A Complete Review of the BougeRV Fridge in 2024
LOOKING TO SEE IF THE BOUGERV PORTABLE FRIDGE IS FOR YOU?
You are in the right place! We have traveled in our RV since 2010 and bring you the best information, guides and products for your RV. We tested the BougeRV fridge to bring you everything you would want to know.
Our Experience With the BougeRV Fridge
If you are thinking about using a BougeRV fridge and want to know what it is like to use one, you have come to the right place. We have used the BougeRv 12V freezer fridge for a while now, and we are here to tell you all about it.
Below you will find everything you will want to know about the refrigerator and freezer combo coolers and our experience using ours.
Features Available
Depending on the size and model of the BougeRV refrigerator freezer you are looking at, your features and specifications can be slightly different. Some are able to be controlled remotely with a phone application, while others are not. We will focus on the 30-quart CRPRO Ultra Portable Refrigerator because it is our current cooler.
The most useful features were that the BougeRV 12-volt refrigerator works on your typical 110V home outlet and your 12V car or truck outlet. We tested the BougeRV portable fridge and freezer using both 12V and 110V, and it has worked perfectly using both power sources.
The other great feature was that it works as a refrigerator or a freezer. We typically use our BougeRV portable refrigerator as a refrigerator, but on multiple occasions, we tested its ability as a freezer, and it froze everything solid. We have also used it as an ice chest on the weeks it is really hot, and we use lots of ice, making it the perfect kitchen accessory. The versatility is of this cooler is great.
A few other important features about the BougeRV refrigerators are that they use low power consumption, have a noise rating between 40 to 45 decibels, have compressor refrigeration, and can cool between -7.6 degrees F to 50 degrees F.
Hardware Specifications
These are your product specifications for the CRPRO 30 QT BougeRV refrigerator freezer.
Capacity: 30QT or 28 L or 0.99 cubic feet.
Dimensions Exterior (LxWxH): 23 inches x 12.6 inches x 16.2 inches
Dimensions Interior (LxWxH): 13.8 inches x 9.8 inches x 13 inches
Weight: 27.55 pounds
Temperature Range: -7 degrees Fahrenheit to 50 degrees Fahrenheit
Voltage (AC): 110-240
Voltage (DC): 12V/24V
Watts: 45W on Max Mode or 36W on ECO Mode
Noise: 45 decibels
Refrigerant: R134A
Shipping and Unboxing
Everything looked great when we first received our BougeRV 12 volt car refrigerator. The packaging came as it should. This means it came packaged professionally and neatly. There was no visible damage, and everything worked as expected after unboxing and letting the fridge sit for the recommended 12 hours before use.
When unboxing and using the BougeRV refrigerator cooler, it is important to remember that you let it sit before use. We know this can be challenging when you are excited your new products arrived.
You want to use them NOW, but that can cause issues. Make sure you wait the recommended time before use.
It can be hard to control during shipping if the product always stays right side up. Because of this, the directions state to let the cooler sit upright for at least 12 hours before use.
Installation and Setup
Setup and installation of your BougeRV cooler are simple and not complicated.
The hardest part about getting set up is learning what a few of the symbols on the display mean, and those are fairly self-explanatory, but we do recommend you take a little time reading the manual while your fridge cooler sits so you know what to expect when you use it.
Ways to Power the BougeRV Fridge
Depending on how you will power your cooler will make a difference in the power cord you use. There are two separate power cords you can plug into the cooler. One cord is your 110 volt power cord and looks just like your typical appliance cord. The other cord will be your 12 volt power cord which looks like the cords you use to plug into your cigarette lighter in your car.
Another fantastic way to power your cooler is by using the BougeRV power station or by using the cooler battery pack. The battery pack is made for the CR models. These are easily identified by the attached wheels and handle that is used to roll the cooler.
The BougeRV solar panels can also charge power stations, that will power your cooler. If you tent camp you will love a good power station and portable solar panels.
Settings on the BougeRV Portable Fridge and Freezer
The most important setting and most used setting on your 12v fridge freezer will be the temperature control setting. This setting is easy to find because the buttons are marked with a plus to increase the temperature and a minus to decrease the temperature.
The gear symbol button adjusts the Max cool and ECO mode settings. The Max cooling mode will typically be used when you first start your cooler or when you want your cooler to cool quickly.
The battery protection setting is another setting you will want to be aware of. This refrigerator is equipped with a battery protection setting. This is done to ensure you don’t plug the refrigerator into your car battery and wake up with a dead car battery.
