Why do most city people think that the big major stores always have the best fridge prices.?

In our country store in South Australia, we still have stock of the old model, analogue MT45FP , with transit bag for $1179, the new model Digital control MT45FP Digital, with transit bag for $1249 and the new combi 40 litre for $1299 with transit bag, and the Eclipse for $699


Most smaller store are just as, if not better priced that the big boys.



Look around for better prices, its your money.



Cheers



Stephen

I have both and the Engel wins hands down
Kev

I have one of each and neither has decent insulation. I believe ice chest manufacturers should make fridges as they seem to be able to keep ice as ice. fridges can't and ice in a fridge quickly disappears, far faster than in an ice box designed for the purpose.
All rely on the proprietary insulated cover to slow the passage of cool outward or is it hot inward?
As Bantam mentioned, the Waeco will cool quicker and freeze faster than an Engel if that is what you require, but will use more power usually.
They are over priced for what they are and agree BCF ie, Supercheap Fishing Supplies,
isn't the best place to ever get a "deal"

In OZ we pay more and for equivalent Ozzie $$$'s, you can buy a 40L and a 60 L Engel in South Africa for $300 and $500 cheaper than the Aussie fridges, although the boxes and power leads/packaging is the same as the Australian models. Probably shipped from Australia too, not sure there.

Engels Tick Tick Tick as they operate and don't have a motor, only a pump operated by a switched solenoid. An reciprocating action.
Weaco have a motor to run a reciprocating piston via a crankshaft, and is often quieter than the Engel units.

In hotter climates, ie, ambient temp both will run almost full time or full time if asked to run as a freezer unless provided with additional heavy insulation. over and above the said BAG/Cover.

I would not necessarily base the experience you have with your 30 yo Engel with the current product they offer
I was told by an independent authorised repairer that those old ones were brilliant but he repairs just as many of the later years ones as the other brands.
I have three mates that have had Engels fail on them just like the other brands can do

Lots of choices these days so would be looking at value for money and longest warranty as key points.
Just like the domestic fridges you buy these days, they are not made to last forever like the old school ones did.

Had both. Like the Waeco as is lighter and side opening lid. The engel failed after 3 years and too dear to repair. Waeco has been going for 5 years no problems.

Just my 2 bob's worth Speedy , have owned an Engel for a good few years now , came in a deal with a s/hand camper trailer , its aprox 40 L , but watch your wallet when you need a part , an arm and a leg . Fuse in Tamworth cost from memory $11 !! And power cord to 240 outlet aprox 2 metres was $65 in Port Augusta .
But still great little fridge
Brian

Here is the start of another very long thread........... All fridges are good until they stop working and when they do stop working they become a bad fridge.

Toyota vs Nissan...... GME vs Icom vs Uniden..........

Speedy
Ha ha hope you are ready for a long debate here? Best fridge is like Holden V's ford, Nissan v's Toyota, west coast vs Freo. I think you started something?

Me, I'm a stirrer, and want to say that you are wrong on both counts. I own 2 x 60 lt Engels, one purchased in Perth in 1981, and one in Karratha in 2011, both still running, but I am not going to lean their way, I also own an 80 lt National Luna, and a 125 National Luna, and there is no comparison, the Nat Luna wins for me. (Said I was a stirrer ha ha)
Why,- the box, and the power usage. I use solar mainly, and the NL units use far less power .Far less.
The engels are noisy all night, cutting in and out, the NL are so quiet. And look why, insulation is more than double the thickness. And yes, Inverter drive to the compressor, so no clunk - clunk, better power usage.
There is nothing worse on a forum than a stirrer, it is said.

And Waeco, I cant really comment as I have never had one.
But with certainty, my next fridge is a NL, expensive or not - because I use solar
regards

Jim

love these type of threads.
I have four fridges and there coldest is the evacool in the camper.
The other two are engels and another was a scorpion. As they have not let me down they are the best fridges I have ever owned.
the 60 litre fridge was the scorpion that I bought from repco and the only problem is the lid keeps coming off and the cover for the switches is only stick on and lost that also. Still works after 6 years.
Ok now for the best 4wd and the 12 volt threads.

Honky

I bought a fridge for use in my camper trailer in the late 90s, it was branded Supacool (Supercool?) identical to the now Evacool brand, except for the motor. I believe Evacool bought out Supacool a number of years ago but utilized a different motor. I bought the Supacool because (on paper) it supposedly used the least amount of energy; and, because it was essentially an esky with a fridge motor attached so should hold temperatures better than the others, right? Well as it turned out wrong on both counts. As it turned out the Supacool used so much power it would destroy a 100AH battery if left on overnight and quickly lost it's esky functionality once the fridge was turned off ( to save destroying batteries). It also had to be defrosted every 3-4 days and spent more time in the shop being repaired than it did in my camper. I have heard the Evacools are superior in everyway to the old Supacools but I never found the esky with a fridge motor attached to be of any value: my current Waeco and Engel stay colder far longer with the motor turned off than the Supacool ever did.

Speedy, very brave raising this topic

I have one of each, I reckon theres 2/3rds of 5/8th of sod all difference.
I like the steel case of the engel but its noisier, I sleep in the ute so I notice the noise difference.

speedy,
if you have the $'s and the space I can really recommend on of these fridges. Mine has been through hell in the last 20 years and still looks looks and performs like new if I give it clean with a pot scourer.

Trailblaza Fridge

Nothing wrong with either, but they have completely different dimensions.......see what dimension suits better and if that doesn't matter go with price.

Cheers

Waeco: Swedish for warm beer.

This may influence your decision, from tomorrow BCF has the Engel Eclipse for $799- with a free transit cover.

Bought an ex hire camper.
Thought it was strange they didnt put a cheap fridge in.... until I realised it was used as a step to get into the rooftop. .. engal is ex hire 10 years old or more.. and used as a step
Nuff said

Bought a waeco two weeks ago. Was faulty out the box and took it back to Anaconda. Then bought an evakool fridgemate 55l. What a brilliant brilliant huge fridge this is!! Runs the same length of time off my second battery than the 50l Waeco (4 days off 100ah batt with still 40% batt power left in cold weather though).

have owned both, Engels and Waecos, and found them both equally good. my favourite would be the cf40, found it reliable and very good value for money.