The very first thing to contemplate when shopping for a cooler is how you are going to use it. In the event you aren’t heading out for days at a time, you in all probability do not want an costly high-end cooler. All of the coolers we have suggest above are able to holding issues at a protected temperature for a day, supplied you retain them within the shade. Equally, in case you’re navigating rugged terrain, you may want beefy wheels—and in case you’re simply going to the seashore, you won’t want them.
Arduous-sided coolers: These vary from the outdated inexperienced Coleman coolers—as soon as a staple of each tenting journey—to Yetis, which value as a lot as vehicles did when Coleman began making coolers. You would possibly surprise why the Yetis are so costly. That I can not reply, however Yeti did upend the cooler business by introducing rotational molding, or “rotomolding,” the place melted plastic is molded over foam insulation in a single piece. Rotomolded coolers supply seamless, uniform density of their partitions and lids, which drastically improves a cooler’s efficiency. In distinction, these historic, inexpensive plastic coolers we have all used have thinner partitions, leaky seams, and fewer insulated lids. Whether or not you want the additional insulation will depend on what you are doing and the way scorching it’s once you’re doing it. Need to study extra? Our In-Home Know-It-All has a extra thorough insulation clarification.
Arduous-sided coolers usually have the posh options you need, like leakproof lids and drain plugs, and a few are even bear-resistant (verify this record of bear-proof merchandise in case you’re headed into ursine nation). The draw back is that these coolers are usually big and heavy.
Comfortable-sided coolers: Comfortable-sided coolers embody every thing from well-padded, impressively insulated sling baggage (just like the Yeti Hopper Flip above) to roll-down, dry-bag-style coolers excellent for these delicate seashore days. One of the best mushy coolers are simpler to hold, pack away simply when not in use, and have a versatility that conventional arduous coolers lack. (I’ve used dry-bag-style coolers as, properly, dry baggage.) Ice would not final as lengthy, however for brief outings the place you do not want a big cooler, these are what we suggest.
Electrical coolers: Positive, they are not crucial, however in case you’re headed out on longer adventures and have entry to energy, you will by no means have to fret about your ice melting.
Different Options to Look For:
- Drain plug: This significantly simplifies life by making it straightforward to empty the water out of your cooler. In the event you’re shopping for a big cooler, be sure that it has one in every of these.
- Divider: One among our prime ideas for long-term cooler use is to have two coolers: One you deal with as a fridge and infrequently open, and one other for drinks. If that is not attainable, you possibly can obtain among the identical by getting a cooler with a dividing wall in it. That approach you possibly can pack one facet tightly with ice to maintain that meat at a low temp, and use the opposite facet for chilling drinks with cubed ice.
- Wheels: Coolers get heavy and wheels are superior. They will not at all times work (good luck wheeling your cooler over tree roots), however after they do, they’re utterly price it.