Refrigerator Size - RV-Dreams Community Forum

jimdee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Refrigerator Size

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

We've only had one fiver, so can't make comparisons between sizes, but we can say, we are "foodies" and were surprised to find that we can live quite nicely with our 10 cu foot Norcold. I don't think we would opt for the 4 door 12 if we got another unit. The pantry storage is more important to us.

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have to agree with Fred.

The pantry storage space is very important. We have an older MH so we only have a 7 cubic ft fridge and manage with it. More fridge space would be nice but not as important as storage space.

Jim

Camper_Boy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Jim & Dee,

This has been one of our biggest struggles with 5ers, especially since we'll have these two almost-teenage boys with us! It seems like the more "family-friendly" the floorplan is, the smaller the refrigerator is! This is what ultimately directed us to look at toy haulers - at least with the garage spece, we would have the flexibility to add a 2nd residential refrigerator, as well as have additional storage space.

I'd go with the largest refrigerator that you can justify the cost of . . . although $2700 seems extreme.

Good Luck!

Marci & Tom

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

How do you power a residential refrigerator when on the road? Will the inverter handle it, or would it require running the generator for power? I'm considering adding a freezer in the basement of the coach. I need to do some research to see what they use for power when not hooked up to shore power...

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have had all sizes in our time. We now have the 4 door and love it for the freezer space alone. It is an extra expense but when you are living in an RV you might as well be able to store enough frozen foods for the time you will be away from places to buy them. Now if you plan on always being with in a few minutes of the grocery store then you don't need that extra storage. I built additional storage for Sherr's pantry items.

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are satisified with the refrigerator in our new 3455 Montana. However, we sure wish we had more freezer space. Before we "take off" we will buy an RV freezer to put in the basement. They are somewhat expensive.

For those having such a freezer, do you find them to be essential when fulltiming?

Phyllis

Judy · RV-Dreams Family Member

When we decided to full time we bought a Avanti freezer for our fiver. It works well and never defrosts while on the road. If kept closed it keeps well until we hook up to electric. We do not boondock!
It fits in our storage area under fiver.
Southwestjudy

Camper_Boy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hey Dan,

There was one model we had looked at that offered a residential frig. as an option, which could be powered off the batteries if you had 4.

Our plan, at this point, is not to move too far on any one day, so the frig. could be off without warming up too much. I don't think we'll do too much boondocking . . .

Marci

thebearII · RV-Dreams Family Member

My wife is a gourmet cook and tends to cook for six eventhough there's only the two of us. Hence my nickname "the Bear".

We carry a lot of meat and vegetables, condiments and other fixin's in the refrigerator/freezer.

Our refrigerator/ freezer is a side by side two door, probably a 10 Cu Ft. It serves us well and we can usually live out of it for two weeks without the need to hit a grocery store. Of course it's packed full so there's a lot of move "this" to get to "that" whenever you need something.

Like others have said, if we were true fulltimers, we would need an RV freezer to make things a little more comfortable.

My wife would never speak to me again if I made her give up the pantry space....

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

As fellow enginerds do your electrical math on those residential refers. Consider how you'll travel and how you will camp. Run the numbers yourself, 4 batts (unless they are the 8D type which are not used in 5ers) and 2 (make that 4) power hungry adults, you'll be running genset 24/7 unless you are 25ft from a 50amp plug (30amp if it's not hot outside and you don't need the AC).

Obviously, energy (and resource water/sewage/fuel(s)) management coupled with your intended lifestyle take on a new importance in RVing. Get your slide rules out and do some numbers thinking and a little more lifestyle on the road thinking and then number crunch. You'll be glad you geeked before you buy. You'll certainly want to make a few adjustments to accommodate your use.

BTW "all electric" mohos pretty much come standard with an 8 batt bank of "typical RV" 6v batts and only the mega mansion mohos break into the 4x or 8x 8D battery setups some of which you would think could power your own TOCOMAC fusion reaction.

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

Okay RV Dude - I have no idea what you just said. Obviously I am NOT a techie.

Phyllis

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sorry, I forgot the "Warning Geek Talk Follows" message required on my posts by the Surgeon, ah, er, RV General. But then again, y'all know me well enough to always assume that! yawn

Speedy, oh Speedy, do I need to go out behind the woodshed,

AGAIN?????

-- Edited by RVDude on Monday 11th of May 2009 09:59:58 AM

thebearII · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ah..... my brain is full.

Can I go home now ?

Tim & Robyn · RV-Dreams Family Member

I believe Mark and Dale Bruss travel with a 22 cu ft household fridge in their 5er... Take a look at this link:

http://www.dmbruss.com/zTige/Tige_CustomOptions.htm

It can be done, but I don't think they are into boondocking....

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

What the "Dude" was trying to say was.....to get the fladgelation seperator to coggulate with the fortum unit...you have to be sure you have enough pushilation in the curcuitorium to lower the BURRR factor down the desired level of freezer optumminity.

Speedy Konopolly
Indian Geekmister

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dee, after having the problems I've had with gaskets on the fridge/freezer, I certainly wouldn't want to deal with two more of them, so a 2 door is fine with me. Naturally I'd like to have more fridge & freezer space (those Eggos take up a lot of room!) but I think there are trade-offs involved, and you should go with what you think will be important to you.