We have had our fridge cooler connected to our truck nonstop for a couple months, and it has never caused a dead battery.
The battery protection has three different settings. These settings are H, M, and L. These symbols stand for High, Medium, and Low battery protection. When using the cooler with a car battery, it is recommended to use the H setting. These protection settings mean the cooler will shut off when the powering battery reaches a certain level.
With our diesel truck we use the M setting and have not had any issues with our truck battery being to low.
If you are using a power station or an external battery that will not be needed to start your car in the morning, you may want to change this setting to the M or L setting to keep your cooler running longer.
To change these settings, you will long press the gear button until you see the H on your display flash. Once the H starts flashing, you will let go of the gear button and press it again to change to a different setting. The cooler comes from the factory with the H setting selected.
Performance: How We Have Used the Portable Refrigerator
We travel extensively throughout the United States in our RV. We have done this in both a motorhome and a 5th-wheel toy hauler. On our last trip, we kept this cooler in the back of our truck.
Our truck has two 7-way trailer plug-ins in the back of the truck. We utilized one plug for the fridge/freezer and the other plug for our 5th-wheel trailer. We needed to purchase an adapter that turned our 7-way outlet into a 12V outlet. This has worked flawlessly for us.
By having the fridge/cooler in our truck, we always easily have what we need for our adventures. We typically keep drinks in the cooler because adventuring always requires lots of liquids. We never had a time when anything we put into the cooler was not cold.
One thing to keep in mind is that if the cooler turns off because of the low battery shut off, the cooler will not turn back on automatically. If you are not driving the truck for a couple days you may want to check that the cooler is turned on.
It didn’t matter what we put in there; when we went to take it out, it was cold. We have used this cooler extensively over the last two months on a Gulf Coast trip, and it has been amazing.
At first I was a little hesitant about how this cooler would work. I had actually used a similar cooler years ago when I traveled for work on my parents’ honey bee farm. Every summer, we would travel throughout Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, or Nebraska, where we would place the bees and collect honey.
These places can get hot and dry in the summer; while doing this work, we often got hot, hungry, and thirsty. A cooler was a pain because the ice would make all your food wet, and you would need to find new ice every day.
For a couple of years, we used a fridge/cooler but it never worked as well as we wanted.
Because of this, when we first started using the BougeRV 12-volt portable car refrigerator, I was cautiously optimistic. After having used the cooler, I love it. It is amazing that I can go outside to the back of our truck and have a cold beverage without the need for ice. The food and drinks are never wet but always ice cold.
Pairing Your Cooler With the App
The CRPRO cooler we have is not a cooler compatible with the BougeRV phone application. The CR portable refrigerators are compatible with the BougeRv App. This allows for the ability to easily control your refrigerator freezer.
From the app, you can turn the fridge on/off, set the mode, change the temperature, and lock the controls from being changed accidentally.
These features of the CR cooler are pretty sweet and can come in very handy. Another great feature of the CR cooler is that it has two separate compartments. This allows for the cooler to be used as a freezer and a cooler at the same time.
One compartment can be used as a fridge, while the other is used as a freezer. The CRPRO cooler does not have these features.
Warranty
BougeRV has a fairly comprehensive warranty and service with its products. The refrigerator freezer coolers have a 2-year warranty that guarantees a working compressor and its accessories. They also offer 24-hour customer support.
We have used multiple BougeRV products and have found them all to work as expected. Because of this, we have not had to use any warranty or contact customer support. However, from what we have heard, the customer support and warranty services are reasonable to work with.
Fridge Temperature Usage
The BougeRV 12-volt refrigerator temperature has worked well for us. All we have needed to do is set the desired temperature and fill it with food and drinks. The fridge has even worked well for fruits and vegetables. We often make Dutch Oven chicken recipes while camping, and this worked well for those leftovers as well as leftovers we cook in our skillet.
We do like our drinks to be super cold so if we only have drinks we set the temperature very close to freezing. If you do something similar make sure you up the temperature a little when adding fruits and vegetables because they are more sensitive to getting too cold.
Freezer Temperature Usage
For the majority of the time, we have used our cooler as a fridge but we do switch on occasion and use it as a freezer. For the times we have done this it has worked great.
From our experience, the freezer functionality works as you would expect. You should keep in mind that the freezer could use more power than the fridge if you are using it for an extended period as a freezer. The power usage can also vary depending on if you are using the cooler outside or inside.
Time to Reach Set Temperatures
We found the time it took for the cooler to reach the desired temperature was reasonable. The BougeRV website states that the cooler will go from 68 degrees to 32 degrees in 16 minutes.
