BougeRV 23 Quart 12V Portable Refrigerator (CR22)

The CR22 is for the camper who wants to stop buying ice but does not need a big fridge. One or two people, a weekend, a few days of groceries and some drinks. BougeRV sells it as a 23-quart fridge and lists it as model CR22 on Amazon. At about 21 lb it is light enough to carry from the car to the picnic table with one hand.

It is the budget pick on our list of the best 12V portable fridges. It is also a good first fridge for anyone who is not sure a powered cooler will earn its place in the car. It costs a fraction of the Dometic picks, and it uses the same kind of cooling.

It is a compressor fridge, not a thermoelectric cooler. That is the most important fact about it. Thermoelectric coolers can only cool to a fixed amount below the outside air; OutdoorGearLab puts the limit at about 40°F. On a 95°F afternoon that means warm food. The CR22's compressor reached -3.2°F from a 75°F start in OutdoorGearLab's test, so it will freeze if you ask it to and hold fridge temperature in summer heat. BougeRV rates the range at -7°F to 50°F.

Power use a small battery can handle. OutdoorGearLab measured 8.3 W on average once the CR22 was cold and 50 Wh over six hours, with a peak of 48.9 W while cooling down. At room temperature that is roughly 200 Wh or 17 amp-hours a day. An EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus running it from its 12 V socket covers about a day, and a 1 kWh station covers about four. BougeRV rates the unit at 45 W in Eco mode and 60 W in Max. Those are running figures while the compressor is on, not daily averages.

Sensible protection and flexibility. A 3-stage low-voltage cutoff keeps it from flattening a starter battery overnight. It comes with both 12/24 V DC and 110-240 V AC cords, so you can pre-chill it in the kitchen before a trip, which is the easiest way to save energy on the road. BougeRV rates it at 45 dB or less and says it runs tilted up to 30 degrees, useful when you park on a slope. BougeRV also sells it bundled with a clip-on battery for use away from the car.

Speed. For a compressor unit, the CR22 is slow to cool: OutdoorGearLab timed about 80 minutes to get below 40°F. The Dometic CFX5 45 did it in about half an hour. Start it the night before, or on AC at home, and it matters less.

The details. There is no app, so you check the temperature on the lid panel. OutdoorGearLab reported condensation building up inside and a DC cord that needed attention to stay seated. A cord that works loose on a bumpy road stops the fridge without warning, so check the plug when you stop.

Size. At 22 liters it holds food for two for a weekend, not a family for a week. The interior is 13.8 x 9.8 x 9.8 in, so check that the containers you use fit before you buy. Tall bottles have to lie down in a box that shallow.

Efficiency per liter. It drew more than the much larger Dometic CFX5 45 in OutdoorGearLab's test (8.3 W against 6.8 W) while holding half as much. Thinner insulation is the trade for the low price and weight.

The Dometic CFX5 45 has twice the space, measurably tighter temperature control and lower draw, plus an app and vacuum insulation. It also weighs about twice as much and costs several times more. If you camp every month, the Dometic pays for itself in battery life and food that stays cold. If you camp four times a year, the BougeRV makes more sense.

The Anker SOLIX EverFrost 2 58L solves a different problem: two zones and a built-in battery for campers without a power station. It weighs three times as much as the CR22.

Buy the CR22 if you want compressor cooling for one or two people at the lowest reasonable cost and weight, and you do not need an app. Skip it if you camp as a family, stay out for a week, or want to monitor the temperature from your phone. For the price, nothing on our shortlist gets you real refrigeration more cheaply.