Which Large Cooler is the Absolute Best?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ก.ค. 2024
- Equipment expert Adam Ried shows host Bridget Lancaster his top pick of coolers.
Buy our winning cooler: cooks.io/2H7K3U9
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I freeze disposable water bottles and use those instead of bags of ice. You don't need to drain the cooler as time passes, you can drink the water, and take home empty water bottles, instead of the weight of warm freezer packs.
We do the exact same thing. On the very rare occasion a water bottle might spring a leak as it thaws but still a very practical way to chill things.
Bingo. An old sailor's trick.
Done this since college when I couldn’t afford freezer packs
Exactly
Tear off the labels and clean off the glue, you can also use them to rapidly cool soups and stocks for storage and freezing, as Alton Brown demonstrated.
Did you test if you can sit on it? Because the cooler becomes a chair on almost every camping trip I've been on.
I have the Yeti 45. It's definitely meant to be sat on. It has a grippy covering on the top, and I think I've also seen cushions you can get for it.
@@rc6717 Whatever you say, RC!
ive used yeti coolers as a wheel support to get my truck unstuck.... Pelicans are built almost as strong also
Coleman xtreme 70 can easily hold hundreds of pounds
@@Beastcoast111 And they get warm quick😮😮😣😣
I have been using the Coleman 50qt for the past 4 years camping in the Baja heat with great overall results. I always start with a solid ice block in the center followed by contents and lastly ice cubes, and it stays very cold for the better part of a week.
I have a Yeti, got a reject from the factory as a gift from someone who works there (was a reject because the top was just slightly the wrong shade). Before getting it, I would have laughed at people spending that much. Now I have bought two more. They are almost essential for long hunting trips. I still use the cheaper coleman for day trips to the park, for the light weight and wheels.
As a Vodka Seltzer demonstrator at Liquor outlets, I have used several different coolers, and was unimpressed, UNTIL I bought the Coleman 50 qt Extreme wheeled cooler - I would load it up on a Friday with 60 cans of product and 2 bags of ice, and usually the next day, less than half of the ice was melted - I had taken out usually 6 cans at a time, so opened it for about 1/2 a minute, 10 times during a 4 hour long demo - And, I was able to sit on it, or even stand on it, at 160 lbs. body weight. I dragged it fully loaded around, 2-3 days a week, for over a year, and nothing ever failed - even the wheels stayed on, which I didn't expect! It's my personal top pick. I have seen other product demonstrators with the Yeti, and they all hated the weight, and lack of wheels - During my time working this job, I saw several others at our company switch from the Yeti to the Coleman, which we could buy for under $50 at WalMart stores everywhere... The Best for the Money, No Doubt !
Yeti now has a wheeled Roadie 48 and 60. The weight though is still heavy, someone has to take it out of the vehicle and back in at the end of the day.
You missed the mark by not including an RTIC-brand cooler in the test. That was a significant oversight.
No they missed the mark by not including igloo cooler
We live in a food desert with a 30+ min drive to a grocery store. I have a giant Igloo cooler for stock-up trips, a normal sized Igloo, & a little Igloo for everyday trips. All of them work well
Coleman Xtreme Marine Cooler is extremely well insulated. A fellow backpacker left it in his truck cab with block ice and beer. It remained cold while we were in the back country for four days.
I've got an RTIC brand that's very similar to the YETI, and it cost me about a hundred dollars at my local warehouse club.
Walmart has the Ozark Trail too..
@Chelle it isn't nearly 3 times the price better - a yeti 75 is 450 bucks, an Ozark trail 73 is 185...
@@machinist7230 They did a test on the Ozark Trail cooler. It is an EXACT copy off of a Yeti cooler. I think Yeti actually sued them to make them stop making it.
@@sminthian they're still listed on Walmarts website...
Check out Pure Outdoor from Monoprice as well. Regular price is $150 for 50L and they go on sale often. They have 80L as well but it sells out often.
I have the Coleman. It’s a great cooler. Dollar for dollar hard to beat.
Same- amazing value and I never worry that someone is going to steal it- like a Yeti.
