Norcold vs. Dometic Fridge

[bluwtr49]

For whatever reason, every rv I've ever had has had a Norcold fridg and I've been very happy with them. My current 1200 RIM is just great but now we're looking a coach with a Dometic....no idea what model, but it's the size of the 1200, side by side but no ice maker. The ice maker is a separate U-line cabinet mounted affair.

So, my question is; Are there any significant differences between the units and second, how do those of you with the Dometic like them.

The fridge space seems a bit smaller but with perhaps a larger freezer. Tough to tell visually.

Thanks for any input.

[eheading]

I agree with what others have said, it's the Ford vs. Chevy issue. We have had both, and have had no trouble with either. I believe, watching the RV industry for many years, that Norcold realy grabbed a big market share with their 4 door 1200 series refrigerator. We have had that refrigerator in 4 different motorhomes for the past 18 years.

Ed Headington

[Old-Biscuit]

Pretty much the same........kinda like what is different between a FORD and LINCOLN

They are both absorption refrigerators.....same principle/same process. Different design of cooling unit but both have had similar issues

[WyoTraveler]

I have a Dometic and like it. My Dometic vented compartment doesn't get close to being as hot as some of the Norcold refers. My neighbors Norcold vent compartment gets so hot you can't touch anything in it. Mine just runs cool.

[ScottG]

bluwtr49 wrote:
How is it that Dometic avoided problems that Norcold had prompting the recall? Different construction or???

They didn't, Dometic had the same recalls for fire related failures and a similar "fix".

[ArchHoagland]

I've always had Norcolds and when I've looked at the Dometics in new rigs they always look smaller.

I never researched sizes on them but has anybody ever noticed that and measured them?

[bluwtr49]

DSDP Don wrote:
From our years of RVing, almost all of our RV's had 2 door Dometic units. Whne we bought our first diesel pusher it had the Norcold 1200. I don't know what years they came on the market, but my guess is that Dometic came into the large refer market a little later than Norcold. The Dometics have some issues, but not like what you hear about with the Norcold 1200 series.

We finally tossed the Norcold and went residential. We'll NEVER go back! No matter what you buy, think about putting in a residential refer as part of the purchase.

Nope not interested in going residential unless this one fails and the cost difference justifies it. I'm perfectly happy with this type of fidge.

But, thanks for the thought.

[DSDP_Don]

From our years of RVing, almost all of our RV's had 2 door Dometic units. Whne we bought our first diesel pusher it had the Norcold 1200. I don't know what years they came on the market, but my guess is that Dometic came into the large refer market a little later than Norcold. The Dometics have some issues, but not like what you hear about with the Norcold 1200 series.

We finally tossed the Norcold and went residential. We'll NEVER go back! No matter what you buy, think about putting in a residential refer as part of the purchase.

[bluwtr49]

How is it that Dometic avoided problems that Norcold had prompting the recall? Different construction or???

[robsouth]

I've had both. Never noticed any real differences.

[ScottG]

I see them as being fairly equal with a slight nudge going to Dometic. I say this because there seems to be a lot more "No cooling" and broken hinge threads for Norcold.
However, if I were looking at new RV's it wouldn't be a factor.