RV RoadieLet’s be honest, replacing a rooftop RV air conditioner is one of those jobs that sounds intimidating enough to make you just keep limping along with the tired old unit you’ve got. Ours was on its way out and had been giving us grief, so when it came time to replace it, we did our homework — and after a month of living with the Fogatti InstaCool Ultra, I’m here to tell you how it’s gone.
Fogatti InstaCool Ultra RV Air Conditioner
What is the Fogatti InstaCool Ultra?
The Fogatti InstaCool Ultra is a 16,000 BTU non-ducted rooftop RV air conditioner that also works as a heat pump, putting out 12,500 BTU of heating for cooler weather. It’s designed to drop into a standard 14.25" x 14.25" roof opening — the same size most RV air conditioners already use — so for a lot of us it’s a straight swap for whatever tired unit is already up there. It runs on standard 115V power, uses the newer R32 refrigerant, moves 418 CFM of air, and comes with a remote plus app and touchscreen controls. Fogatti rates the low fan mode at under 43 dB, and it’s backed by a two-year warranty. Ours ran just under $1,200.
Why We Chose Fogatti
Here’s the honest backstory. Our RV came with a Dometic originally, and that unit was simple and reliable — no complaints there. Somewhere along the way we ended up with a different brand as a replacement, and that one gave us nothing but problems: it was fussy to operate and just never worked the way it should. So by the time it was on its way out, we were gun-shy about getting the next one wrong.
Going back to a Dometic was the obvious safe choice, but when we read through the reviews on the newer units we were considering, we weren’t as impressed as we expected to be for the price. So Bob dug into the research and kept coming back to the Fogatti. The reviews were strong, the heat pump was a nice bonus for the shoulder seasons, and the price came in lower than the name brands. He was dead set on this one. I’ll admit I was a little nervous about going with a brand we hadn’t used before — but I am soooo glad this is the one we got.
The Pros: Where the Fogatti Shines
- Dead Simple to Use: This is the first thing we fell in love with. The unit we were replacing was a headache — you practically had to pull out the manual every time you wanted to change a setting. Not this one. It’s intuitive — you just adjust what you need and get on with your day. After fighting with that fussy old control panel, this alone felt like a luxury.
- Those Side Vents Are a Game Changer: This is the feature I didn’t know I needed. Besides the vents that blow straight down, there are vents on the sides that push air out along the ceiling, and it can direct the air up and down too. Here’s why that matters for us: our AC sits close to the door, and with the big window up front, that area was always the hottest spot in the rig — even with the old air conditioner running full blast. Now when we walk in, we get hit with instant cool, because those side vents are moving the air all through that space instead of just dumping it straight down in one spot. It made a real, noticeable difference in the part of our RV that used to never get comfortable.
- Cooling Was Awesome: A month in, running through real summer heat, this thing keeps our rig genuinely comfortable — including that trouble spot by the door and window that the old unit could never quite handle. The 16,000 BTU capacity has plenty of muscle for our space, and it recovers the cabin quickly after the RV’s been sitting closed up and baking in the sun.
- So Dang Quiet: I’m not kidding on this one — you hardly know it’s on. Compared to the unit we replaced, it’s like a whisper. RV air conditioners can get loud, and our old one was noisy and rattly, so this was a huge upgrade. Honestly, next to the easy controls, the quiet is the thing I’d point to first. It’s easy to sleep through, easy to hold a conversation or watch TV over, and it makes the whole rig feel more peaceful.
- The Heat Pump Bonus: Most RV air conditioners only cool. This one doubles as a heat pump, so on those chilly mornings that don’t quite call for firing up the furnace, we can take the edge off with the AC unit instead. It’s a genuinely useful feature for the in-between seasons.
- Exceptionally Easy Install: This was the big surprise. We installed it ourselves, and honestly, it was about as painless as a rooftop AC swap gets. It dropped right into the existing 14.25" opening with no roof modifications, the instructions were clear, and Fogatti even has a step-by-step install video that walks you through the roof prep, sealing, and wiring. If you were dreading this job the way we were, don’t. Two people who are handy but not professional installers had it done without drama.
- Priced Right: At just under $1,200, it came in below the comparable name-brand units we looked at — and with the heat pump included, we felt like we got more for the money, not less.
A quick note on the controls, since it’s a matter of preference: the Fogatti comes with a remote and you can also control it from your phone with the app. Personally, we skip both. Between the TV, the sound system, and everything else, we’ve already got ten or twelve remotes floating around, and we didn’t want another. The unit is so easy to adjust manually that we just do it by hand as needed. But if app or remote control is your thing, it’s there and it works.
