ICE Cream AND Cold Beer While Camping! BougeRV Portable Fridge/Freezer (Review)
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- čas přidán 24. 09. 2020
- A portable 12 volt DC refrigerator / freezer with a large capacity and low price. Is it any good? Can it keep ice cream frozen and beer ice cold at the same time? My review of the BougeRV 53 quart portable refrigerator/freezer combo.
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CHECK AMAZON FOR CURRENT PRICING
(These are affiliate links - See disclosure below)
BougeRV 53 Qt Fridge/Freezer: amzn.to/3nCabuO
BougeRV Refrigerator Cover: amzn.to/36IxM6L
(NEW model available) - BougeRV 30 Quart Refrigerator: amzn.to/3lol5SR
MORE ABOUT THE BOUGERV 53 QUART REFRIGERATOR / FREEZER
Power Input: 12/24 volts DC or 120 volt AC
Power Modes: Eco and Max power
Capacity: Freezer section is approx 40 quarts; Refrigerator section is approx 10 quarts
Temperature Zone Difference: Approx 30 degree (F) difference between the two zones
Coldest Setting: -4 degrees fahrenheit
Dimensions: (tall and narrow) 21.7 x 13 x 20.9 inches
TEST Results (24 Hour Power Consumption)
901 watts - Max power mode (120 VAC; -4 deg F)
710 watts - Eco power mode (120 VAC; -4 deg F)
568 watts - Eco power mode (13.4 volts DC; -4 deg F)
ADDITIONAL REVIEW NOTES
Disclosure This fridge/freezer was provided by BougeRV for independent review and testing. My comments and results are my own.
MY OVERALL IMPRESSION
- Pretty good unit for the price
- Great if you want a dual mode fridge/freezer
- Lower capacity if you just want a freezer (subtract 10 Qt)
- Not ultra quiet - Can hear compressor in a small space
- Tall skinny form factor can save horizontal space
USAGE TIPS
- 5 deg F is best setting for dual mode
- Cover (sold separately) may increase efficiency
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT
- Tall form factor supports dual zone capability
- Dual Zone (30 deg difference)
- Affordable at around $300 (with discount) - $350
- Energy usage is minimal especially in ECO mode
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
- Controls are on opposite side from opening (cumbersome)
- Hinged lid not that sturdy when open
RECOMMENDED RV GEAR
www.rvwithtito.com/gear
Topics covered include: Portable fridge freezer, portable refrigerator, portable refrigerator for camping, 12 volt refrigerator, portable compressor refrigerator, portable dc refrigerator for rv
DISCLAIMER
The opinions expressed in our videos are our own or from a contributor. Before taking on any project or making a large purchase, we recommend you do your own research and consult a professional for advice. We are NOT liable for any damage to your RV or injury incurred as a result of following our tips, advice or instructions. We are not RV professionals or certified technicians. We are simply RV owners who work on our own RVs and have a desire to share what we learn with others. Be responsible and know your limits.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
This video may include links to merchants with affiliate programs who pay us a commission on purchases made or actions taken after clicking the link. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
One of the best and thorough reviews of any product I've seen. You literally answered every question I had--plus. I had been trying to get a good sense of how big this thing is and you gave some great shots to show that--it's definitely bigger than u realize at first. thx. Sold.
p.s. It's on sale now for $257.
Far and away the best review of this fridge out there if you ask me. I watched many others, but this is the one that truly answered the questions I had.
I universally like all of your videos. Very informative, well produced with good camera work and audio. Another great addition to Tito's video library!
Thank you very much! I'm glad to hear you appreciate those little yet important things :)
Thanks for the video, the magic 5 degree setting, had to rewatch after i got my unit in. Testing it now!
Great video. I just got my Bouge today 7-5-21. Instructions didn't say what temp you should set to. I googled and found your video. Thanks for the temp. info. Very helpful.
Awesome review, I really appreciate the power consumption tests as i am looking at purchasing this fridge for overlanding. Having someone actually do consumption test over a 24h period of time is super helpful for that, so thank you!