My brother has the Coleman Offshore Pro cooler and it still had ice in it over 2 weeks later. No kidding 👍
@@tigergreg8 Was he camping at the Arctic Circle? ;-) JK
@@Zoetropeification Nope, on a Farm where we had a family gathering. He put the ice in the chest July 2 for the party on the 3rd and when I opened it the 25th it has some ice in it. It’s a great cooler but large and heavy.
The Yeti style are great for commercial use when your loading them many times a week, very durable. I like the Coleman extreme, lighter, great performance and a quarter the price. That being said I use it about 3 or 4 times a year. If I needed a cooler more often I would likely go with one of the Yeti style coolers.
I have the yeti 65. Its been awesome so far. I do some remote camping, offroading and fishing. Its held ice for 5 days in 90+ degrees. Love having ice cold drinks after a long day out, especially on day 5!!
Thanks for bringing this test for us. I have been looking at coolers and wondering which one to buy. My needs aren't too great so the Coleman will be my choice!
I live in the Colorado mountains, where we have windstorms and blizzards causing frequent power outages up to several days in duration. After the 3rd experience of losing hundreds of dollars of food, we finally invested in a Yeti: *worth every penny!* It’s also simplified camping and road trips, since refreshing the ice isn’t a constant worry. I wish we had known about these coolers years earlier!
I’m not looking to buy a cooler, yet here I am to watch this video. That’s the power of the internet.
I love my Yeti!! My refrigerator died 2 days before Thanksgiving, so I pulled out my two Yetis, loaded it with all the food and it kept kept everything nice and cold till I was ready to cook!! I also use them for major grocery shopping and it keeps frozen foods frozen on the 11/2 hour drive home. 👍👍
I have the Coleman cooler. Took it on a 12 day elk hun in Arizona in sept. It kept a block of ice for the entire trip. Just tossed a moving blanket over it when not open.
My Magellan cooler is just like a yeti style super cooler and about half the price. I had food for 6 on a 3 day camp it worked brilliantly. The pancake batter I made for the last day out actually started to freeze. I would definitely recommend over the over priced yeti and a like.
I drilled and foamed my colemans hollow lid. Now I got a ghetti.
I think you mean you used a can of sprayfoam and made a sprayghetti
Wait, you can do that?
Trick is to pre-cool the ice chests the night before usage. Fill the chest with about 10 pounds ice the day before, drain it, load it up with all cold foods and beverages, then top it off with a fresh load of ice before departure.
Ice chests are made to keep foods and beverages cold but not to cool them down.
IMO, for a $400 cooler, you shouldn't have to "pre" anything.
@@smileyc123 then go right ahead and load it up. But then most your ice melts and food gets hot. Real fast. Yummy
I have one of the Coleman coolers and they are nice for keeping food cool for three days and I don't mind buying the ice for it and could not afford the other two higher priced coolers.
I picked up my Coleman 50qt xtreme on sale for something like $33. A best buy for sure.
Amazon runs specials on Pelicans...non popular colored ones for 30-40% off...scored one and its amazing!! We traveled 4hours on a hot summer day with frozen food inside and the cooler kept everything perfectly frozen...not one drop of condensation. Pelican all day!! Also did a test where it took almost 7 days for a bag of ice to completely melt! Ridiculously awesome cooler!
I've dragged that blue Coleman to a dozen music festivals and it works great, the wheels are a back saver.
We have a store brand version of a Yeti(it's from Cabela's outdoor store). We bought it, found dry ice and packed it full of frozen fish then drove two full days to get home. The fish was still completely frozen. It works amazingly well!
That has to do with dry ice, not the cooler. Yeti are not trash but there are so many more that are better for less money.
Okay but I've heard that the rubber latches on the Cabelas cooler don't last very long until the built in steel bottle openers cut or tear through the rubber rendering the latches broken and useless. Did you have that experience?
I love my Coleman roller cooler! I purchased a Yeti and resold it, it was much too heavy for me and difficult to tote around. The roller cooler has been perfect for camping and beach trips.
