Exploring the BougeRV CR-12V Mini Fridge: Stylish Cooling Companion Tailored for Camper Van Trips

Key Takeaways

• BougeRV CR Mini Fridge is portable and versatile for various vehicles, events, and patio use.
• The fridge operates efficiently with low power consumption and hits target temperatures quickly.
• Simple controls with basic features make this mini-fridge an affordable and lightweight option for frequent or occasional use.

The difference between a fridge and an electric cooler is smaller than you might think. The BougeRV CR 12V Mini Fridge sure looks like a cooler, even though it doesn’t need ice to chill. Instead, the pastel fridge plugs into an outlet and might be the best of both worlds.

BougeRV CR 12V Mini Fridge

8/ 10

$176 $220 Save $44

With ECO energy saving mode, this 23 Qt portable refrigerator’s operating power is less than 36W. Even running on MAX mode(45W), it consumes far less than 1kWh/day for its intelligent cycle work. You can run this portable freezer fridge with 12/24V DC power on various vehicles, such as SUVs, Trucks, RVs, Camper, Van, Boat, etc.

Size

22.7 x 12.6 x 13in

Weight

21.16lb

Ice-Making

No

Power

45W Max, 36W Eco

Temperature Range

-7F~50F（-22C~10C)

Pros

• Decent-sized capacity for overall size and weight
• Magnetic lid closure was pleasant
• Hit target temps quickly

Cons

• Few controls and settings
• Limited insolation to retain cold air when not power on

$176 at Amazon $239.99 at BougeRV

This Fridge Is Portable

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

You can call it a fridge if you want, but I find it hard not to see this product as an electric cooler because of its form factor. With a magnetic top lid and embedded side handles, the BougeRV CR Mini Fridge is made to be portable. It doesn’t have a battery built-in, but it comes with AC and DC plugs to keep it cool at home or in a vehicle. It’s perfect for moving to the patio, tailgate, or anywhere an event is happening. Plus, this unit goes beyond fridge duties and can keep frozen items from melting with an advertised cooling range between -7F and 50F.

However, if you think this hybrid fridge-cooler is beaming with technology, you will be disappointed. This unit doesn’t have Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity or its own mobile app. Instead, the peak of its tech is a built-in USB-A port that you can use to recharge a phone or tablet. Unfortunately, I didn’t find it useful enough to ever need it organically.

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

Mostly, I liked that this mini-fridge was relatively quiet (at or under 45dB), was light enough weight for its size (just over 21lbs), and held a decent amount of drinks (22L capacity).

BougeRV translates the fridge’s 22-liter capacity to 32 cans of soda, 9 wine bottles, or 20 bottles of water. I found the 13.8 x 9.8 x 9.8-inch interior dimensions to be a good mix of usable space while keeping the entire container compact enough to get into a car or SUV trunk.

And about those pink, green, and purple color options. They weren’t initially appealing to me in photos, but the green one looked great in person. The idea of a pink and purple fridge has grown on me. However, don’t expect the exterior to stay pristine when you start lugging it around.

The Controls Are Deceptively Simple

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

The mini fridge controls are simple enough to pick up right away and complicated enough that you might forget how to do something. To get you started, the fridge does have a sticker listing the button functions like switching from Celsius to Fahrenheit, removing the lock, and switching between max and eco modes.

Most of these controls are either self-explanatory or easy to guess, like holding the gear button for three seconds to remove the hold lock. If you use the fridge frequently, the controls won’t be an issue. However, the minor controls could be a pain if you go months in between use. I relocated the sticker cheatsheet to the inside lid for future reference.

BougeRV CR Mini Fridge Knows How to Chill

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

To get a baseline sense of how well the mini fridge worked, I used it in my living room for a few days, letting it run for hours at a time. I cooled drinks and other foods that needed to be kept cold, and it worked as advertised.

More than just seeing if it cooled, I wanted to get a sense of its timing. Starting at an indoor temperature of 64F, it took the unit about 39 minutes to reach a -4F target temperature. That’s in line with the company’s claim of going from 77F to -5F in 50 minutes.

On one test, I ran the fridge at 25F for several hours with drink cans inside. The drinks were cold when I got them out. Then, I turned the cooler off to get a sense of how fast the internal temperature would rise. I set a timer for 20 minutes, and when I checked the temperature again, it had already risen from 25F to 36F.

To get a better sense of the product’s insulation and ability to retain cooler temps, more sophisticated equipment and time would be needed. But even from my basic use and observations, the reason this BougeRV CR Mini Fridge isn’t marketed as a cooler is pretty obvious. Although it looks like a cooler, it does not perform like one.

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

In my time with the BougeRV CR Mini Fridge, I found that it wasn’t always precise in staying at the exact target temperature, but it was always close, staying within one or two degrees. For example, most times I set it for -7F it would plateau around -6F where it would hold reliably. This isn’t too unexpected for a fridge or cooler in this price range where the contents shouldn’t be critical enough to need 100% accuracy.

The weather wasn’t hot enough during my testing time to get a sense of how well this unit would do out in 80F or 90F temperatures. However, it should be noted that outside temperatures will be a factor in how fast the unit can get to its target and retain that level of cool.

Price and Availability

The new color variants of the BougeRV CR 12V Mini Fridge retail for $239.99. The gray version retails for $199.99 on Amazon but has been on sale at $169.99 from time to time. If the price was the same across the board, I might decide to pick one of the pastel colors. But when the gray and black options are cheaper, I would likely opt for a lower-cost one, regardless of color choice.

This mini-fridge is in line with other similar products. You can get more capacity for close to the same price, but with increased storage comes a bigger footprint and a heavier unit.

Should You Buy the BougeRV CR 12V Mini Fridge?

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

I’ve tried multiple electric coolers over the last couple of years and they’re a neat product that technology has made possible. Despite its look, the BougeRV CR 12V Mini Fridge isn’t quite an electric cooler since it doesn’t do a great job of retaining its cold air without being plugged in.

That’s fine because it’s also a lot cheaper and lightweight than true electric coolers. This one is a perfect option to use in the backyard a few times a year when you have gatherings. It’s also a great option to bring in an SUV trunk that has a DC outlet.

BougeRV CR 12V Mini Fridge

8/ 10

$176 $220 Save $44

With ECO energy saving mode, this 23 Qt portable refrigerator’s operating power is less than 36W. Even running on MAX mode(45W), it consumes far less than 1kWh/day for its intelligent cycle work. You can run this portable freezer fridge with 12/24V DC power on various vehicles, such as SUVs, Trucks, RVs, Camper, Van, Boat, etc.

$176 at Amazon $239.99 at BougeRV

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