You are good Foley artist demonstrating solid natural of refrig/freezer.
Thank you for another high quality review.
Thanks for the review. I was wondering the same thing regarding temp difference.
Thanks! Always cheerful and positive. Today the kids are drawn to Yeti or Rtic. This lands in price right between the two and no more buying ice, lifting a cooler with 20# of ice in and out of the Wrangler or draining the water.
Thanks for the feedback! These are certainly handy to have. There's definitely a large price range on these. What makes this one unique is the dual zone feature. If you don't need that, then there are probably less expensive options if price is the deciding factor.
Thank you for another great review. This video was through, complete, and easily understandable.
You're very welcome! Thanks for the feedback.
As always, 💜 your work Brian aka Tito! 😃
Thank you so much 😀
Just ordered one of these too...the 30qt one. Seems I'm about 6-12 months behind you. Keep up the good work.
Excellent review 👉🤙
Nice job Brian. We have the unit one size down from yours. Been using it since we were in Quartzsite last January and it till works great. The only issue we've found is that the actual internal temperature is about 5 degrees warmer than what the temp readout displays. This said, we use it only for drinks and keep it outside our coach 99% of the time.
Thanks for the update. I'm thinking in ECO mode it doesn't kick on as frequently. I've noticed the same issue with my other portable fridge as well.
thanxx
Thank you Tito I replaced my fuel pump fuel filter by just watching your video you're awesome keep up the good work 👍👍
On your refrigerator? :) You must be talking about your Generator. Great job!
Nice video. Thanks
Thanks🙂
Nice review Brian !
Thanks! 👍
Thank you, very pleasant personality & good review. Subscribed & liked.
Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate the sub.
Hello Brian from Ouray!! Thank you for this awesome review!!
Our Outdoors RV travel trailer FINALLY arrived 2 weeks ago. I will be putting solar on it in early January. We will be doing 1 to 2 week boondocking trips monthly in CO and the immediate surrounding states.
So, we are in the market for some supplemental cooling. I guess, at this point, our decision is between either a top end or off shoot cooler, or a top end or off shoot fridge/freezer.
I probably will head out on a couple of 1 week-ish trips just to determine needs and wants and current capabilities (black/grey/fresh water durations, battery durations (we'll have 500ah/1400w), and see what capability we want/need for a cooling device).
My guess is one of these fridge/freezers would he best as no cooler will last more than the week.
+1 on choice of beer. Great stuff!
Agreed!
I have a VERY similar fridge and the controls on mine ARE in the right place. However, I've never used it on 12VDC so this was the perfect reveal. Thanks for posting.
You're welcome!
@@RVwithTito Oh. BTW. I bought those electrical connectors you suggested in your video and they are amazing. Totally changed the way I wire my van. No soldering, supports different wire sizes and soooo damn simple to connect together. Thanks heaps.
BTW. In the fridge area I added padded foil on the walls and bottom to make a better insulator. Works really well.
@@bicanoo_magic3452 Great! My supply was running low and I just bought a new multi-pack too. Glad you're putting them to good use!
wow 👍👍👍👍 good checking about temperature after 48 hours without exploding beers 😁
Thank You..
I ordered one , yesterday , back in July 2020 I bought an 1100 dollar Chilly Moose ,Big buck fridge or freezer out of OntARIO Canada and it is a well built beast mostly , , started being troublesome rite off the bat , blamed myself , now it has totally give up the ghost now that we really were relying on it ,and now they want me to pay shipping of 150 bucks to send it back..
Very hard to get communication with the supplier as well..
Another great review video. Keep up with providing such great videos! Glad you had a 'real world' example of a can of beer freezing. It would be interesting to know how noisy/quiet the compressor runs (45dB) compared to, say, a Dometic CFX3 55IM. Also, curious about warranty period. I will look this info up.
I don't have a Dometic to compare. I wouldn't call it ultra-quiet. You can definitely hear it running when the compressor kicks in. I wouldn't put it next to your bed.
I bought one too, I haven't used it yet , I fit it in my closet next to the kitchen, making sure my vent isn't blocked
Nice
Nice review Tito. Expensive for me. Few steps in our Travel trailer I can reach my beer :).
