ultimate cooler?

[wilcofan]

I went out and bought one of those coleman max 5 day coolers, for a trip i made down to tennesee. As i was pricing them out, I noticed an igloo party cube 4 day cooler that was slightly less yet had a bit larger capacity. While the coleman noted that it kept ice cold for 5 days at 90 degrees, the igloo model only stated that it kept items cold under controlled conditions for 4 days, so i bought the coleman. I ended up not having enough room in the coleman, so i went out and and bought the igloo as well. I am a bit surprised to report that the igloo actually surpassed coleman by far. I didn't have to purchase more ice the entire 4 day festival as well as the daylong trip back home. When everything melted in the coleman, i consolidated everything into the igloo which still had ice in it. What kind of cooler are you guys using, and are you happy with it?

 

[Guest]

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[highdesertranger]

thanks funny face good vid.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[DollarJoe67]

My conclusion from the video is that in terms of refrigeration, none really stand out.&nbsp; Except the igloo...which was by far the worst.&nbsp; I was surprised by the Yetti, considering all the hype about these overly expensive blocks of plastic.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I did a test this weekend on the igloo i have.&nbsp; I put 2 frozen 2 litres and about a quarter of it with cubes.&nbsp; It was melted after 2 days, which isn't bad for a regular small cooler i guess.&nbsp; I plan to fortify it with insulation tho and i have access to nearly limitless free ice.

 

[creationode]

I would chose Igloo brand all day long.<br><br>I like the thickness of the Yeti, and the rubber seal.&nbsp; I do not like the added price point for being 'bear proof' and...cool.<br><br><br>Any cooler will be better if you simply create your own little insulating box around it, and refrain from opening it too often.<br><br>We use those cylinder Igloo water dispensers at work to carry iced water in the work trucks, and they will stay cold, with ice, two days, in direct Texas summer heat.&nbsp; The walls are thicker than most other cooler types.&nbsp; The wall thickness makes an important difference in their ability.<br><br><br>Sonic-type, or pellet ice, is the best ice, and make a giant difference.<br><br>Home Depot or any other, sells affordably priced sheets of box and insulating material to create your own super insulating cooler box.<br><br>I have yet to do it, but I do not need to build something to see if it will work.&nbsp; I have strong spacial abilities that way.<br><br>

 

[wilcofan]

Maybe it was the igloo model tested.... Like i said, the igloo party cube i bought that was rated for 4 days kept ice in it for 5. It could be the usage as well though, as i put food in it initially and beverages in the coleman. So while i only cooked twice a day, i drank liquids more frequently.

 

[yesican]

I was impressed with the coleman extreme.&nbsp; It had quite a bit of ice remaining.&nbsp; I think its a cheaper brand or am I mistaken?

 

[highdesertranger]

as far as coleman versus igloo I have had good luck with both.&nbsp; I mean their better versions.&nbsp; I have kept ice in both for 1 week with 90 degree day time temps.&nbsp; however I duct tape the joint were the lid meets the body and cover with sleeping bags and put in the shade don't open until you need the contents.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[cygvan]

i have a coleman 3 day cooler.<br><br>it is the single worst purchase i have ever made in my life lol. thankfully it was cheap.<br><br>ice lasted for a day and a half at temps far below 90. yes the water was cold but shees.<br><br>nothing extreme done to it. i was only one using so it wasnt opened often.<br><br>im still simmering.

 

[Stargazer]

I have heard that the quality of the ice makes a big difference, that ice from some manufacturers has more air in it and melts faster. True or not? I don't know.

 

[highpsiguy]

I bought A coleman extreme at Academy sports. I bought ice and left it in my work van to see just how long it would last. I got 4 days before all the ice was gone. The van was in the sun for the most part.

 

[gymrat]

The quality of the ice seems to matter a lot. We have these self-service ice stations poppping up every where here in south-east texas. put $ 2 into it and get 15 or 20 lbs of loose ice.that you dump into your ice chest. it seems to be "soft ice", does not last as long as a bag of ice from freezer at convience store thats frozen soo hard you have work to break up

 

[cygvan]

yeah i dont get it...i tried numerous times too.<br><br>i was getting all the ice at various convenient stores. never thought to try block ice.<br><br>if coleman is telling me that i have to get block ice to get 3 days from this cooler im gonna say thats misleading...i would think that the typical use would be bagged ice from convenient stores and supper markets or whatever and they should rate it that way..<br><br>oh well.&nbsp; if i needed to really rely on a cooler i might look at one of the yetis or other higher end models...or perhaps go through the trouble to modify a regular on with foam board or something as ive seen done a few times.<br><br>i invested in a truckfridge 130 recently and it works incredibly well thus far.

