Dometic NRX50 review – Our top pick for a campervan fridge

In this Dometic NRX50 review, we’ll cover the best and worst attributes of this upgraded campervan fridge. We’ll assess build quality, usability and energy consumption, and we’ll also talk about some of its limitations.

Overall impression

Our overall impression of the Dometic NRX50 compressor fridge has been really positive. We recently replaced our older CRX50 with the NRX50 and have been testing it in real-world campervan conditions. It’s clear that Dometic have taken on board feedback from previous models and made thoughtful improvements.

The NRX50 is quieter, more efficient, and more modern in design. It’s the perfect option for van lifers who want a permanently installed fridge with minimal power draw. It includes a small freezer compartment, which is handy for ice and a few frozen goods.

Although it fits in the same space as the CRX50, it’s ever so slightly wider, which means it can be a tight fit during installation if you are swapping out from the CRX. Otherwise, we think it’s a big step up from the CRX series.

General overview

The Dometic NRX50c is a front-opening compressor fridge that runs on 12V or 24V DC power. Unlike the CFX3 range, it’s designed to be permanently installed as part of your campervan kitchen. The design is clean and modern, with a matte black front that feels far more contemporary than the older grey finish on the CRX.

With 46L of fridge space and no freezer compartment, the NRX50 is ideal for van lifers who don’t need frozen food and want to maximise fridge capacity. It includes adjustable shelves, a salad drawer, and a clever door tray with a sprung moulded divider to keep items secure during transit.

The fridge is ventilated through a built-in grille above the door, meaning no external ventilation panels are required.

Usability

The NRX50 is extremely easy to use. Once installed, you simply set the temperature using the internal touch panel and load it up. The layout is intuitive – the NRX50 features a well-thought-out internal layout that balances organisation and usable space. Inside, you’ll find:

• A removable freezer compartment at the top left, suitable for small items or ice trays. If you don’t need the freezer, it can be taken out to maximise fridge space. Once the freezer has compartment has been removed, you can also set the NRX50 so the entire fridge operates as a freezer.
• A crisper drawer at the bottom for fresh fruit and vegetables. It slides smoothly and is a good size for daily essentials.
• Two adjustable shelves, allowing you to customise the interior to suit your needs. Taller bottles can stand upright by repositioning or removing a shelf.
• A redesigned door tray with integrated sprung divider. This is a standout feature for us – unlike previous CRX models where bottles could slide or rattle when driving, the NRX’s flexible divider holds items more securely. It’s especially useful when the door shelf isn’t fully packed, preventing clatter and potential spills.

Overall, the internal configuration offers excellent flexibility, whether you’re on a quick weekend trip or stocking up for extended off-grid use.

The soft-touch control panel is responsive and allows you to switch between different operating modes: Eco, Boost, Silent and Winter mode. Eco mode is the default for efficient cooling. Boost can be used for rapid cool-downs, while Silent mode reduces compressor noise even further. Winter mode keeps air circulating even when the compressor isn’t needed.

The LED light inside is bright and well-positioned, making it easy to find items in a dimly-lit van.

Display and settings

The fridge has a simple control panel on the inside wall. It shows the current temperature and allows you to adjust cooling modes. Unlike the CFX3 range, it doesn’t include Bluetooth or WiFi controls, but for a built-in fridge, that’s rarely necessary.

We did like the fact that the display and controls can be locked to prevent accidental changes – ideal if you travel with kids (or clumsy elbows).

Power input

The Dometic NRX50 runs on 12V or 24V DC power. Unlike the CFX3 range, it doesn’t include a 230V AC input, so you’ll need to power it via your leisure battery.

Power is supplied via standard DC wiring, and the installation is straightforward. Simply connect the fridge to your system via the 12V fuse board and a suitably sized blade fuse. The fridge includes built-in voltage protection to prevent your battery from being drained too low.

Energy consumption

Compared to other campervan fridges, the NRX50 is impressively efficient. Dometic claims a 24 hour consumption of 0.3kWh (25Ah @ 12V), but our real-world tests showed even better performance.

Real world power usage

For many, a campervan fridge will be their most power-hungry item, and subsequently one of the biggest drivers of the electrical system cost. Therefore, buying an efficient fridge is a must. But just how much power does an efficient campervan fridge use?