I wish you. Would had a Rtic cooler against the over priced Yeti..I have identical coolers at home both 45. The Rtic last longer and is the least expensive.
I have that one also. Great cooler way cheaper than yeti. With yeti your paying for the name
@@gravyb4741 I drive from Texas to Colorado and spent a week camping in the mountains. When I went back to Texas, I still had ice in my cooler. Rtic is my go to now.
Kind of picking at nothing, ain't ya. The RTIC is still expensive compared to the Coleman.
Agree
I agree. We have 2 Rtic coolers and they are great. Cheaper than Yeti and meet all our expectations on our hunting/camping trips.
Thanks for the equipment review.
I will recommend RTIC. RTIC has nearly identical performance to YETI but significantly less cost.
RTIC is able to match their performance at a lower price because they don't spend as much as money on advertising and branding.
Coleman making coolers 70+years. I still have a 30 year old Coleman and it is tuff as hell and still does the job.
What's the job? I bet if u replaced it with a new Coleman u would notice it stays colder longer. Tech marches onwards.
A few years ago I bought a new flashlight, wasn't aware of the advancements made over the last 10 years or so. Thing is a spotlight with 2 double A's. Pretty crazy
I have an Orca which is an American made Yeti like cooler. It works amazingly well. I've taken it on hot days in my car to keep water ice cold after many hours hiking and the ice barely melts.
We also have a large Orca cooler that we bought after seeing comparisons with Yeti. It outdid the Yetis, and we are very pleased with it. It was also less expensive than a Yeti!
I have had a PolarBear soft side cooler for 4 years. 48 can size....So light and easy,keeps ice for a long weekend easy.
loved the video. Very informative thank you
I love my Pelican coolers. The drain works great and the latch mechanism is the best and easy to use, much easier then the Yeti latch. The best part is mine keep ice for about 6 to 7 days. The trick is to put drinks in the cooler that have been pre cooled
I keep a lifetime from Wally world in my work truck and only need three bags of ice per week. That thing gets opened constantly when it's hot out.
I have the same, that cooler has been everywhere!! Now it's helping me get through Hurricane Laura.
I have the Colman cooler. I've taken it camping several times and ice has stayed frozen 4-5 days when weather's in the upper 80s
We have the Yeti. It has been the best cooler we have ever had for many reasons. When traveling, the ice remains for days. It is tricky to pack food inside, but I wouldn’t use any other cooler for a long trip. Newer ones have wheels.
This really should be 2 separate comparisons: everyday cooling and long term cooling. If I'm bringing food to a group event then I often want to use cheap containers because you never know if other people will be careless and do damage, someone needs to borrow it, or it even might get lost. An expensive Yeti doesn't win in that scenario. You only need to go expensive if it is needed.
“And maybe there’s bears around …”
while Adam laughs in the background 😏😁
I got the joke
I freeze ice in milk jugs and other disposable containers . Break up the containers and use block ice. Lasts longer. This is when first packing your cooler at home , then try to buy block ice. Remember to take a hammer to crack the ice.
I have some old 2 liter soda bottles that I cut the tops off of. Just fill them 3/4 with water, freeze them, and the ice slides right out.
I do this for long trips & before a big storm. My food lasted all week without power during super storm sandy!
We used to do that too - but the ice melts and makes a mess. I forget where I read about them but the 0 degree Coolershock Ice Packs are amazing. One of their medium packs lasts longer than a frozen half gallon milk jug and is smaller too. More room for food! If you freeze them for over 48 hours they will get down to zero - has to do with how.they are made. Whatever you do get the mesh bags with them. Otherwise stuff (including your skin) *will* freeze to the packs. Luckily they regularly have sales where they give the mesh bags for free.
I leave the ice In the milk jugs. Does not make a watery mess and you can re freeze them.
Pops been doing that since the 70's.
Bass fisherman, always had frozen milk jugs in the freezer
I've been happy with my Yeti coolers. I have one of the soft sided and had an issue with the zipper, they sent me a new cooler without issue.
