Cooler Days, Then a Warming Trend

People have fallen in love with stranger things than a portable, compact fridge/warmer. At least the year-old device does its part for the love affair: It runs hot and cold and fits snugly into the passenger seat of your car.

At Fitzpatrick Trailer Service and Supplies Co. in Burbank, where the Koolatron brand car fridge/warmers sell for $79.95 to $249.95, depending upon the size, manager Don Lane says the product is useful for “keeping milk warm for the baby, or keeping food to take to church or Thanksgiving or whatever.”

Kathryn Johns of Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories, which sells about 15 of their Sun-Arctic units a month, mainly through mail order for $134.95, says: “If you’re stuck in traffic, and you want a cool Perrier, it’s so convenient. It’s so handy--you have the option of keeping your coffee warm or your drinks cool. Or if you’re coming in to work and you want your roll or pastry on the heated side.”

A simple switch changes the fridge (it chills food to 25 degrees) to a warmer (it heats food to 150 degrees). Since it’s insulated, the fridge/warmer can be unplugged from the car lighter and carried to the beach or a picnic--with food maintaining its proper temperature for an extended period. It’s less than a foot wide and high, and also can rest on the floor of the car.

“All my customers have been real pleased,” said Don Lane. “ ‘This thing really works great on my truck,’ they say. You can also use it on your boat.”