BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge Review: An Ice-Free Way to Keep Cold Things Cold and Frozen Things Frozen

There are plenty of times when having a portable fridge in your vehicle can come in handy; some of the ones I can think of off of the top of my head include when you’re spending time doing outdoor activities, traveling, when you have medications that need to be kept at a certain temperature, or when you just want the convenience of not having to stop for a cold drink during a long commute. Whatever your reason for needing one, the BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge might just be the perfect solution.

The BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge is available with or without the 220Wh Power Station, which retails for $189.99 on its own; I was sent the version that included the portable power station to test.

Inside the portable fridge box are the CRPRO30,  a two-part charging brick and cable, a DC power adapter, two extra rubberized feet, and a user manual. The separately shipped power station box includes the power bank, a two-part charging brick and cable, a DC power adapter, and a user manual.

The BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge’s body is made of matte black and gray plastic. It measures approximately 23″ wide by 16.25″ tall by 12.5″ deep, and it weighs about 30 pounds empty.

One of my few complaints is that there are no integrated wheels on the cooler-sized body, so it can be a bit heavy when fully loaded. If you intend to use it in your RV or keep it in your vehicle, this won’t be an issue, but if you plan on moving it from site to site when full, it might present a challenge that the optional $74.99 BougeRV CRPRO 30 Quart Insulated Protective Cover might help with.

This portable fridge is also offered in 21-quart and 26-quart capacities. 

On the top of the BougeRV CRPRO30 are four shallow cup holders and a nubbed indention that forms a shallow tray. On the right, there is an approximately 9.25″ long by 4″ wide by 3.5″ deep storage compartment with two integrated cup holders; at the back of the compartment, there is a pass-through so that the powerbank can be stored inside with its power cable run out to the back.

There is also a control panel that includes the power button, an unlock/setting button, and temperature increase and decrease buttons.

In the center of the buttons, there is a 1″ by 1″ square display that will show the temperature of the cooler, the battery protection setting, the max/eco settings, and the compressor working icon that shows when the compressor is running.

The temperature inside the fridge when it was first turned on.

When you have the BougeRV CRPRO30 turned on, you can press the unlock/setting button once, and Max/Eco will display. Pressing the settings button again will switch it from Max to Eco; Max is the fastest cooling mode, and it uses 60W, while the Eco setting uses 45W.

The sides have integrated hand-holds for carrying, and there are integrated safety tie-down points on each side. At the bottom, there is a port for the power cable, whether you’re using the wall charger or the included DC charger.

Here’s a better look at the pass-through port in the storage compartment.

The BougeRV CRPRO30’s right side has an integrated bottle opener as well as the handle and tie-down points.

On the bottom are four rubberized feet; should one get knocked off at some point, there are two spares thoughtfully included.

Inside the BougeRV CRPRO30 is a large, approximately 13.75″ long by 10″ wide by 13″ deep compartment that can be sectioned into two with the included divider; it slides in and out as needed.

I like the idea of the two separate spaces, as you could pile beverages on one side and place food items or other drinks on the other, but for maximum cooling space, you’ll likely want to remove the divider.

Without the divider, the fridge can handle up to 36 12-ounce cans or 12 bottles of wine. If you’re a wine drinker, you’ll appreciate this fridge when days are hot, and you have a way to go with your latest purchases.

There is an LED light on the right side of the interior that turns on when the lid is lifted.

Running the BougeRV CRPRO30 is quite simple: If you are using it near a wall outlet, you simply attach the cable to the right side’s power port and turn it on. You’ll then select the desired temperature, and the fridge will get to work.

The first time I plugged it in, the display showed 80ºF, so I set the temperature at 35ºF. The fridge immediately started cooling using max power, and it reached 35ºF in under 20 minutes. The temperature setting ranges are 8ºF to 50ºF.

Using the included DC charger works the same way; you simply plug it into the side of the BougeRV CRPRO30 and plug it into your vehicle’s DC port. There is also an optional Paso 100W CIGS portable solar blanket available for $459.99 if you’re truly going off-grid.