We freeze a lot of stuff. So it's come in handy for us having an extra freezer that actually stays frozen.
As often observed in the retail world, if the price could be brought down to a more affordable point, these things would be flying off the shelves. Ex: 1000 units @ 300$= $300,000. 3000 units @ 195$= 585,000$. Hmm. So, if the production costs prohibit a retail price reduction, they may find it well worth the effort to investigate how to reduce the production costs. At the current price this item is only available to a small segment of the buying populace who have a significant amount of disposable income for ultra convenience items that the general population can well do without. At 150-200$ I submit that the retailer would have to ramp up production immediately to meet the order demand, of which a significant percentage would likely be from the RV community. Just my .02
HUH-YEA
You get what you pay for, this is a cheap unit compared to quality units made by ARB, Engle, Dometic or Iceco
Got mine today! I think when you say watts you mean watt hours?? Amp hours is a better denominator when talking about energy usage over time.
I have the Bouge RV 23 Quart & it’s been more than enough for weekend getaways. I don’t foresee scenarios where a larger unit is needed. Unless people are trying to take half their kitchen on the road, then the larger models are overkill.
Thanks for the review! I've been using an Alpicool that someone graciously gifted me 2 years ago. I like how easy yours is to program. The Alpicool was really challenging, and once I got it in the ballpark, I don't plan to modify it. The down sides I see to the cooler you reviewed would be those bulky external handles, and the way the lid opens. I'd suggest that the company give you the option to open the lid from a side vs from the end. Space and logistics are an issue when you camp. Since you did this review, have you actually filled the freezer and fridge, and if so, what were the results? It appears to be so deep that stuff would get lost in the bottom. 🤔
I have the Alpicool and it doesn't have dual cooling sections but it will refrigerate or freeze and for the money you can buy 2 of them. I have had mine 2 years and it works good and I use it regular. No magnets and the lid snaps shut. The difference between Max and Eco is 2 degrees. On max you set it for say 37 and it pulls it down to 35 and cuts it on at 39. In Eco it pulls it down to 37 and cuts it on at 41. I use max my self...I have solar panels and batteries and it is all for free so might as well go for it!
What size power bank would I need to run this? Thank you for a very informative video. You have answered all of my questions. I am new to this and I'm trying figure out watts, volts.....it makes me cross-eyed.
Informative video, as always! Did you happen to try it with warmer ambient temperatures? Is there a vent that needs to stay unblocked? Keep up the great work!
Haven't had it very long Phil so my options are limited. Expect it to work a little harder in warmer temps. Yes there are two vents on the side for the compressor.
Not to be too critical but we should all try to be careful when talking about watts vs watt-hours. For example, when you give the results for the DC mode test you say that it consumed 500 watts. This is not correct. The instant consumption is only 44 watts and it used 568 watt-hours over a 24 hour period. If you multiply 44 watts times 24 hours you get a little over 1,000 watt-hours which tells you that over a 24 hour period, the things is drawing power only about half the time. Anyway, I really enjoy all your videos. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for the feedback. The instantaneous power (watts) was between 68-72 watts on max mode and 39-44 watts on ECO mode in case you're curious.
As usual, great review. You might suggest that they install some wheels on control side to assist the elderly and/or infirmed with moving that equipment - much like the wheels installed on "portable" generators. Again, great job.
That would certainly help in some cases, and hurt in others. If so, I'd suggest they be removable. It's not uncommon to keep these on a sliding drawer. It's also a good idea to keep a compact hand truck. They are inexpensive and come in very handy.
To easily move my Dometic CFX3 55IM fridge, I purchased a Magna Cart flatform 300 lbs.capacity four wheel folding platform cart. The handle and wheels fold totally flat when not in use. I also added velcro luggage straps (2"x100") so my fridge wouldn't slide off the cart when rolling it around.
Brian, you do such a nice job with your presentations, I really look forward to them. On the subject of refrigerators, have you thoughts on changing out the absorption fridge with a 12v DC in your MH?
