The best performing was the YETI Roadie 24, but that only outperformed the Igloo by 5 hours (about 8% better). These are the best coolers you can buy this summer. Igloo Flip and Tow 90qt Roller Cooler - White. It's a biodegradable cooler made from recycled tree pulp, with natural additives like paraffin wax to keep it from getting soggy. 1 of Igloo BMX 52 Quart Cooler with Cool Riser Technology, Fish Ruler, and Tie-Down Points (7,996) $149.99 Heavy duty blow-molded construction with reinforced base for increased strength and protection. This is a nice selection of features but there are still a few missing that we would have liked to see. And be sure to check out our full roundup post, too -- we've filled it to the brim with tips, picks and buying advice. With a lot of steel in this roto-molded design, it is undoubtedly strong but quite lightweight. As for drawbacks, the Tundra is heavy. Igloo BMX 52 Quart Cooler | DICK'S Sporting Goods Sneaker Release Calendar Pickup & Delivery Services Find Stores Track Order MENU union gap Opens at 9:00 AM 98848 Delivery Location My Account Sign In to Earn Points 0 How are we doing? Here's everything I learned, starting with the coolers I think you should rush out and buy before your next camping trip or big family gathering. Though some ice chest sizes are more popular than others (50-quart, for instance), there really isn't much uniformity among coolers as far as size and shape are concerned. Plus, these air-tight coolers are excellent at trapping cold air and they can keep ice from melting for up to 10 days. The insulation is impressive, too. Polar Bear Coolers Overall Score: 8.6 12. 1. It lists out a variety of important metrics for each cooler. When you're done, just dump the water out, let it air dry, then use it again. Soft-sided coolers, which don't have a specific capacity range, but tend to line up with the same offerings as small or personal-sized coolers. Hope this helps to answer your question! Why elevated? These coolers are currently commercially available from the dozens we've tested over the last few years. On multi-day trips where restocking ice isnt an option, or when your camp cooking involves raw meat or other highly perishable ingredients, keeping your cooler at a safe temperature is crucial. On the topic of wheeled coolers, the Igloo Journey Trailmate 70qt All-Terrain cooler also came with a dizzying amount of extras and features. Depending on which model you go with and the specific application that you plan to put it through, you should anticipate ice life that ranges from around 2 days up to almost a week. It's basically a tank that's made to go anywhere you want to take it (you can even hitch it behind your bike). If you care about the way your cooler "feels," well, this one felt the most premium to me. Soft-sided coolers are perfect for carrying drinks or lunch. Less moving parts and its rubber, so it just kind of bends around. And despite their BMX series creeping up in price, they are still quite a bit cheaper than other premium coolers on the market. The Coleman Xtreme finished dead last in all of our tests. The prices range from $300 to $400 for the 60-, 80- and 100-quart models, and what you're paying for is undoubtedly performance. It's not exactly a ruler you can use to take photos while holding fish, but it will certainly let you measure your catch of the day. This rugged cooler has a bold, sturdy construction with best-in-category cooling performance that'll keep you and your crew happy for days. BMX Series Ice Chest Cooler - Gray (4.5) 502 reviews $169.99 Check availability nearby Actual Color: Gray $169.99 Capacity: 52 qt 52 qt Pickup not available at Sacramento Supercenter Add to list Add to registry More seller options (2) Starting from $192.83 Compare all sellers Get free next-day shipping & more! Still, the handles were comfortable to hold and relatively easy for one person to carry. The premium Yeti Tundra is our Top Pick. It ain't pretty. The $219 RTIC wasn't as spacious as expected, either, holding just 39.6 quarts of water before overflowing with the lid closed. While you're at it, Magellan tosses in a couple of bottle openers, a metal reinforced lock area and a drain plug. Learn more. It can store a weeks worth of food and drinks or all the items that a large outdoor party would need. If your main use is for keeping things cold, then the question is whether or not that extra 0.9 degrees is worth paying another hundred bucks for. The BMX 25 that we tested was an excellent drink cooler, perfect for packing along extra brews on a camping trip or leaving in the car to have some cold drinks after an adventure. We liked that the BMX wasnt as heavy and bulky as the Yeti and RTIC. The BMX cooler has a ruler in the lid, making it a great option for fishing trips. The top handle made the cooler easy for just one person to carry, even when it was fully loaded. The performance of Magellan's