The Kings Escape 40 is a 40 L class 12V fridge and freezer, and it’s been running in the back of our Prado for over a year. It has come on every trip, including our three-week trip over Christmas through the NSW outback, where it was over 40 °C and the fridge was packed to the brim, and it hasn’t missed a beat. I paid about $300 for it, together with Kings’ fitted cover and a 1.8 m cable with an Anderson plug.
What’s in the box
A top-opening compressor fridge with a polypropylene body and polyurethane foam insulation. It holds 36.3 L inside, up to 56 cans, weighs 12.95 kg empty and runs on 12V or 24V, with a cigarette-plug lead in the box (240V needs an optional adapter). It has carry handles moulded into the sides, tie-down points, a drainage plug, an LED light inside and a USB socket. The bundle we bought adds the Escape 40 cover and a 1.8 m fridge cable that goes from the fridge to an Anderson plug, with an in-line 15A fuse.
What we like
- No issues in 40 °C outback heat
- Down to 3 °C in a few hours
- +20 to −20 °C, fridge or freezer
- Cover and cable in the bundle
- 3-stage battery protection
- USB port for charging
What we don’t
- Lid needs clearance above it
- One zone: fridge or freezer
- 2-year warranty
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Adventure Kings |
| Capacity | 36.3 LUp to 56 cans |
| Weight | 12.95 kg |
| Size | 58.7 × 36.5 × 43.8 cm |
| Temperature (°C) | +20 to −20 |
| Power | 12V24V60W max |
| Power use | 1.0 to 1.3 Ah average |
| Warranty | 2 years |
A year of trips
This is where it earns its score. On the big trip over Christmas we drove through the NSW outback with temperatures over 40 °C, the fridge packed to the brim with food and drinks, and it kept everything cold with zero issues. Before a trip we plug it in a few hours ahead, and it’s down to about 3 °C in no time, so it’s cold before the food goes in.
In the Prado it runs off our Kings BatBlock through the 1.8 m cable with its Anderson plug, which clicks in firmly. The fridge has tie-down points, and we strap ours to the drawer top with the Kings fridge tie-down kit (sold separately), so it can’t move around. Kings gives an average draw of 1.0 to 1.3 amps at 3 °C in 32 °C heat, and there’s a 3-stage battery protection (low, medium, high) that switches the fridge off before it flattens the battery.
Controls and display
The display on the front shows the temperature and the battery voltage, with buttons to switch it on, set the temperature up or down and change the settings, plus an ECO mode. You can set it anywhere from +20 °C down to −20 °C. Next to the display is a USB socket (5V, 1A) for charging a phone.
Inside and the lid
Inside there’s a huge main compartment with a big removable wire basket for most of the food and drinks, and a little shelf at the front to keep smaller items apart. An LED light on the inside wall helps you find things after dark. The basket lifts out, and for cleaning there’s a drainage plug, so you can wipe it out and let the water run out at the bottom. The lid has a seal all round to keep the cold in. That layout works well for us. The one thing we’d change is a second zone: with a dual-zone fridge we could freeze as well, but those cost a lot more. In this one it’s fridge or freezer, not both.
The lid opens on top, so you need clearance above the fridge to open it fully. It’s reversible: you can turn it 180° so it opens from the side that suits your setup. On top it has two cup holders and a ruler in centimetres and inches, handy as a little bench for drinks or cutting a snack. In the back of the Prado that was the catch, so in the end we bought a Kings fridge slide: now the fridge pulls all the way out of the back and the lid opens fully.
The cover
The fitted Escape 40 cover is made of 600D Oxford fabric with an insulated silver lining, and it zips open over the lid. A clear window lets you read the display without unzipping. It helps the fridge stay cold in hot weather and protects it in the car.
Fridges compared
We also used the Kings 30L Drawer Fridge in the Prado. The drawer slides out without lifting a lid, but it’s smaller, heavier for its size and works as a fridge rather than a real freezer. For long trips, the Escape 40 has the room to pack for three weeks. Our camping fridges guide compares all four fridges we’ve tested.
This review Kings 40L Fridge (Escape 40) |  Kings 30L Drawer Fridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Top-opening chest | Drawer |
| Temperature | +20 to −20 | +10 to −10 |
| Warranty | 2 years | 5 years |
| Capacity | 36.3 L | 30 L |
| Weight | 12.95 kg | 17.5 kg |
| Price paid | $300 | $275 |
| Our score | 9.2 | 8.7 |
Conclusion: Kings 40L Fridge (Escape 40)Conclusion
The Kings Escape 40 is a great 12V fridge for the money. After a year of trips, including over 40 °C in the NSW outback with the fridge packed to the brim, it has had zero issues, and it’s down to about 3 °C a few hours after we plug it in. The lid needs clearance above it, it’s a single zone, so fridge or freezer but not both, and the warranty is 2 years. I paid about $300 for the fridge, the cover and the cable, and that’s great value.
A 40 L class 12V fridge that kept going in over 40 °C outback heat with zero issues, after a year of trips.
About $300 with a cover and cable; the lid needs clearance and it's a single zone.
- 4WD tourers
- Couples
- Families
Yes. I paid about $300 for the fridge, the cover and the cable, and after a year of trips including over 40 °C in the outback, it has had zero issues.
