I just did a blog entry on the fridge a couple of days ago, check it out.northwestoverlandsociety.org/Blogs/MostRecent/tabid/226/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/128/categoryId/3/Edgestar-FP430-fridgefreezer.aspx

So far I'm 99.9% satisfied with the Edgestar fridge. And now that Sierra expeditions has started to sell them I think it says a little something about the quality.

Benny,

Thanks for the Edgestar info. I followed your lead and just ordered one. The Compactappliance website was having issues so I ordered it over the telephone. The website showed a price of 398+, but the customer service guy, Rudy, sold it to me for $395. It's only $3.00, but sometimes it pays to speak with a real (almost) english speaking (they're in Texas) person. It should be here by Friday.

I got mine. Fits real nice in the back of the Jeep. Thanks for being the guinea pig, Benny. Now for the dual battery setup, sigh.  Seems like one thing always leads to another.  I should probably have a dual setup for safety anyways.

Hey Jay, I'm very happy with my 43 qt. Edgestar.  The 2 issues I've had are:

1) Handles = Plastic / Chinsy.

-> I took em out and ran straps through the area the handles connected to, giving me really sturdy tie down points.  It's not as comfortable to lift with the straps, but to me it's worth the steadfast mounting.

2) 12V Cigarette Plug = Pops Out! (not to mention my factory cigarette lighter wasn't up to snuff)

-> I wired a dedicated 12V line to the rear of my rig using a 2-pin trailer connector and replaced the Edgestar's cheap cigarette plug with the same.  It's very secure and the wires are ample size versus my OEM cigarette plug.  Based on my experiences and what I've read, this connector is a common trouble area, as it seems to unseat itself quite often.


Overall power draw has been pretty minimal, I've run my Edgestar for an entire day and night in the desert with 0 issues starting my rig afterwards.  For the $$ I'm very happy with my little fridge!

I'm still happy with mine. X2 on the chinsy handles but if you take out the full baskets while moving the fridge they are ok. I built some halfway decent tie down brakets for mine, works pretty good. The 12V plug are way to short to have the fridge in the back and run the wire to the dash. I too have a dedicated 12v socket wired in the back. And yes, the plugs suck a little...gotta make sure it's in right or it will pop out. All in all my fridge has proven itself worthy, been in use non-stop for almost 3 years now as my beer fridge in the garage.

Jay, I've had my Edgestar for little more than a year and I'm pretty happy with it.  I agree with the two issues already mentioned.  Although I haven't had much of an issue with the handles.  The first time I used it was last summer on the TAT trip.  I had a cigarette lighter adapter hard wired in the bedliner of my pu.  The cigarette lighter end of the refer cord was constantly coming loose. The refer end of the cord broke on the same trip.  The clowns at Edgestar would not warranty the cord, so I bought the 10' cord so that I can use the refer in the boat. Not that I had much choice since the 6' cord was out of stock and they didn't know when it would be available.  On my trip last weekend I wrapped the plug with some electrical tape and never had the plug come loose.  Now that I have found a source for the plugs, I'll be making my own cords.  I would buy the unit again.  FWIW.