Despite this oversized stature, it’s more portable than we expected, with comfortable handles on each end that make carrying it that much easier. After years of regular use, this durably constructed soft-sided model looks and works just about the same as the day we first bought it. If you are looking for maximum cooling power, premium rotomolded coolers from brands like Yeti, RTIC, and Orca are the clear leaders in keeping ice cold for long stretches. If you need ice for extended periods (we’re thinking of you, rafters and multi-day campers), the cost is worth it.
These coolers are solid, bear-proof, and boast of the ability to keep food cold for 5-10 days. In contrast, open-cell foam is permeable to air and water like a sponge (which is why it frequently appears in foam pillows, as it’s squishier and it coleman screen tent breathes). But open-cell foam’s ability to insulate greatly diminishes when it’s wet because water permeates all of the open space and acts as a conductor of heat. In open-cell foam, most bubbles (more than 50%) share walls with one another.
It also attaches to the side of the interior with a simple hand screw, which means it won’t move during transit like all the other baskets are wont to do. The Coleman Xtreme, Cabela Polar Cap, and Pelican coolers have leashes attaching their drain plugs to the body of the chest. Both Pelican models, the Igloo IMX 70qt, the Engel, and the Xspec all have built-in bottle openers hidden in various spots. Both Pelican models we tested — the Pelican Wheeled and the Pelican 20 stand out to our testers as having exceptionally easy to use latches. Though our scoring system of each contender’s performance does not include the cost of the unit, we recognize that this is a crucial aspect influencing the decision of which one to purchase.
With better insulation, a cooler can maintain lower temperatures for longer, thus consuming less ice. That’s important, especially if you, like most people, don’t have a freezer that can produce enough ice to fill a cooler and you tend to resort to buying bags of ice from the grocery store or liquor store. Similar to any other true roto-molded cooler, the RTIC 65 is practically indestructible, which makes it great for tougher outdoor environments. In our testing, the RTIC 65 kept ice frozen for 10 days with some periodic draining. We’ve also used this cooler for nearly five years for grocery runs in Hawaii, and it’s still going strong. One charm of the RTIC 65 is its reasonable price, which allows us to be far less careful with this equipment than we are with something as expensive or desirable as a Yeti.
Put simply, keeping refrigerated food items below 40º F greatly reduces the chance of food spoiling and making you sick. Tighten the pipe coupling onto the threads of the pipe nipple and snug with a wrench. This should make the cooler water-tight again.Now put the hose barb on the other side of the ball valve and that’s it. I began by removing the 4 screws that held on the lid of the cooler. With the lid temporarily removed, it won’t get in the way.The plug assembly on the cooler consists of a stem, a rubber washer and a nut on the outside. Simply unscrew the outside nut, push out the stem and pull out the washer.
Though some ice chest sizes are more popular than others (50-quart, for instance), there really isn’t much uniformity among coolers as far as size and shape are concerned. Apart from determining how many cans of beer or soda each coleman ice chest one will hold, size and shape will obviously have an impact on performance, too. After all, with the quantity of ice being equal, a 75-quart cooler like the Frosted Frog has a bigger job on its hands than the 45-quart RTIC.
Enter RTIC’s tougher 45 QT Hard Cooler, which represents another strong value from the brand at just $20 more than the Ultra-Light. In fact, at $220, it’s the cheapest rotomolded design on our list—even undercutting the diminutive Yeti Roadie 24 ($250). For those who don’t know, Pelican is an industry leader in tough, dependable cases for storing and protecting everything from camera equipment and laptops to guns and drones.
But not all features are created equal, and their value may depend on how and where you intend to use your gear. Other features that are still useful but are more specific to certain styles of use received lower scores. These include things like cup holders, bottle openers, and measurement notches.
Most of the hard-sided coolers on our list have drainage systems to help you empty out water once your ice has melted. Typically, this comes in the form of a screw-on or pop-off cap at the base of the cooler—simply take it off and let the water pour out. Some also boast drainage channels that funnel water through the opening, which is a nice touch for helping with the clean-up process.
Refunds are issued to the original form of payment, unless returned in store
where some exclusions may apply. In the event you wish to send a product back to us, you may return most unused items for a refund or exchange, coleman ice chest minus shipping, within 90 days from the date of purchase unless noted below under exceptions and exclusions. Refunds are issued to the original form of payment, unless returned in store where some exclusions may apply.