Credit: https://the-gadgeteer.com By Matt Gregersen
REVIEW – I reviewed the BLUETTI Swapsolar Multicooler last year, but when we took it on a weekend trip, we realized it was much larger than we needed for a short trip. I’ve been on the hunt for a good smaller cooler ever since, and the offer to review the BODEGACOOLER 12 volt Car Refrigerator and Freezer looked like exactly what I was looking for.
What is it?
The BODEGACOOLER 12 volt Car Refrigerator and Freezer is a portable cooler that can either chill or freeze up to 26 quarts of food or beverages. It can run off a 12 volt car power plug, an AC wall outlet, or even from a power station and/or solar panels.
What’s included?
- BODEGACOOLER 12 volt Car Refrigerator and Freezer
- AC power adapter
- DC 12 V power adapter
- Manual
Tech specs
Temperature range: -4°F~68°F
Noise level in use: 31 dB
Dimensions: 13.6″D x 22.4″W x 14.8″H
Weight: 22.7 lbs
Capacity: 25 liters
Can capacity: up to 34 cans (12 oz.)
Weather resistance: IPX4 Splash-Proof
Tilt range: up to 45°
Undervoltage protection: Yes, 3 levels
Cooling modes: Eco/Max (up to 42W/60W)
Power input: DC 12/24V car socket, 120V AC
Design and features
To turn on the cooler, you simply plug in either the AC adapter or the DC 12 V adapter and press the power button.
The top panel latches when closed, above is a shot of said latch.
Inside the cooler is a fairly large food storage area. Seals around the top lid help with cooling efficiency. There are guides for a divider, but no divider is included, which I found to be interesting. For a small cooler, it’s probably not needed, everything I tried with it worked fine with no divider. The space you lose due to having a compressor is always annoying, but with traditional coolers you’re probably using just as much space with a bag of ice that melts over time and has to be drained and cleaned where the electric cooler stays dry and cool with none of that fuss (as long as you have a power supply to keep it going).
Performance
I started testing the BODEGACOOLER 12 volt Car Refrigerator and Freezer by plugging it in and setting the temperature to 40° F. Most food items will fit inside just fine, including one gallon of milk (though not quite two). I checked the milk temperature periodically over several days, and it stayed between 39 and 42° F so the temperature regulation seems to be good. I also set the cooler to zero degrees and stored ice cream for a couple of days, with similar results.
Next, I filled it with soda and was able to fit the 34 cans that BODEGACOOLER advertises (though 4 of these have to be stored sideways on the shelf over the compressor). Even filled like this, I was able to lift and move the cooler around, which is hard with anything larger than this (unless it has wheels and a handle).
Final thoughts
The BODEGACOOLER 12 volt Car Refrigerator and Freezer is exactly what we needed for shorter trips. Even fully filled up it can be carried fairly easily and leaves much more room open in our trunk compared to the larger cooler we were using. It doesn’t have wheels, folding handles, or Bluetooth app connectivity, but all of these things are unnecessary for me for a small cooler. I love being able to run a cooler like this indefinitely instead of having to refill it periodically. Coupled with a power station and solar panels it would be a great small drinks fridge for an extended adventure or RV as well.
What I like about the BODEGACOOLER 12 volt Car Refrigerator and Freezer
- Good storage capacity for this small footprint
- Simple and easy to use controls
What needs to be improved?
- Nothing!
Related: Bodega Cooler New Arrival 26qt (25L) Car fridge Review-MCD26
