Review of the HCALORY TD40 Portable 12 Volt Refrigerator-Freezer

When it comes to truck camper appliances, the refrigerator-freezer is probably the most valued. Not only can it be used to keep vegetables, meats, and beverages cold, but it can also be used to keep ice cream frozen. Indeed, there’s nothing like ice cream on a hot summer day while enjoying the views from your rig. While the vast majority of truck campers and vans already have a refrigerator-freezer, smaller types of rigs like truck toppers, camper shells, and overland rigs with rooftop tents (RTTs) don’t. Enter the HCALORY TD40 Portable Refrigerator-Freezer. This dual zone, 12 volt portable fills the refrigeration void by offering an excellent, low power way to keep food and beverages cold without being overly large and power hungry. This is why we were happy to review the new HCALORY TD40 12 Volt Portable Refrigerator-Freezer when we were asked.

Information and specifications

With a capacity of 40 liters and a weight of 36 pounds, the HCALORY TD40 is large but not to an excessive degree. It measures 28.03 inches deep x 16.45 inches wide x 20.94 inches high, small enough to fit almost anywhere like on a seat in your truck  or in the back of your truck or SUV. Made of an attractive ABS plastic, the dual zone refrigerator-freezer provides a 42 quart capacity and features two main compartments: one large freezer compartment that measures 12 x 11 inches and is 13 inches deep, and one small refrigerator compartment that measures 4 x 10.5 inches and is only 7 inches deep. The shallow depth of this smaller compartment is used to accommodate the unit’s compressor. More about the compressor later.

Looking for a portable refrigerator-freezer that is either larger or smaller that the HCALORY TD40? You’re in luck. The company offers several other portable refrigerator-freezer models to accommodate your needs: a larger TD50 model and numerous LM and F Series portable refrigerators of various sizes. And if you happen to be on the lookout for a portable diesel heater, the company makes several models of heaters too.

The HCALORY TD40 Portable Refrigerator-Freezer comes with everything you need to start using it right out of the box. The unit is powered by using the a 110 volt AC and a 12 volt DC charging cords which are included, but it can also be operated by using a portable HCALORY solar panel which is not included. The unit features an internal light, a USB port, a screw-in drain spout, and a retainer strap to prevent the top from opening too wide. The body of the refrigerator is outfitted with two spring-loaded carrying handles to facilitate moving and transporting. These handles are welcome because the 36-pound refrigerator is heavy, especially when loaded with food and drinks.

The unit comes with a 24-month limited warranty and lifetime technical support. Made in China, the HCALORY TD40 lists for an affordable $194 on Amazon.com.

The HCALORY TD40 Portable Refrigerator-Freezer is operated by using the control panel keypad located on the top of the unit. The control panel consists of a power control button, an increase and a decrease button, a settings button and a monochrome digital display that provides Celsius or Fahrenheit temperature readings. The settings button is used to control the unit’s running state from either MAX (fast cooling) or ECO (energy saving mode) and is used to change the temperatures setting within each zone. The TD40 can accommodate temperatures between -4F and 68F.

The TD40’s two zones can be setup in either one of two ways—as a refrigerator only or as a refrigerator-freezer with the small zone acting as the refrigerator and the large zone as the freezer. Unfortunately, the TD40 cannot be configured the other way around with the small compartment as a freezer and the larger compartment as the refrigerator. More about this limitation later.

With a daily consumption of only 180 watt hours per day in the ECO mode, the HCALORY TD40 uses very little power. The heart of the refrigerator-freezer is the 12 volt DC compressor which cools and maintains the unit to the desired temperature. Unfortunately, HCALORY doesn’t use Europe’s superb Secop compressor. Instead, HCALORY uses a good facsimile made by Wancool of China. It seems to work as well as a Secop compressor, though the efficiency isn’t quite up to par to the Secop unit. The question is, how well will the Wancool compressor hold up over time? The Secop compressor is a proven commodity, the Wancool compressor isn’t. Only time will tell. Still, the HCALORY TD40, which can accommodate temperatures between 4F and 68F, features dual zones unlike many higher-priced, single zone refrigerators.

