Dometic PLB40 & CFX2 28L Review: Going Off-Grid Without Going Without
Luke Cuenco 03.05.25
I’ve spent a good part of my camping life carrying stacks of ice bags to keep my cooler and food at a reasonable temperature. But recently, I decided to try to lighten my load—literally—by testing out two pieces of Dometic gear that pair perfectly together for off-grid adventures: the Dometic PLB40 portable lithium battery and the Dometic CFX2 28L powered cooler. If you’ve followed my other reviews (like my review of the Dometic CFX3 45), you already know I’m hooked on the concept of compressor-driven coolers. When the folks at Dometic offered me the chance to check out this more compact 28L model alongside their PLB40, I couldn’t say no and was actually kind of excited about the prospect since I want to get my truck camping rig to a point where I could theoretically keep some better creature comforts around for longer. Below, I’ll take you through my impressions after using the PLB40 and CFX2 28L combo during some recent chilly-weather trips where daytime highs hovered around 55°F and nighttime temps dipped down close to freezing or just a hair below.
More Camping Gear Reviews @ OutdoorHub:
- OHUB Review: The Dometic CFX3 45 Cooler – Ice Cold without the Ice
- OHUB Review: Berkley 120-Volt Electric Fillet Knife
- REVIEW: High Camp Flasks: Stylish, Durable, and Perfect for the Outdoors
Dometic PLB40 & CFX2 28L Review: Going Off-Grid Without Going Without
First Impressions
Dometic PLB40
- Multiple charging options: DC socket, AC wall adapter, or solar panels (if you have them).
- Bright LCD: The LCD shows the charge level, power draw, and remaining battery percentage at a glance.
- Under moderate consumption (≈12 W average): ~42+ hours of run-time on a fully charged PLB40.
- Under higher consumption (15–20 W average): Expect closer to ~25–34 hours.
- In near-freezing ambient temperatures: Potentially longer than 42 hours, thanks to the reduced cooling workload.
Pulling the Dometic PLB40 out of its box, I immediately noticed that it’s sturdily built but still manageable to tote around – it’s also extremely heavy, relatively deceptively dense. The top handle is rugged and retracts to be slightly more compact, but it still takes up a tiny bit of extra space for convenience. The simple LCD screen lacks any color or a lot of details as you’d get from the CFX3 and its screen, but the simple LCD still makes it easy to see how much charge you have left as well as what the active status of the battery is (discharge/charge, etc). With 40Ah of lithium power in the tiny lunchpail-sized box, it promised to keep my cooler running for up to 40 hours, according to specification – plenty for a quick weekend camp or a week-long trek down the road.
After taking the rig down to Southern Oregon where I stayed on a ranch for a week, I kept a few perishable snacks with me during the week and powered the cooler from my Air BnB when we were at “home base” and then off of the PLB40 battery while at the range or on the road.
Dometic CFX2 28L
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- Portable Size: At 28 liters, this is ideal if you’re careful with how you pack, or if you’re only away for a couple of days.
- Efficient Compressor: Just like my CFX3 45, the CFX2 28L quickly cools down to your desired temperature, even in chilly ambient temps.
- Easy Organization: A removable wire basket lets you separate items or toss them all in.
- Convenient Light: One of the coolest things about the Dometic coolers is that they have integrated soft white lights that automatically turn on and off as you open or close the cooler. A neat feature for late-night snack grabs!
Compared to my much larger and slightly busted up CFX3 45, the CFX2 28L is a more modestly sized cooler designed for shorter solo or couples trips and is much closer in actual size to a normal ice cooler. It retains the same durable plastic shell, reinforced corners, and reliable compressor system that Dometic has made a staple of their design language, but it’s much easier to move around or squeeze into a packed small truck like my Tacoma. The CFX2 sips less than a lightbulb’s worth of power per day and is quite efficient, especially at lower temperatures and when kept out of direct sources of heat light sunlight.
Setting Up for Cold-Weather Camping
While I sometimes test gear in balmy summer conditions (the CFX3 45 got a workout as a long-term deep freezer during the midst of summer), these trips were in late fall/ early winter where daytime temps hovered around 55°F and nights dropped to just above freezing here in the Pacific Northwest—perfect weather to see how the cooler (and battery) handles sweltering conditions.
- At-Home Pre-Cool: The night before heading out, I plugged the cooler into my home AC outlet and set it to a cozy 36°F, ensuring everything was already chilled.
- Fully Charged Battery: I topped off the PLB40 via AC power. It hit 100% about an hour before I was ready to hit the road and seemed to charge very quickly when powered from a wall outlet. A small solar system with the proper 12v converter can charge the battery in hours with good sunlight.
- Load and Go: Food, drinks, a few fresh meats for grilling—everything went into the 28L. Then I disconnected the cooler from wall power, plugged it into the battery, and headed off.
Pre-cooling is an important step to take before you leave home, as it’ll help keep the cooler efficient if you start to use battery power. With an already cold system, the cooler will have a much easier time maintaining temperature while under battery power.
