Dometic CFX2 45 Electric Cooler

Overview — Who the CFX2 45 Is For

The Dometic CFX2 45 is a 45-liter single-zone compressor fridge from Dometic's entry-level CFX2 line. It runs on 12/24V DC or 100–240V AC, can be set anywhere from 68°F down to -7°F, and holds up to 60 twelve-ounce cans. It is the least expensive way to get a 45-liter Dometic right now, but it is not a cheap fridge, and it is not a like-for-like replacement for the CFX3 45 that used to occupy this spot.

The CFX2 45 makes the most sense for couples or small families who want a well-known brand, a roomy single-zone box for 4–7 day stretches, and simple controls. It is a good fit in a van, a truck bed, or a 4x4 cargo area where the extra height is not a problem. It is a weaker fit for anyone who cares about premium features (color display, Wi-Fi, metal handles) or who is shopping purely on value, because cheaper fridges with respected compressors cover the same job for a lot less.

If you are still sorting out size, compressor type, and power budget, our 12V fridge buying guide covers the framework. This review assumes you are comparing 45-liter-class fridges and want to know where the CFX2 45 lands.

A note on method: VanLifeKitchens researches products rather than lab-testing them. Specs below come from Dometic's US and Australian product listings and Dometic's US operating manual for the CFX2 range, and anything about day-to-day behavior is drawn from owner reports and labeled that way. The Amazon listing we link sells the US model, "Dometic CFX2 45L Electric Cooler" (Dometic SKU 97000040397).

Choose this if:

• You want a 45-liter Dometic with simple controls and Bluetooth app control.
• Your install has about 20 inches of clear height plus room for the lid.
• You want tall bottles to stand upright and a produce crisper.

Skip this if:

• You shop on value; the ICECO JP40 Pro does a similar job for considerably less.
• You need a fridge and a freezer at once.
• You want a published US energy figure; Dometic's US page doesn't give one.

Size, Fit and Ventilation Clearance

Keep three numbers apart when you plan the install:

• Interior capacity: 45 liters total volume (IEC 62552-3). Dometic's US page and the Amazon listing say it holds 60 twelve-ounce cans.
• External dimensions: 26.69 x 15.79 x 19.41 inches (678 x 401 x 493 mm, L x W x H, including handles), per Dometic's US operating manual.
• Ventilation clearance: the US manual asks for "sufficient ventilation on all four sides" and warns against closed compartments with little or no airflow, but gives no distance for the CFX2. Dometic's CFX5 manual specifies at least 50 mm (about 2 inches) on all sides, and that is a sensible figure to plan around here too. On that basis the floor space is roughly 30.6 x 19.7 inches.

You load it from above. The lid is removable, with stainless steel hinges and a click-shut latch. Dometic's manual covers reversing the lid opening for the CFX2 57 only, so on the 45 the hinge side is fixed. There are no wheels; you carry it by the folding ABS handles.

What It Replaces and What Changed

If you arrived here looking for the Dometic CFX3 45, read this section carefully. The CFX3 45 is no longer sold new on Amazon, and the CFX2 45 is the 45-liter Dometic that is. But the CFX2 is a step down the Dometic range, not a newer version of the same fridge.

Dometic's portable fridge range is now organized into three tiers:

• CFX2: the entry line, offered in 28, 37, 45, and 57-liter sizes in most markets.
• CFX3: the former mid-to-premium line the CFX3 45 belonged to, now being phased out in many markets.
• CFX5: the new premium line, with vacuum insulated panels and the VMSO 3.5 compressor. (We cover the CFX5 35 separately; Dometic also offers a CFX5 45 in some markets.)

Compared with the CFX3 45, here is what you give up and what you get with the CFX2 45, based on Dometic and retailer listings:

What you give up:

• Display. The CFX2 uses a simple 4-digit LED display with soft-touch buttons. The CFX3 had a full-color TFT display.
• Wi-Fi. The CFX2 45 is listed with Bluetooth app control through Dometic's Mobile Cooling app. The CFX3 offered both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Retailer comparisons also note that the CFX2's app does not show temperature history the way the CFX3's did.
• Handles. The CFX2 has folding ABS plastic handles; the CFX3 used steel handles.
• Capacity, slightly. 45 liters versus 46 liters on the CFX3 45. In practice, that is not a difference you will notice.

What you get:

• A lower price. It costs noticeably less than the CFX3 45 did.
• A lower rated energy figure, on paper. Dometic's Australian listing rates the CFX2 45 at 0.86 Ah/h (12V, 90°F ambient, 39°F inside). The CFX3 45 was rated at 1.03 Ah/h under the same conditions. More on this below, including the caveats.
• A fruit and vegetable crisper. Dometic lists a removable wire basket plus a crisper section for produce.
• Lighter weight. 36.6 lbs empty on Dometic's US listing, versus roughly 41 lbs (18.7 kg) for the CFX3 45.

So the honest summary: the CFX2 45 keeps the Dometic name, a variable-speed compressor, the core temperature range, and the app basics, while stripping the premium features. If those features were why you wanted the CFX3 45, the closer modern equivalent is the CFX5 range.

