Best Cooler

[Hank Kivett]

I am looking for a cooler that will keep ice for a minimum of 10 days or longer. My sea frost box is not big enough to keep everything so looking for a cooler to supplement the frig . I hear great thing about Yite but the cost is high and is it worth it...anyone have any suggestions.

[brownoarsman]

I looked into this pretty extensively when I bought mine. There are pelican, yeti, etc. camps. However, most reports were that users got a maximum of five days of actual usable coldness (one large block of ice, regular meal time cooler openings to retrieve food, etc.) This is the same that I got with my SAMs club knockoff-I forget the brand (igloo sportsman I think) but it is constructed with similar specs, and only costs $150 for the large.

The ten day promises are predicated on never opening the box, and aren't really reflective of actual use. YMMV


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[Hank Kivett]

I went on U Tube and look at some of there comparisons...i need something to keep some food in it doesn't have to be solid ice the entire time but keep food cold.. yes i know the ice will melt in that time but its the cold i need....I do like your idea...i saw the same unit at Sam's that u bought...

[RainDog]

When cruising we shop once every two weeks. One week of groceries goes in our Engel, the second week goes in our Yeti with 20 lbs of ice. We do not open it during the first five days. After five days we move the groceries from the Yeti to the Engel. The ice always lasted 5 days, sometime a bit longer. Have not tried with other coolers, but it works with the Yeti.

[socaldmax]

There is a youtube video of a semi-scientific test of a group of coolers, including Yeti, Igloo, Coleman, IRP and Engel. They tested them all over a 10 day period and came to the conclusion that the best overall is Engel, but the best for the money was the Coleman Extreme. If you want a really sturdy cooler then the Yeti makes a good step stool, but it doesn't keep ice for as long as the Coleman or Engel.

Based on that test, I bought a Coleman Extreme for $42. The difference in ice retention between that and the Engel wasn't that great, and the price difference was huge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-TE4RnqT0U

[belizesailor]

Used to run charter boats with Yeti coolers. Pretty impressive. Starting out with saltwater & ice, we could easily keep stuff cold for a week, but without adding ice or some supplememtal cooling (like dry ice), youre not gonna get 10+ days.

[Cthoops]

We have a Yeti and absolutely love it. We bought it from Overton's during one of their 20% off sales, plus free shipping. The Yeti keeps things cold for much longer than anything else we've owned, including the Coleman Extreme (which we found to be an utter waste of our money). YMMV.

[NewMoon]

We have a 75qt Yeti, and have used it for two summers in SE Alaska so far. It keeps ice about 3X as long as the Igloo Marine we used to use. We use it primarily for the fish we catch, but also for drinks. After 8-10 days, even when the weather is mostly sunny, opening several times every day, there is still ice and a lot of very cold water.

One reason it works so well is the excellent seal/gasket that keeps air from flowing in and out when the lid is closed. It's so good that I often have to open the drain to let a bit of air in to be able to open the lid. It is very sturdy and should last a very long time. We sit on it, stand on it, and even clean fish on it. Don't know how it compares with other high-end coolers, but it is well worth the cost to us.

[socaldmax]

How do you guys explain the results in the video? That was an actual side by side comparison, with equal amounts of ice and equal number of sodas.

[Sailmonkey]

Climate plays a big role. In Montana I can make ice last for 6-8 days in my icehole cooler. On the Texas gulf coast, 3 days is it.

Add two days to each of those if you fill the cooler and keep it closed for the duration.


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[zeehag]

the best cooler findable here is igloo-- works for 6 hours. not an option
tropics, water temp high

[Island Time O25]

Unless you need ice cubes for your favorite adult beverage best way to prolong the cold in the cooler is by ice blocks and some dry ice. Rather than buying the blocks (for which I have to make a detour on my way to the boat as they are not readily available in my immediate area) I freeze a bunch of spring water jugs (best to start freezing process at least a week before and use a 2.5 gal jugs) and buy some dry ice at Walmart (which is on my way) and to pre-cool the cooler of course. On the boat the cooler goes in the salon under the settee extension and benefits from always being in total shade just above the bilge which stays always cool itself as the water temps seldom get much above 60F here in New England.

I have a large poorly insulated 12cft Arbour machine but since I don't live on the boat nor do I like to run the engine to top up the batteries I just use it as a pantry of sorts.

[NewMoon]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

How do you guys explain the results in the video? That was an actual side by side comparison, with equal amounts of ice and equal number of sodas.

Hard to know - there are several more variables than shown or discussed in the video. Hard to believe that in a careful unbiased test the Engel would perform as much better than the Yeti as they say, or that the Yeti would be as little better than the cheapies as they say. Could it have anything to do with the fact that they sell Engle, and not Yeti?

Along with Yeti, I thoroughly checked out specs on Engle Pelican Grizzly and Igloo Yukon, and looked at them all in stores before buying. It seemed to me that there was probably relatively little difference in Engle Pelican Grizzly and Yeti's ability to keep things cold, and yet a great difference between them and the cheapies. So I bought the Yeti, which seemed very sturdy, and had the dimensions I wanted. Works great for me.

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by Hank Kivett

I am looking for a cooler that will keep ice for a minimum of 10 days or longer. My sea frost box is not big enough to keep everything so looking for a cooler to supplement the frig . I hear great thing about Yite but the cost is high and is it worth it...anyone have any suggestions.

Hank,

We have been using a couple of Yeti coolers for years. Many similar coolers have hit the market since then, and I suspect they all have similar performance depending upon ambient conditions and whether in direct sun [where color becomes a factor...]

To maximize storage time, we found if we could place the cooler with a few inches of water in it in our deep freeze overnight before loading with pre-frozen food, we would get the best longevity (assuming you only open it one or twice a day...)

The next best way is to use appropriate eutectic solutions in the cooler. Arctic Ice is one brand that makes two versions: one for frozen foods, and one for refrigerated food temps.

Frankly, by the time I invest in the high-end cooler and a bunch of eutectic 'ice' I wonder if I shouldn't just spend a few hundred more and get a portable Engel 12 volt cooler and call it good. [We have one now and use it as a full time freezer. I wouldn't mind replacing one of our Yeti's with another Engel...]

Best wishes finding something that will work best for you.

Cheers!

Bill

[belizesailor]

Ambient conditions will make a big difference. My experience with Yeti was in the tropics with frequent access, probably near worst case.

OP: Where do you plan to use this cooler?