There is not much more Aussie than the Esky.  Although Esky is a brand name, let’s face it, every cooler we’ve ever used, we called our esky.  Our eskies, or coolers, have come a long way since the blue polystyrene boxes, none more especially than the new Solix Everfrost 2 from Anker.

The Solix Everfrost 2 is able to provide up to 4.3 days of reliable, ice-free cooling on a single charge and can not just cool your groceries (ie, beer) but also freeze them if you wish.  It is also available in a 58L dual-zone model that separates cooling from freezing (each zone is independently controlled).

The Solix Everfrost 2 is available in a 40L model and the aforementioned 58L dual-zone model, with the 40L capable of 4.3 days of battery life with two of Anker’s 288Wh LFP batteries.  The 58L model will get up to 3.2 days of battery life with its two batteries.

The cooler can be charged in multiple ways, including AC, 12V car socket, USB-C, or 100W solar input and can be controlled using the Anker app.

Anker sent us the Everfrost 2 40L cooler for testing, and after using it fairly extensively over the Christmas period, I can say that it is the perfect evolution of the old-fashioned esky – although maybe a version with cricket wickets could improve it.

Design

The Everfrost 2 is big – well, big is an understatement – I can only imagine how big the 58KL model is in comparison.  Empty, and with 1 battery inserted, it weighs around 25kg, so put it in your car/caravan before filling it with food (believe me, I found out the hard way).  

It has a lot of electronics to be able to complete all the things it can do, but this is massive – but the flipside is that the internal cooling volume is extensive, much bigger than I thought.  I wonder if they thought of bringing a smaller verison of this to the market.

For me though, I was easily able to pack all the foodstuffs I needed into it on the days I needed to, and it was able to cool the entire volume comfortably.  By that, I mean that there was quite a bit in there, so maybe the size is correct?  If you need more space, you could buy the 58L model – this is for the serious campers, but probably well worth it for them.

To describe the design is difficult because it contains so much more than just a compartment to keep your perishables cold.  It’s like the Swiss Army Knife of coolers.  

Obviously, the centre is the cooling section, with a lid that seals exceptionally well, as you would hope.  One end had a tray table that folds out that can be used to food preparation – this also encompasses a handle to enable you to wheel the cooler along behind you.

The longer side has a “Bar” where you can hang your official accessories, and, of course, next to it is a bottle opener.  

The side opposite the tray table is where all the charging ports and batteries are.  The side flips down to reveal two battery slots – the review unit came with only a single battery, but you can buy a second if needed.  

Each of these batteries can also be charged by plugging a USB-C charger directly into them, but they can also be used to charge your devices if you are away from a socket.  Each battery has a USB-C port (60W) and a USB-A port (12W).

The batteries can be charged using a 100W solar panel, a wall outlet (AC), or a car aux port (12V). Plugging directly into the cooler port will take 3.6 hours to charge a battery.  The final charging solution is using USB-C, and this is connected directly into the battery – the battery does NOT have to be inserted into the cooler while being charged.  This is the slowest charging method and will take 5.5 hours to charge it from empty to full.

How to use?

Using the Everfrost 2 is super simple. You can control it remotely using the Bluetooth-connected app or using the buttons and display on the fridge itself. Simply set the required temperature and away you go. I was surprised how fast it cooled, even in extreme temperatures. It can cool from 25°C to 0°C in just 15 minutes. It you need it freezing, the Everfrost 2 supports temperatures down to -20°C.

I was able to keep prawns and other Christmas meats, fruits, and vegetables in it cool all day on Christmas without any issues. The cooling was even throughout the entire compartment, and boy, was there a lot of room. There were days it was used in nearly 40°C down at the beach for most of the day and it did not miss a beat. Sure, it may have used more battery power doing so, but it kept all the drinks and food cold.

It was a struggle to wheel the Everfrost 2 across the sand, but you can buy more suitable wheels for it from Anker for 0 — just suck it up if you don’t go to the beach much, as that’s a fair outlay for the occasional beach use.

