BougeRV Fridge and 12V Portable Refrigerators

What BougeRV makes for hunters and campers

On this site, BougeRV covers one product type: powered coolers, the 12V portable fridge. Every BougeRV listing in the grid lists 12/24V DC power, and most list a compressor. The lineup sorts by the series name on the lid:

• CRH20 and CR: small single-zone fridges around 21 to 30 quarts
• CRPRO: single-zone 21- and 30-quart fridges with a storage box
• CRX3: 23- and 30-quart single-zone fridges built for a battery
• CRS and the plain 42- and 53-quart models: mid-size single-zone fridges
• CRD2 V2.0: dual-zone fridges on wheels
• Rocky V3.0: the big dual-zone fridges

The grid filters by type and changes as listings come and go. So I'll write about the series and what separates them, not about how many of each are listed this week.

Some specs come from Amazon listings, and the grid marks those. The weights and the power numbers below come from BougeRV's own comparison chart and manual. Where nobody said, the grid shows a dash.

BougeRV's site also sells solar panels, power stations, heaters and more. This site lists its fridges.

Lineup notes: the BougeRV fridge by series

CRH20 and CR: the small ones

These are the compact single-zone fridges. BougeRV's chart lists the CRH20 at 21 quarts and the CR at 23 and 30. The CRH20 has a carry handle, a slot for a 240Wh battery and app control, per the chart. The CR keeps it simple: no battery slot and no app.

The chart lists both small ones at 36 watts in ECO mode and 45 in MAX. The listings in the grid give a lowest setting of -4°F for the CRH20 and -8°F for the CR 23-quart.

A 21-quart fridge is a lunch-and-drinks fridge. It is not a deer camp fridge. Walt asked if it came in "the big size." I showed him the Rocky. He asked if it came in a smaller big size.

CRPRO: the single zone with a storage box

The CRPRO comes in 20 and 30 sizes, listed as 21 and 30 quarts. Its manual describes a temperature range of -8°F to 50°F, a three-level battery protection monitor, ECO and MAX modes, and a 45 dB low-noise rating. The maker says that in MAX mode an empty CRPRO cools from 77°F to 32°F in 15 minutes.

The manual's diagram shows a storage compartment next to the main box, safety tie-down points and an interior handle. BougeRV's chart adds a VIP version of the 30-quart, which it calls "max insulation," and a slot for one of BougeRV's battery packs on the CRPRO. Several of the grid's 30-quart listings are CRPRO bundles. Read the listing to see what comes in the box.

CRX3: built around a battery

The CRX3 comes in 23 and 30 quarts. BougeRV's chart calls it the "2026 battery-powered version," with a 240Wh battery slot, app control and an interior light. The CRX3 listings in the grid name a built-in battery, a -4°F lowest setting and an AC adapter.

A battery means the fridge keeps running when the truck is off and nobody wants to idle it. It also means one more thing to charge, and one more thing to swear you charged.

CRS and the plain-named 42- and 53-quart fridges

This is the mid-size single-zone group. The CRS comes in 42, 53 and 63 quarts in the grid, with a -4°F lowest setting and an AC adapter per the listings. BougeRV's chart lists the CRS with wheels, a pull rod and app control.

The grid also has 42- and 53-quart BougeRV fridges listed simply as "12V Refrigerator," with a -4°F lowest setting and battery protection, per their listings. BougeRV's chart files this size under 5- to 7-day trips. It's also the size where you start to care about wheels.

CRD2 V2.0: dual zone on wheels

The CRD2 V2.0 is BougeRV's dual-zone fridge on wheels. The grid lists 43- and 52-quart versions, some with a battery, and BougeRV's chart adds a 61. Two zones means two compartments at two temperatures: freeze on one side, keep drinks cold on the other.

The chart lists the CRD2 with a plastic body, wheels with a pull rod and app control. The listings in the grid give -4°F as the lowest setting.

Rocky V3.0: the big dual zone

The Rocky V3.0 is the largest series. The grid lists 55- and 69-quart Rocky fridges, and the chart adds 41 and 81. BougeRV's chart lists a metal body and a removable divider on the Rocky, and no wheels. One Rocky listing in the grid names a battery, and the maker lists its 240Wh detachable battery as compatible with the Rocky V3.0.

The chart gives the 81-quart Rocky at 53.1 pounds empty. That's before food. A fridge that size is a two-person lift into the truck, and once it's in, it stays in.

