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Dometic’s new CFX5 portable fridges have us rethinking our beloved Yeti coolers

Lighter, more compact, and more efficient — it's Dometic's best-ever series of portable fridges

By Mike Richard Published December 26, 2024

Young woman removing fresh herbs from a Dometic CFX5 series electric cooler. — Dometic

Dometic already set us down the boujee path of ditching our precious Pelican and Yeti coolers in favor of portable fridges (or “electric coolers,” if you like) for overlanding and car camping. Now, the company is upping the ante yet again with its premium CFX5 lineup.

The CFX5 series is the big brother to Dometic’s existing CFX2 line of budget-friendly portable fridges. That means it is more expensive, but it’s also better in every way. According to the brand, the biggest upgrade is in the use of Vacuum Insulated Panels (VIP), a technology that reduces weight and saves energy. Translation: Lighter, more efficient fridges. VIPs allow Dometic to use thinner insulated panels, which cut the bulk and to make its latest and greatest fridges even more compact.

Dometic CFX5 55IM portable fridge/electric cooler isolated on a plain studio background — Dometic

Dometic is also touting a much-improved compressor. The new VMSO 3.5 (that’s “variable motor speed optimization”) auto adjusts its output to maintain the desired temperature. That means it only works as hard as it has to conserve energy and provide a more consistent interior temp.

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Other features exclusive to the CFX5 series include a high-res color display, an alert when the lid isn’t closed properly, and an 18-watt QC 3.0 USB port for fast charging your smaller tech gadgets without wasting the otherwise used port on your portable power station.

The Dometic CFX5 series portable fridge is available right now via and directly from . It’s available in five sizes, including the entry-level, 25-liter option ($800 MSRP) and the flagship 95DZ — a 95-liter monster with dual-zone fridge/freezer capabilities for $1,400.

Contributor

Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…

Deals

REI Co-op member sale: Get an extra 25% off trail gear this weekend

Group trail running through a rocky trail with pine trees.

REI Co-op is already an excellent source of discounts for trail clothing and trail gear, but this weekend members can enjoy another 25% off with their purchases. An REI Co-op membership only requires a one-time fee of $30, which is very easy to claw back by buying any of the deals for hiking gear that are available on the retailer's website. You'll just have to use the code OUTAPRIL25 upon checkout to access the lower prices.

We've gathered our favorite offers below to give you a snapshot of what to expect from the ongoing promotion, but feel free to browse through everything that's on sale if you're looking for something specific for your spring hiking plans. You're going to have to hurry if you want to take advantage of the REI Co-op member sale though, as the code will only remain active until April 14.

Outdoors

Coleman looks to overthrow Yeti as the go-to cooler brand for campers

They promise to be Yeti-tough, but lighter and more affordable than the ultra-premium rotomolded competition.

Couple carrying a Coleman Pro hard-sided cooler in the outdoors.

Rotomolded coolers have long been the standard for campers, car campers, and overlanders. Yeti has been the go-to brand for such coolers for more than a decade, with an almost cult-like following. But, Coleman (yes, that Coleman) is setting its sights on dethroning the king with its all-new Coleman Pro line-up.

The Chicago-based brand has been a camper staple for more than a century, with some of the most lightweight and, most importantly, affordable coolers on the market. But it's seriously stepping up its game with the Coleman Pro line. It's "the most durable cooler we've ever engineered. We pushed it to the limit with repeated drop tests and over 1,000 hours of rugged road testing and it exceeded every expectation," said Luke Eck, Coleman's Director of Outdoor Research & Development.

Outdoors

What is a draw in golf? How to hit it, when to use it, and more

Unlocking the power if the draw in your golf swing

People riding a golf cart around the gofl course.

In many other sports, a draw means to end a game in a tie, so naturally, I was in for a surprise when I learned it’s something completely different in golf. In fact, a draw refers to a type of shot where the ball curves gently from right to left in the air for a right-handed golfer. Alongside the fade, hook, and slice, the draw is one of the core shot shapes every golfer encounters. In a word, it’s a supercontrolled shot that is as beautiful as it is powerful. Here’s how to hit a draw, when to use it to support your strategy, as well as some famous draws during the Masters and PGA Tour.
How to hit a draw in golf

To hit a draw, a golfer usually aligns their stance slightly to the right of the target. The face of your club needs to be closed relative to your swing path on impact but still slightly open to the target line. Too closed, and you’ll hook it wildly, but too open, and you’ll actually be hitting a push or a fade. When hit correctly, the ball flies with a topspin and a sidespin, and this is what creates that right-to-left trajectory. If you need a visual explanation, Me And My Golf has a great video where they explain two ways to draw the golf ball.