One feature that we really like about the HCALORY TD40 Portable Refrigerator-Freezer is the battery protection feature which consists of three modes or what the company oddly calls gears: High, Middle, and Low. These gears prevent the refrigerator-freezer from depleting your batteries while the unit is in operation—in most cases an error code of E1 will probably be displayed when the battery voltage is too low. While the three gears offer various amounts of protection to the unit, we recommend using the High gear when its connected to your vehicle’s 12 volt power. The Middle and Low gears should only be used when it is connected to your camper’s 12 volt lithium battery bank or to a portable power station like the Jackery 1000 or Goal Zero 1500.

How the TD40 Performed

During our two-months of summer use, the HCALORY TD40 Portable Refrigerator-Freezer worked exceptionally well. We used the TD40 at camp, while we were on the road in the cab of our truck, and as a temporary refrigerator for perishables after picking up groceries. At camp, we powered the refrigerator using a Jackery 1000 Portable Power Station, while in our vehicles we powered it by using a 12 volt socket. Like any refrigerator, getting the temperatures right in the two compartments takes a bit of work at first, but after a couple of days, we were able to dial the temperatures in just right. Like any RV refrigerator, the ambient temperatures play a large roll in the unit’s temperature settings. Sometimes they have to be set higher or lower depending on the temperatures outside.

The HCALORY TD40 is rated for 60 watts, which is excellent for a refrigerator of this size. The company claims that the TD40’s compressor cools “lightning fast” and we have to agree. During testing, it consistently cooled to the set temperature around 30 minutes, though we found that it was more than cold enough to keep drinks cold within 15 minutes. We used our Jackery 1000 to measure the power consumption of the TD40 while in use. With the compressor running, the highest number observed was 58 watts in the MAX mode, while in the ECO mode it consistently drew between 25 and 32 watts. Again, the ambient temperature and the temperature settings play a large role in how much power is used at any one time. Most of the time when we camped, the outside temperatures ranged between 55F and 92F.

While we were generally happy with how well the HCALORY TD40 performed, we were disappointed with the size of the refrigerator compartment when used in the refrigerator and freezer mode. It’s way too small and not very deep. Only four cans of soda (or beer) can be put in it. This isn’t a problem if you use the unit strictly as a refrigerator, since both compartments can be used this mode, but not when the compartments are used separately. Most of those who camp with the HCALORY TD40 will want to use it as a refrigerator-freezer. This configuration wasn’t a show-stopper for us, by any means, but it may prevent others from purchasing it. In our opinion, two compartments, roughly equal in size, would have been a better design for split use.

The Verdict

So is the HCALORY TD40 Portable Refrigerator-Freezer worth the $194 cost? If you’re on a tight budget, absolutely. As a matter of fact, it’s difficult to find a dual zone portable refrigerator-freezer of this size in the same price range. Not only that, but the new HCALORY TD40 is a great looking unit. Sure the quality doesn’t quite measure up to the Dometic, National Luna, Truma, and the ICECO brands, but those top brands also cost a lot more, between $1,200 and $1,600 more. If you own a truck topper, camper shell, van, or just a basic tent, then you should take a hard-look at the HCALORY TD40. As a refrigerator-freezer it works just as well as those which cost a lot more.

What would we rate the HCALORY TD40 Portable Refrigerator-Freezer? On a scale of 1 to 5 with one being the lowest and 5 the highest, we give the HCALORY TD40 Refrigerator-Freezer a rating of 5 stars. At this price point, it’s an outstanding value. And for those of us who spend so much time behind the wheel, the portable is a great way to have ice cream, cold drinks and sandwiches without having to stop.

Interested in buying the HCALORY TD40 Portable Refrigerator Freezer? HCALORY is now offering a 20 percent discount off the listed price for Truck Camper Adventure readers. Click on this link and use the discount code “20TruckCA.” To get the discount, click the product link, select “other sellers on Amazon”, click on “LuneGus” in the list of other sellers. This will direct you to the LuneGus store listing for the product. At checkout, make sure to enter the discount code.