From what we have seen, this appears to be true, but there are a few things to keep in mind. This time to cool can vary depending on how much you have inside the cooler. If the cooler is full it takes a little longer to cool.
The refrigerator does a great job cooling and does not take too long to cool. If you look at a typical home refrigerator, most say to allow for 24 hours for cooling adjustments to occur. This fridge is nowhere near that time to cool.
Temperature Consistency
We did some testing with a wireless thermostat when testing for our BougeRV refrigerator review. What we found was that it functions just like your refrigerator at home. The temperatures can fluctuate by a degree or two, and when the fridge kicks on initially, you will see the highest difference.
If you have the temperature borderline freezing and you have items that freeze easily, like fruits and vegetables at the bottom, you could accidentally get a little too cold.
Noise Level
Noise level is something we pay attention to with any type of appliance. We don’t like a bunch of buzzing or random appliance noises. The 45 Db rating is reasonable for such a small appliance.
This noise can be more noticeable if you use the cooler in smaller spaces because it will most likely be closer to you.
You will notice some noise if you have the refrigerator close to you while you are sleeping or working. If you don’t, you will not notice it. We used the cooler in our office for a while, and it didn’t bother us, but we occasionally heard it.
Normal conversation is around 60 decibels, and a typical kitchen fridge is 50 decibels.
Durability
The 12v car fridge has been as durable as expected. We have had it bouncing around in the back of a dodge dually 3500 for over 5,000+ miles, and the Bouge refrigerator still looks good and runs well.
You should not expect this to be durable like a Yeti cooler or its equivalent. It should be considered a mini fridge in terms of durability. If you drop the cooler or bump it with things, it is going to break much faster than your ice chest will.
Our Favorite Things About the BougeRV Fridge
What we like best about the BougeRV refrigerator is that it works on 12v and 110v power. This makes it very versatile. We can use it in our office as a mini fridge. We can use it in the RV 110 outlets, or we can use it with any 12-volt DC plug.
The second thing is that it works as expected. It will keep your food and drinks cold. It is so nice to go on an adventure and know you have a cooler full of cold beverages available. It’s so convenient to be able to fill our camping dishes at meal time with food kept fresh in this fridge.
Should You Get The BougeRV Fridge?
We would recommend purchasing and using the BougeRV refrigerator freezer. It can be used for many different things. You can use it like an ice chest and take it to your sporting events. You can use it camping or on a long road trip. If you don’t do any of those things, then you can use it as a portable mini fridge.
There are many applications where this product will work great for you. You will be happy with its performance and how versatile it is.
BougeRV Fridge Sizes Available
The BougeRV refrigerators come in different styles and sizes. Depending on how many people are in your family and how you plan on using the cooler, you can decide which one is right for you. Below are some of the different sizes and models.
Smallest Size:
RPRO 12V 21 Quart Car Fridge Black
In Between Sizes:
12V 34 Quart Portable Refrigerator
CRPRO 12V 30 Quart Car Fridge Black
12V 42 Quart Portable Refrigerator
CR45 48 Quart (45L) Portable Refrigerator Freezer
Largest Size:
CR55 59 Quart (55L) Portable Refrigerator freezer
FAQ: BougeRV Fridge
How many watts does a BougeRV fridge use?
On MAX Mode, the fridge will use 45 watts; on ECO Mode, the fridge will use 36 Watts. If you are worried about the fridge draining your car battery, you do not need to worry because it has battery conservation settings that will turn off your fridge before your car battery goes dead. It has three levels of this setting: high, medium, and low
How long do portable fridges last?
If taken care of, portable fridges can last for a while. There are some estimates that say a portable fridge can last up to 20 years. In most instances, I am doubtful they will last that long, but they should a least last the typical 8 to 10 years your commercial fridge is rated for.
How much power does a 12V fridge use?
A 12-volt car fridge or 12-volt fridge can vary in power consumption. The size, make, and model can play a factor in power consumption. However, the majority use around 30 to 50 watts of power.
This means that on a 100 amp hour lead acid battery, you can expect to get around 30 to 50 hours of use.
Is a BougeRV fridge worth the money?
We have found the BougeRV to be worth the money. The fridge works very well and has been durable for us. If you need extra space, a small fridge, or just don’t want to mess with ice, we recommend trying the BougeRV fridge
Conclusion: BougeRV Fridge
We hope you find this review helpful in your search for the best 12 volt freezer or 12-volt portable fridge. We have found the BougeRV fridge and freezer very practical and useful. We hope you enjoy your camping trips.
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