Cooling Performance and Battery Life in Cooler Temps
I was curious to see how well the PLB40 and CFX2 28L combo would fare when the ambient temperature wasn’t blazing hot.
- Ambient Temps: 32–55°F range
- Cooler Setting: 36°F
The compressor didn’t have to work overtime because the outside air was often near or below my target cooler temperature. As a result, the PLB40 battery drain was slower than what I’ve seen in warmer conditions. Over two full days (48 hours), the battery dipped from 100% to around 35%. That’s impressive, given I was opening the cooler fairly frequently for snacks, drinks, and meal prep. This is another “wild card” aspect of these systems: they require you to be pretty disciplined with your energy and temperature management if you want to get the most life out of that battery without charging it up. Would it last longer if I left the lid closed more? Absolutely. And if you add a midday top-off by plugging into your vehicle’s DC outlet or hooking up a solar panel, you could probably keep your setup running indefinitely, even in these chilly conditions.
Field Use Notes
Power Efficiency
In moderate-to-cold ambient conditions, the cooler draws less power. The compressor cycles on for shorter bursts to maintain your set temperature. That’s a huge advantage if you’re trying to stretch your runtime on the PLB40 and avoid relying on other power sources. It’s rainy or, at the very least, overcast most of the time here in Oregon, so I can’t always rely on the sun to power my devices.
Portability
- PLB40: The handle is rugged and comfortable. Weighing far less than comparable lead-acid batteries, it’s easy to tote.
- CFX2 28L: Even when loaded with food, the smaller footprint made moving from the truck bed to the campsite less cumbersome.
Durability
While I didn’t subject them to the same dramatic “rollover stress test” I inadvertently gave my CFX3 45 (long story), both the battery and cooler handled bumpy off-road driving and wet, sometimes muddy campsites with no problems. I wiped off the cooler’s ventilation area each morning to prevent damp leaves from blocking the airflow since the mountain air tended to accumulate some dew on the vents.
Noise
In cooler ambient temps, the compressor runs less often, so noise was at a minimum. Even when it cycled on, the sound was just a gentle hum—not loud enough to disturb my downtime in the tent or even hear against the sounds of nature.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Excellent in Cold Conditions
The compressor’s minimal runtime in lower ambient temps gives you long battery life, making this pair a solid cold-weather combo. - Truly Off-Grid
With no need to tether to your vehicle once you reach camp, you can position the cooler wherever is most convenient—inside a tent vestibule, under a canopy, or even inside a cabin. - Smaller Footprint
For one or two people, 28 liters is plenty. The cooler doesn’t hog precious cargo space in your vehicle. - High-Quality, Rugged Design
Dometic doesn’t skimp on materials or construction. You’ll feel confident rolling around rough back roads knowing your gear can take it.
Cons
- Price Tag
Premium gear comes with a premium cost. The lithium battery and Dometic’s advanced compressor tech aren’t cheap and unless you are doing a lot of camping ice will be the more cost-effective option. - Not Totally Weatherproof
While robust, neither the PLB40 nor the CFX2 28L is meant to be left exposed to driving rain or deep puddles. Keep them sheltered and away from excess dust or any sort of moisture. - Limited Capacity for Bigger Groups
If you’re cooking for a family of four or a large group, 28 liters might be a bit tight. You’ll want to think carefully about how you pack—or consider a larger CFX model. The 28L is perfect for an overnighter for one or two people. - Extra Components to Manage
Battery, cooler, cables—just one more set of gear to juggle if you’re used to a simple ice chest. However, the trade-off is no more soggy sandwiches!
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Dometic PLB40 and CFX2 28L duo turned out to be a pretty decent cold-weather camping companion for me. The cooler’s compressor barely broke a sweat at ambient temperatures between freezing and 55°F, and I was pleasantly surprised by how slowly the battery drained over the course of my 48-hour excursions. For solo or couples’ trips, the 28L capacity gives me a comfortable balance between enough storage space and easy portability. I still think that regular coolers have their place – namely keeping cans of beer or bottles of water cold since the liquid medium is already pretty thermally stable to begin with and thus the only thing you really gain by putting drinks in a Dometic cooler is that they won’t be wet.
Price Wise? Yes, it’s an investment—there’s no getting around that. But if you like your food fresh and not soggy, and you don’t want to rely on or deal with ice (or a vehicle plug) 24/7, this is a beyond-perfect solution provided you’ve got the cash and the power to feed the machine during your trip. Whether you’re weekend-warrior camping, road-tripping, or even venturing into extended off-grid scenarios with occasional solar recharges, I think the PLB40 and CFX2 28L can deliver that sweet spot of convenience and reliability in a more compact package.
Do you have any experience with Dometic’s battery packs or the CFX line? Feel free to share in the comments! As someone who loves swapping tips, I’d be curious to hear how others make the most out of Dometic’s off-grid capabilities, especially in colder climates. I like to keep my camping equipment efficient and mess-free, which is why I adore these iceless coolers, even if they require me to lug along a battery setup. Hopefully, when I get my solar system up and running, this will make powering the CFX2 and the Battery a more viable long-term option.