Battery Life

Any concerns I had about the battery life were gone after using it for a day. With a single battery, I was able to get 9 hours of continuous cooling at 1 degree (including the short time taken to cool it down to 1 degree from room temperature) and use only 29% of the battery. I used it on a campsite and, with the temperature set to 0 degrees, the battery only lost around 10% in about 6 hours while sitting in the shade, even though it was 40 degrees outside. Leaving the Everfrost 2 in the sun made it work a lot harder, using much more battery life so keep it in the shade where possible.

Now, if you were heading out to a remote area with no access to power, you could easily charge it in your car with the car charger or with solar panels purchased separately. You could also buy a second battery for the Everfrost 2 to double the battery life.

Final thoughts

The Anker Solix Everfrost 2 is the perfect solution to the Australian climate (and in particular the summer climate). It can keep your food cool with little power, even if the outside temperature is above 40 degrees. The charging solutions are elegant and allow you to provide everlasting power to the device and this everlasting cooling to your perishables (and drinks).

The Anker Solix Everfrost 2 is priced at

,499 for the 40L unit — reviewed here. The larger 58L Everfrost 2 with the separate freezer section starts at

,799, but there is a sale on the Everfrost 2 58L with a second battery for just

,598, making this deal very enticing.

If you love your camping, caravanning, or similar, then a device such as the Anker Solix Everfrost 2 is just what you need. Keep all your food cool and fresh wherever you are.

	Everfrost 2 40L	Everfrost 2 58L
Capacity	40L	58L
Cooler Compartments	1	2 (Dual Zone)
Temperature Range	-20° to 20°	-20° to 20°
FrostFlow™ Technology	Yes	Yes
Max Cooling Speed	18 min (Eco/Smart Mode) 15 min (Max Mode)	29 min (Max Mode for Both Zones) 13 min (Max Mode for Single Zone)
Max Runtime	104 Hr (Eco Mode with Dual Batteries) 52 Hr (Eco Mode with Single Battery)	78 Hr (Eco Mode with Dual Batteries) 39 Hr (Eco Mode with Single Battery)
Battery Capacity	288Wh	288Wh
Battery Compartments	2 (Dual Batteries)	2 (Dual Batteries)
Dimensions	749 x 459 x 493 mm	986 x 459 x 493 mm
Product Weight with Battery	25.5 kg	33.9 kg (with Dual Batteries) 31.4 kg (with Single Battery)
Product Weight without Battery	23 kg	28.9 kg

Anker Solix F3000 power station

As part of the above review, Anker sent me its Solix F3000 power station to check out. The power station is a serious unit with a possible 3,600W AC output, ideal for camping holidays, when your house loses power, or long road trips.

It can be charged multiple ways, including solar, AC, EV charging station (!!), and your car itself. In an emergency, it can run your fridge for 42 hours! In this emergency, it can also function as an uninterrupted power supply with zero downtime thanks to a seamless 20ms switchover.

Now, unfortunately, or fortunately (?), the power went out here at my house on one of the hot days a few weeks ago, and luckily I had the Solix F3000 all charged up and ready to go. Plugged the fridge and freezer into it and didn’t have a care in the world. Even though power was back on about 7 hours later, it was nice not having to worry about my fridge and freezer without power. At the same time, we ensured all our phones and other devices were charged.

If we really wanted to, we could have easily run the TV from it as well, but I lacked a spare extension cable as they were already being used for the fridge and freezer.

My only issue with the Anker power station is its weight, but that is what comes with packing this much power into a relatively small unit. Be careful when lifting it, and if you are lifting it into your car/caravan, get some help. Even with the wheels, it is difficult to move.

The Anker Solix F3000 is a serious power station, designed for those into long camping trips where you may be away from a power source for a long time or for those who want the peace of mind of a home backup in areas where the power supply may not be as consistent or reliable as it should be (in Australia).

The Anker Solix F3000 is available now for RRP ,499 — as I said, it’s for the serious folks only. For just 0 more, you can get a solar panel with the Solix F3000, making for a decent bundle deal.