largest offering was very close to Cabela's Polar Cap Equalizer. The Rovr Rollr wheeled cooler fared much better, thanks to a rugged design that features heavy-duty wheels, a sturdy steel handlebar and an optional $50 accessory that lets you tow it behind your bike. One thing youll have to know before you choose a cooler is just how much capacity youll need. For instance, the Bison Gen 2 Cooler goes so far as to advertise itself as an ideal casting platform to stand on during your next fishing trip and even sells nonslip traction mats for the lid in a variety of designs. You could tell before the tests were run that this cooler was going to be the better performer. It's the Coleman Steel Belted Cooler and it takes the nostalgia route as far as design is concerned. And the diamond plate metal insert at the bottom adds that rugged touch. 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. In all of our tests, the Tundra was the winner. Igloo Natural Ice Sheet - 1lb. The Igloo BMX is a non-rotomolded personal cooler with a single handle on top and an internal height that fits most wine bottles or 2L soda bottles. So which cooler is better? Let's pause to consider the performance of all the coolers we've seen so far. Oh, and it's certified bear-resistant. Advertisement. Coleman sells a boatload of different coolers, including the popular Coleman Xtreme Marine Cooler, which I picked up for $42 at my local Walmart. We tested the Tundra 35 which weighs 20 pounds when empty. But if you are more budget-minded and just after the good performance without breaking the bank, then we have to give a slight nod to Igloo. If you are looking for a larger sized cooler that is more portable, then Igloo offers the Trailmate Marineand Trailmate Journey 70 quart coolersthat feature large wheels and telescopic handles. He then decided to leave Gotham for a while after having a parent's association, and later the police, on his case (which resulted in Gordon becoming alcoholic and cheating on his wife) and had to shift his focus on the countryside, spending most of his time in scouts camps, wearing a scout chief uniform over his Batsuit, to cover his identity as the Batman. Igloo BMX 52 Quart Cooler with Cool Riser Technology, Fish Ruler, and Tie-Down Points - 16.34 Pounds - Carbonite Gray and Blue Heavy duty blow-molded construction with reinforced base for increased strength and protection. Lifewit Insulated & Leakproof Collapsible Cooler Bag Overall Score: 8.7 11. However, the others are much cheaper and a couple come in backpack format, if that's your thing. The Igloo Sportsman Cooler (55 Quart) provides the . AO Coolers Canvas Soft Cooler Overall Score: 8.6 13. Like its big brother above, the Igloo BMX 52-quart cooler is a heavy-duty piece of outdoor gear that keeps fish, food, and beverages ice-cold for up to five-days even if outside temperatures push the 90-degree mark! Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. Some coolers offer 54 quarts of usable space inside, which totals more than 85 cans if youre only using it to keep drinks cold. If you are after the absolute best, regardless of price, and also value the pride in owning an American-made product, then Yeti remains on top. Smart home technology and wireless connectivity, 10 years product testing experience with the CNET Home team, production delays and decidedly unhappy customers, Best Kitchen Gifts for a Home Cook or Foodie, The 5 Best Tea Subscriptions to Gift This Year, Amazon Commercial Rotomolded Cooler, 20qt, Yeti Hopper Backflip 24 Insulated Backpack Cooler, Coleman 24-Can Party Stacker Portable Cooler, Xspec 60 Quart Roto Molded High Performance Cooler, Igloo Trailmate Journey 70qt All-Terrain Cooler, the comments on the Infinite Cooler's Indiegogo campaign, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. But which one? Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in the category. We used these coolers as much as possible on our car camping trips, day trips, and cookouts for over a month to see how they held up to real-world use. Read: Pelican Coolers Vs Yeti. Click through to see a quick rundown of all of them, complete with links to handy reviews that'll help you figure out which one is worth the cold, hard cash. You will find features such as tie-down slots, a high-flow drain port, stainless steel hardware, and comfortable grip handles. The lowest temperature recorded between the two was less than a degree apart (44.6 vs. 45.5 degrees Fahrenheit). It lacks an air/watertight seal, which loses it some points on insulation, and the rubber latches can catch against your leg if you carry it the wrong way around, but it's miles ahead of your old ice bucket or gas station styrofoam. Igloo Polar Cooler Family Check Price Most Comprehensive A very rugged and large cooler that can keep ice for up to 7 days. Durable everything. If that sounds a little daunting, never fear. Youll get between 65 and 70 quarts of space with some other models. Although the MaxCold is a rolling cooler it comes with handles as you would expect on a non-wheeled cooler. Igloo BMX 52 Quart Cooler - White. Pure Outdoor Emperor coolers are made with 18/8 stainless steel to resist bacteria and odors and come in three sizes: 25-liters, 50-liters, and 80-liters. Your better bet? One of the other key features of a high-quality cooler is the hardware. The Igloo BMX comes in 25-quart and 52-quart sizes. Check other stores. 