They should what you pay for it pretty much a lifetime warranty
I love that coleman one. We have two. I am not to worried about it falling out of the truck either :)
Nice to know I already own the Coleman. The Yeti and Pelican are nice, but the cost would be worth it only if you are doing remote camping and a lot of it. Most campers are within somewhat convenient range of fresh ice.
The larger Coleman Extreme is a great cooler. It has been durable as well, standing up to 9 years of camping trips.
Jimmy - agree on the Coleman Extreme, if they had included it, it would have performed very well. Affordable & lighter, too, compare to Yeti
Thats what I use when I camp out for two weeks at a time in arkansas during duck season.
For ice I freeze gallons of water in the iced tea jugs. During duck season it actually gets freezing cold at night so I just leave the jugs out at night. It works great.
@@mikeries8549 We freeze 1 gallon milk jugs for our ice for summer camping. Usually we just go over the weekend, and we always have ice left afterward.
I have a Coleman and put a cut up foam board on top of the drinks. The ice lasts almost three days in 90+ weather. One can drill a hole in the lid and put spray foam in it.
I'm happy with my coleman. It does quite hell. I can two days out of it. 24 hours on a really hot day unless i put a frozen gallon of ice in it and then it will last for two days easy if aren't opening it every 10 minutes for a drink.
I’m a die-hard, tried and true Yeti loyalist. Whether it’s the Rambler cups, the Daytrip lunchbox, or the Hopper cooler, it keeps my drinks and food cold longer and the products are so well-constructed they’re built to last. Expensive? Yep. But it’s truly a get-what-you-pay-for brand.
This is the perfect video to release at the END of summer. Great job
A friend has Yeti. It will keep ice for several days, but it has so much insulation it only has enough room for one day's worth of food.
Definitely should have had an RTIC cooler on here.. definite oversight
i did not see an RTIC cooler in your trials... i am sure it costs less than the YETI or the PELICAN!
I've been using two Yetis and luv them but I spend up to 10 to 14 days at a time in the backcountry and no cooler is going to stay cold that long. I've upgraded to electric coolers and I'd love to see you do a review on those. Specifically the higher end models like Dometic and ARB. Maybe two reviews, one on the lower end models and one on the higher end? When you step up to electric coolers you also have to look at power sources and in my case I needed a solar setup to keep the battery charged.
I do the exact thing. I put 2 solar panels hard mounted to my roof rack and a BLUETTI EB240. I have been camping out of my SUV for a few months and its GREAT!
They also need to review whole refrigerators and generators because that's what I use when I hide in the woods for weeks at a time stalking dipshit TH-cam commenters. I don't know why they don't do more niche reviews that only apply to a couple of people.
You're on the wrong channel for that type of test.
Walmart’s version kept my stuff cold for 7+ days. I think it an ozark trail brand. Cost me 119$, can’t beat it!!!
To drain a cooler without a drain plug, just tip it on its side and crack the lid a little bit. Your description it totally ridiculous!
😆😆😆😆
Also if you don't use ice (Coolershock ice packs are awesome) you don't have water issues - not having a drain means less heat loss too.
Drain port is nice to have
@@DocNo27 I freeze jugs o' water, or keep cubed ice in a heavy duty garbage bag so it doesn't leak everywhere.
It's more of an issue of just being aware of that( the no drain plug) to avoid things getting wet. Yeah, his description of how to deal with it was strangely stupid
Good review.
One, note that the ones that are bear resistant are legally required in some places, so you can't knock that requirement. Second, Ozark really should have been tested. They're essentially Walmart's Yeti knock-offs but in some tests they've actually done better than Yeti.
Lots of better, more cost effective options other than YETI. Canyon is a good one. Half the price of YETI and just as good, sometimes better.
great job
I actually own a Yeti. Love it!
I’m not going anywhere with anyone for four days that I have to use a cooler if I go anywhere for four days it’s going to be to a hotel.
I bought a small cooler at Walmart for $9.96 and I use it to cook sous vide. Amazingly I was cooking at 175° and could barely feel it on the outside after an hour or so. I will admit the lid did not have insulation in it just an air space but for what I wanted it was perfect. I cut out my own hole for my immersion heater. Probably would be better if you put a couple of bags of ice in after three or four days you don’t need that expensive one. LOL.
