Best Small Cooler?

[One Awesome Inch]

I'm looking for recommendations for a very good quality cooler. 28 quart to 30 quart should be fine for me.

I was considering the Coleman Xtreme 28 quart cooler, but amazon reviews are hit and miss.

I want a decent cooler that will keep things cold without ice change for 2 days. I will likely add outside insulation foamboard to lengthen that time.

Suggestions?

 

[Numpty]

I've been using a Coleman Xtreme for 12 years, best Esky I've ever had.
On the 5th day the ice is all melted but it is still cool, easily go 2 days.
Inside a hot van parked in the sun would make a big difference.

 

[offroad]

I like igloo brand because all parts are available for repair. The other brands do not have the parts available.

 

[ramblingvanman]

I like igloo brand because all parts are available for repair. The other brands do not have the parts available.

Any particular cooler of theirs stand out?

 

[offroad]

Any particular cooler of theirs stand out?

http://amzn.com/B000F6WDXQ is the one I bought at Target.  It was on sale for $49.99 a couple weeks ago.  The Maxcold seems to be effective at holding cold for a few days. 

Not sure how long the wheels will last, but have seen instructions on how people modify these with better wheels.  I like the handle on the side. 

 http://www.instructables.com/id/Big-Wheel-Beach-Cooler/

also some are putting various grill and grates inside (bought at Home Depot) to support separation of water-ice-food to help with control of food quality.

 

[PeacefulSoul]

I had an Igloo 5 day that kept ice for about 2-3 day in hot van. I just traded it out for a coleman exxtreme 5 day. They are on clearance at Walmart and other places right now. The Coleman was a smaller profile and I get about the same ice time - 3 days in a hot van.

 

[compassrose]

While food vending, we used the Coleman extreme and the Igloo extreme (cube). Both work well. We also used the old tenters trick of placing a sheet of Reflectix on the bottom of the lid (ice side) and that really helps a lot. With coolers, everything must be prechilled. For our drink cooler (the cube), warm drinks (cans and bottles of water) were put in, a bag of ice to cover. Let sit overnight to "cool down", the next morning, excess water was drained off and another bag of ice was added. After several hours of opening and closing the lid, headed home. drinks were removed, inventoried, then restocked into the cold water for overnight. Next morning, water was drained off and a bag of ice was added. This method kept our ice use down by about half. I really don't see much difference between the two brands when comparing the Extreme/5 day coolers. As for replacement parts,  the Colemans are now over 6 years old. 4 of those years was in heavy use. We do keep them out of the sun and weather (one now resides in the back of my Jeep 24/7 for grocery shopping). Have not needed any "replacement" part. Although I have replaced the Reflectix more than once. It tends to "de-silver". The Igloo was not taken care of as well. The lids are NOT meant to be used as a seat and we did. None of the coolers are meant to be used as a seat.

 

[JT646]

While food vending, we used the Coleman extreme and the Igloo extreme (cube). Both work well. We also used the old tenters trick of placing a sheet of Reflectix on the bottom of the lid (ice side) and that really helps a lot.

Good advice CR!   I also noticed many coolers (even my older 3-day Igloo) have hollow/non-insulated lids.  I removed mine and drilled two holes (diagonal corners, with the lid in vertical position).  This allowed me to inject part of a can of spray foam insulation to bump up the R-value.  The ice does seem to last a little longer now.

Caution:  If you try this make sure you do it slowly, and only use the low expanding type spray foam--or risk rupturing the lid

 

[cyndi]

I removed mine and drilled two holes (diagonal corners, with the lid in vertical position).  This allowed me to inject part of a can of spray foam insulation to bump up the R-value.

Caution:  If you try this make sure you do it slowly, and only use the low expanding type spray foam--or risk rupturing the lid

Great idea, JT646!

does the spray foam insulation make it usable as a seat?

 

[SoulRaven]

Figure out your ice bin first, then get a cooler that is appropriate for it...

The large block ice lasts a lot longer, and if you keep it in a separate bin, your food won't get wet, and the ice will last longer.

 

[highdesertranger]

I have owned both the coleman and igloo. marine/extreme, and know people with the high end yeti's. here is my observations, the coleman and igloo are very close to the yeti for keeping ice and cost a lot less. parts for igloos are very easy to find, colemans used to be but they seemed to have lost that part of their business model. so my vote would have to go to the igloo. highdesertranger