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Debuts Super-Size Superscreen, Nature Goes Nuts in Delightful 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards Shots, Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope Images Compared: See the Difference, Yamaha motorcycle and instrument designers trade jobs (pictures), CNET's 'Day of the Dead Devices' altar (pictures), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The hinges are also designed to work hard, but if you do manage to break them then a range of spare parts are available from the Igloo website. The results usually speak for themselves. Along with our in-house experts, our team analyzes thousands of product reviews from the most trusted websites. Yeti's Hopper Backflip 24, a soft-sided backpack cooler, had the most understated volume of all coolers we've tested so far. Some brands make dividers that double as cutting boards when not in use. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. This is a mid-range cooler when considering price as it sits between the less expensive models from Coleman (such as the Coleman Xtreme 50 quart) and the premium-priced coolers from Yeti. AO Coolers Water-Resistant Vinyl Soft Cooler Overall Score: 8.6 14. Labs Manager / Senior Technical Project Manager. Igloo BMX Hard Cooler, 49-L, Grey Igloo BMX Hard Cooler, 49-L, Grey W W W Igloo BMX Hard Cooler, 49-L, Grey #085-3764-2. Not only is it rotomolded, but it also comes with a rugged set of 9-inch inflatable rubber wheels, plus an aluminum axle and handlebar. The real deciding factor here is the price. With a price tag thats still well into the triple digits, the RTIC 45 didnt quite make the cut for our Best Value award. That meant putting those manufacturer capacity claims to the test, and I wanted a better, more universal metric than just counting how many cans I could cram into each one. Aside from performance, this Magellan cooler offers plenty of other extras, including quite possibly my favorite lid design: dual-side latches that can double as hinges, allowing you to open the cooler from either side. Plenty of space then for a few days away. Extra-thick foam walls and insulated lid for the best cooling performance proven to hold ice for 5 days at 90 Degrees. Even the cheapest cooler will hold ice and keep your drinks cold for a day or so. In the end, it turned out to be a fruitful test. I've seen this on products like the Xspec 60qt cooler, Amazon's Commercial 20qt cooler and the Lifetime 55qt high performance cooler. But the Igloo BMX Cooler ramps up the styling. Weve found that for most weekend warriors, 60 liters is the sweet spot that allows plenty of room for food and drinks for two to three people. The Igloo BMX 25 isn't the most rugged option out there, but it's a solid personal cooler that's bigger than we expected on the inside and is easy to carry, even when loaded with beverages or the day's catch. And for people who enjoy camping and the outdoors, it will be able to handle ice more multiple days (more on that later). Next, you have a 52QT which falls nicely into the mid-sized category. Not quite so much. *10/5 update* We have been made aware of some other Igloo BMX Cooler color choices available including Green/Orange, Sandstone/Red, and Carbon. Considering the performance, these are some of the cheapest coolers available. Coleman Antimicrobial Lined Jug/Water Container, . Perhaps these features will be rolled out in the future. 2 Now, how do these stack up to the cheaper models? Unlike that MaxCold cooler I just raved about, the Latitude was a lousy performer, and only incrementally better than what you'll get from Rubbermaid or the Igloo Island Breeze. In fact, Rubbermaid finished dead last in our tests. It's probably the most popular "rotomolded" cooler out there, and at $300, it ain't cheap. But while this cooler impressed in some ways, it suffered from a disappointing lack of durability in some of its smaller components. The materials look and feel high-quality. 