Whynter 34 Quart Compact Portable Freezer Refrigerator with 12v DC Option

Initially I was very impressed.It was packaged so well. It came in a thick cardboard outter box.Within the outter box was a thick cardboard inner box.On each of the eight corners were molded plastic corner protectors.Within the inner box was the freezer, pretty much surrounded by foam.Withing the foam, the freezer was in a plastic bag.I had a good feeling. (Before purchasing, shipping damage was a concern)But I felt any company that packages their product so well must surely have a good product.I plugged it into AC and turned it on fast freeze. It started out at 74F and hit -8F in around 55 minutes.A couple days later I went out and bought an auto battery to make sure it worked on DC.I plugged the DC connector in the DC inlet firmly. It did not come on.I wiggled the plug a bit and starting pulling it out in case there was corrosion.It lit up and worked fine.I left it on the battery to see how long it would run. Maybe six hours later, it was off.I thought, it should run longer. But I put a fresh charge in the battery to try again but this time it would not come on.I could see a lot of white dust-like corrosion around the bottom pin of the DC inlet.I scrapped it with a small screwdriver thinking, it will work now.It did not.I sprayed CRC electrical contact cleaner into the inlet. It cleaned it somewhat but there was still a lot of corrosion and it still would not make connection.Around the base of the lower pin was a channel, completely filled with hard white corrosion. I picked it out with the small screwdriver hoping the plug would insert a bit further and it would work. It did not.Now I don’t have much space so after initially seeing that it would work on DC, I discarded the packaging. I should not have, but then again, it seemed to be working and I didn’t have room for it. Otherwise I would have just sent it back to Amazon.But, I’m a tech, not a professional tech but I do have an Associate in Electronics and am capable of replacing an inlet.So I did. And now it works like it should have worked to begin with.My problem is the painfully slow communications with Whynter customer service.I explained the problem, and the solution.Just send me an inlet. (turned out to cost 72 cents, 5 cent tax and $7.99 shipping)But they were so figgin slow and I needed to use the thing so I ordered the inlet, soldered the two wires on the back, and snapped it into place. A ten minute job.Finally I just told them they were too slow, I went ahead and fixed it, here’s what it costs me to fix the defective freezer you sent me, and if you want to make it right, you can reimburse me.Which they refused to do.Sad that they would lose a customer to save $8.76.I realize I could probably buy a hundred more and they’d all be good. And odds are I’d never have to find out how useless their customer service is.But, once is enough, I won’t forget, and won’t buy another Whynter… anything.Revision:It took awhile but Whynter did finally, as a token, and perhaps in hopes that I’d revise my review, send me a spare DC cord. For that, I will add a star but truthfully, it wasn’t a positive experience. Once I fixed it though, the freezer is works great. (I just came back from a short mountain getaway) I might still buy another someday. The defect was likely a rare occurrence, one that would manifest within Amazon’s return window. Space or no space though, I’d hang onto the dang box. 🙂