Dometic CFX5 35 Electric Cooler vs Iceco VL35 ProS 12V Fridge Freezer

The short answer

For most van builders, the Iceco VL35 ProS is the better buy. It holds about the same 35 liters as the Dometic CFX5 35, runs a Secop compressor that ICECO backs for five years, and costs far less. It is the heavier box and has the higher published energy figure, so put part of the savings into battery. If your goal is a reliable cold box that leaves money in the build budget for batteries and solar, it does the job.

The Dometic CFX5 35 is the better-engineered fridge. It adds vacuum insulated panels, a VMSO 3.5 compressor (European listings give 41 dB), a weatherproof color display, Bluetooth app control and aluminum self-folding handles. Buy it if those refinements matter to you and the price gap doesn't. It also has the lower published power figure and is about 12 pounds lighter. Don't buy it expecting it to keep food dramatically colder, though, because nothing published shows that.

For the full detail on each fridge, read our Dometic CFX5 35 review and our Iceco VL35 ProS review. If you're still deciding on size or fridge type, start with the 12V fridge complete guide.

Insulation and efficiency

This is the Dometic's headline advantage. Dometic pairs vacuum insulated panels with polyurethane foam in the walls, where the Iceco uses conventional thick insulation. Better insulation means less heat leaking in, so the compressor has less to remove. That's where real efficiency gains come from, and it matters most in hot weather.

One catch is that Dometic publishes two different figures. Its US product page rates the US CFX5 35 at 1.11 Ah per hour at 90°F ambient with a 39°F setpoint. Its European page rates the European model at 0.77 Ah per hour under the same stated conditions, but that model uses a different refrigerant (R600a against the US model's R1234yf) and a 42W rating against 47W. For a US-bought fridge, plan around the US figure. ICECO's manual lists the VL35 ProS at 0.430 kWh per 24 hours, about 36 Ah per day at 12V (roughly 1.5 Ah per hour), and calls it a laboratory figure without stating the ambient temperature. The two ratings come from different tests, so they aren't a precise head-to-head, but on paper the Dometic is the more frugal fridge.

Edge: Dometic CFX5 35, for better insulation and the lower published draw.

Power draw and battery sizing

At 1.11 Ah per hour, the CFX5 35 works out to about 27 Ah (about 320 Wh at 12V) per day at 90°F ambient. ICECO's lab figure for the VL35 ProS, 0.430 kWh, works out to about 430 Wh, or 36 Ah per day. Its FTC EnergyGuide label gives the same figure as 157 kWh a year. Neither is the nameplate: the CFX5's 47W and 7.6A maximum is for fuse and wire sizing, and ICECO doesn't publish a nameplate figure for the VL35. Lid openings, warm groceries and a cabin that gets hotter than 90°F in summer sun all add to either number, so many builders add 20 to 30 percent or more for summer planning. Running either one as a freezer near 0°F uses considerably more.

The gap is roughly 9 Ah a day on paper. That's real, but it's not enough to move either fridge out of the same broad battery class:

• 100 Ah lithium: roughly two to three days of fridge-only use with no charging, less for the VL35 in summer heat. Fine for weekends, tight once lights, fans and devices share the bank.
• 200 Ah lithium with solar or alternator charging: comfortable for full-time use with either fridge.

Both have three-level battery protection. ICECO's manual gives 12V cut-outs of 9.6V, 10.4V and 11.1V. Dometic's CFX5 manual shows its values only in a graphic. On a lithium bank, set the cutoff to the lowest level your battery maker recommends so the fridge doesn't shut off early. Run your own numbers, including your climate and other loads, in our fridge battery calculator.

Edge: Dometic CFX5 35, narrowly. Its published figure is about a quarter lower, though neither fridge changes the class of battery you need.

Footprint and fit in the van

The two are close in size. Dometic lists the CFX5 35 at 27.3 x 15.7 x 16.0 inches, and ICECO lists the VL35 ProS at 28.1 x 15.9 x 15.7 inches, so the Iceco is about 0.8 inches longer and a fraction wider, while the Dometic is a fraction taller. The bigger difference is weight: 48.7 pounds empty for the VL35 ProS against 36.5 pounds for the CFX5 35. That matters if you lift the fridge in and out, mount it on a slide, or watch payload.

Clearance changes the picture a little. Dometic's US manual asks for at least 50 mm (about 2 inches) on all sides of the CFX5. ICECO's manual asks for more than 5 cm at the left and right sides and 10 cm (about 4 inches) at the front air outlet of the VL35. In practice that means roughly 31.3 x 19.6 inches of floor space for the Dometic and about 32 x 20 inches for the Iceco.

The lids differ too. ICECO's VL35 lid opens from either side or lifts off. The Dometic's lid is removable, but Dometic doesn't list the CFX5 35 among the models whose lid opening can be reversed. For how much open space a chest lid needs compared with an upright door, see the chest vs upright 12V fridge guide.

If you're upgrading from a CFX3 35, Dometic lists both at 27.32 x 15.67 x 16.02 inches, so the footprint is the same; see the CFX3 35 review for how the two differ.

At about 16 inches tall, neither has much interior height. Owners of 35-liter fridges commonly report that wine bottles and tall two-liter bottles need to lie down. If you carry a lot of tall containers, a 40 or 45-liter fridge is easier to live with.

Edge: Dometic CFX5 35, for being about 12 pounds lighter and slightly shorter.

