ICECO APL20 vs APL35: Which Camping Fridge Should You Buy?

Buy the ICECO APL20 unless you need more food space or separate fridge and freezer temperatures. Its 22.9 lb empty weight is the reason to choose it. If your food fits and one temperature setting works, there is little appeal in lifting a larger fridge every time you load the car.

Buy the APL35 if frozen food is part of the same trip as chilled drinks and fresh groceries. Its independently controlled 27L and 8L compartments do something the APL20 cannot: maintain two chosen temperatures at once. That is a better reason to carry its 32 lb empty weight than an assumption that every camping setup needs a bigger fridge.

This is a specification-based buying comparison, not a hands-on cooling or battery test.

ICECO APL20 vs APL35 at a glance

Dimensions, power connections, app support, and warranty terms come from ICECO's APL20 manual and APL35 manual. Both have aluminum bodies and the same listed temperature range. You are not buying the larger model to get a colder temperature setting or a different compressor brand.

The APL20 is easier to carry, not dramatically shorter on the floor

The APL20 saves 9.1 lb before any food goes in. That matters if the fridge comes out of the vehicle at each stop, lives upstairs between trips, or gets carried from a parking space to a campsite. Add your groceries before deciding what feels manageable; empty weight is only the starting point.

Its lower body is useful beneath a cargo shelf. At 294mm tall, it is 104mm lower than the APL35. But neither closed-lid measurement tells you how much room you need to open it. Check lid access and ventilation before treating a tight compartment as a fit.

The floor-space difference is less obvious than the capacities suggest. The APL35 is 50mm longer, yet 15mm narrower. If width is your limiting measurement, the APL20 is not automatically the easier one to install. Tape out both rectangles in the vehicle, then check the cable exit and space around the vents.

For more on why the lighter model makes sense, read our ICECO APL20 overview. If you are still comparing brands in this size range, the small 12V camping fridge guide is the broader starting point.

The APL35 earns its weight with two temperatures

ICECO's APL35 overview specifies a 27L compartment and an 8L compartment with independent temperature control. You can plan around chilled groceries in one and frozen food in the other, rather than choosing one setting for everything.

The APL20's smaller secondary area is not equivalent. Its manual describes a 16L main area and a 4L area whose temperature follows the main zone rather than having its own setpoint. A divider or second storage pocket does not make it an independently controlled dual-zone fridge.

That distinction should decide the purchase before trip length does. A solo camper carrying frozen meals and chilled drinks may have a stronger reason to choose the APL35 than two people on a short trip who only need refrigeration. Write down what must stay frozen and what must stay chilled, then see whether the compartment sizes work for that actual food list.

The APL35 also lets you deactivate cooling in either compartment. That flexibility does not make the unused side disappear or turn the larger body into an APL20. You still pack and carry the whole fridge.

Do not size your battery from the fridge capacity

Both work from 12V or 24V DC and include a wall-power adapter. Neither fridge-only purchase includes the separate battery needed to keep it running when no powered outlet is available. Check whether the vehicle socket stays live when the ignition is off before relying on it overnight.

ICECO publishes laboratory energy figures, but its manuals explicitly say actual consumption depends on conditions. They are not a promise that a particular power station will run either fridge for a weekend, nor a like-for-like efficiency test with your chosen temperatures and food load.

Pre-cool the fridge and food before leaving, keep ventilation clear, and allow for recharging. Freezer settings, hot weather, and repeated opening can change the plan. Our compact portable power station guide covers the battery side; choose usable capacity and a compatible output rather than assuming a larger inverter buys more runtime.

Which ICECO should you buy?

Choose the APL20 for a lighter, lower fridge that you will move regularly. It is the sensible default when your food fits within 20L and you do not need independent frozen storage. Do not pay the carrying penalty for space you will leave empty.

Choose the APL35 when the second temperature zone solves a real packing problem. Its extra capacity is useful too, but the ability to separate frozen and chilled food is the meaningful upgrade. Make sure its taller body fits your cargo arrangement and that you are comfortable lifting it loaded.

If you are unsure, start with the food list and a tape measure. Those will settle this comparison more reliably than calling one a weekend fridge and the other an expedition fridge.