Feedback about Engel 39L

gday michelle.
you do get all types lol.
we just bought a 90ltr waeco and 50 litre ice box and was worried that wouldnt be enough lol.
ps theres 6 of us thoughyou reckon your cute
richard(eskimo)
but im a lot cuter

Yes, but to be fair, we travel frugaly as our priorities are on keeping the vehicle running so spares and parts fill the vehicle and food, hey, who needs that? No, joking, those of you that know me, know that I'm always the biggest camp cook - we serve up huge gourmet meals, but we don't eat junk. We don't carry cans of coke, or pkts of chips etc, we eat fruit and nuts and I bake the bread etc. We don't eat desert, so that must keep some of the bulk down too. Each to their own - if you can take it, and its a priority, why not? Enjoy it however you do it.Regards Michelle,
Spread the word - ExplorOz.com

Michelle, If you see someone driving down the CSR with a 250litre tuckerbox freezer on the back you will know who sent it :-)
But seriously, you would be surprised how many people do not know about UHT Milk, cryovac meat packs etc, they think that you have to take the family fridge to get by..
Regards

MarkGetaway Portable Refrigerator Hire

A 40l hold 60 cans and the 60 holds more than 80! That person knows nothing. A 40l is more than adequate!! hehe Seriously though I was skeptical initially but I have 40l more than adequate.

Leroy

My 40l Engle has managed to keep a touring party of up to six going for 6 weeks without any dramas in northwest NSW. The other two were new to 4WD trips and had virtually nothing. I bought a 70 litre cooler along the way (for the drinks), and with a little thought and carefull management it was easy.
So esy that they thought they would never need to buy a car fridge at all ... until I told them I would not be with them on every trip. Now they both have larger Engels.
Incidentally, my one is virtually bulletproof - cannot believe it still goes after some of the treatment is has received.
Cyrovac and UHT milk ... way to go.
JackNo trees were harmed in the making or sending of this message.
However a great number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

Michelle, wasn't it you who posted some time back that you could keep your cryovac meat out of the fridge and ?wrapped in newspaper for an extended time. Was wondering just how long it might keep.

I remember someone saying that they did this and just scraped off the slime or what ever it was that collects and the meat is fine. Doesn't sound attractive though!

AndrewMy Toy - 2001 Landcruiser 100S Turbo Diesel
"We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing"

for 2 adults, 2 kids we'll pack our 39l with... (changes depending on nature of trip)

2 1l plastic bottles of milk (1 lite, 1 heavy)
2 1l juice cartons (or 1 2l)
1 2l water container
4 1l decor containers (for tomatoes, leftovers, meats, etc)
6 cans soft drink
5 cans beer
(cans are kept together using a 6-pack carry carton - 6 on bottom , then another 5 or 6 stacked on top)
1 jar pickles (takes up a beer spot)
1 plastic bottle mayonaisse
1 plastic bottle tomato sauce
1 2l wine bladder (yalumba strong plastic)
1 small butter tub
cheese slices
4 packets of sliced cold meats (KR or HANS are usually the flattest)
1 packet tim tams

all major food groups covered!
Cheers,
Stuart
- To err is human, to moo bovine -

We purchased a 40L Engel in 2002. We were tossing up between the 40L and the 70L. My wife's only criteria to the size was that it must be able to stand up at least one champagne bottle.

The solution to storage of food is to bung in a heap of curry and stick it on the roof rack, it will cook itself. More time to drink beer thats been safely stored in the fridge.
Seriously, with four in our family, when I moved up from a 29lt to to a 40, it thought I was in heaven. It just takes some thought.
Thommo.

I too have a forty litre nearly 12 months old would fit everything but.... Anybody know how to stop my wife from wanting to alway take away a lettuce and keep it cold?????????

Michelle,

Couldn't agree more with you. For many years Greg and I travelled very comfortably with just a 21L engel. Eventually we upgraded to a 39L engel and manage very comfortably for our family of three. Sounds like we do things very similar to yourselves...cryovac meat, UHT milk & juice 1L at a time, rotate water bottles so always a cold drink on hand, a few cans of beer & coke at a time (replaced as used), 2L wine bladder, condiments, cheese, marg, luncheon meats (cryovac packs or knobs). We like dessert so often have a UHT custard or small cream in as well. We never carry fruit or veg in our fridge...simply no need. Hubby maintains that we eat better when camping that at home!

Met a couple recently who were on the last leg of a 12mth around Oz trip. We got to talking and they revealed that their biggest problem had been lack of fridge space and keeping fresh meat. Looking in the back of their 4WD I noted they had a 60L engel so I was rather surprised by their comments and said so. They lifted the lid and low and behold, the fridge was chocka block full of F&V, a few trays of meat straight off the supermarket shelf. Not wanting to come across as a know-it-all I casually suggested that they should consider cryovac meat and other methods of keeping their F&V apart from in the fridge. Thus they began to grill me about what we do and I eventually left shaking their heads in amazement. It simply hadn't occurred to them that there was other ways apart from piling everything into the fridge.

I've been camping since I was knee high to a budgy and long before portable fridges were available (let alone the norm) so I suppose I have the benefit of experience but I think there are plenty of campers out there who would benefit from having a chat with the older members of our society about how they used to get by before every household had a fridge.

:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
http://members.westnet.com.au/flatdog

Michelle,
No point repeating a lot of the other comments but I used to like drinking beer out of a stubbie, I got a couple of marks on the inside of my Engle, found it was the bottle tops touching the sides, the hardness of the bottle top is a lot harder than the hardness of the cooling plate. I only ever get cans now and put up with the difference in taste. Plus I find those 150 gram plastic packs of Tuna to be a really efficient use of space and also low rubbish generators. Found these plastic oblong containers last week that is a perfect fit into the bottom of a 39 litre Engle that has a marinating shelf inside, ideal for storing salad items and keeping them separated at the same time. Keep the shiny side up

Yes its a good size but not big enough when the fish are bitting like the 28,29/12/2003 when we caught 120 fish & kept 80 (4 families 1 fridge)1991 80Series Std Diesel
2003 Down Under Camper