Yes. I've thought about it. It's not on the top of my list just yet though (probably in the middle) :)
I had the same thought... I’d like a larger fridge but also one that I can run off the batteries (although I don’t know how long a 10 cu ft would last on just 2 AGMs)
The shirt says it all.
Do the same test but put the unit outside and let it get partial sun to simulate camping conditions. This would show me if it’s worth getting.
I have a homemade turtleback style trailer and I’m looking at the 42qt unit from Bougerv. Would say a 500wh unit with a 100 watt solar could maintain a weekend to 4 or 5 days?
Hi, consider investing in purchasing a similar unit and wanted to ask you if they can make ice cubes too?
Convert your RV refrigerator to a JC refrigeration unit otherwise known as the Amish conversion and you can do that with your RV fridge too.
Great review. Did the 24-hour power draw (overall consumption) decrease much when you changed the temperature to 5 degrees?
I didn't run a test on that specifically, but I'd expect a slight decrease in power draw.
How many amps does it use after its already cooled down to the proper temperature?
Brian. How do you like the BougeRV 12 Volt Refrigerator since having for sometime? I just sent back a Euhomey and can't seem to find a good replacement. Reviews on every cooler I look at on Amazon have quiet a bit of 1 star ratings including this brand. So i figured I would ask you seeing how you have one and I trust your opinion. Thanks for the help.
We are looking for a freezer unit only. If we set it down to max cold we might have what we want. Some things in the freezer dont need to be kept as cold but still frozen. How long did it take to make your beer popsicle?
Good vid keep 'm coming
It took a couple days at around 30 degrees to get there. Surprise!
Great video Brian. I have a 16ft RV. I boondock on BLM land in the SW about 90% of the time. So, it's usually hot in the 80's or 90's. My RV fridge/freezer can not keep up with the swings in temp and for sure it suffers to the point where food does not remain cool/cold when in 90 degrees. I've been looking for a fridge/freezer unit to supplement or replace it. Wondering how it would handle the temp swings and higher temps in the desert?
I've used our other one as a freezer in the SW for about 4 months. I'm sure they're all a bit similar. It does keep stuff frozen much better than our absorption fridge (I kept it between 5 and 9 deg F), but you may have to crank it down a little as the ambient temp rises. It also helps to keep it out of direct sunlight when it starts warming up.
What thermometer u use for ambient temperature?
I just received my 37 quart model. The left larger zone cools great. But the smaller right side isn’t cooling. Not sure if I’m doing something wrong or not. I set the left side to 10F and the right side to 32 and the left side that’s at 10F is reading -4F I guess trying to cool the side that’s not cooling.
Very good review. It is a interesting product. A strange quandrum for me. I could spend ~$350 and get this small refrigerator or I can spend ~$700 and convert my RV frig from propane/electric to a 12volt unit. But my RV refrigerator is working just fine 😕. Maybe it’ll break ! Thanks for your reviews and your channel.
Hmmm. What to do?? I'm also considering that switch (convert current fridge to 12v or buy new 12v fridge with more space)
RV with Tito DIY I will be watching to see what you decide to do! Certainly inexpensive to convert. I’ll let you do the pioneering! You are good at this. I’m but am Amateur.
Do you know how long does the fridge last? Does the compressor last a long time?
Very interesting I would think that you could easily install a single thin panel 150 watt solar panel on the top of a vehicle with charge controller with battery so you don't drain your car battery. With a full charge will it run for a night on that battery without using the car battery? Then during day hrs it should be getting enough power to run it and recharge the battery?
Can I just use whole unit as refrigerator?? Seems like a lot of freezer space... Thanks,Eric
What does it weight? I have a 500 Yeti with 100 what solar will this work? Thanks😃💥💥💥
I was just thinking maybe you could use the low battery cut off with a power station? Like if you don't wanna drain the whole thing. Say you're tent camping and have a CPAP machine to power through the night.
Question - How long would it run on that Jackery 1000 if it was the only thing the Jackery had to run. (Using the DC port of course). Thanks for the great video!
