16 Year Review of the Bushman SC35-52 Portable Fridge/Freezer: The Most Underrated 12V Camping Fridge in Australia

I don’t make decisions lightly – but after a massive sixteen years of hammering this fridge on off-road trips through some of Australia’s most punishing terrain, I can confidently say the Bushman SC35-52 is one of the best value portable fridges on the market – and easily the most underrated.

While everyone’s talking about the latest smart fridges with Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone apps, this old-school workhorse just keeps doing what it’s supposed to do: keeping your food cold (or frozen) in the middle of nowhere without fuss.

A Portable Fridge That Is Made to Last

You’d be hard pressed to find a 12V fridge that works as well as the Bushman – and it’s why I keep going back to it. They last for years.

My second 12V Bushman portable fridge has been bouncing around in the Land Cruiser for six years now without missing a beat.

I sold my old camper trailer with the Bushman still in it a while ago but I spoke with the bloke who bought it just last week, and that original Bushman is still going strong after sixteen years of continuous use.

A mate of mine only retired his Bushman SC35 portable fridge last year after 25 years and only because he wanted a dual-compartment setup, not because it failed.

These fridges are clearly made to last – any fridge that can last for decades on rough terrain is absolutely worth it. The Bushman SC35-52 is definitely one of the best portable fridges around.

What You Get With the Bushman SC35-52 Portable Fridge

The standard package includes:

• The fridge unit with standard 35-litre capacity lid
• Two wire baskets
• 12V cable with cigarette lighter plug
• 240V transformer and cable
• Basic insulated cover (design has been updated on newer models)

The extension pack (to convert to 52 litres) adds:

• Extension collar
• Extended lid
• Third wire basket
• Updated models now include proper tie-down points (my original only had handles)

Real-World Power Consumption Testing

Using my 6 year old model I ran two 24-hour tests in my camper trailer to get actual consumption figures for the Bushman SC35-52. These are the results of my personal tests:

Test 1: Nearly empty fridge set to 3°C

• Result: 7.6 amp-hours over 24 hours

Test 2: Empty fridge set to -5°C (freezer mode)

• Ambient temperature: ~25°C
• Result: 13.3 amp-hours over 24 hours

With a 100Ah lithium battery, you’re looking at roughly six days of runtime without any solar input – more than adequate for most remote touring situations. Low energy, high efficiency fridges like the Bushman are a must if you’re going to be off grid for a while.

The Expandable Design: A Game Changer

The Bushman SC35-52 has an extension collar that lets you switch between 35 and 52 litres capacity and is brilliant for practical touring. I highly recommend getting the extension for extra storage and great flexibility.

Use the smaller configuration for day trips or when you need to maximise vehicle space. When heading out for extended trips, simply slide in the collar and swap the lid – it takes less than a minute to add the extension.

This flexibility is something you won’t find in competing fridges from National Luna or Engel, which are fixed capacity and often smaller despite similar pricing. Bushman wins every time for value.

How to Hack Your Portable Fridge for Dual Zone Cooling

While the Bushman SC35-52 is a single-compartment fridge, I’ve developed a system that effectively creates temperature zones (although its not endorsed by Bushman!). Here’s how to do it:

1. Set the fridge to -8°C
2. Place frozen food in the bottom basket.
3. Add a piece of insulation foam underneath the middle basket – items here stay just above freezing
4. Top basket: Fresh vegetables, yogurt, and other items that shouldn’t freeze

In extreme heat (like crossing the Simpson Desert), I’ll drop it to -12°C and the system still works perfectly. This setup gives you both fridge and freezer functionality without the complexity and cost of a dual-zone unit.

Modifications Worth Considering

After extensive use, I’ve made two modifications:

1. Anderson plug replacement: Ditched the cigarette lighter plug for a more secure Anderson connection. This isn’t needed but if you’re worried about other items knocking out your plug, it’s a nice extra for peace of mind.
2. External thermostat: Added a wireless temperature display for quick checks without opening the lid (the built-in display location isn’t ideal for at-a-glance monitoring).

What Could Be Better

Let’s be honest about the shortcomings:

• Latches: They’re functional but feel flimsy. That said, mine have survived sixteen years of corrugated roads and desert crossings.
• No modern features: No app, no Bluetooth, no USB charging ports.
• Tie-down points: These are only on newer models (easily retrofitted if needed).

Long-Term Reliability: The Real Test

Here’s something that doesn’t make it into most reviews: what happens after a decade or two of use?

I had my original Bushman for twelve years before I sold it with my camper trailer. The only issue I ever had was a display failure, which Bushman sorted with a replacement control panel for just over $100. Installation took thirty minutes in my driveway – cheap and easy repairs are a must for equipment that can take a beating. That fridge is now sixteen years old and still running strong with its new owner confirmed just last week when I rang him about an unrelated matter.

My second Bushman has been in the Land Cruiser for six years now, also fault-free.

And if you want the ultimate longevity test, a mate ran his Bushman SC35 for over 25 years before retiring it last year – not because it failed, but because he wanted a modern dual-compartment unit (he should have tried my hack!).

The fact that you can still get parts for these older fridges and fix them yourself? That’s gold in the remote touring world.

The Bottom Line

Pros:

• Expandable capacity (35-52L)
• Exceptional build quality proven over 16+ years
• Lower price than fixed-capacity competitors
• Excellent power efficiency
• Simple, reliable operation
• Parts availability and repairability after decades
• German Secop compressor
• 25+ year service life achievable

Cons:

• No smart features or connectivity
• Latches could be more robust
• Display position not ideal

Is It the Best 12V Camping Fridge?

For the money? Absolutely. The Bushman SC35-52 offers better value than any comparable fridge I’ve tested. It’s not the flashiest option, and tech enthusiasts might miss having an app to check their beer temperature from the driver’s seat. But when you’re 500km from the nearest town and your fridge just needs to work, day after day, year after year, decade after decade, the Bushman delivers.

After sixteen years of the hardest touring Australia can dish out – from the Victorian High Country to the great Bight and Fraser Island, across the Simpson and through Tasmania – this fridge has never let me down. When I needed a second fridge, I got another Bushman without hesitation.

Sometimes the best gear isn’t the newest or the most feature-packed. Sometimes it’s the one that just bloody works—and keeps working for a quarter of a century. There aren’t too many fridges that can say that.

Stephan Fischer ALLOFFROAD

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Note: While Bushman provided a second unit for review purposes, I purchased my original fridge at full retail price. This review reflects genuine long-term field testing across thousands of kilometres of remote Australian tracks, with real-world validation from multiple units over 16-25 years of continuous use.