One tip no matter what the cooler is to use some wood blocks to get the cooler off the ground. Step 2 is wrapping it in something like Reflectix.
I wish you would have tested the high end ones too!
The best are the ones with built in compressor and digital display.
I got a Coleman with wheels and a handle love it and was cheap
The other important consideration for long term cold would be air infiltration. The high end coolers have gaskets and latches for a reason.
I put stuff of top of my cooler if I want it to stay cold longer - both for weight and insulation.
Didn't mention if they were the same interior dimensions. Should be on a comparison test but didn't appear to be.
I’m curious to know if you’ve ever done a segment on mandolins I find as I get older I’m having a harder time with my hands and I thought about buying a mandolin could you please give us some reviews on them I’ve looked at a number online and some appear to be others more superior than others and looking for something with a good wide steady base and with changeable blades
Look at Feemster. Weird little mandolin. I think I bought my last one on Vermont Country Store website. Love it.
ATK did review mandolines. Unless they've updated their reviews these were the mandoline models I wrote down that they recommended.
~The Super Benriner Mandoline Slicer
~OXO Good Grips Chef’s Mandoline Slicer 2.0
~Kyocera Soft Grip Adjustable Mandoline Ceramic Slicer
Surprised y’all didn’t test the OZARK TRAIL brand.....
I have one and love it
I love my Kodi from H-E-B! It’s a step up from the Yeti but it cost half the price.
My husband works out in the desert for days on end. !
Looking good Bridget :)
I'm disappointed they didn't include Lifetime's cooler. Some people think its better than Yeti at half the price. One reviewer took his Lifetime cooler down to Lake Powell, Utah where it gets over 100+, je said it performed very well! Thats probably what I'll get.
It's not a rotomold and I know first hand it doesn't keep up w/Yeti and similar as the days wear on.
However, most people don't need ice 7+ days on out of a cooler locked up in a hot truck.
I did so I had to pay for it.
Lifetime is an incredible value but doesn't outperform a Yeti or most rotomolds.
Probably fits what most people *really* need (long weekend coverage) and is "best" for most but many people overspend.
Love how they completely ignore the size differences between the Yeti and the Pelican. Yeti gives capacity based on the outside dimensions, not the actual internal space. One hell of a rip-off of you don't notice it.
Buyer beware.
Kinda on you to get interior size u need
@@Bubbles99718 sure, but it is kind of shitty (not to mention probably false advertising) to say it fits a certain number of quarts and it doesn't even get close to reaching that.
A class action lawsuit against YETI would be slightly amusing
@@RobertAmosIV Yeah, and it's pretty blatant too. The 50 holds like 42 or something like that. Dishonesty woven rt into their products. Kinda strange
@@RobertAmosIV they’re already ahead of you, they have specified that the the numbers are actually model numbers as pelican on the other hand give matching numbers to their capacity
U guys are awesome!
You didn’t try the Walmart brand “Ozark” coolers? You’d be very impressed with the durability, price, and how long it keeps your thing cool.
I have the roto molded Ozark knock off its great looking but the Coleman Xtreem that I also own is better and cost less.
Because this show is out of touch
Also the " Lifetime" at Walmart!!!
I ❤️ Bridget!!
The extremely expensive coolers are aimed a little more at oceangoing private vessels. Electricity costs fuel, and less fuel means less distance, less time out and more money. Having a well insulated $1,300 cooler means you can use block ice and spend much more time out.
The high end coolers can last a couple of weeks keeping food items cold.
Additionally, the gasketed, latching lids and tie down points keep the heavier coolers from taking on salt water, moving around or flopping open in rough seas.
You can take a marine cooler to go camping and it will work great, but it becomes an investment when it comes to being on your own floating island.
Did you test the Igloo Max Cold or any Grizzly (Yeti knockoff) products?
I have the Lifetime cooler that I bought at Walmart for about $100. I think it is almost as good as the Yeti and it is lighter. I like the latches better too!