The Cons: A Few Honest Notes
- It’s Heavy to Get Up on the Roof: The part that mounts on the roof is heavy — Bob figured somewhere around 75 to 100 pounds. Lifting it wasn’t hard for him, but hoisting that much weight all the way up to roof height is where a second set of hands really helps. This isn’t a Fogatti flaw — it’s true of any rooftop AC — but plan on having help for that step rather than trying to muscle it up a ladder solo.
- Non-Ducted Only: The InstaCool Ultra is built for non-ducted setups, where the air comes out of the ceiling assembly rather than through your RV’s ductwork. That was fine for our rig, but if your RV uses ducted air, you’ll want a different model in the Fogatti lineup, so check before you buy.
- The Heat Pump Isn’t a Furnace: The heat pump is great for taking the chill off mild mornings, but it’s not meant to replace your furnace in truly freezing weather. If you’re a hard-core winter camper, think of the heat as a bonus, not your main heat source.
- Newer Brand: Fogatti isn’t the household name that Dometic or Coleman is. That gave us pause at first. A month in, our experience has been great and there’s a two-year warranty behind it — but if brand-name reassurance matters a lot to you, it’s worth knowing going in.
Who is the Fogatti InstaCool Ultra For?
The Fogatti InstaCool Ultra is a great fit for RVers who:
- Are replacing a tired old non-ducted rooftop AC and want a straightforward swap.
- Aren’t afraid to tackle a DIY install (or want a job that’s easy enough for their installer).
- Want a little bonus heat for cool mornings without running the furnace.
- Want strong cooling without paying top-dollar name-brand prices.
- Care about quieter operation for better sleep.
Final Verdict: A Confident Yes
After a month of real use, replacing our worn-out old unit with the Fogatti InstaCool Ultra has been one of the easier upgrade decisions we’ve made. The install was far less painful than we feared, it’s dead simple to operate, and it cools our rig beautifully in the summer heat — including that spot by the door and the big front window that our old unit could never keep up with, thanks to those side vents. And I can’t say enough about how quiet it is; it’s like a whisper compared to what we had. Add in the handy heat pump for cool mornings, the lower price, and the two-year warranty, and I’m completely happy Bob talked us into it.
Would we buy it again? In a heartbeat. I’m giving it a full 5 out of 5 stars, and I don’t say that lightly — this isn’t a review written just to have a review. Bob and I still talk about how wonderful this unit is. It’s genuinely that nice. It does everything we need it to do, it does it quietly, and it fixed the one comfort problem our old unit never could. When a piece of RV gear earns that kind of unprompted praise a month in, it’s earned its five stars.
Want to see the rest of what we keep in our rig? This is one of the picks in our full Essential RV Gear guide — the roundup of almost everything we use on the road.
Fogatti InstaCool Ultra RV Air Conditioner
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Fogatti hard to install yourself?
Not in our experience. We installed ours ourselves and found it exceptionally easy. It fits the standard 14.25" x 14.25" roof opening, so on most rigs it’s a direct swap with no roof modifications, and Fogatti provides both a written guide and a step-by-step install video. The one thing to plan for is safely lifting the roughly 100-pound rooftop unit up onto the roof — that’s a two-person job. Fogatti recommends professional installation because it involves rooftop work, sealing, and 115V wiring, so if you’re not comfortable with any of that, it’s worth hiring it out.
Does the Fogatti InstaCool Ultra have heat?
Yes. Along with 16,000 BTU of cooling, it works as a heat pump that puts out 12,500 BTU of heating. It’s great for taking the chill off cool mornings and shoulder-season weather. For truly freezing conditions, though, you’ll still want to rely on your RV furnace — think of the heat pump as a useful bonus rather than a full furnace replacement.
Will the Fogatti fit my RV?
It’s designed for a standard 14.25" x 14.25" rooftop opening, which is the same size most RV air conditioners use, and it fits roofs between 1.2 and 5 inches thick. The important thing to check is that the InstaCool Ultra is a non-ducted unit — the air comes out of the ceiling assembly rather than through your RV’s ductwork. If your rig is set up for ducted air, look at a ducted-compatible model in the Fogatti lineup instead.
Can I run the Fogatti air conditioner off an inverter or generator?
You can, as long as your power setup can handle it. Air conditioners draw a big surge of power when the compressor starts up, so your generator, or your inverter and battery bank together, need to be able to support both that startup load and the continuous running load. If you plan to run it away from shore power, check that your system is sized for an air conditioner before counting on it.
Is Fogatti a good brand?
Fogatti isn’t as well known as Dometic or Coleman, and that gave us pause at first, especially after a bad experience with another brand in the past. But we read a lot of positive reviews before buying, our own month with it has been trouble-free, and it comes with a two-year warranty. So far, we’ve been very happy with it.
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