We've been running a large Dometic CFX3 dual-zone fridge/freezer on our boat for three years now. It supplements our built-in fridge and freezer, and it's been one of the most reliable pieces of gear aboard. Here's the honest review after thousands of hours of use.
What It Is
Our cooler has two separate compartments, each with its own temperature control. You can run one side as a fridge and the other as a freezer, or both as fridges, or both as freezers.
Model correction: Our photo matches the older CFX3 generation, not the CFX5 previously named here. The exact capacity is unconfirmed, so we are not assigning our unit a 75DZ or 95DZ model number. This is a review of the cooler we have used, not a long-term test of the newer CFX5.
It runs on basically anything: 12V DC, 24V DC, 110V AC, or 240V AC. Plug it into your boat's 12V system, your RV's cigarette lighter, shore power, or a generator. It doesn't care.
What We Love
It Just Works
Three years. Multiple countries. Rough seas, tropical heat, power outages. The Dometic's cooling has remained reliable. Plug it in, set the temperature, forget about it. That's exactly what you want from a fridge on a boat.
Dual Zone Temperature Control
Each side has its own temperature setting. We can run one side as a fridge and the other as a freezer, using the display and buttons on the cooler itself. No phone required.
We keep the smaller side as a freezer and the larger side as a fridge. Ice cream goes under the freezer basket. The baskets are genuinely useful — especially on the freezer side where everything would otherwise become one frozen mass at the bottom.
Power Flexibility
12V DC on the boat. 110V AC when we're at a marina or have the generator running. We've never had a situation where we couldn't power it. The built-in battery protection system prevents it from killing your house battery — you can set the cutoff voltage so it shuts off before draining your bank too low.
Build Quality
The cooling has been reliable. The insulation holds temperature well — during power outages, the freezer side stays frozen for hours. The hinges, the drain plug, the handles — everything feels like it was designed by people who actually use these things on boats and in overlanding rigs.
What We Don't Love
The Latch
Our latch broke after about two years. After looking around online, this is common enough that someone designed a 3D printed replacement with reinforced gussets where the OEM part fails. We ended up finding a reasonably priced OEM replacement and it was an easy swap — just a few screws. But an expensive cooler shouldn't have a latch that breaks.
The Bluetooth / App
It has Bluetooth. There's an app. In three years, I've never really needed to connect to it. The app tends to not work if you haven't used it in a while — needs an update, won't pair, the usual Bluetooth nonsense. The small screen on the unit itself tells you everything you need to know: set temp, actual temp, and buttons to adjust. Skip the app.
Weight
This is a large, heavy cooler, especially full of food. Check the exact generation’s weight and external dimensions before planning a permanent location.
Price
Check the current price for the exact generation and size. A portable fridge/freezer can be easier to repurpose than a built-in installation, but allow for mounting and safe power connections too.
Buying Today: CFX3 vs CFX5
Our experience above is with the CFX3. Dometic introduced the newer CFX5 series in October 2024; we have not tested it.
Dometic's CFX5 launch announcement describes different insulation and an updated compressor. Those changes are not something our years with the CFX3 can evaluate. For reference, see Dometic's CFX3 75DZ product page and current CFX5 75DZ specifications; neither link confirms the capacity of our own cooler.
Compare the exact generation, capacity, dimensions, warranty and current price before ordering. The 75DZ and 95DZ are different sizes, and a feature on another model should not be assumed to carry over.
View the newer CFX5 75DZ at Dometic — not the unit tested here
Who Should Buy This
Buy it if:
- You need supplemental cold storage on a boat or RV
- You want dual zone (independent fridge and freezer)
- You need 12V/24V DC operation
- You want something that works reliably in harsh conditions
- You're okay with the price for a buy-once piece of gear
Skip it if:
- You only need an ice chest for occasional trips
- A smaller single-zone fridge would meet your needs
- You need something easy to carry frequently
Alternatives
Compare capacity, dimensions, weight and service support in our 12V fridge guide. Match the specific model rather than treating every fridge in a brand’s range as interchangeable.
The Bottom Line
Three years of reliable cooling, one replacement latch, and it's kept our food cold through everything the Caribbean has thrown at us. Our Dometic CFX3 is expensive, heavy, and the Bluetooth adds little for us. The dual zone with independent controls is genuinely useful, the baskets keep things organized, and the power flexibility means it works anywhere we need it.
For life aboard or full-time RV travel, this dual-zone layout has earned its place. Our recommendation reflects our experience with the CFX3, not an assumption that every newer Dometic will perform identically.
Mounting on a Boat or RV
A correctly matched slide can make access easier in a fixed installation. Check the cooler generation, clearance, mounting surface and securement requirements. A slide is an installation option, not universally essential or a guarantee of no fitting work.
Shopping around? Compare our Dometic with the alternatives in our 12V fridge comparison — and for the other half of comfort aboard, our Koonie fan review.
Slide fit depends on the exact cooler. Check Dometic’s 75DZ slide or 95DZ/100 slide specifications against your model before buying.
