Whynter FM-85G: Versatile 85 Quart Portable Fridge and Freezer for All Adventures

9 reviews for Whynter FM-85G: Versatile 85 Quart Portable Fridge and Freezer for All Adventures

1. 

   Sound of Rain – December 4, 2024

   This OTR Driver – Still likes it-So Far!
   I’m a new owner to this brand and so I’m skeptical when it comes to portable refrigerator freezers that go in a big truck. My concerns are will they hold up to vibrations of driving over the road as many have troubled compressors that blink out as a result of vibrations. Many name brand units can be rather pricey but I try to go for one that has good ratings and hopefully it will last more than 2 years. 5 plus years would be super!Anyway, what brings me to this Whynter (Winter?) Brand was because my beloved Norcold 45 after 12 years of bliss no longer would refrigerate. It still works but, it freezes everything! I only want it to work as a refrigerator so here I am. Can’t find my beloved Norcold anywhere on the market as they are either soldout from reputable places or folks are selling them at an outrageously jacked up price.So, when I found this unit, it checked off all the marks. The size is right for my space, it seems well built. It’s actually taller and deeper than my old unit and I like that. It seems to cool down rather quickly to my set temperature of 36°. I have an inverter and it is running seamlessly on AC power without any issues. Mind you this is just day one but I’m writing this review to say that so far I like what this unit is giving me. It was priced very well and it is actually made very well and is working very well. I even bought the travel cover.It runs very quietly as I can barely hear when the compressor is running. The boxy shape doubles as a nice table actually. I plan to update after a month of using it and hope it will stay positive. I need to see how it handles after some vibrations of being over the road.Because it’s built like a tank with all metal. I especially like the metal handles which are surprisingly comfortable when you’re trying to carry it. It is heavy but manageable as I was able to get it into my truck but it was empty. Also the little lady who delivered it from Amazon had to walk upstairs with it in its big well packaged box and she managed without any issues so I definitely can’t complain about it being too heavy. Although I don’t plan to move it in and out, especially with food in it, so if that were the case I would be taking the food out before moving it.One slight drawback that I feel could be improved is actually where the controls are. Because they are located on the short end at the bottom of the right side, it would have been nicer to have them on the long end on the side where the unit opens and closes so that I can actually look back and see what the temperature readings are. So for extra measure, I have my thermometers placed inside the unit so that when I open the case I can actually see how cold the temperatures are inside. As I said before, I have it set the 36° but because heat rises and my thermometers are at the top they are registering at 40° so there’s probably a plus or minus 4° on the temperatures. It’s all fine with me as long as it stays under 42° which is in the safe refrigeration zone. Oh, and there is no way to change which way the top will open as it is fixed.So today I’m going to end with giving this a very glowing review and hope it stays that way as I will update this and let you know how things go after a month or so and hopefully after a year of using it. As it stands now for my first day of using, I would definitely recommend. It comes at a good price point, is well built, and it works well.UPDATE: Well, my update is coming about 3 months later..lol Good thing is that I can’t report any problems. I did end up turning the unit so that I could always see the control panel and temperature. The lid is not reversible and so now the lid opens from the seat side or opposite my bunk. The temp inside has held steady as I switched it to the automic temp setting, which I believe works best. I believe the automatic setting keeps the compressor from working unnecessarily. I just plug into the DC outlet and go. I added a picture of the new positioning. Hope it continues to function without incident. I still would recommend.

2. 

   Katie33kate – December 4, 2024

   Great freezer
   This is working really well for me. It isn’t the power hog I was worried about….i run this completely off batteries and it does well, and isn’t a big drain,Setting it up was easy.Of course, this manufacturer has a good rep, so I don’t expect troubleMy only negative is the placement of the status screen. I have to get down on my hands and knees to see it,

3. 

   Galen – December 4, 2024

   Efficient, quiet, capable. Excellent fridge.
   I bought this for my solar off grid camper because it runs directly off of 24v DC. My electrical system is all 24v and appliances that bypass the inverter will save you a lot of power in the long run. This fridge is amazing. It just sips power. When the compressor is running it’s drawing maybe 90 Watts max at 24 volts. Once it gets down to temperature it just kicks on every 20 minutes or so depending on the ambient temperature. Once it gets cold it stays cold. The chest freezers are very efficient; cold air just sits in the basin rather than spilling out like when you open the front door of a standing fridge.I sleep right next to it when I’m camping, I do hear it click on and off but it’s so quiet it’s never woken me up or distracted me, even on very quiet nights. I took the latches and hinges off to fit it into a tighter space; the lids still sink in snugly and seal every time. If they don’t close all the way it will let you know with a polite beep after a few minutes.The controls are easy to figure out. You can make either side a refrigerator or freezer (or both) which is a great idea. If you want to turn the whole thing into a meat freezer you can do that. I have the larger area as a refrigerator, I set them both at low temperatures and this fridge can keep both compartments that cold. Ice does build up in the freezer and I have to empty it out, let it melt and dry out the freezer every six months or so. I live in Florida with constant high humidity so this may not be an issue for everyone.It did arrive with a small dent but not a big deal. If I would change anything I would order a longer one. When I go on long trips I fill it to the brim and it fills up fast, especially with lots of ice in the freezer. This met all of my needs and exceeded all of my expectations. Highly recommended!