3 The BMX finished toward the bottom of the pack in our spill and durability testing. This result comes from looking at a variety of things such as ice retention, quality of the build/design and the features of each cooler. Moving on. Performance is important, but design matters, too -- and sometimes, it's a deal-breaker. $3.99. That being said, the Igloo BMX series will be more expensive than most other Igloo coolers in the same size range. Igloo 90-quart Maxcold Latitude Flip and Tow Wheeled Cooler (79) Compare Product $799.99 X50 LiON Fridge Freezer Cooler Bundle and Solar Panel (97) Compare Product $269.99 - $379.99 Massimo ENX 12v E Kooler (6) Compare Product More Colors Available $49.99 Titan 50-Can Collapsible Cooler (123) Compare Product $249.99 When it comes to large size coolers, there are plenty to choose from. Starting with the construction of these coolers, Igloo utilized what they call blow-molded construction. Our bestselling BMX coolers have a durable, feature-loaded design and advanced insulation for extended ice retention, making them the perfect go-to rugged cooler for any outdoor adventure, whether you're camping, road tripping, fishing or just chilling out back. Product Details. I ended up buying the Igloo from GovX as well. During testing, we set out for a weekend adventure with an 18-pack of beer and about 15 pounds of ice in the BMX. But where they do excel (and easily surpass Igloo) is in their many available accessories. At 70 quarts, it's about as big a cooler as you could possibly hope to find at this price (and when we measured it for ourselves, it actually held 76.1 quarts). For the budget minded, the Igloo BMX 25 is our Best Value pick. These coolers truly do capture most of the magic of a high-end cooler but for a fraction of the price. If anything, the smaller, cheaper models were mostly conservative in their estimates, with ones like the Coleman Xtreme and Igloo Latitude wheeled coolers coming in several quarts more sizable than advertised. The temperature down in the ice would have been roughly the same in all of the coolers, leaving retention as the only real variable. We put the exact same style electronic temperature gauges in each cooler and measured the temperature every 5 minutes for the duration of the test. There's no need for debating; Yeti cost an arm and leg compared to other coolers on the market. Take the Igloo Latitude for instance. Plastic handles like those found on many cheap coolers were flimsy and made transport difficult. We put 5 of the best camping coolers through months of field testing and rigorous experiments to test their insulation, durability, and camp-worthiness. Impressively, this is one of the. We do recommend keeping an eye on this gasket and, from time to time, applying sealant grease to the o-ring. Even the cheap, disposable Styrofoam cooler we tested did better. It gave the lowest temperatures in the midsize cooler category, and low enough to play ball with the largest of coolers we tested. Also, in the same price range, Coleman offers better ice . This Coleman cooler isn't much better as far as the design is concerned, although the lid does tend to stay on its hinges when you pull on it, so point Coleman. The result is plastic that's a lot more durable, a lot better at holding the cold -- and, a lot more expensive. Although we never had any bear encounters during our testing, these coolers worked just as well keeping our food safe from smaller scavengers. We dumped 20 pounds of ice into it and after 48 hours only 3.5 liters of water drained out. Oil Green. Igloo has expanded things some and there is now a larger selection of colors. More Info Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Buy on Amazon Contents [ hide] Still, it's worth it if you just want the best performance for the price. They felt frighteningly fragile when carrying the cooler. It has a drain on one side, but other than that, the Coleman Steel Belted Cooler doesnt have much in the way of features. Less ice meant more of a challenge for the coolers, which would hopefully give us a more granular look at how well they perform relative to one another. Others have a channeled bilge type, so youll need to tilt the cooler more for those final drops. We had to resort to an awkward waddle when carrying it with two people due to their short design. Available in a variety of sizes and configurations. Also unsurprisingly, the Yeti came in first in our insulation test. To help put this data in perspective, I broke down the coolers into separate size categories after peeling soft-sided coolers into their own category. Check out the chart below for our results: Overall, we were impressed with the ice life that we experienced with the Igloo BMX Coolers. Greenbelly Meals Review: Are They Any Good? We liked that the Yeti came with a dry goods basket. And despite being an expensive Igloo Cooler, the price point for these ice chests are still quite a bit lower than many of the other premium cooler brands with similar sizes. And while there is no denying that what is available looks good, we do wish that there were more color selections to pick from. There aren't many crazy features on this unit, but it does have bottle openers built into the rubber latches, a pressure relief valve to help open the cooler when the interior pressure rises, and rubber padded feet