Unique refrigerator

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Lou_tribal

Lou_tribal

Guru
Joined
Jan 20, 2016
Messages
4,391
Location
Canada
Vessel Name
Bleuvet
Vessel Make
Custom Built
I just bought a Unique (this is the brand) refrigerator. Apparently this is made in Ontario.
It is a dual 12/110 Voltage, has 2 separated compartments that can set to different temp. Also yo can disable one of the two in case you don't need it.
One feature I like is an integrated programmable shutdown in case of low battery (you can choose between 3 bat voltage when the fridge will ring an alarm then stop so not to drain the batteries).
It has opening from the top so maybe not easy to fit in but keep the cold air inside when you open it vs a standard fridge.
It has a danfoss group.

At first sight it is sturdy made and works well, has been down to -5 on one side and +4 on the other in short time while I tested it. I will first use it in 2 weeks for some camping vacation then will retrofit it in the boat.

Anybody has any experience with this?

L
 
MurrayM said:
Let us know how it works out.

For those of us that are weekend warriors, or tend to take shorter trips (stupid day job) these make sense in that you can plug it in at home with everything in it, and get it all down to the proper temperature before bringing it to the boat :thumb:
Click to expand...
Indeed may be a good point. Also each of the two section can be either a refrigerator or a freezer (specs mention down to -20 but just tested to -5).
I will have more input about it when I will be back mi september after using it for 3 weeks, will keep you posted.

L
 
Lou tribal,We purchased the 120L version,along with the solar panel.
The panel is attached to our house bank of six GCs.Its been on our vessel for one
year now and is set for -12 and +5.Its a perfect setup and no problems to date.Was well worth the money. Enjoy Will
 
Capt.Will said:
Lou tribal,We purchased the 120L version,along with the solar panel.
The panel is attached to our house bank of six GCs.Its been on our vessel for one
year now and is set for -12 and +5.Its a perfect setup and no problems to date.Was well worth the money. Enjoy Will
Click to expand...
Thank you for you comment Will, it will be part of my refit to find a perfect place for it in the boat so to have it along with the current fridge that is too small to keep enough for 2 (this one will become our rose wine dedicated fridge lol)

L
 
So after almost 3 weeks using it daily here is my feedback about this unit: I enjoy it!
One surprising thing is how much space is in there. At first sight it does not look very spacious but when you start putting things in, wow. We were able to store more food than we need for our 3 weeks escape. We used one side as fridge at 2C and one side as freezer at -12 and it worked flawlessly. Two aspect we particularly liked were that it is very silent (at 2 meters you barely hear it) and the usb outlet on the front that were very handy instead of using multiple chargers.

In summary very happy with it and no regret at all.

L
 
iu
 
Looks like an interesting unit, with a couple of those units you could have frozen and refrigerated items for better than a week while cruising.
 
The combination of all the features and flexibility of usages makes this very attractive. I've seen similar units placed under dinettes, in underused staterooms, lazarettes, upper bridges, even engine rooms.
 
Thanks for the update, I am looking at getting a portable fridge/freezer for next summer and these ones are at the front of the list so far. The fact that they are sold by Costco helps with the decision as well. Just need to figure out if we need both fridge/freezer combos or just a freezer. Thanks again

Rob
 
Diverrob said:
Thanks for the update, I am looking at getting a portable fridge/freezer for next summer and these ones are at the front of the list so far. The fact that they are sold by Costco helps with the decision as well. Just need to figure out if we need both fridge/freezer combos or just a freezer. Thanks again

Rob
Click to expand...
The beauty of these model for me is ability to use any of the compartments as either fridge or freezer, mucho useful when you may need one or the other or both like me.

L
 
Anyone know if this product is still available, can’t seem to find it on the website. Thanks

Rob
 
It looks to be a rebranded Wynter product. I have one and love it. Very versatile.
 
I had a look at the Wynter products and although they look very similar the power consumption ratings are much different. The Unique was rated at an average 2.7Ah and the Wynter says 5+ (can’t remembers the exact #). This may be just a play on words (average vs Max?). Just curious if anyone has used this brand and what your opinion is.

I have a line on a Unique 65L model but not sure it will work out as I’m still waiting on pricing so I’m a bit sceptical. If it falls through I will need to find another option so looking for any recommendations. Thanks

Rob
 
I know this thread started in summer of 2020 but perfect timing that it came to life again today. I'm placing my orders for the spring to-do list for launch by May 1 and a new refrigerator is on the shopping list. We have an old Norcold DE-461. The darn thing never has worked well since we bought the boat and last season it would hum but didn't actually cool anything and it's rusting out in spots. Already fussed with a new thermistor, etc., did nothing. I know the DE0061 is the direct replacement but I'm not in the mood to get another Norcold for a billion dollars. We had a Norcold on our previous boat and that one never worked very well either.

I was thinking of the Unique too, the 6 cu ft model. Some of the reviews I've seen say it's slow to get cold because it's designed to sip power, but I figure a slower, highly efficient, slightly smaller fridge is better that the ac-dc Norcold that never gets above room temp. And it'll fit in the DE-461 cabinet with a little trim work and leave us room for a new little storage shelf maybe.
 
I checked on Costco web site where I bought mine and not available anymore, not from manufacturer. I guess this is not the right season yet up here ot that the demand in the current situation exceeded the offering.


L
 
The link is lost so unsure how it looks. There is a(or lots of) factory in China churning out "car fridges",incl 2 temp versions, various types/styles which dealers buy rebranded to sell. I`ve got one, about 50L, single temp, we pull down and load at home to take to the boat,connected to 12v in the car. Pulls down to 5C in 20 minutes, has lasted over a year, still works fine. I overcame,using thought and Velcro, a poor cabling set up for the mains transformer.
 
Oddly Home Depot carries that Unique 12v refrigerator and they'll deliver it for pick-up at the nearest store no charge so it's looking better and better. Not crazy about white, but that seems to be the only color available in the 6.0 cf size.
 
So I finally managed to secure the last 65L fridge/freezer unit from Unique, it’s a scratch and dent model but still in great shape. Delivery is expected this week, I have one question though. The cooler did not come with the cover so I was wondering if it is important to try and find one. The distributor says that most people don’t use them as they were black and that defeated the purpose of insulating the cooler anyway. What are your thoughts?

Rob
 
Diverrob said:
So I finally managed to secure the last 65L fridge/freezer unit from Unique, it’s a scratch and dent model but still in great shape. Delivery is expected this week, I have one question though. The cooler did not come with the cover so I was wondering if it is important to try and find one. The distributor says that most people don’t use them as they were black and that defeated the purpose of insulating the cooler anyway. What are your thoughts?

Rob
Click to expand...
Indeed the cover is black so not really useful if you keep the fridge out under the sun.
I used it in camping when the fridge was stored out from the sun. Overall the cover is a bit annoying as you need to unzip it and remove its top each time you want to open the fridge.

L
 
:)Ron and Lou, Greetings, We keep our 120L in the salon, no cover and it fits right in.
The cover might be okay if in an open area, flybridge etc. But it is PITA.
Will Stay Safe
 
Thanks for the replies, I will be keeping it outside but under cover on the back deck just outside the door to the salon. I’m going to give it a try without the cover as I believe that the ease of getting in and out of it will out weigh the potential of better performance. Ultimately I would like to find a good spot inside with easy access but I think that’s wishful thinking. Thanks again for your input

Rob
 
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