We Tested the Travoca Rigel 25-Liter Dual Zone eCooler Against ARB, Ironman 4x4, and Dometic

One of the biggest assets you can have on the trail isn’t necessarily for your vehicle, it’s for its occupants. Buying a plug-in 12V vehicle fridge/freezer is expensive. But’s a total gamechanger—especially if you’re regularly in the middle of nowhere for any given time.

We put the new Travoca Rigel 25-Liter Dual Zone eCooler to the test to see how it stacks up against well-known brands like ARB, Ironman 4x4, and Dometic.

Travoca Rigel Dual Zone eCooler Overview

Rigel is the series name of Travoca’s 12-volt or AC-powered dual zone eCoolers (fridge/freezers). Each unit comes with both power cords. Rigel eCoolers can be had in four sizes: 25L (our tester’s model), 35L, 45L, and 60L.

However, Travoca doesn’t offer a hardwire kit for them as many other manufacturers do. That would be a welcome addition for a permanent fridge/freezer installation that is powered by the battery in your adventure rig. As of now, you’d have to get a hardwire kit from someone else, like the one we have from ARB.

However, we have four customized go-anywhere vehicles, including a 1998 Suzuki Jimny Wide, 1994 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear van, 1991 Mitsubishi Pajero, and our daily driver and time-speed-distance rally rig, a modified 2022 Subaru Crosstrek. That means we need the flexibility to move a fridge/freezer as we need.

All Rigel eCoolers boast vacuum-insulated panels that can help keep your food and drinks cold for approximately seven hours after the unit is turned off. Travoca also says their Rigel fridges keep contents colder 60% longer than more basic 12V fridges.

Keep in mind that although it’ll keep things cold, frozen things like your hazelnut gelato may melt during that time.

If you spend a lot of time in remote places, hardwiring it to your vehicle’s battery may be best for constant power. Or you can bring a power station with you to power it overnight, like we did with a EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus during our 29-day TransAmerica Trail trek with a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness. Then when you wake up, plug it back into your rig’s 12-volt socket for daytime power.

All Rigel eCoolers feature a lid that opens either side. The entire lid can also be removed for easy cleaning. They also have a movable metal handle on either side of the unit.

They’re oversized and beefy. But they’re difficult to secure the eCooler in place with ratchet straps, like our Front Runner Stratchits, if you’re off-roading or competing in a road rally like we just did with it during the 2026 Thunderbird Rally.

That trip alone was 1,365 miles of adventure-testing fun. The handles lay flat against the fridge when not ratcheted or used for carrying.

However, they don’t lay flat against the unit if it’s plugged in on that side. We hope a future iteration will make the handles smaller so they still lay flush when powered.

Rigel eCooler App and Stats

Travoca Rigel Dual Zone eCoolers are controlled via a simple digital push-button read-out near the product’s top. This works well once you understand what Eco and Max modes mean. Though, in bright sunlight, the numbers are hard to see.

The Rigel fridges also can be controlled via a free Bluetooth app. These units run from -4° F to 68° F. The app is easy to use, and it works well.

However, the bottom words of the app are covered up by our Samsung phone’s navigation bar. We hope this will get fixed in a future app update. Here are some of the 25-liter’s stats:

• Size (L x W x H): 25.8” x 16.9” x 14.7” (656 mm x 430 mm x 374 mm)
• Weight: 48.1lbs. (21.8 kg)
• Time to go from 79° F to 32° F (26° C to 0° C): 20 minutes
• IP Rating: IPX5 (water-resistant and protected against low-pressure water jets from all directions, but doesn’t include a dust ingress rating)
• Run time from a 1500 wH power station: 18 hours
• # of Zones: 2
• dB: 48

Testing the Travoca Rigel 25-Liter Dual Zone eCooler

Our tester includes 25 liters (or 6.6-gallons) of capacity. As with all of Travoca’s Rigel units, our unit can be used as a single-zone fridge if you pull the removable divider out.

It can be a freezer, too. Or it could be a dual zone unit if you leave the divider in it. We tested it all ways.

We plugged in our 25-liter eCooler via Subaru’s center consule 12V outlet but the eCooler was located in the rear cargo area. The cord ran nearly the entire length of our Subie without an extension and never had issues during the Thunderbird Rally or beyond.

We also tested it via our hardwire kits and had uninterrupted chilling time while driving. Same with our power station. Worked like a champ.

Bonus: You can use the supplied 12V or 110V cords on either end of a Rigel dual-zone fridge/freezer. Smart.

Our Travoca Rigel 25-Liter Dual Zone eCooler was constructed of high-quality materials, including funky bamboo slats as a modern detail. Same with all fridges, our 25-liter tester was heavy to carry as it tops nearly 50 lbs.

But once set up, it ran quietly and efficiently. It kept food and drinks cold and was extremely convenient to have on hand, especially during our two-day competition.

At first glance, the interior space of this fridge seems small. But, if you plan to run it all at the same temperature, remove the center divider. It gives you much more room.

The shallow space above the air compressor was wasted space until we figured out what to stash there that wasn’t fragile. We wished Travoca would add some sort of basket or upper removable divider there to keep contents from shifting while driving.

However, we wanted a smaller dual-zone fridge to complement the 50-liter one we have from another manufacturer. Plus, we just bought our tiny Suzuki Jimny 4x4 so anything we put in there must be small.

Note: Travoca’s entire lineup is dual zone, including our 25-liter tester. Nice. Our tester even fit under our Subaru’s rear cargo cover, making it a stealthy ice-cream carrier when it’s hot outside.

So, even if you’re in the market for something a bit bigger, the Travoca Rigel dual zone eCoolers are a solid contender and should be considered. Regular price for the 25-liter unit: $650

Access More Great Stories!
For more informative articles like this, consider subscribing to OVR Magazine in print or digital versions here. You can also find the print edition of OVR at your local newsstand by using our Magazine Finder.