 

[wagoneer]

I plunked down 250 for the yetti tundra 45 and 1 block of ice lasted 4 days in 80 degree.

 

[jammer71]

I put a real fridge in my truck a few years ago. No problems and I've never had to worry about buying ice. In fact; my fridge runs on less than 3 amps of 12v power from my aux battery. Its thermostat controlled and so it only kicks on once in a while. after it kicks on and is running for a sec (if i understand the manufacturer information) it draws even less while it continues to run...<br><br>this is the exact same fridge I have in my truck camper http://www.12volt-travel.com/truck-rv-refrigerator-freezer-12v24v110v-p-11930.html<br><br>It's also made by the company engel mentioned in the comparison video above. I've been using mine for years now and its put in many many miles with me. Point is. they also make them in the chest style and they use just as little power. they also deep freeze and you never have to empty melted ice water.<br><br>I've run my fridge from my aux battery with only a small solar panel recharging for over a month and never had a problem. I don't see why the same idea couldn't be applied for those "in the bush". Small solar panel, small battery and an engel 12 volt cooler!<br><br>Then of course you need a rifle so you can keep the fridge full <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[wrcsixeight]

I did the cooler thing for years, I even had it resting inside another inch of foamboard insulation, but ziplock baggies filled with cooler water and having to go get more block ice was irritating and expensive.<br><br>In '07 I got 130 watts of solar and a Norcold De-0040( very similar to the link above). &nbsp;Afraid 130 watts was not going to be enough I added extra insulation and made sure the condenser could breathe well, built the cabinet around the fridge, and I found that I probably could have gotten by with just 60 watts for the fridge alone.<br><br>But the fridge was a vibrating noise maker, and I spent a LOT of time and effort isolating it and dampening for sound and vibration, with good progress, but still annoying levels left over.<br><br>The Norcold failed after 5 years of running continuously 11 months a year<br>I replaced it with a Vitrifrigo, with a Danfosss compressor. &nbsp;Much quieter no vibrations, slightly better efficiency, and the compressor is capable of powering upto an 8 cubic foot fridge. &nbsp;It is just coasting along keeping a 1.8 cubic fridge below 35F.<br><br>And the cost of ice over a year, not including the gas to go get it, cost nearly ad much as the fridge.<br><br>No ziplock baggies filled with water<br>No spoiled food<br>No having to go get more ice.<br>And having excess solar power available...<br>The fridge was the single best improvement to this lifestyle in my opinion.<br><br>When my Norcold failed and I went back to the cooler and block ice for 3 weeks till the Vitrifrigo arrived, I was miserable and was throwing out food and wasting money on ice and the gas to go get it.<br><br>There is a lot to be said for simplicity, but when long term simplicity costs more than an initial output for a little more luxury, one must look at the return on investment. <br><br>&nbsp;Right now My fridge is packed to the gills, and I have enough cubed ice this fridge made for about a dozen mixed drinks, and I have not plugged into the grid in months. &nbsp;My batteries rarely see any charging source but solar or alternator, and I totally take it for granted.<br><br>No filling of propane tanks, no worrying about spoiled food, no icewater surrounding my food, no having to empty or sterilize a cooler. No inverter running 24/7.<br>12v compressor fridges are awesome.<br><br><br>

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;The way I look at it, unless the ice is naturally occurring, having a cooler isn't really more 'simplistic' insofar as a person is relying on a remote infrastructure, and transportation to get there/back, instead of having one's own facilities. Also, given the prices asked for a 'decent' cooler, and the expense of keeping it stocked with ice, it's really rather a false economy. Yeah, I know, beatin' a dead horse but.. it feels sooooo good! Maybe I should go get an ice-cold beer outta my Waeco 12/24v fridge and calm down. ..Willy.