After unboxing the BougeRV Portable Air Conditioner, I was going in with an open mind – the online reviews looked good, marketing videos seemed legit and initial tests were true to what it claimed. It looked neat and compact, sturdy and sounded like a workhorse — but as product reviewers, we have to check against the spec sheet and marketing claims. I wanted to see if this little unit could actually handle Malaysia’s kind of heat and humidity, not just survive in standard lab conditions.
So I decided to test it indoors around the house where people may not have an air conditioning installed. I tested in three different spots: a study/work corner, a storage room/garage, and a small (usually spare) bedroom. Here’s how it went down:
Study/Work Space Test — Keeping Me Cool During the Afternoon Heat
My work corner that is beside the window gets warm after lunch during sunny days. I placed the BougeRV about half-a-metre away and switched it to Cooling Mode at 20 degrees celsius with medium fan speed. Within minutes, I could actually feel the difference — not that icy kind of cold, but a softer, more natural breeze that made it easier to focus as my immediate area’s temperature cooled.
I also felt a bit of a dehumidifying effect, which was evident from the humidifier indicator which dropped from 72% to 65%. Noise wise, it was pretty quiet — the hum of the BougeRV was somewhere around 55–60 dB as per the sound testing app — noticeable if you listen for it, but never distracting with sudden jolts of sounds.
The app control, though not essential to the cooling experience, was a nice touch too. I could tweak the temperature or timer right from my desk — no need to get up mid-flow. For small home offices or study spaces, I’d say this unit is more than enough to stay comfortable through long work sessions.
One thing to note is the provision of a hot air outlet near a window to expel the hot air. For my test, I used the flexible hose and pointed the open end to the bottom corner of the window. For long term usage, this will likely be a fixed position for the pipe, and this opening can be DIY-ed with a 3D-printer or an off the shelf accessory.
Store Room/ Garage Test — Beating Humidity and That Musty Smell
This is a less thought of use case – my storage room. We don’t think of it much, but when we are inside of it long enough for packing or searching for things, it becomes a situation where comfort makes a big difference. Store rooms are usually tiny-ish, packed with boxes, and always feels like a sauna. For this test, I switched to Max Mode at 18°C and directed the hot air outside using the flexible hose.
By the 3rd-minute mark with the power churn, I could already tell the air was lighter and cooler — not that heavy, sticky kind anymore. The packing or ‘treasure hunt’ experience was immediately elevated to an enjoyable one without the sweat.
One of the biggest surprises was that the air did not smell musty after a while. The dual-hose setup seemed to help cycle out stale air while bringing in fresher air. I definitely did not expect that level of freshness from such a small machine.
By extension, this can be useful in bigger areas like a garage where we do not spend time there frequently but when we do spend time, it could be more than 20-30mins at a time.
Spare (small) Bedroom Test — Overnight Cooling for Better Sleep
Finally, I brought it into a small bedroom for an overnight run. I set it to Sleep Mode at 19 °C, pointed the BougeRV to the bed and placed the outlet vent towards the window, and went to bed.
The BougeRV being a small compact air conditioning unit, managed to push cool air out consistently without the loud noise. Its cooling technology mimics an aircon cooling unit and condenser unit efficiently without the hassle of running the water to an outlet. Not surprisingly, the sound was quiet in this mode at around 50 decibels which is akin to a library. The air felt soft — not a harsh, cold blast that makes you reach for a blanket halfway through the night. It was comfortable on the cooling front and the noise test.
By morning, the room still felt cool and comfortable, and the air wasn’t dry, the humidity measure recorded 65%.
If you’re renting or living in an apartment without built-in air-con, this is a really practical solution for your warm nights. No messy installation, no water issues, no drilling, just plug in, find an outlet for the hot air and sleep cool throughout the night.
Final Thoughts — Small Machine, Big Impact
After using it around the house for a few days, I’d say the BougeRV Portable Air Conditioner is more than just a “portable AC.” It’s like an all-in-one cooling device — cooling, dehumidifying, and even freshening the air in a local area without disturbing the humans in the room.
It’s light enough (17kg) and balanced well with a handle to move around when needed, but once you set it up, it works quietly and consistently. I love that it doesn’t need any permanent installation except for the positioning of the hot air outlet, and the energy use seems quite decent for what it does (400W). I do wish it had a longer power plug cord, so that it can be powered to a power source more neatly without extension cables.
Extending the concept of localized cooling, it can cool areas in bigger rooms where the traditional wall mounted air conditioning units may not be able to reach. But with a few of the BougeRV around, it is able to help cool it down.
Next, I’m planning to take it outdoors for a camping test — that’ll really show how “portable” it is and how long it can last with a portable power station. But indoors? It’s already proven itself. Compact, quiet, and reliable — this little guy fits perfectly into real homes who need portable cooling.
Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4.5/5) — Great for small areas in humid weather. Would highly recommend it if you need portable cooling without the hassle of installing a full air-con system and drainage system.
Curious how our journey started? Check out our first impression review to see our early thoughts before we tested it indoors. Pre-order now at RM1299 and experience how this compact air conditioner can fit perfectly into your home.
