Ice Boxes

[Used 2B PopUPTimes]

Does anyone use them for cold food storage?

We had one in our first camper and only used it for storing dry foods like bread, crackers, spices and can goods.

Note: I'm referring to the "ice box" that some campers are equipped with when they don't have a refrigerator.

[batsignal2]

We keep our toiletries in it like our toothbrushes, hairdryer, hand soap, etc.  It is a bathroom cabinet to us.

[6fordaroad]

We use it, but haven't used the freezer as of yet.  We use it for storing Bologna, cheese and other stuff like water soda and capri sun and sometimes milk for cereal for the kiddos.

[mike4947]

Ken you are talking refridgerator and Dave wants to know about ice boxes. You know the plastic thing that looks like a fridge but you have to actually put ice in to keep things somewhat cool.
As for my opinion We pull them and either use a dorm fridge or 3 way fridge, or turn the space into usable storage and use ice chests which don't "lose their cool" every time you open them.

[3ontheGo]

We used the ice box in our VW Wesfalia 'cuz it was easy to get to when we were loading up for a trip. But I wouldn't bother raising a pup to load it before we leave. We just shove an ice chest in the TV. Then we can use it in or out of the pup once we make camp.

[sacrawf]

Does anyone use them for cold food storage?

We had one in our first camper and only used it for storing dry foods like bread, crackers, spices and can goods.

Used to have one in a slide-in pickup truck camper.  Used it rarely as the insulation was poor, and the ice melted too quickly. Regular coolers were more efficient.  The icebox was installed right above the furnace as well!

[cyclone]

We no longer have one (although I voted yes, for storage of non cooled foods) since we had one in the Palomino.  It was worthless as a cooler, but great for storing dry food or towels.  I much prefer the cabinet we have in the same space in the Flagstaff.

[MotherNature]

Please subtract one of the answers for 'yes for cold food storage'.  I thought you were referring to a refrigerator.

[flyfisherman]

I also clicked for non-cooling storage, but the truth is I tore that useless thing completely out and remodeled the space as a storage cabinet - complete with a cabinet door. Got the cabinet door from Starcraft and it matches the inside camper decor. Makes for a very useful, good sized stotage cabinet. As for ice cooling, there are much better performing ice coolers on the market and they are moveable - rather you want them inside the camper, outside at the picnic table or in the T.V. - much better arrangement.




Fly

[Funrover]

Mine works great...Actully it amazes me just how well it works. I buy a large Ice bag from Safeway on the way out and it keeps the food/rick cold the entire weekend!  The coolers and such never last that long for me!

[garym053]

We have a refrigerator in our Starcraft, but had an icebox in our Jayco which we used for storage of cups, plates, etc.

[ScouterMom]

We used the cooler in our first small PUP, for cooling drinks - pop & bottled water, etc.  It worked like any other cooler - opened from the top - except that it had a drain in the bottom which was handy when we did use Ice and for cleaning it out.   It was only insulated with cheap styrofoam behind it's plasticdrop-in liner - like the cheap coolers you might pick up at the grocery store. However, since the liner lifted out so easily, I did replace the old styrofoam with some blue house foam insulation (kept things cooler) and filled in the cracks and spaces left with that foam crack filler stuff in a can.  

The one we have in the current camper has a door that opens like a small fridge, and it is under the lift-up stove/ sink.  So it's not very convenient, and I'm sure it's not insulated any better than the other one was originally (same make of camper - 70's vintage starcraft)  It's also not as clean as the old camper's was, so we've never used it.  there's plenty of room to pack a better-insulated traditional cooler for drinks and 'cool' items, and I have an electric 'dorm' fridge for milk, meat and more critical 'cold' foods.

Someone gave me a free, used 3-way RV fridge, however, so if it works, we'll probably install that sometime this summer in the cooler's space.

I think those 'coolers' are a waste of space, and can't figure out why they don't just leave an open space for a reg cooler, or just make a cabinet out of it.  with the drain, liner and door, it's got to be a little more expensive than just making the cabinet!

laura

[wavery]

I've never even seen a PU with an ice box. I may be wrong but I don't think that they have put them in PUs for many years.......except maybe very low end, light-weight jobs.

[tlhdoc]

You are wrong.  Fleetwood still put them in trailers a few years ago.  Haven't seen the 2008 line up to see if they still do.

[wavery]

You are wrong.  Fleetwood still put them in trailers a few years ago.  Haven't seen the 2008 line up to see if they still do.

:book: