Summertime has arrived and you will need to have an effective solution in order to fight the intense heat and to keep your food fresh and your drinks cool right? There is nothing better than enjoying chilled beer and soda with your friends anytime and anywhere, but to be able to do this, you need to buy a quality cooler or the best portable ice chest. More often than not, we do plan vacations and think of carrying the a cooler to meet demands of activities like fishing, camping, going to the beach and a lot more. In simple words, as a user, you are required to follow a calculative and selective approach when it comes to choosing the best cooler that suits you.

1. Igloo Iceless Thermoelectric Cooler

Best Road Trips Cooler

Igloo is definitely a top rated brand when it comes to the world of portable ice chests. Igloo Iceless Thermoelectric Cooler is one of the coolers that come with huge capacity of holding 32 12 oz. cans. With this 12v product you will enjoy 36F inside and there is no need of ice for cooling beverages and food. It is basically the presence of cooling fan as well as motor that makes the product quiet and efficient.

If you love to enjoy Patio grill parties and BBQs but with ice cold sodas and delicious beers, there is no other better option than buying Coleman Stainless Steel Belted Cooler. The cooler comes with complete steel base along with lid cover. With 85 can loading capacity, you will never be short of beer and sodas while spending quality time outdoor with your friends and family members. Users will not find any problem whatsoever in carrying the cooler due to stainless steel handles and rubber grip. Manufacturers have added leak-resistant channel in order to seal the unit and prevent any leaks.

Coleman Eksy series cooler is ideal to keep your beverages and tasty food cold for many days. The product contains thick walls that are good enough to withstand summer heat, sand, rocks and time. Outer material is UV resistant and textured. You will not face issues like scratches and scuff marks and the cooler will remain durable even when it is loaded and unloaded many times in a season. Manufacturers have added a special storage basket good enough to hold energy bars, cell phones and other utensils.

These coolers are only designed by few brands and Yeti will always come at top of the list. Yeti Hopper TWO 30 is yet another fine example of top-notch cooler that has the potential to hold the ice for a long time even during extremely hot conditions. Yeti Hopper TWO 30 comes with soft sides and the product will cost you around $300. It is worth to spend huge money on the cooler as it will last for many years and without any downfall in the performance. This product is ideal for true outdoorsman as most of the other soft sided coolers are not reliable. Yeti Hopper TWO 30 doesn’t sweat when you carry it thus making it an incredible product!

Yeti Tundra 110 has been perfectly designed for the people belonging to river rafting community. The product will last trip after trip and you can easily treat it one time investment. It contains 3 inches thick PermaFrost insulation along with ColdLock Gasket thus making it possible to last ice for a pretty long time. The model also comes with dry goods basket thus allowing you to store important utensils, cell phones and other products. The cooler has already been tried and tested by different adventurer organizations and became extremely popular for offering renowned quality. You must not compare it with cheaper counterparts as the cooler is highly resistant to rough payments, extreme heat and UV rays.

The 20QT is an exceptional cooler for the individuals who love to party hard at beaches. As a beginner, you will find the product constructed like a tank but surely it is one of the tougher coolers on the market. Now an important question arises, how long the ice will last? According to the company Pelican, the product can easily retain the ice for 7 to 10 days and even many true reviews prove the claim. Pelican Elite 20QT has many military grade features to offer like metal locking hasp and thick rubber feet but the most exciting one is built in bottle opener.

Guys, who treat themselves as an avid outdoorsman and don’t love to spend money on a new cooler, again and again, should consider Orca Cooler at top of the list. Orca Cooler will always stand out better than other products for the individuals who love to enjoy rough lifestyle. This cooler is available in different sizes ranging from 26 quarts to huge 140 quarts. The product is available in different colors thus allowing you to select the one which matches your taste and style. This cooler is virtually indestructible and able to handle extremely highly temperatures without any effect on cold beverages inside.

If you go camping only for a few days in a year or seldom go on picnics, you should not buy expensive coolers such as the Yeti coolers or the Grizzly coolers. These coolers are quite expensive, and spending so much money on them only for a few days in a year would be useless.

Are you the type of person who loves to go on a picnic? Do you go on a lot of camping trips? If so, you must buy an ice chest cooler to take with you on the go. These ice box are savior in the summers as they help you keep things cold outside the freezer for a long time, especially when you are out. However, do you know which one is perfect for your adventure? Cooler's are available in a variety of sizes and types, and you can get them from any hardware store or supermarket easily. Some cooler can cost you a lot, even as much as a high-end TV screen, so it is important to do some research before making a decision. Before buying a cooler for yourself, you must consider various brands and types of coolers on the market. This comprehensive buying guide will help you choose the perfect chest cooler.

Take note, the lighter and cheaper coolers will not be suitable for long trips and visits because they will not be able to hold the ice for a long time like heavy-duty ones can. However, if you want to keep perishable food items and drinks cold and fresh for just one day, buying a heavy- duty cooler would be a waste of money and will take up a lot of space.

Soft coolers are perfect for short trips and excursions as they take less space and are very portable. These coolers have enough capacity and keep items cold and fresh easily for a day.



Therefore, heavy-duty coolers are for those who go on long excursions and trips and need a very high capacity to store items for many days.

What to Consider Before Buying a Cooler?



Purchasing a cooler can be a challenging task if you are a first-time buyer because there are so many options available. There are hundreds of types and sizes and thus, it can get very confusing if you have not already determined your needs.



Coolers are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, so if you have not yet determined your requirements, you will end up buying the wrong product. All coolers are not same and thus, it is important to differentiate them before you buy one. For example, Pelican coolers can retain ice for up to 10 days.



However, these heavy-duty coolers are only suitable for long trips and excursions but not for your backyard parties and cookouts.



Hence, whether you are going to buy marine coolers, ice chest coolers, beverage coolers, or personal coolers, following are some factors that you should consider before buying them:

✓ Size



Size is one of the most important factors that you should consider before buying a cooler. It is also the first thing which catches the buyer’s eye at a shop. Some people just buy large coolers because they think they have a large capacity and can hold lots of things. However, these coolers also occupy a lot of space and are hard to carry. Large coolers can become useless and impractical if you only go on short trips, picnics, or overnight camps.



If you are going to be away from your refrigerator for more than one or two days, you can consider investing in large ice chest coolers. A 100-150 quart range is perfect for such trips, especially if you do not want to take the things out of the cooler frequently. However, one thing that you should keep in mind is that large coolers should not be left with empty spaces. These coolers lose the cooling effect if there are empty spaces, so it is important to fill them with ice packs.

✓ Construction



No matter which type of cooler you are going to buy, it is necessary to evaluate its construction. For this purpose, lift the cooler in your hand and knock its material. If you feel it is a bit hollow and cheap and not properly insulated, don’t buy it. You can also inspect the construction of the cooler by opening and closing its lid and making sure it closes tightly and is insulated properly. Lids with metal hinges are perfect as they keep the contents sealed tight and are a proof that the cooler is durable and sturdy.

✓ Design and Material



Coolers are available in a variety of materials and designs. You will be able to find coolers made up of plastic, metal, fabric and Styrofoam. Styrofoam coolers are cheap and are good for one- or two-day camping trip. If you are looking for a long-term investment in a cooler, you should consider plastic or metal coolers.



Fabric coolers are made up of synthetic materials and are lightweight. These coolers can carry only a few items and are perfect for a picnic at the beach. Plastic and metal coolers are the most popular ones because they are the most durable and have amazing cooling properties. However, they are the most expensive ones too. Plastic coolers are more durable as compared to metal coolers, but the latter is more insulated.

✓ Durability



Coolers are durable, but even the most expensive ones can lose their functionality if they are used vigorously for a long time. Camping trips, hiking, and excursions require durable and portable coolers. If you want a cooler for such trips and excursions, you must invest in a cooler that is durable and sturdy enough to accompany you everywhere. A Pelican cooler is bear resistant and it is certified for that, so if you want to make one investment in a good quality cooler, you should consider buying it.



Metal coolers are well insulated and look beautiful, but they are not very durable. If you are going for hiking or camping, these coolers will not be suitable because in spite of looking sturdy, they can’t handle shocks and can dent easily. On the other hand, plastic coolers can absorb shocks and even if you drop them, the contents will remain safe and cool.

✓ Portability



An ice chest cooler acts as a moving refrigerator. Thus, another important factor to consider before buying a cooler is that it should be portable. If you are going to spend a day on the beach, you will not be troubled by its size and portability because all you have to do is to carry the cooler in your vehicle and then take it out or perhaps let it be there. However, if you are going for hiking or camping trip, you will have to carry it with you all the time and for this purpose, you must consider a lightweight cooler.



A wheeled cooler is perfect for taking on long excursions and trips because of its transportability. If you want to buy a large cooler to accommodate more food and drink items in it, you must consider a wheeled one or else it will get too difficult for you to carry it along with you. Hence, even if you are considering a large cooler, do not let your ice box bother you all the way.