Thank you, I was Considering buying this brand
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy me a boat. It can buy me a truck to pull it. It can buy me a yeti 110 iced down with some silver bullets.
Thank you for this! I have been looking to get a new cooler and some of them are bananas in cost. I want to make sure I get my money's worth if I am going to get one.
go ahead and step up Mantha.
@@WoodshavenPatriot I just ordered the Yeti.
Most of the drain plugs on coolers I have owned have torn off, been damaged, or were lost. Leaking coolers are a real pain
You can get a clone of the Yeti cooler for half the price on line at Mono Price. I have two 50Qt. Heavy but the ice last in them.
The Yeti is great for a boar on the water for a few days. Not for a weekend of camping with the cooler in the shade.
Green works! 😉
The cooler market has gone crazy..(progress is great) but for the average people out on a day trip the quality Coleman style cooler is more than enough. I won a Yeti cooler at work, but we seldom use it as we just can't fit as much in because of the thicker walls and I'm afraid to leave it in the bed of my truck on fishing trips as they are hot theft ticket items. No thief wants my scratched up 30 year old Coleman. Good video.
I wish someone would make on that is big enough to put a party tray in. Maybe if it was only half a tall, it would not be to pricey.
Wrap a couple of buckled straps around your Coleman & you have extra protection.
I clicked on the link to Amazon. Yeti cooler sells for $429.95. You can get it from Yeti for $299.99. Delivery estimate, however, is 8 weeks.
I have the Coleman wheeled cooler and the Yeti. There’s hardly any difference in ice retention. The secret is to use solid ice instead of light and airy ice. When you buy bags of ice, go for the ones that are frozen solid like it’s been somewhat melted then frozen again. And don’t break them up when you place it in the cooler. When you break up the ice into small cubes or cylinders, they may only last a couple of days whereas the solid block will last 4 or 5 days.
Good to know!
In case you're curious (since I was), the $1300 cooler he was referring to is the YETI Tundra 350. It's over 5 feet long and weighs 89 pounds when empty. It also seems to be out of stock everywhere.
can't be beat for transporting short dead hookers.
Ozark trail from Walmart is a yeti copy for 1/4 the price
@ that cooler is a tank haven't had a problem with it
@@andrewchristopher7138 once bitten, twice shy. I have had too many bad experiences with ozark trail merchandise.
Best of luck with it though. 🍻👍
Monoprice has cheap rotomolded coolers as well. 50L (about 53 quarts) for $150 on goes on sale often.
Another missing from this test: ORCA. I have two of them and they function very well but not nearly as much as the YETI.....
Orca is wayyy better than Yeti - and made in usa
@@errhka Agreed made in USA. I've had mine for 3 years no signs of damage even after heavy use and keeps contents cold enough for a full week off use out camping in TX summers
You didn't even open the coolers and show us around the yeti cooler.
They should have added the Pelicans are 100% made in USA (YETIs are not), and come with a lifetime warranty compared to YETI's 5 years. Better (way easier) latches in the Pelican. Also, the Pelican has accessories that the YETI does not.
I have the big blue & white Coleman, but its too big for inside my truck, so I bought the Yeti 35 tundra, because of it’s size. Got it for winter, to keep my drinks from freezing, overnight in the garage. I don’t like coolers without drain plugs! I wouldn’t knock either cooler, because they fill my needs. I do like wheels on a cooler, because I don’t usually need a cooler for more than a 1 day outing. If they keep drinks from freezing overnight in a vehicle, outside, or in a non insulated garage, they are fine for my needs. Hate to hear about I95 overnight outing, if they didn’t have a cooler or food for the kids! Driving on less than a 1/2 tank of fuel, can be deadly! You can only share so much of your neighbor’s generosity, and fuel isn’t one of them.
An RTIC cooler is my choice when not using an Engel MT-45 AC/DC refrigerator/freezer.
Well I have to be smart with my $$.. I just want to buy a Coleman. And if possible one small one to keep Ice Cream or other cold items.
I have the blue version of the rubbermaid. With drain. Lets see how it stands up.
I have RTIC, built like the Yeti at about half the price.