How to choose within the BougeRV lineup

Pick the size by what goes in it

BougeRV's chart sorts its fridges by trip length: 1 to 3 days for the small single zones, 3 to 5 for the 30-quart models, 5 to 7 for the mid-size and smaller dual zones, and over 7 days for the 61- to 81-quart fridges. That's a fair start. Then think about bottles and venison, not quarts. A tall bottle that won't stand up in the box decides more than the number on the lid.

The maker also says a normal cooler can lose up to 67 percent of its capacity to ice. That's the ice math, the one department at camp nobody has tried to take from me. A fridge gives that space back to food.

Then one zone or two

One zone is simpler and usually smaller. Two zones let you freeze and refrigerate at once. The FDA says to keep a refrigerator at or below 40°F and a freezer at 0°F. Most BougeRV listings in the grid give -4°F as the lowest setting, so either style can freeze. A dual zone just lets you do both in one box.

Then the power plan

Every BougeRV fridge in the grid lists 12/24V DC. Most list an AC adapter for a wall outlet. Some name a built-in battery or a battery slot. Decide where the fridge will live:

• In the truck while you drive: 12V DC is enough
• At a cabin with power: the AC adapter
• At a camp with no hookups and the truck off: a battery or a power station

Then the weight and the wheels

BougeRV's chart gives empty weights from about 21 pounds for the smallest single zones to about 53 for the 81-quart Rocky. The CRS and the CRD2 have wheels and a pull rod, per the chart. The Rocky and the small ones don't.

Renee says a cooler on wheels is a cooler I'll take farther than I should. She's right. That's also why I want the wheels.

Setup, power and battery protection

Let it stand before you start it

The CRPRO manual says to place a new fridge on a level surface for more than 6 hours after unpacking before you turn it on. Its setup section says to lay it flat for 24 hours. Wipe the inside and outside with a damp cloth and let it dry before first use.

Keep it level and give it air

The manual says the fridge should stay level while it runs: tilted less than 5 degrees for long running, and less than 45 degrees for short running. It also wants room to breathe, with about 8 inches of space behind it and 4 inches at the sides. (The manual gives those in millimeters. I did the conversion so you don't have to do it in a truck bed.)

Don't bury it under duffels. The manual says the fridge must be well ventilated for heat dissipation, and a duffel is not ventilation.

Set battery protection for the battery you're on

The CRPRO manual describes three battery protection levels: High, Medium and Low. On 12V, High shuts the fridge off at 11.3 volts, Medium at 10.1 and Low at 9.6. The fridge restarts 2 minutes after the voltage climbs back to the cut-in level. The factory setting is High.

That's my one opinion on this page, and it's the manual's advice too: leave it on High when the fridge runs off the truck's own battery. The manual suggests High for a car battery and Medium or Low for a power station. Warm soda is a bad morning. A truck that won't start at the trailhead is a worse one.

The manual also says to switch the fridge off or disconnect it when you turn off the engine, or it may drain the battery.

Charging the battery packs

Charge battery packs with the charger the maker provides. The U.S. Fire Administration says to use the manufacturer's charger, and to plug charging devices straight into an outlet, not into an extension cord or a multiplug adapter.

Cleaning, defrosting and storage

The CRPRO manual's care section is short. Here it is in camp terms:

• Unplug it first, then clean with a wet cloth and dry it
• Never soak it or wash it under running water
• Skip abrasive cleaners, which can damage the finish
• Defrost with the lid open and the power off, then wipe up the water
• Never chip ice with a hard or sharp tool
• Store it empty and dry, in a cool place, with the lid slightly open

The lid-open part matters. A fridge closed up wet in the garage all summer greets you in November with a smell you'll remember. Venison for the drive home goes in a sealed container or its original packaging, which the manual suggests for food too.

What the BougeRV warranty covers

BougeRV's warranty policy lists 2 years for portable refrigerators, starting on the day of purchase, for the original buyer, with proof of purchase. The policy says it applies to purchases on BougeRV's US site. For fridges bought on Amazon, claims go through BougeRV's Amazon support address.

The policy doesn't cover normal wear, damage from misuse or improper handling, accidents or cosmetic damage. Repair comes first, and the buyer pays return shipping. Accessories like fridge bags and adapters have a 7-day window for quality issues after delivery.

BougeRV facts

Here's what I could verify from BougeRV's own site:

• Company name: BougeRV TECH CO., LIMITED, with an address in Kowloon, Hong Kong, in the site footer
• What it makes: outdoor appliances, from 12V fridges to solar panels, power stations and heaters
• Shipping: from local US warehouses, per its about page
• Warranty: 2 years on portable refrigerators, per its warranty policy

The about page doesn't give a founding year, so I've left it out.

Size it for the food, set the protection for the battery, and give it 8 inches of air. Then let the ice guy take the weekend off.