Compressor and long-term reliability

The Iceco runs a Secop compressor; ICECO doesn't publish the exact model. Secop (formerly Danfoss) is the long-established supplier behind many serious 12V fridges, its track record over years of daily running is the main reason the VL35 has a strong reputation with full-timers, and ICECO backs the compressor for five years. Owner complaints about the VL35 tend to be about the finish and the utilitarian interior plastic, not about cooling.

The Dometic uses its own VMSO 3.5, an updated version of the variable-speed compressor in the CFX3 line. It's newer, so there are fewer years of owner reports behind it.

Both are variable-speed DC compressors that ramp up and down instead of slamming on and off, and both hold a set temperature well once they're cold.

Edge: Iceco VL35 ProS, for the longer compressor track record and the 5-year compressor warranty.

Noise

European retail listings give the CFX5 35 a noise figure of 41 dB, and retailers market the VMSO 3.5 as quieter than the CFX3 line. Dometic's US page doesn't list one, so treat it as the European model's rating.

Iceco doesn't publish a decibel figure for the VL35, so we won't quote one. Owner reports describe the usual Secop pattern: a faint click at start and stop, a low hum during run cycles, and silence between them. Most owners who sleep near it don't flag it as a problem.

With either fridge, ventilation affects noise as much as the compressor does. A fridge boxed into a hot, cramped cabinet runs longer and louder, so leave real airflow at the compressor end.

Edge: Dometic CFX5 35, narrowly, as the only one with a published noise figure.

Controls, app and build

Here the Dometic is clearly ahead. You get a weatherproof color TFT display, Bluetooth control through Dometic's Mobile Cooling app (set and monitor temperature, track energy use), an 18W Quick Charge 3.0 USB port, self-folding aluminum handles with a bottle opener, a removable non-slip lid, TPE gaskets and an anti-condensation coil around the lid seal. Retailer comparisons also mention a lid-open alarm. Note that Dometic's US listing describes Bluetooth only, not the Wi-Fi some CFX3 models offered.

The VL35 is deliberately simple: a metal cabinet, a lid that latches, opens from either side or lifts off, and a button control panel. There's no app, no Bluetooth and nothing to pair; ICECO's manual has no app section, and owner reviews on ICECO's page confirm there's no Bluetooth. Some owners see that as a feature. The common gripes are about the utilitarian interior plastic. Plan on a strap or mounting kit to secure it.

Edge: Dometic CFX5 35, for the app, display, USB fast charging and better finish.

Value

The CFX5 35 is a premium fridge and the VL35 ProS sits in the mid-range, so the Dometic costs considerably more. Check current prices on Amazon, since they move often. In this comparison, the extra money buys vacuum insulated panels, a quieter rated compressor, a color display, Bluetooth app control, a fast-charge USB port and nicer handles. It also buys a lower published power figure and about 12 pounds less weight. It does not buy more space.

For most builds, that difference still does more as battery capacity or solar than as fridge refinement, and it more than covers the extra battery the VL35's higher rated draw calls for. Warranty splits the difference. ICECO's manual gives 5 years on the compressor and 1 year on other parts. Dometic's European page lists 3 years, but the US manual only points to an online limited-warranty page, so confirm the US term before you buy. Owners commonly report Dometics holding their value better used.

Which one should you buy?

Buy the Iceco VL35 ProS if:

• You want a proven Secop compressor and the money left over for batteries or solar.
• You want the longest compressor warranty (5 years).
• You'd rather have three physical buttons than an app.
• You're a full-timer who cares more about years of reliable cooling than finish.

Buy the Dometic CFX5 35 if:

• You want vacuum insulated panels, which the VL35 lacks, and the price isn't a constraint.
• You want to check and adjust the temperature from your phone.
• You sleep close to the fridge and want a published noise figure.
• You want the lighter fridge and the lower published power draw.
• You value polish, aluminum handles and resale value.

FAQ

Is the Dometic CFX5 35 worth the extra cost over the Iceco VL35?

For most van builders, no. Both hold about 35 liters, both are single-zone fridge-freezers, and both land in the same broad battery class, though the Dometic's published draw is lower. The CFX5 35 is worth it if you specifically want its vacuum insulation, quieter rated compressor, color display and Bluetooth app, and the considerable extra cost doesn't take away from your electrical system.

Which uses less power, the CFX5 35 or the VL35?

On published figures, the Dometic. Its US page rates the CFX5 35 at 1.11 Ah per hour at 90°F ambient, about 27 Ah (320 Wh) per day. A European page lists 0.77 Ah per hour for the European model. ICECO's manual rates the VL35 ProS at 0.430 kWh (430 Wh) per 24 hours, about 36 Ah per day at 12V, as a lab figure with no stated conditions. Plan around 27 Ah per day for the CFX5 35 and 36 for the VL35 as baselines, and more in summer heat or freezer mode.

Do both fridges use a Secop compressor?

No. The Iceco VL35 ProS uses a Secop compressor (ICECO doesn't publish the exact model). The Dometic CFX5 35 uses Dometic's own VMSO 3.5 variable-speed compressor. Both are variable-speed DC designs.

Which fridge is smaller?

They're nearly the same size. The CFX5 35 is listed at 27.3 x 15.7 x 16.0 inches and the VL35 ProS at 28.1 x 15.9 x 15.7 inches. The CFX5 35 is much lighter, at 36.5 pounds against 48.7. With each maker's ventilation clearance added, the Dometic needs about 31.3 x 19.6 inches of floor space and the Iceco about 32 x 20.

Does the Iceco VL35 have an app like the Dometic?

No. The VL35 ProS has no Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or app. You control it from the panel on the fridge. The CFX5 35 connects over Bluetooth to Dometic's Mobile Cooling app.