4. 

   PJH – December 4, 2024

   Positive Outcome
   I purchased this Whynter FM-65G in the fall of 2022 for a camper van build. It was perfect for the designed space. It worked well for what we needed. We are not full time campers, so this was used for about 5 months total. During our last trip (August 2024) we discovered that it was not cooling. We were upset that it was out of warranty and not working.I contacted Angel at Whynter customer service and described my dilemma. They told me that we could send it back for evaluation. The cost of shipping and it being out of warranty precluded any action of returning. I read where you could used a tap to recharge and test the system. I connected my gauges to the tap and read negative pressure. I put a vacuum on the system and it did not hold. I tried a refrigerant sealer to no avail. Faced with a reefer that was bad, I began uncovering the cooling tubing under the insulation. I started seeing signs of sealant and dye deep inside the insulation. Continuing to uncover I found the aluminum tubing was eaten away and causing the leaks. I then sealed up the leaks I could see with JB Weld. I then pulled a vacuum and it was better but still leaked off albeit slower. I then contacted Angel again to tell her what I found and I feel was a manufacturing defect. She asked that I send a picture of the serial number and the area of the leak. Angel replied that if I would pay for shipping, I would receive a new reefer. I agreed to that and I received a brand new unit.I feel that this company stood behind their product even if out of warranty.

5. 

   JT Cruiser – December 4, 2024

   Great product works well on both AC and DC power.

6. 

   NB Organic farmer – December 4, 2024

   I bought this to transport BBQ meat to farmers’ market. I have been using it for 4 months now and so far so good. Passed food inspection with no problem as it keeps the temperature below the requirement (38F).

7. 

   Mark Rutledge – December 4, 2024

   I purchased the Whynter Portable 65 quart Refrigerator/Freezer in the spring of 2017. During the summer we camped for 10 days in a remote site with a 120 watt solar panel connected to a 12 volt battery providing the only source of power. The results were quite amazing. Whynter provided us with a portable fridge that kept our meats, dairy products, beverages etc. cold. I mean cold. The fridge was set at 35 degrees F and cycled between 33 to 38 degrees. Contrary to what another reviewer said I found the unit very quiet and barely noticeable as it ran (I had often to put my ear beside the fan to double check that it was working.) I highly recommend this product and even my sceptical wife has become a great fan of the fridge (no more having to manage ice for the cooler over the holiday.) The latches seem well made and were easy to use. If I had one complaint it was that the dc cord male plug that goes into the dc outlet seems a bit flimsy. Otherwise an excellent product and my only regret is that we didn’t buy the bigger 85 quart version.As an extra test I put the Whynter fridge in the garage on a warm day (70 F) and let it run on a 12 volt battery for 24 hours to see how much draw the unit would make. Starting from a fully charged state at 12.7 volts the battery after 24 hours of running was reduced to 12.2 volts. Now the fridge was empty at the time and was never opened during this test so a real life camping experience was not totally replicated. But still, I was very impressed that after 24 hours of running the battery still had around 50% charge remaining. It means that any reasonable solar panel/battery combo can keep up with the Whytner fridge.At this point we can say nothing about the durability of the product. It does look well made to my eyes and we hope to have for many years of camping. This fridge has certainly revolutionized our camping experience.

8. 

   Terence – December 4, 2024

   Excellent, well made but expensive product. We have carried it across Canada from Ontario to BC this summer, as a freezer adjunct to the small fridge in our 13′ Scamp trailer. The freezer kept our fresh fish frozen all the way and a large, dwindling tub of frozen yogurt in edible condition. This despite some nights when it was without any power. It works extremely well as a freezer when plugged into the travelling vehicle 12 volt DC socket, as well as on 120v AC. A fully charged deep cycle battery keeps it going for about 1.5 hours before dipping below 10v and the automatic shutoff point. We carry a small, 1kw Yamaha gasoline AC inverter/generator that runs the freezer on fast freeze mode to -8 F. Thereafter, the box is so well insulated that contents stay frozen until the morning.

9. 

   KGB – December 4, 2024

   I liked the fact you plug both battery and the AC into the fridge at the same time .That way when you turn the car off the fridge still runs . I have it plugged into an inverter which the fridge recognizes that the energy source is AC . I also have it connected to a 12 volt battery that delivers 210 ah so that when the car is turned off the battery just kicks in .No thinking about the fridge as to whether it is still running.I can you use the dual zone fridge as all refrigerator or one side as a freezer.