One last thing to cover is the battery protection level settings, which are High, Medium, and Low; they are accessed by giving the setting button a long press and then toggling between the three levels.

BougeRV recommends that you set the battery protection level to High when you’re connected to a car battery or a wall socket; the Medium and Low settings are recommended when you’re connecting the fridge to the power station or other portable batteries; it comes from the factory set to High.

I also like that the insulated fridge will stay cold for quite some time after being unplugged, but just like your fridge at home, opening the door while the power is out will deplete the coolness more quickly than if it is left sitting closed.

The Optional BougeRV 220Wh Power Station

The BougeRV 220Wh Power Station was made to fit inside the storage compartment of the BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge with a bit of room to spare.

This chonk’s exterior is composed of matte black and yellow plastic; it measures approximately 7″ long by 3.25″ wide by 3″ thick, and it weighs 3.3 pounds. As an 8,000mAh battery, it’s a bit too large to carry with you as a portable battery pack, but it can certainly be used that way when needed.

There is a small display on the top of the battery; I’ll discuss it further in the review. 

The power station has built-in protections for over-temp, over-voltage, over-charging, and over-current.

On the business end of the power station, there is a power button, an Input charging port, a USB Type-C In/Out port, a DC port, an LED flashlight, and a USB Type-A (Out) port.

On the bottom of the power station are four non-slip rubber feet.

When powering the BougeRV 220Wh Power Station, a light on its charging block will glow red until charging is complete, at which time it will glow green so it can be unplugged.

When charging from an AC outlet, it takes about 3.2 hours to go from 0 to 80% at 65W max; charging in the car takes about 3 hours at 72W max for 0-80%, and if using a 100W solar charger, it takes about 2 hours from 0 to 80%.

The power station will charge the BougeRV for up to six hours, but it is also quite handy for other things like smartphones (up to 18 times), laptops (up to 3 times), and even a CPAP machine for up to 5 hours.

When the power station is turned on, the display will show the battery capacity, error codes (if any), the input power, and the output power.

Pressing and holding the power button for two seconds will turn the LED flashlight on or off. Pressing it again will switch the beam between High, Low, and SOS modes.

To use the BougeRV 220Wh Power Station with the BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge, you’ll connect the DC plug that came with the fridge to the battery, thread the power cable through the port, and plug it into the side of the fridge, the extra cable can be tucked under the power station inside the storage compartment.

This is quite an elegant solution!

In my testing, the battery was able to run the cooler set at 35ºF for about 20 hours before it hit 22%, and I stopped it. Be aware that I conducted the run-test inside my house; the runtime will be lessened if you are using it outside or somewhere hot.

The BougeRV 220Wh Power Station powering the BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge

One of the things I really like about the BougeRV 220Wh Power Station is that it has pass-through power, so if you are keeping it charged in the car, via solar, or at home, the battery’s DC port is left free so it can keep powering the BougeRV CRPRO30 as it recharges.

The BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge is a quite convenient ice-free solution for anyone who needs a way to keep items cold while traveling, camping, or in locations without power, as it can be charged via AC, DC, the optional 220Wh Power Station, and even optional solar.

If you’re looking for a portable fridge that keeps cold items cold and frozen items frozen, this is one of the most versatile systems that I’ve seen; it’s even great to use as a small fridge at home when you aren’t traveling!

The BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge starts at $379.99 (it’s on sale right now); it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.

You can read the full user manual by clicking here.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: A great size for carrying cold drinks and other things; Multiple ways to charge are available with an included AC and DC power source as well as optional solar; There is a light inside when the fridge is opened; The fridge is easy to operate, and the display on the front keeps you apprised at all times as to how it is doing; the optional BougeRV 220Wh Power Station allows for power when you are off-grid; Keep cold items cold and frozen items frozen, making it perfect for schlepping more delicate groceries home from the store, even at great distances; Much more convenient than dealing with a cooler filled with ice

What Needs Improvement: There are no attached wheels on this model, so lugging a full fridge might be challenging for some