Mudiro’s compressor cool box in the test: big, cheap and good

Although passive and thermoelectric coolers also manage to keep cold food at the same temperature for a long time, they cannot be actively cooled. This is where compressor coolers come into play. Irrespective of the ambient temperature, these offer good cooling performance up to the minus range and not only manage to keep drinks, food or ice cream cool but also chill them.

The cool box proved to be reliable in the test. The power consumption and noise evolution are not remarkable and are in line with the average of the cool boxes tested so far. We particularly liked the following things:

Mudiro Cool Box With dimensions of approximately 73 × 39 × 51 cm and a weight of 14.9 kg, this one from Banggood is also large enough for social evenings with friends – the 50 liter refrigerator compartment is really large and also offers space for 1.5 liter bottles. The plastic lid and housing are well made and leave an impression of high quality. The lid opens on the long part of the housing – conversion is not possible.

Temperatures down to -20 °C are controlled here using a total of four buttons and a small display. In addition to the control buttons, there is also a USB-A port where you can recharge your smartphone or flashlight. The prerequisite for this is a connection to a power grid with 230 volts, 24 volts or 12 volts. The corresponding power supply and a car plug (cigarette lighter) are included in the scope of delivery.

Two wheels at the bottom and two handles on the side ensure comfortable transport. The first thing to do after unpacking is to screw them on, which can be done in two minutes. Unfortunately, the foldable handle is only of limited use for rolling transport due to its short length. There are better solutions out there! The lid closes tightly, but there is no magnetic closure or lock.

The XL cooling compartment can be divided into two areas with a plastic partition that can be cooled differently. For example, it is conceivable that one compartment is for food and drinks and one compartment for ice cream and ice cubes. However, in the test, we needed some time to figure out how the two temperature zones can be set separately – the instructions are unfortunately silent on this point. The cool box also has an integrated battery monitor function that is important for use in caravans and cars. Depending on the setting, the power supply is cut off before the car battery is empty. This worked reliably in the test.

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There is no app for checking and controlling the cool box via Bluetooth or WLAN. In practice we did not miss them. Overall power consumption and volume are average. Depending on the operating mode (Eco mode and Max mode), we measure between 40 dB and 50 dB at a distance of one meter. At an outside temperature of 21 degrees Celsius, the empty cool box takes about 18 minutes to cool down to 0 degrees. Performance and power consumption depend on the cooling capacity. On average we get around 40 to 50 watts at 12 volts. Power consumption using a 230-volt power supply is significantly higher due to conversion losses. In the test, up to 135 watts flowed from the socket, so using the cigarette lighter is significantly more effective. Anyone who runs their cool box in a power station or motorhome should keep this in mind!

Natural or HFC-based refrigerants are used in compressor refrigerators. Using an evaporator, it changes from a liquid to a gaseous state. The evaporating refrigerant removes heat from the cool box and thus ensures cooling. The compressor then compresses the refrigerant and returns it to the evaporator.

Compressor coolers have become significantly more efficient in recent years in terms of energy consumption and cooling performance. Even freezer compartments are possible due to the absolute cooling temperature of up to -20 °C. Unlike absorbers, cool boxes with a compressor are hardly dependent on the ambient temperature. Although there are limits here too, temperature fluctuations only occur when the ambient temperature exceeds 40 °C.

Mudiro’s compressor cool box leaves a positive impression. Apart from the manageable volume and power consumption, we primarily like the spacious, two-part and illuminated cooling compartment. If you need space for lots of drinks and food, this is the best place for you. The USB charging port is practical, but not a selling point – the price is different. 250 euros at Banggood Very fair compared to the competition! Handier The 35-litre variants are available from 194 euros,

Points are deducted only for the hinged handle to pull the cool box back – it’s too small and not very practical. However, you can easily do without the app controls.