Depends on the temperature settings. My guess would be 3-5 days.
How heavy is the cooler?
Seems like larger fridge and smaller freezer would be a better option. Are you blocking any vents with it tight up to the wall and boxes like that? What does eco mode actually do, it has to have some kind of change in the coldness I would think if it's saving that kind of energy, why not always use that.
Good review. Will it hold a half-gallon of milk or a 2-liter soft drink bottle?
Not sure about the 2-liter bottle. Maybe on the half-gallon of milk. Check the measurements I showed you in the video. Unfortunately, I don't have the unit with me to check.
Do you think it would be more practical to have the refrigerator section the larger area?
Probably more difficult for them to engineer it that way. It's no accident that this is a taller unit. I think the height is what allows there to be a warmer refrigerator section near the top. If you're looking for something that's primarily a refrigerator, I'd go with a different unit with one large area.
I think you got the freezer and refrigerator section backwards. I think the large one is the refrigerator and the small one is the freezer. i’ve watched a couple of CZcamsrs about this unit but I may be wrong.
I have this same model on the way (will be here in a couple of days). The cover is out of stock. But just a curious question... the cover may help with insulating, but will it cause the compressor to overheat??? And also trap the compressors heat within the cover???
I’m guessing since the cover is sold by the company who builds/sells the fridge that they have already factored that in & the cover does not cover the motor/compressor vent.
does it make any sound when its maintaining its tempertaure? Like when you're sleeping beside it, will you hear something or is it silent?
A little. There's a fan and you can also hear the compressor running.
I'm surprised to find that the bigger section is the freezer and the smaller is the fridge. I would have prefered it the other way, with the freezer being smaller.
Interesting product review, Brian. QUES: Would it be beneficial to use A/C pwr to bring it to temp, then fill the unit, THEN switch to D/C in the vehicle?
Keep up the good work.
Y'all Be Safe!
Sure. It certainly uses more power when getting to temperature. It's also advisable to pre-freeze your food before adding it. These coolers run much more efficiently once full of frozen stuff.
That's what most of the people do they plug it in a c and then switch to DC in the car a little easier on your electrical system
1. What about heat dissipation, does it need space around it to operate?
2. Do you think it would work in a truck bed with a tonneau cover and a slide out tray?
The compressor vents are located on either side at the bottom of the freezer end. So make sure not to block those openings. As T J said, it is taller than most other units, so verify the height dimension. We will keep it in the back of our tow car which has much more height clearance. So the narrow, higher form factor works out well for us.
Good morning , I'm holding off till we get a Arizona outside temperature you test at we are at 105 today right now its 72 but that won't Last , looks like this this frig might need a chart for setting, outside temperature set at ? Temperature. Road trip needed to Arizona
Check out Hobotech review on CZcams. He reviewed very positive review. Great unit.
It'll be working harder at 105 degrees for sure. Unfortunately, by the time it reaches 90 degrees in Arizona, we're long gone :) Definitely checkout Hobotech's review as well if you're interested in this unit.
Its $505 in Canada.
Do you have to vent it if you put it in a cabinet to dissipate the heat?
Venting it would be recommended so it doesn't overheat.
How long does it take to get cold from ambient temp?
Usually under 30 minutes.
Hows the blizzardbox doing? Do you know if there is a cover for it? That would be awesome. This cooler seems not bad especially for the price.
The Blizzard box is still working great. Since we're not on the road right now, I loaned it to a friend for a week long trip. They loved it! I'm not aware of a cover for it.
just add some more batteries and solar. get a 5 cubic feet freezer for $180..
Looking to purchase one of these off there website. Looks like the design has changed. What do you know about the differences? Great video as always, much appreciated!
That may be the smaller 30 quart model they just released.
Hi Brian, Big fan here! I have a very similar rig and love your work. I'm copying many improvements. This is off-topic, but for replacing the factory steering stabilizer, I can get the Billstein steering damper for $109 locally but the Safe-T-Plus is $330. Is it worth that difference in your opinion? Thanks for your help. Keep up the great videos! George
Hi George. Having no experience with either product I can't give you an informed recommendation. I'd have to yield to the reviews of others. Both seem like long standing reputable companies.
