Dometic CFX2 45 Electric Cooler vs ICECO VL60 Dual Zone 60L 12V Fridge Freezer

The short answer

If you want a fridge and a freezer running at the same time, buy the ICECO VL60. It usually costs noticeably less than the Dometic CFX2 45, and it gives you 60 liters split into two compartments with separate lids and setpoints, a Secop compressor and a steel cabinet. For most people choosing between these two, that's the better buy.

The Dometic CFX2 45 is the better choice if one zone is enough. It's a simpler, smaller single-zone box that's much lighter, looks like roughly half the daily energy on paper (on an Australian rating), can go colder as a dedicated freezer, and adds Bluetooth app control. If you don't need frozen and fresh food at once, you'd be carrying and powering a lot of fridge you don't use with the VL60.

For the full detail, read our Dometic CFX2 45 review and our ICECO VL60 Dual Zone review. The 12V fridge complete guide covers the single-zone versus dual-zone decision in more depth.

One zone or two

This is the question that decides the purchase. The VL60 has two compartments, each with its own lid and setpoint, cooled by one compressor. The usual setup is the larger, full-height side as a fridge and the smaller side over the compressor step as a freezer. You can also run both sides as fridges at different temperatures, or switch one zone off entirely on short trips to save power.

The CFX2 45 is single-zone. The whole box runs at one temperature, so you choose fridge or freezer for each trip, not both.

There's one point where the Dometic wins: freezer temperature. The CFX2 45 can be set as low as -7°F. ICECO lists the VL60's range as 0°F to 50°F. That's cold enough to freeze food solid, but one published long-term review noted that 0°F doesn't keep ice cream rock-hard. If you want a dedicated deep freezer, the Dometic goes colder.

Edge: ICECO VL60, because fridge and freezer at once is the whole reason most people shop dual zone.

Capacity and footprint

Sixty liters against 45 is a real difference. The VL60 suits full-time couples and families who shop once a week or less, or long trips away from resupply where frozen protein lets you stay out longer. The CFX2 45 suits couples on four to seven-day stretches, or a family of three or four on a long weekend. If you're still deciding whether you need frozen and chilled food at once, what size 12V fridge you need covers single-zone versus dual-zone sizing with worked examples.

The space cost is just as real. ICECO lists the VL60 at 31.2 x 19.5 x 18.9 inches, and Dometic lists the CFX2 45 at 26.7 x 15.8 x 19.4 inches. The VL60 is about 4.5 inches longer and nearly 4 inches wider, which in a van is often the difference between fitting beside a wheel well and not fitting at all. The CFX2 45 is slightly taller, and at 19.4 inches it's already too tall for many under-bench or under-bed installs once you allow room for the lid to open.

Add ventilation space before you measure. ICECO's VL60 manual asks for more than 5 cm (about 2 inches) at the left and right sides and 10 cm (about 4 inches) at the front air outlet, so plan on roughly 35 x 23.5 inches of floor space. Dometic's US manual for the CFX2 asks for "sufficient ventilation on all four sides" without giving a distance. Dometic's CFX5 manual specifies 50 mm (about 2 inches), which is a sensible figure to plan around, giving roughly 30.6 x 19.7 inches.

Weight follows size. Dometic's US listing gives 36.6 lbs empty for the CFX2 45. ICECO lists the VL60 at 64.0 lbs empty, and it has no wheels. Loaded, the VL60 is a two-person lift that belongs on a slide or fixed mount.

Edge: Dometic CFX2 45, for a smaller footprint and much less weight.

Power draw and battery sizing

On published figures, the Dometic uses roughly half the energy, with a caveat. Dometic's Australian listing rates the CFX2 45 at 0.86 Ah per hour at 12V with 90°F ambient and a 39°F setpoint, or about 21 Ah per day. Dometic's US listing doesn't publish a consumption figure, and the US model uses a different refrigerant from the Australian one, so treat that rating as a guide rather than a guarantee.

For the VL60, the catalog page of ICECO's manual lists 0.545 kWh per 24 hours, and its Amazon listing gives 199 kWh a year, which is the same figure. That works out to about 545 Wh, or 45 Ah per day at 12V. One consumption table in the same manual shows 0.416 kWh for the VL60, but that table appears to be shifted by a row. ICECO calls these laboratory figures and states no test conditions. Camp Addict ran the VL60 for 24 hours with one side at 0°F and one at 38°F. By our conversion, that comes to roughly 50 Ah. Plan around 45 Ah as a moderate-weather number. Running one zone, or running in mild weather, brings it down. Hot weather and frequent lid openings push it well up.

In watt-hours at 12V nominal, that's about 250 Wh a day for the CFX2 45 on the Australian rating, against about 545 Wh for the VL60. Neither maker's nameplate figure (8.8 A maximum for the US CFX2 45; ICECO publishes none for the VL60) should be multiplied by 24, because both compressors cycle. Running one zone, or running in mild weather, brings it down. Hot weather and frequent lid openings push it well up.

