Those of you who enjoy the RV lifestyle or spend a lot of time on the road know the benefits of having a powerful car fridge to keep your food items and drinks cold for many hours. We have covered a few of them that are the perfect fit for trucks or other large vehicles. The Bodega CF15 Cooler is designed for those of you who are looking for a more compact fridge. The good folks behind it were kind enough to send us one to test. Let’s see what was included:
The Bodega CF15 Car Fridge came in a more compact package in comparison to other coolers we have tested from this brand. It came with a car adapter and a fridge base that you can use to replace your car’s original console. You can also easily store it on your car’s front or back seat. It had two tiny handles, so we were able to easily lift and move it around. This cooler has a display that shows mode, battery protection setting, battery level and temperature. It also has buttons for adjusting the temperature.
This cooler has two USB ports on the back and one on the front. It has room for 2 smartphones and 2 coffee cups. Its leather lid is quite elegant and should fit well in most cars. By default, the temperature range is 0° F to 68°F, but it is possible to change the minimum temperature to -40°F, something we are not sure is advisable. If you press the Settings button for 3 seconds when the fridge is off and hold it until you get to the E5 option, you will be able to change the temperature unit from Fahrenheit to Celsius.
You can power this cooler using a car outlet or power station that has a car power outlet. We tested this car cooler with a Renogy Phoenix Solar Briefcase. It has Max and ECO cooling modes. In ECO mode, our fridge reduced the temperature from 68°F to 37°F in an hour and used 10% of our power station’s battery. The noise level is pretty negligible, so you won’t even hear it on the road. When running at Max level, our phone registered a noise level of 48 dB.
This cooler has feet that enable it to stay put in your car. You can store fruit, drinks, vegetables, and meat in this cooler. For drinks, you will want to stay above 32°F, while for meat, the lowest temperature level is more appropriate. The control panel is straightforward, but the app is even easier. It is the same app we used with the T50 cooler. You get a slider to change the temperature quickly. You can also unbind the device, change the battery protection mode, and activate the child lock function.
You can use this cooler in the back of your car, but it can also replace the original console. You will just have to secure the base with a couple of screws and install the fridge. The USB ports on the device let you charge multiple smartphones at the same time. We stored blueberries, cheese, bread, water, and other items in this cooler and encountered no issues. Our FLIR camera confirmed the temperature reached -2°F in a couple of hours.
The Bodega 12V Fridge is lightweight, so it is easy to move around even when full. Our Renogy Phoenix is 150W rated but had no problem powering this cooler. If you are planning to power multiple units, you may want to go with something with a bit more output. Unlike a few other coolers that we have tested, the door lock works pretty smoothly.
Overall, we found the Bodega CF15 to be a nice alternative to bigger, heavier coolers. It has enough room for fruit, drinks, and perishable items for one or two people. It can charge your phone while keeping your items cool. It also holds your drinks. It’s even more convenient if your car has enough room between the front seats for a fridge like this. If you are looking for a compact fridge with app control, adjustable cooling settings, and battery protection, you should give the Bodega CF15 a look.