I just had the Billstein shocks put on our E450 Class C but went with the Safe T-plus stabilizer and it has been great. I've never used the Billstein stabilizer so can't compare. Just a thumbs up for the Safe T-plus. Hope that helps.
Where did you get the cover?
You can order it from BougeRV. They sent me this one to review.
Cause you put the ice cream on the wrong side The ice cream goes in the smaller side and the drain's go on the bigger side the the basket pulls out is for the refrigerator
I have had zero success using DC plug. The plug gets dangerously hot, and it throws low voltage errors. hard wired it and its 'better'
It does get hot :0
seems to me that the cooler section should be bigger than the freezer.
It was placed incorrectly. Placing it up against and beside the tool chest, and the storage container, plus up against the well, blocked the external heat exchanger. I a, surprised t worked at all. Certainly added extra electric load and stress n tue compressor.
It's interesting that many CZcamsrs 'accidentally' review the same product within a few weeks of each other.
Review a cooler from Alpicool. I've got the Alpicool CF45 and it is cheaper and better built than the equivalent BougeRV line of products.
Just a tip from a viewer.
Last time, I checked, 53QT is 8QTs more than 45QTs, so your price comparison is a bit like comparing an apple to an orange. As a matter of fact, today, the 53QT BougeRV model is on sale for $289. I can't comment on quality as I've not received my order yet, but a comparable Alpicool 55qt version is much lighter than the BougeRV unit. Just my two cents.
@@vegasdan9820
What I meant was that Alpicool was (still is?) cheaper across the board. Their CF55 is $319.
From review videos I've seen earlier the BougeRV line seems a little bit worse in build quality to the unit I have. Just saying they are worth a look. I also understand how the CZcams product reviews come about as reviews about a certain product tend to show up pretty much at the same time across many channels. It's how the marketing works..
@@christianholmstedt8770 Thank you, Christian! I appreciate your tip! I've read some reviews as well and Alpicool has garnered some great reviews! I just received my new BougeRV 53 qt and so far the build quality seems solid.. ran it overnight with several bottle waters over 16hrs on my jackery 240 and still at 79% maintaining 37 deg (started at cold via AC for a few hours). So thus far i'm happy. I think ultimately, the ICECO VL's are the best ones out there with the German compressors and 5-yr warranty. But for $289, i can't really complain. :)
-0.4 F ? 😁
Can't be blocking the ventilation!
Yeah, big time blocking of air vents in this video.
Y IS THE FRIDGE SO SMALL?
Seems backwards to me. The freezer should be the smaller compartment.
Where's your ventilation happening you have it blocked off on both sides
There's mesh on either side where the vent holes are.
@@RVwithTito yeah and you have covered both of them up you're going to burn out your compressor like that not to mention it's going to work twice as hard trying to cool down another words use more batteries
No wheels!
You definitely blocked the vents on your 24 hour tests, see 4:04 or 6:02 time. You should have a minimum of 6" clearance on all sides. Nice review though, i agree about the hinge, but it works. Would be nice to see someone do a review of the same 12v refrigerator power usage over a time period with and without the cover. Something tells me that there really wouldn't be much difference in power consumption.
HERE'S A GREAT IDEA.... Get a Power Pack and plug the Charging Cord into your Car. Then plug the Cooler into the Power Pack. That way, if you turn the car off to go into a store, the Cooler runs off the Power Pack. NOT your Car's Battery.
The LAST thing you want, is to return to your car and find it WON'T START because the battery is dead!
My bougerv 53 qt quit working after three uses. It will not turn on. I have checked the fuse and tried three different electrical sources. I have not had a response from the company by phone or email.. Too late to return to Amazon. I now use the refrigerator as an expensive porti potty- I line it with a plastic bag, put pool noodles around top and sit to do my business then throw out the bag. Not comfortable but better than using it as a fishing boat anchor. DO NOT BUY !!! You have been warned.
Wow. $1500 CDN. Nope.