• We’re seeing a large number of Prime Day discounts on camping and off-road gear, including portable refrigerators and coolers.
• I tested this BougeRV during a recent camping trip and loved it for its cordless operation, which came in handy during a long car drive.
• It has convenient portability features, including a telescoping handle and two built-in wheels.

This portable refrigerator took a lot of pressure off my last camping trip. I needed to keep a lot of food cold, but the drive to the campground was long. Luckily, I didn’t have to worry about powering it from my car or getting messy with ice; the BougeRV CRD2 Portable Fridge/Freezer with a built-in battery that had me covered for at least 12 hours—more than I needed. And now, it’s on sale for Amazon Prime Day for $410—the lowest price it’s been all year.

Understand, when I go camping, I often take trips to campgrounds with an electrical hookup, so carting along a portable fridge to keep all my food cold makes sense. But they aren’t as well insulated as a regular cooler, so sometimes ice is still frustratingly needed when traveling a long distance.

I’ve used a portable refrigerator before, and put it to good use, but this model upped the ante, providing a dual thermostat that can make one side a freezer and the other a refrigerator (or both sides the same), and adding an internal rechargeable battery that keeps it working when outlet power is not available. That was a game changer for me.

What Makes This Cooler Worth It

There’s a lot to love about the BougeRV CRD2, but these are my favorite features I found while testing it in the real world:

• Battery power: This can run cordlessly on a 240-watt-hour battery, which I found kept things cool, even with one side set to freezing temperatures, for just over 12 hours. That makes it ideal for use in the car. Yes, many of these coolers can plug into a 12-volt adapter, but there’s something so very convenient about keeping things wire-free.
• Maximum portability: This has two built-in wheels and a telescoping handle, so you can move it around like rollaway luggage. These might seem like small details, but they’re not found on every portable refrigerator. I didn’t realize how much I wanted them till I had them.
• Dual thermostats: Both sides of this cooler run independently, including separate lids, so you can run one side as a freezer and the other as a refrigerator. But both have thermostats that range from minus 4 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit, so you’re not limited in how you want to run either side. You could make the whole thing a freezer if you wanted to, or not.
• Multiple power options: The CRD2’s battery is removable and offers several recharging options. You can recharge in its compartment while the fridge is plugged in or outside of the compartment using either a USB-C connection, a 12-volt charging cable (included), or even a portable solar panel (up to 150 watts). There are also 12-volt and USB-A outputs for powering or recharging external devices.
• Reasonably priced: Portable refrigerators and electric coolers (the term seems interchangeable these days) are not cheap. Some run as much as $1,000, but this model is priced under $600, even when it’s not on sale, which is reasonable for a portable appliance like this. And that’s what makes the Prime Day sale even more compelling.

It’s not perfect. I found that the compressor, plus the battery, makes the CRD2 a bit heavier than other portables. Those two items combined also take up more space, leaving the second compartment a bit small. But these are small complaints. In fact, I’m already getting it ready for another trip for the Fourth of July.

Other Editor-Recommended Portable Refrigerators on Sale for Prime Day