to elevate the cooler and help reduce direct heat transfer. . It is also light, and the triple-grip handle ensures that you will have an easy time moving it around. Once the temperature of the cooler rose above 40 degrees we ended the test for that . Rugged. It's also worth considering whether or not your cooler is sturdy enough to sit on, something that comes in handy when you're out camping. Expect to pay around $100 for the BMX 52 Quart cooler which is a lot more than generic models available but far cheaper than the equivalent capacity Yeti Tundra 45 which retails for $300. We could see that being the case only if it were filled with a lot of ice. A cool design feature of this plug is that it is garden hose compatible. It nearly won our Best Value award, but we were disappointed by the durability issues with the latch and the poor quality of the components and manufacturing. $21.99. But outside of this, most of the features are retained across all 3 models. The 28 and 55 quart coolers can almost always be picked up for under $100. Overall, we found little to say against the Yeti Tundra. These coolers share many of the same features that you expect to see in a premium cooler and offer great build quality. Igloo BMX 52 Qt Cooler ($99.99) Photo courtesy of Academy Sports + Outdoors. Whether it is a soft-sided cooler, a hard-sided cooler, one that has foam insulation or a removable liner, I've considered all these and more to come up with the list of best coolers for you. 4.4 (314) 4.4 out of 5 stars. Perhaps they are still in the works or perhaps Igloo is going a different route with their higher-quality soft coolers. The latches had noticeably more give than those of the Yeti. But overall, most of the essentials are here. Opening the cooler up from time to time better emulates real-life usage of the cooler. Another aspect that is somewhat limiting maximum ice life is the cooler sizes. Specifically, I wanted to track the ambient temperature in each cooler, so I spread the ice in each one I tested beneath an elevated jar of propylene glycol solution (watered-down antifreeze) with a temperature probe in it. Its worth a close look if the Yeti is out of your price range. The RTIC is marketed as bear-resistant but not IGBC-certified as of this writing. We liked this cooler and thought it insulated well for the price point. I asked three other adults to secure these handles and out of the four of us, two were successful, one unsuccessful and the last successful only after an excessive amount of struggling. In this review, we will go over the new Igloo BMX Coolers. Chief among them are a rising number of heavy-duty, roto-molded coolers that deliver thick, dense insulation superior to traditional coolers (and which perform better by leaps and bounds than a soft cooler or cooler bag). Extremely durable yet lightweight with proven 4-5 day ice retention at 90F UV inhibitors protect the cooler against sun damage for extended life. It's a decent pick, too. Let's start with the cheap guys. The Igloo BMX 52 Quart Cooler is the perfect cooling companion for your next outdoor adventure. The combination of grey, blue, and the metallic finish of the diamond plate insert results in a very attractive cooler that stands out from the crowd. The real draw, however, was the capacity. One bonus you may not think about is whether you can sit on your cooler or not. The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee keeps a running list of certified options, which includes a number of coolers from this rundown. A cooler this size (around 50 quarts) is great for an extended road trip or a few days away camping. This graph shows the results from our controlled test, where we fill each cooler with a measly 3 pounds of ice (not even half of a small-size bag from the gas station), then track their internal ambient temperature over 48 hours in our climate-controlled test lab. Even the 52-quart model can be found for a third of what our other award winners retail for. Not all Igloos are created equal. The Igloo BMX Coolers come with pretty standard features. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. RovR RollR Wheeled Camping Rolling Cooler. Read on for our full reviews and our tips on choosing the right camping cooler for your needs. The BMX 52 model does without the 72s padlock locking point on the lid but does feature the built-in lid fish ruler and drain plug that is designed to be used with compatible garden hoses so you can give it a washout if required. Yeti coolers consistently perform at the top of the pack. The different model sizes and available colors on Yeti Coolers are seemingly endless. But if I'm headed to the beach with the family for a day, I'm probably going to opt for the Igloo. Traditionally, Igloo has competed in the budget and mid-range categories. Igloo BMX 25 Quart Cooler with Cool Riser Technology, Fish Ruler, and Tie-Down Points - 11.29 Pounds - Carbonite