After nearly 6 months I have come to realize I just can't cook in my 5ver as I cooked in my house. The space isn't there for one thing - counter, sink, stove top, oven, fridge, freezer, cabinets, etc. I'm just adapting to be happy with what I have and it's working.

Good luck, and don't worry too much. There is sure to be something you wish you had gotten, and something you wish you hadn't. Ain't that just like life?

gypsy

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for clearing everything up Speedy.

Phyllis

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ah yes, we can always count on Speedy. biggrin

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hooooo Hummmm.... Now where did I last leave my propeller hat?????

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

Norcold units if anyone else is shopping for additional freezer space.

Donna162 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dee, we have the smaller refrigerator with the pantry on the side and I would not change a thing.....we are always close enough to a store that if we need something we just go get it....don't stock up on things like I did when we had kids at home to feed.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Even though we have both a 12cuft fridge and a basement fridge/freezer (which we use as a freezer) most of the time we don't need so much space. A good friend with an 8cuft solved the problem by getting one of those Coleman coolers that runs on 12 volt. When taking a trip to the boonies, like going to Alaska, they pack the fridge and put the stuff they will use first in the Coleman and hook it to a 12 volt plug in the trailer. It gives them an extra few days of food when they need it, plus they can use it for grocery runs for perishables when the store is a ways off or the weather hot. They say it works great for the two of them.

retread · RV-Dreams Family Member

We're content with our 9 cu ft fridge in our 5th wheel. When we were anticipating purchasing our 5th wheel and waiting for the house to sell, I made a personal project of 'practicing'' my kitchen and cooking skills with much less on hand. We just go to the food market much more frequently than before. I think we waste less food now as a side benefit to our adjustment! I agree with Fred and others that the pantry space is much more important for our style. Linda

macattack · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have a coat closet just inside of the entrance door that was basically worthless so I installed shelves in it for a pantry and it works perfect. We have the 4 door refrigerator and love having the extra room,--especially in the freezer. Sure keeps us from having to make more trips to the store for groceries.

Camper_Boy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Been cleaning out our old stuff around here, and one of the first things to go were our textbooks!! confuse

Thanks for the advice, RV Dude, and we'll definitely do some number-crunching . . . or I guess I will . . . I'm the EE, afterall. This toyhauler we're looking at (Newmar, by the way), is equipped with generator, inverter, 4-bank of batteries, but we'll look into the specs. on all of it. We've got the time to think it through.

I looked at the info on Dale & Mark Bruss' website, too . . . very informative.

Speedy - I loved your translation!

Marci

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

Speedy tends to be really good at translating any and all geekoid communications! I think he's earned an honorary propeller.....

Roz · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jeff,

What color are the honarary props? Is there any way to make it probationary dependent upon his future behavior? This could surely go to his head!

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

The 8 and 10 cf take up the same space. The 12 requires more room. We have had the 10 and 12 - we currently have the 12- 4 door Norcold. We have found - after 9+ years fulltime - that the 10 is likely OK for us. The 12 is not full most of the time.

Usually, you have to shop once a week in an RV anyway. So having the extra space is not as important as a house. Plus, if you are fulltiming you have more time to do the shopping.... :)

Ever look in your household refigerator and see what is truely necessary in there? And still something you would actually eat?

susie/jack · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hey Dude -- does than honorary prop come with chicken feet and wings? He is already past the blond curly locks and lipstick.

jimdee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the comments! Ok, we've pretty much decided on the bigger refrig for us because of the freezer. The 4 door gives us a lot more room for frozen stuff. We have a full refrig and freezer all the time in the stix & bricks. I hate grocery shopping and we want to boondock so we're thinking big.

It's great getting responses from everyone and it sure helped with the decision.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

If you want to maximize freezer space a separate ice maker, which they do make, might also make sense. The ice maker in that 4 door takes a lot of space, we have one.

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

As I said, we have the 4-door. We do not use the ice maker - which gives us more room for frozen food. Quite a bit more room. We keep our beverages chilled...but that won't work for everyone.

Smokey-Bear · RV-Dreams Community Member

When we decided to order our BigHorn... I decided to get information on the choices of Upgrades for the Fridge. I then went to a Camping World, loaded with my information, tape measure, and pen and paper.

When I measured the inside dimensions of each choice... I soon decided the additional $$ was not worth the small increase of space. We have been full time in our BigHorn for 2 and 1/2 years now... The upgrades offered also had an Ice Box feature... which really takes up a lot of space !

IF... IF we decided to increase our Fridge space... it would be a small Freezer. I would put a small chest freezer in the space allowed for a Washer/Dryer. The area we have is inside our closet. They make top door or front door models which would more than triple the freezer space we have now.

We do not want a Washer/dryer... we do laundry every 2 weeks or so, in the Campground laundry or at one in a near by town... it takes less than 2 hours total. To us... this is much quicker than it would require with a small RV type washer.

Marv

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Marv, I agree with putting a freezer in place of a W/D. I usually only have to do laundry every other week and wouldn't want to go back to throwing in a small load every day. I did that in the early 70's with a load of diapers every day, lol.
gypsy