We had a suspicion that the Dometic NRX50 was actually more efficient than it claimed. So, we decided to test how much power it actually uses, and set up a real-world 24 hour test.

We used the purpose-built Dometic PLB40 12V lithium powerbank to power our Dometic NRX50c. This allowed us to power the fridge independently so no other loads would impact the power used. We also ran the test with the fridge full of food and drink, to ensure it was representative of real-world use.

The test was set to run for a 24 hour period. We used two Ruuvi tags and our Cerbo GX to monitor both the temperature inside the van, and the temperature inside the fridge throughout our test. You can read more about how you can monitor your own van’s temperature and many other parameters with a Cerbo GX in this article.

At midday in the middle of UK summer, somewhere in the North of England, we turned the Dometic NRX50 on, monitoring the internal and external temperature via the Victron VRM portal. After 24 hours we stopped the test and grabbed a few beers from the fridge…just to check they were cold.

If you trawl through the Dometic NRX50 datasheet, the fridge’s power usage is advertised as 25Ah (0.3kWh) over a 24 hour period, based on the ambient temperature being 25°C and the internal fridge temperature set to 5°C.

As you can see from the results below, our Dometic NRX50 only used 231Wh (19Ah) over 24 hours, compared to 300Wh claimed by the manufacturer. The compressor cycled on and off intermittently, and the internal temperature remained stable within a 0.3°C band. The only difference between our test and the official test was a 2°C temperature difference in external temperature. This will impact the power usage of the fridge, but is highly unlikely to use ~20% more power which is the difference between the two power usage figures.

We have spent 3 years living in our campervan full-time, travelling through Europe, the US and South America. Even when the temperature outdoors is in the high 20’s, we find that the inside of our van rarely climbs above 23°C. This is based on looking at our historical RuuviTag data.

This real-world test confirms that the NRX50 is one of the most efficient 12V fridges available. For those relying on solar power and a limited battery bank, that efficiency is game-changing.

Recommended usage

The Dometic NRX50 is ideal for:

• Full-time van lifers looking for maximum fridge space
• Weekend campers with a small solar setup
• Anyone wanting a permanent built-in fridge
• Those who don’t require a large freezer compartment

The NRX50’s low power draw means you can get away with a smaller battery or solar setup. Equally, it’s perfect for a larger build where power is still critical. We have a LWB Sprinter which we live and work in full-time, and the low power usage of Dometic’s fridges means we have more power for our business critical appliances, such as our laptops and Starlink.

Dometic NRX50 imitations

No fridge is perfect, and the NRX50 does have a couple of drawbacks:

• Slightly wider than the CRX50: If your cabinetry was a tight fit before, you may need to make minor adjustments.
• No 230V AC input: You’ll need to power it from DC sources only, unlike the dual-input CFX3.
• Small freezer compartment: If you’re looking to store lots of frozen goods, an option with a dual zone such as the CFX3 55DZ would be a better option.

However, if your priority is a quiet, efficient fridge with maximum usable space, these compromises are likely worth it.

NRX50 vs CRX50

We replaced a CRX50 with the NRX50 in our own van, and here’s what we found:

Feature	CRX50	NRX50
Capacity	48L	46L
Dimensions	534 x 380 x 534mm	525 x 380 x 510mm
Cooling modes	Eco	Eco, Boost, Silent, Winter
Door front	Grey	Matte black
Power use (claimed)	~0.35kWh/24hr	0.3kWh/24hr

The NRX50 is quieter, more efficient, and looks more modern. The trade-off is a tiny loss in capacity and a slightly wider footprint.

Where to buy the Dometic NRX50

You can find the Dometic NRX50 in our webshop, with free delivery and our expert advice on installation and power system design. If you’re replacing an older fridge or planning a new van build, our team can help you decide if the NRX50 is the right fit for your setup.

If you’re unsure whether to go for a top-loading fridge like the CFX3 or a built-in front-opener like the NRX, we can walk you through the pros and cons of each.

Final thoughts

The Dometic NRX50 is an excellent upgrade to the CRX range. With modern looks, lower energy consumption, and a quieter compressor, it’s a top choice for serious vanlifers and weekend warriors alike.

If you don’t need a freezer, and you want a set-and-forget built-in fridge that won’t drain your leisure battery, the NRX50 is one of the best options on the market today.