Engel MT45 Combination Platinum Series Review

The Engel MT45 Combination Platinum Series is a large, robust cooler with impressive power that delivers a substantial cooling punch. It's built with galvanized steel, allowing it to withstand serious adventure travel. It's also one of the most well-insulated powered coolers we've seen, and it kept our drinks cold for hours after we unplugged it.

Temperature Control

The MT45 has excellent temperature control overall. It reaches a bone-chilling cold minimum temperature and is exceptionally accurate when set to cold temperatures. Its powerful compressor cooling mechanism keeps the insulated interior close to the set temperature.

It can get as cold as 3.2°F. This isn't the absolute coldest temperature achieved among the coolers we tested, but it's plenty cold for almost any application, even keeping ice cream frozen.

When we set the MT45's temperature to 34°F, its actual internal temperature was 34.7°F, one of the closest to the desired temperature of any model we tested. This cooler can only be set to even-numbered temperatures, so we set it to 34°F instead of the standard 35°F for our time-to-cool test. This is also noteworthy if you require accurate temperatures to within single digits. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a more accurate portable fridge than this one, even given the limitation of only even-numbered set temperatures.

Time to Cool

The MT45 cools its contents the fastest of any other cooler. If you need to go from room temperature to cold fast, this is the model for you.

We started the MT45 at room temperature, plugged it in, set it to 34°F, and filled it with cans at room temperature. Within 20 minutes, the cooler and its contents had reached 34.7 degrees. This is astonishingly fast for a portable cooler.

Energy Consumption

The MT45 is a power-hungry electric cooler. It's still a viable option for running off a portable power station, but it's not your best choice if you're looking for maximum energy efficiency. It is exceptionally well insulated, so if you turn it off, it will stay cold longer than other powered coolers.

We recommend you use a 750-watt-hour or larger power station with the MT45. It draws an average of 10.8 watts per hour, which comes out to just over 500 watt-hours in 48 hours for a weekend trip. This isn't much more energy-hungry than the most energy-efficient models, but all that cooling power requires more energy to operate.

This is one of the most insulated powered coolers we tested, which can offset the MT45's high energy consumption. After we performed our time-to-cool tests, we left the coolers unplugged overnight to allow them to cool. When we checked this one the next day, all the drinks inside were still cold. Even though this model consumes a lot of energy, if you cut off the power, it will keep your food and drinks much colder than other powered coolers.

Portability

The MT45 is ideal for setting up in one place in your van or overlanding rig and not needing to move it afterward. It can be moved, thanks to its handles, but it's large and heavy. This is more ideal for setting up in your adventure vehicle and leaving it than carrying across the park for a picnic.

It weighs 50.5 pounds when empty. This is heavier than most other portable fridges we tested. It also doesn't come with the handles installed, highlighting that while it is technically portable, it's more designed to be driven around than carried.

The MT45 has a vibration-resistant compressor and can operate at an incline of up to 30 degrees. This cooler can go anywhere your vehicle can, although it requires considerable effort to carry it on your own. You'll want two people to bring this far from your vehicle when it's full of food and drinks. And if you want to carry it away from your car, you'll have to install the handles yourself first.

Ease of Use

The MT45 is a highly durable cooler you can rely on for years. It features many useful functions that make it easy to adjust the temperature, change other settings, and organize your food and drinks within.

The digital temperature control features an easy-to-read LED display and adjusts with the turn of a dial. It also features two USB ports for direct charging of phones and other devices.

The MT45 comes with two removable wire baskets to organize your food. It also comes with a reusable ice pack, which you can freeze to enhance its cooling capabilities if you need to unplug it for an extended period.

This is an exceptionally well-built and durable cooler. Its entire shell is built with galvanized steel that remains scratch-free after months of testing. It comes with a 3-year personal use warranty, one of the longest warranty periods of any cooler.

Noise

The MT45 isn't particularly quiet. It's not loud in a way that you won't get used to, but it does make some noise.

When the compressor kicks on, it has a distinctive, high-pitched whirring noise. This isn't too annoying, but we can't deny that it is more noticeable than some coolers. If you're an exceptionally light sleeper, you might find this to be too noisy for you. But we didn't actively dislike the noise it makes. We believe most people will get used to the noise after you start using the MT45.

Should You Buy the Engel MT45 Combination Platinum Series?

The MT45 is a super-rugged cooler with incredibly fast cooling times. It's also highly accurate with temperature control and has some of the best insulation of any portable powered cooler. It's an excellent option for those seeking a durable and reliable electric cooler to install in their van or adventure rig. However, it's not the best option for those seeking the most portable and easy-to-carry model. This is also one of the most expensive powered coolers we've seen. And while we think it will be worth the price for some people, it might be overkill for casual users or budget-conscious adventurers.

What Other Powered Coolers Should You Consider?

If you're looking for a slightly more portable cooler that will work well in your adventure vehicle, but you can still carry to a walk-in campsite, check out the Dometic CFX5 45. If you're looking for a more affordable high-capacity cooler, consider the Euhomy 59 Quart. If you want a dual-zone cooler to store frozen foods and fresh produce separately, check out the Renogy 53 Quart.