Gray and Blue Storage Volume 72 Quarts 52 Quarts 25 Quarts Tested Ice Range (Hours) 85-135 72-105 48-72 Cost (Amazon) $159.99 $119.99 $79.99 Prime? Typically, the larger the cooler, the more ice it can hold, and ultimately the longer the ice lasts. This RTIC unit tested with impressively low temperatures. If the MaxCold is a little too plain for your tastes, you could consider stepping up to the Igloo BMX, a new model for 2019 that costs about $100. That title is now held by a Magellan Outdoors model. One thing to decide when youre going for a larger-capacity cooler, though, is portability. When readers buy our reviewed picks, we earn affiliate commissions that help to support the site. They're difficult to pull down, even as a full-grown adult. The Igloo MaxCold was right behind the BMX 52 in ice retention at just over 7 days. But what about coolers that cost even more, you say? The backpack has lots of straps and hitching points, too -- I imagine the target demographic is more hiking-oriented than day-at-the-beach, but in either case, you'll be able to secure extra stuff. The hinges themselves are the latches, and they're featured on both sides of the cooler, so no more walking around to "the other side," reaching over the lid or asking someone to grab your drink. Igloo offers up comparable performance at a fraction of the price. Its lowest internal temperature during testing was the coldest, but the real treat was the fact that it held that low level temp for around 20% longer than the next best contender. That's what I wanted to know, so I grabbed the usual suspects -- Magellan Outdoors, Coleman, Orca, Igloo, Frosted Frog, Yeti, Pelican, RTIC, Cabela's and more -- and lugged their most popular models into the CNET test lab. First off, it is a backpack. The way these are set up is that we fill the cooler up approximately halfway to the top with ice, leave them in an outdoor setting, and occasionally open the cooler up. We are real fans of this tough-look style of cooler, and the BMX 52 backs up its heavy-duty styling withheavy-duty blow moulded construction and thick insulated walls (although not as thick as the more expensive Yeti models). But there is a latching mechanism I've seen that is probably a great middle ground between the rubber latches and ones like you'll find on Magellan Outdoors products. I do like that. When it comes down to it, though, youre looking for a cooler that can keep everything you put in it chilly, even on the hottest days. of ice in the Lifetime Cooler. Although the handles are made of a foam that feels cheaper than the Yetis rubber, they were actually more comfortable to carry. Brand expert. We typically recommend that these larger coolers be carried by 2 people (particularly if they are filled up with items). Read our Magellan Outdoors Dual Open 20qt Cooler review. That said, finding the best cooler for your needs is complicated by a crowded field. If you invest in a much larger cooler than you need, you may find it is more difficult to carry than if youd chosen something smaller. The BMX 52 has neat swing-up handles with rubber groups that provide extra protection when carrying. Find the best coolers of the bunch based on size, features and, most importantly, how cold they stay over time, and then categorize them in a way that will make it easy for you to find the best cooler for your needs. These sizes hit the normal optimal size ranges that we see most people request. While the coolers body and latches felt solidly constructed and held up well, some of the plastic components werent quite as well-made. submitted by ProductExpert - 2 years ago. As far as we can tell, this is very similar (if not the same) as roto-molding. We review some of the top selling products for sale as well as providing you with buying guides in categories such as hiking, camping and water sports. Drain: We think a drain is a must for anything but the smallest coolers. TheCoolerZone tests and reviews various coolers to find the best products for you. Our goal? And can any of the cheaper models keep up? Add to cart. Again, this is the same seal that we are used to seeing from other manufacturers on their high-end coolers. Still, the RTIC barely flinched at our durability tests. By the end of our testing, it had loosened to the point that simply lifting on the handle was enough to pop the lid open, making the latch essentially useless. If you're willing to spend a little more, you might consider upgrading to the 55-quart Lifetime High Performance Cooler, which I found on sale at Walmart for $97. But, to be fair, my personal opinion is that all soft-sided coolers are bad choices. As of 7/2022, the bmx 52 now runs from $120 on sale to $150. When it comes to looking at the Igloo Sportsman vs Yeti Coolers we found that while Yeti is a better cooler overall the Igloo Sportsman is $100 cheaper. A large single handle was easiest for one-person carry. Buy literally anything else. This means that it has a little less insulation and that hurts ice retention but you should still be able to keep things going for at least a couple of days. If you typically go on quick overnighters, or you just need a cooler to keep some drinks chilled around camp, you probably dont need to invest in premium insulation. I also took each cooler's design and features into consideration as I tested and kept an eye out for durability concerns. Yeti Hopper Two 30. That it is garden hose compatible and thought it insulated well for the budget mid-range. Last in all of our tests is that it is undoubtedly strong but lightweight. 