Fast food may be the quickest and most convenient way to eat on the go, but it’s usually not the cheapest or healthiest. If you spend a lot of time in your vehicle, whether you’re a long-haul trucker or a road trip fanatic, a car food warmer may be the best way to maintain a healthy, frugal diet.

There are three main types of car food warmers: microwaves, combination heaters/coolers, and special cookers that use some type of heating element. The thing that most of these devices have in common is that they run on 12V. You can usually plug them into your car’s cigarette lighter without blowing a fuse.

In other cases, you may need to use an accessory outlet or install an accessory circuit with its own fuse. The main exceptions are automotive microwaves, which are scaled-down microwaves intended for use in recreational vehicles (RVs) and boats. These small microwaves are great for reheating pre-cooked meals, but they require much more power than regular food warmers.

If you plan to cook raw foods, you may need to install a power inverter in your car with its own circuit and fuse.