Customer Story: 5 Years of Vanlife with Ollie – Why I Chose a Hyckes Compressor Fridge
Five years ago I locked my front door, stepped into my self-built camper, and never really moved back into a house. Since then I have travelled through 34 countries across 3 continents, always together with my red travel companion Ollie.
He sits on the dashboard like he owns the road, inspects border crossings, and turns into a tiny tiger every evening. Living full-time with a cat quickly teaches you that practical comfort matters. And one of the biggest comfort-makers on the road is a reliable fridge.
Over the years I builded several campers, travelled through freezing Balkan winters and dusty Central Asian summers, and learned that your fridge quietly becomes the heart of your off-grid setup.
From Balkan winters to the Silk Road
My last trip in 2025 went all the way to China and back.
What started as a winter road trip through Balkan ski resorts slowly turned into long-distance overlanding along the old Silk Road. I drove from Eastern Türkiye through the Caucasus, Russia and the Stan countries toward the Chinese border.
Camper infrastructure gradually disappeared. No service points, no dump stations, and often no facilities at all. I slept near salt lakes, in busy Asian cities, and later drove the Pamir Highway up to 4700 meters altitude.
Trips like this teach you quickly that your setup needs to work everywhere. Heat, cold, uneven terrain, long border crossings. A strong fridge is not a luxury in those situations, it is essential.
Compressor vs absorption fridge
When choosing a camper fridge, you usually decide between two systems.
Compressor fridge
Works on 12V, 24V or 230V
- Cools actively with a compressor, like at home
- Continues to cool effectively in high temperatures
- Works even if the motorhome isn’t level
- Cools down faster
- Uses electricity, so it depends on the battery and solar panels
Absorption fridge
Operates on gas, 12V and 230V
- Passive cooling
- Must be upright to function properly
- Less efficient at high temperatures
- Cools more slowly
For full-time van life and off-grid travel, a compressor fridge is often the most reliable option.
Why I chose a Hyckes compressor fridge
Compressor fridges are ideal, but they’re often quite expensive. Especially if you want a model with a freezer compartment, which is what I wanted for longer trips.
That’s why Hyckes stood out to me. It offered a compressor fridge with a freezer, but at a much more affordable price than many other brands. That made it a logical choice for my full-time van life setup.
The black design also fits in beautifully with a modern motorhome interior. It has a sleek, minimalist look, which I personally I personally think it’s really lovely. And when the fridge is properly ventilated, it runs quietly too. Something you really appreciate when you live and sleep in the same small space.
Nine practical tips for a compressor fridge in your motorhome
- Do not place your fridge near heat sources
Do not point the outlet of your diesel heater towards your fridge, and do not place it next to your stove or in direct sunlight behind glass. Every degree warmer it gets outside means your fridge has to work harder. - Always ensure there is good ventilation
A compressor fridge does not need an external grille like a gas fridge, but it does need to be able to dissipate heat. Leave a few centimetres of space around it and make sure air can circulate. A fridge that’s crammed in will start to sweat and struggle. - Consider improving airflow
If your fridge is built into a cupboard, an extra ventilation grille or a small fan behind the fridge can improve performance and reduce noise. - Use thick electrical cables
Cables that are too thin cause a drop in voltage, which can cause your fridge to malfunction. Use thick cables, often 6 mm² or more depending on the length. This improves both performance and safety. - Allow hot food to cool down first
Do not put hot food or leftovers straight into the fridge. Let them cool down first, otherwise the fridge will have to work much harder and use more energy. - Don’t set it to maximum by default
Level 3 or 4 is often sufficient. Setting the fridge to the highest setting all the time won’t make it work better; it just wastes energy. - Dispose of packaging immediately
Dispose of any excess packaging immediately at the supermarket. This creates more space and improves air circulation in the fridge. - Leave the fridge door slightly ajar in the garage
If your motorhome is going to be parked for a while, leave the fridge door slightly open to prevent odours and damp. - Make use of magnetic surfaces
If your fridge isn’t magnetic, you can stick some magnetic foil on the door to hold all your travel magnets.
Small details like these make a big difference. After five years of full-time van life across three continents, I’ve learnt that comfort on the road often comes down to practical choices.
Choosing an affordable, efficient and quiet Hyckes compressor fridge was one such decision. And according to Ollie, the most important feature is that it can hold cheese. Because for him, cheese is simply life.
If you’d like to follow Chantal and Ollie’s adventures, why not check out their Instagram @chanti.and.ollie ?