What that means for your battery:

• CFX2 45: a 100 Ah lithium battery runs it alone for about three days in summer with no charging. 200 Ah with solar or alternator charging is comfortable for full-time use.
• VL60 with both zones running: 100 Ah lithium is tight, about two days in moderate weather and less in heat. Plan on about 200 Ah of lithium with 300 to 400 W of solar for full-time use.

That extra battery and solar is the hidden cost of dual zone at 60 liters, so put it in your budget. Run both fridges through our fridge battery calculator with your own climate and charging.

Edge: Dometic CFX2 45, for roughly half the published daily energy use, though its figure is an Australian one.

Build and durability

The VL60 is the tougher box. It has a painted steel cabinet, heavy-duty corner caps, recessed spring-loaded steel handles, a latch on each lid, a built-in AC adapter (no external brick) and an insulated protective cover in the box. ICECO rates it to run at up to 40 degrees of tilt. Owner reports describe it as very solid; complaints are about weight and temperature accuracy.

The CFX2 45 is Dometic's entry-level line. It has a polypropylene body with reinforced corners and folding ABS plastic handles. Dometic didn't economize on the parts that take the most daily wear: the hinges are stainless steel and the lid has a click-shut latch.

Neither brand publishes a noise rating for these models. Owners describe both as quiet. With either one, give the compressor end open airflow. A cramped, hot compartment makes any compressor fridge run longer and louder, and that matters more for the VL60, where one compressor serves two zones. One reviewer reported a burning smell after running the VL60 in a closed, 100°F-plus vehicle with no ventilation.

Edge: ICECO VL60, for the steel cabinet, steel handles and included cover.

Controls, app and temperature accuracy

The CFX2 45 has a simple 4-digit LED display with soft-touch buttons, a 5V/2A USB port and Bluetooth control through Dometic's Mobile Cooling app. You can set and check the temperature from your phone within Bluetooth range. Wi-Fi isn't listed. Owner reviews are generally positive about how steadily it holds temperature.

The VL60 has a single front panel that shows both zone temperatures and battery voltage. ICECO doesn't list Bluetooth or an app. Temperature accuracy is its most consistent caveat. In Camp Addict's review, the left zone fluctuated up to 8°F from its setpoint while the freezer side held within about 2°F, and their thermometers read 5–6°F warmer than the display. Owners commonly suggest checking each zone with a standalone fridge thermometer for the first few days and adjusting the setpoints to match. For food safety, keep the fridge side at 40°F or below, measured, not just as displayed.

Edge: Dometic CFX2 45, for the app and steadier reported temperature control.

Value

The ICECO VL60 usually sells for noticeably less than the Dometic CFX2 45 while giving you 15 more liters and a second zone. Check current prices on Amazon, since they move often. That's strong value. On warranty, ICECO lists 5 years on the VL60's compressor and 1 year on other parts. Dometic's US manual points to an online limited-warranty page rather than printing a term, so confirm the CFX2 45's US term before you buy.

The fair comparison includes the electrical system, though. If choosing the VL60 means adding a second battery or more solar to cover about 45 Ah a day, some or all of that saving goes back into the build. If you already have about 200 Ah of lithium and solid charging, the VL60's value advantage holds.

Which one should you buy?

Buy the ICECO VL60 if:

• You want frozen meat and fresh food on the same trip.
• You're feeding two or more people for a week or longer between shops.
• You have the floor space and a battery bank around 200 Ah with good charging.
• You want a steel cabinet and the fridge will stay mounted.

Buy the Dometic CFX2 45 if:

• One zone is enough, or you want a dedicated freezer that goes below 0°F.
• Your electrical system is modest, around 100 Ah of lithium.
• You'll move the fridge in and out, or your bay can't take a 31-inch box.
• You want Bluetooth app control.

FAQ

Is the ICECO VL60 better than the Dometic CFX2 45?

For buyers who need a fridge and freezer at once, yes. It usually costs less and gives you 60 liters across two independent zones. For buyers who only need one zone, the CFX2 45 is lighter, smaller and, on Dometic's Australian rating, uses roughly half the daily energy.

How much more power does the VL60 use than the CFX2 45?

Plan the VL60 at about 45 Ah per day at 12V with both zones running, from ICECO's Amazon listing (its manual's lab figure is about 35 Ah). Dometic's Australian rating for the CFX2 45 works out to about 21 Ah per day at 90°F ambient; the US page publishes no figure. Switching one VL60 zone off narrows the gap.

Can the Dometic CFX2 45 be a fridge and freezer at the same time?

No. It's single-zone, so the whole compartment runs at one temperature between 68°F and -7°F. For both at once, you need a dual-zone fridge like the VL60.

Does the ICECO VL60 have an app?

ICECO doesn't list Bluetooth or app control for the VL60. You use the front panel, which shows both zone temperatures and battery voltage. The CFX2 45 has Bluetooth app control.

Which fridge fits better in a van?

Usually the CFX2 45. It's about 4.5 inches shorter and nearly 4 inches narrower than the VL60, and much lighter. Remember to add ventilation space: ICECO asks for more than 5 cm at the sides and 10 cm at the front outlet of the VL60, and we suggest at least 2 inches around the CFX2. Its 19.4-inch height is the dimension to check, especially under a bench or bed platform.