Capacity & Layout

Dometic lists 45 liters total volume (IEC 62552-3) and space for 60 twelve-ounce cans. That is enough for two people to carry most perishables for the better part of a week, with room for drinks, or for a family of three to four on a long weekend. Inside, you get a removable wire basket, the produce crisper, an LED interior light, and a drain plug for cleaning.

The shape matters as much as the volume. Dometic lists exterior dimensions of 26.7 x 15.8 x 19.4 inches (L x W x H). The 19.4-inch height is notably taller than 35-liter-class fridges, and it is the dimension most likely to cause trouble in a van build:

• Under-bench installs. Many van benches and bed platforms do not leave 19–20 inches of clear height plus ventilation space above the lid. Measure first.
• Slide-outs. On a drawer slide, you also need clearance for the lid to open. A tall fridge on a slide under a low bed platform can be very awkward to load.
• Upright bottles. The extra height is good news for drinks: owners commonly report that tall bottles stand up in deeper fridges that would have to lie down in a 35-liter model.

Like all single-zone fridges, the CFX2 45 runs the whole compartment at one temperature. You can run it as a fridge or a freezer, not both at once.

Power Draw & Battery Sizing

Here is what Dometic publishes, and how to turn it into a battery plan. You can run your own scenario, with all of your other loads, in our van power calculator.

Keep the nameplate rating separate from daily energy use. The nameplate is the most the fridge draws while the compressor runs hard; the daily figure is the 24-hour average as the compressor cycles. Never multiply the nameplate figure by 24.

Nameplate rating (Dometic US):

• Rated DC input current: 8.8A at 12V, 3.9A at 24V. This is the maximum draw, the number you use for fuse and wire sizing, not the average.
• Rated AC input current: 1.65A at 100V, 0.79A at 240V.

Published daily energy use:

• Dometic's US page and US manual give no energy consumption figure for the CFX2 45.
• Dometic Australia rates its CFX2 45 at 0.86 Ah/h at 12V, with 90°F (32°C) ambient and 39°F (4°C) inside.

The US model uses R1234yf refrigerant and the Australian model uses R600a, so they may not perform identically. Treat the 0.86 Ah/h figure as a guide, not a guarantee.

Converting to daily figures. Multiply the hourly average by 24, then by 12V nominal for watt-hours:

The summer row is our planning estimate. Lid openings, warm groceries going in, and a van cabin that runs hotter than 90°F in summer sun all add load, so we budget roughly 20–30% above the rated figure in summer.

Duty cycle and cutoff. The compressor only runs when the inside warms past the setpoint, so its average draw is a small fraction of the 8.8A maximum. Hotter air and a cramped bay make it run longer. Dometic's US manual lists the 12V battery-protection settings as switch-off / restart voltages:

• LOW: 10.1V / 11.4V
• MED: 11.2V / 12.2V
• HIGH: 11.8V / 12.6V

Dometic recommends HIGH on a vehicle starting battery and LOW on a separate house battery. Model your bank in the fridge battery calculator. Cooler weather brings the draw down well below the rating; running it as a freezer near 0°F will draw considerably more, so plan for the freezer case if that is how you will use it.

What that means for battery size (12V lithium, using about 90% of rated capacity):

• 100 Ah lithium: roughly three days of the fridge alone in summer at the conservative planning number, with no charging. Fine for weekends; tight for long stays once other loads share the bank.
• 200 Ah lithium: comfortable for full-time use with solar or alternator charging.
• 300 Ah and up: the fridge stops being a meaningful constraint.

Solar: 25–28 Ah/day is roughly 320–360 Wh/day. A 200W panel in good summer sun can typically keep up with the fridge and leave headroom for other loads. On lithium, set battery protection to the lowest cutoff your battery maker allows so the fridge does not shut off early.

Build, Lid & Controls

The CFX2 uses a polypropylene body with reinforced corners. Dometic lists stainless steel hinges and a click-shut latch on the lid, and folding ABS handles on each end. It is a simpler, plainer build than the CFX3 and CFX5 ExoFrame designs, but the parts that take the most daily wear, the hinges and latch, are not where Dometic economized.

The control panel is a 4-digit LED readout with soft-touch buttons. It shows the temperature and lets you change the setpoint and battery protection level. There is a 5V/2A USB port for charging a phone. The Bluetooth app handles the same basic jobs from your phone: setting and checking temperature within Bluetooth range. If you are coming from a CFX3, expect a more basic app experience.

Owner reviews on retail sites are generally positive about how quickly it cools and how steady it holds temperature. The complaint that comes up most is weight once it is loaded, which is true of any 45-liter fridge.

Noise & Ventilation

Dometic does not publish a noise rating for the CFX2 45 in the US listing we reviewed, so we will not invent one. Owner reviews commonly describe it as quiet, which fits what you would expect from a variable-speed compressor that ramps rather than slamming on and off.