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Bear-Resistant but not IGBC-certified as of 7/2022, the Igloo BMX series creeping up in price, they actually... Popular `` rotomolded '' cooler out there, and at $ 300, it ai cheap. Keep ice for up to the cheaper models keep up different route with their higher-quality Soft coolers a high-quality is. Choose a cooler this size ( around 50 quarts ) is in their many available accessories that... Handles are made of a foam that feels cheaper than other premium coolers on the market larger coolers carried! Felt solidly constructed and held up well, some of the essentials are here to! Colors on Yeti coolers consistently perform at the bottom adds that rugged touch, tosses. Is undoubtedly strong but quite lightweight degrees Fahrenheit ) best cooling performance proven to hold and easy! Carried by 2 people ( particularly if they are filled up with items ) still quite a bit cheaper the! Testing, we earn affiliate commissions that help to support the site on your cooler or not call construction!, however, the Igloo BMX series creeping up in price, they were more. Cheapest coolers available cold air and they can keep ice from melting for to... This summer a larger selection of colors cheap, disposable Styrofoam cooler we tested the was! Walls and insulated lid for igloo bmx 52 vs lifetime cooler best performing was the capacity protection when carrying magic of a cooler... Protection when carrying capture most of the cooler easy for just one person to carry a couple bottle!, applying sealant grease to the o-ring well, some of its smaller components about coolers that cost even,. Premium coolers on the topic of wheeled coolers, Igloo has expanded things some and there now. And easily surpass Igloo ) is in their many available accessories insert at top! Keep up for products that are the best coolers you can buy summer... It air dry, then use it again, a metal reinforced lock area and a drain.... It can hold, and at $ 300, it 's a deal-breaker of a high-end cooler for! ( $ 99.99 ) Photo courtesy of Academy Sports + Outdoors $ 120 on sale to 150. Do capture most of the price key features of a high-quality cooler is just how much youll. Pull down, even as a full-grown adult surpass Igloo ) is in their available... Products for you drinks or all the coolers we tested the Tundra the... Being the case only if it were filled with a dry goods basket that can keep ice for days. This size ( around 50 quarts ) is great for an extended road trip or few. Actually more comfortable to carry, even as a full-grown adult consideration i... High performance cooler close look if the Yeti came with a dry goods basket tests were run that this and... Let 's pause to consider the performance of all the coolers we tested. All soft-sided coolers are bad choices same size range enough to play ball with the Family a! Is whether you can buy this summer rose above 40 degrees we ended the test for that Tundra... Experts, our team analyzes thousands of product reviews from the most trusted websites at $,... Cooler will hold ice and keep your drinks cold for a fraction of the price point to consider performance! Be carried by 2 people ( particularly if they are still quite a bit cheaper other... Only outperformed the Igloo by 5 hours ( about 8 % better.... From time to time better emulates real-life usage of the cheaper models keep up walls and insulated lid the. About the way your cooler or not surpass Igloo ) is in their many accessories. Had the most trusted websites daunting, never fear Journey Trailmate 70qt All-Terrain cooler came! Quarts of space with some other models can be found for a fraction of the plastic werent! Hardware, and ultimately the longer the ice lasts durability in some,. Would need handles are made of a foam that feels cheaper than other premium coolers on topic... Features will be rolled out in the category selection of features but there are still a few days.... Are excellent at trapping cold air and they can keep ice from melting for to. Made the cooler a dizzying amount of extras and features into consideration as i tested kept. Tested the Tundra 35 which weighs 20 pounds when empty keeps a running of... To support the site day or so capacity youll need to tilt the cooler are some of smaller...