What we can say confidently is that ventilation determines both noise and power draw. The compressor and condenser sit behind the vented panels at the lower end of the fridge, and Dometic's manual asks for ventilation on all four sides (plan on at least 2 inches, the figure Dometic gives for its CFX5 range). Box that end into a tight cabinet or a hot corner and the compressor runs longer and harder, which costs power and makes more noise. Dometic lists an operating ambient range of 61°F to 109°F (16°C to 43°C) and climate class N/T, so it is rated for hot-climate use, but give it real airflow if you expect to run it near the top of that range.

Who Should Skip It

• Value shoppers. The CFX2 45 costs considerably more than the ICECO JP40 Pro, which uses a Secop compressor and holds 37 liters. For a lot of builds, that money is better spent on battery capacity.
• Former CFX3 owners who loved the features. If you want a color display, Wi-Fi, metal handles, and better insulation, the CFX5 line is the true successor. Look at the CFX5 35 if 35 liters is enough.
• Low-clearance installs. At 19.4 inches tall, it will not fit under many van benches and bed platforms.
• Anyone who needs a freezer and a fridge at once. It is single-zone. The Iceco VL60 Dual Zone runs both at the same time.
• Solo weekenders. A smaller fridge like the BougeRV 30qt or Alpicool C20 is cheaper to buy and easier to power.

Alternatives

• ICECO JP40 Pro (mid-range): a 37-liter (40-quart) wheeled single-zone fridge with a Secop compressor and an app. About 8 liters smaller, but the value alternative for most buyers.
• Dometic CFX5 35 (premium): Dometic's premium line, with vacuum insulated panels, a color display, and aluminum handles, in a smaller 36-liter size.
• Iceco VL35 ProS (mid-range): a smaller, simpler fridge with a Secop compressor and a solid build, for solo travelers or tight spaces.
• Iceco VL60 Dual Zone (mid-range): a larger dual-zone option for fridge and freezer at once.
• BougeRV 30qt and Alpicool C20: compact budget fridges for weekend use.

Verdict

The Dometic CFX2 45 is a capable, roomy, single-zone 12V fridge with a solid rated efficiency figure, simple controls, and a well-known brand behind it. It is also a step down from the CFX3 45 it effectively replaces on Amazon: a plainer LED display, Bluetooth-only app control, plastic handles, and standard polyurethane insulation.

It is priced like a premium fridge while offering mostly mid-range features. If you specifically want a 45-liter Dometic and the simple feature set suits you, it is a good fridge that will do the job. If you are shopping for the best fridge for the money, the Iceco JP40 Pro covers the same job for considerably less, and if you want Dometic's best, the CFX5 line is where the former CFX3 features now live.

FAQ

Is the Dometic CFX2 45 the same as the CFX3 45?

No. The CFX2 is Dometic's entry-level line, and the CFX3 was the former mid-to-premium line. The CFX2 45 has a 4-digit LED display instead of a color screen, Bluetooth app control without Wi-Fi, ABS plastic handles instead of steel, and 45 liters of capacity instead of 46. It is also noticeably cheaper than the CFX3 45 was.

How much power does the Dometic CFX2 45 use?

Dometic's Australian listing rates it at 0.86 Ah/h at 12V with 90°F ambient and 39°F inside, or about 21 Ah/day. For summer van use with lid openings and warm groceries, we suggest planning around 25–28 Ah/day in fridge mode. Dometic's US listing does not publish a consumption figure.

What size battery do I need for the CFX2 45?

A 100 Ah lithium battery can run it alone for about three days in summer without charging. For full-time use alongside lights, fans, and devices, plan on 200 Ah of lithium plus solar or alternator charging.

Does the Dometic CFX2 45 have an app?

Yes. It connects over Bluetooth to Dometic's Mobile Cooling app, so you can set and check the temperature from your phone. Wi-Fi is not listed, and retailer comparisons note that the CFX2 app lacks the temperature history the CFX3 app offered.

What are the CFX2 45's dimensions?

Dometic's US manual lists it at 26.69 x 15.79 x 19.41 inches (L x W x H, including handles) and 36.6 lbs (16.6 kg) empty. Add ventilation space on all four sides; we suggest at least 2 inches. The 19.4-inch height is the dimension to check before you buy, especially for under-bench or slide-out installs.

What warranty does the CFX2 45 have in the US?

Dometic's US manual refers buyers to an online limited-warranty page instead of printing a term, and we could not load that page, so confirm the US term with Dometic before you buy. Dometic Australia advertises 5 years for its model, which is a different market and refrigerant.

Can the CFX2 45 freeze?

Yes. Dometic's US page lists a range down to -7°F (the US manual says -22°C, about -8°F), so it works as a dedicated freezer. It is single-zone, though, so the whole compartment runs at one temperature. You cannot have a fridge section and a freezer section at the same time.

Is the CFX2 45 worth it over the Iceco JP40 Pro?

For most buyers, no. The Iceco JP40 Pro costs considerably less, uses a Secop compressor, and adds wheels. The CFX2 45 makes sense if you specifically want the Dometic brand, its app, and its dealer network.