Igloo Cooler Review: Perfect for Snack Attacks Around the Campfire
Everyone loves having some delicious snacks and goodies around the campfire. What no one loves is soggy or warm goodies around the campfire. Searching the internet for an Igloo cooler review can bring about plenty of results, but which ones are unbiased and packed with useful information?
Not that many.
The best cooler for camping will offer plenty of space to store your food and drinks. It will also provide a way for you to drain the water from the bottom. Some even serve as a comfy place to rest around the fire.
You never know how bad you need a great cooler until you experience a less than desirable one. We don’t want that to happen to you, which is why we wrote this Igloo cooler review.
Contents
WHAT MAKES THIS IGLOO COOLER SO GREAT?
During your search for a cooler, you might have stumbled upon an Igloo cooler review. This cooler offers many features that you will enjoy. From a powerfully insulated body to handles that make it easy to transport the cooler around the fire, you’ll find everything you need in this Igloo cooler.
Cool it down
Your cooler has one primary job, right? It’s there to keep things cold. This one uses an Ultratherm insulated body that can keep ice frozen for up to five days. Yes, five days, people. They even say it will keep ice cold in 90-degree weather.
There is nothing worse than taking your cooler to the campsite and finding a giant swishing bucket of water inside. Now all your food and drinks are soaking wet, and you don’t know how long you’ll be able to keep them cool.
I can tell you first hand if you have kids, the last thing you want is wet cardboard juice boxes.
Space it out
Another important thing to keep in mind is the amount of space in your cooler. In this Igloo cooler review, we wanted to find one of the largest coolers for the most affordable price.
This cooler can fit up to 188 cans and 120 quarts of ice. Let’s just say, if you need a bigger cooler, you might have to bring a refrigerator to the campsite.
Since you’re filling your cooler to the brim, you’ll also need a safe and easy way to carry your stuff around. This one comes with swing-up handles and a tie-down loop feature. This component makes it easy for one or even two people to carry the cooler from the back of your car to your fireside camp.
What you need to know
An often overlooked component of coolers is the lid. You never know when your cooler might tip over or fall during your travels. When you’re carrying it to your campsite, your adventurous side might kick in. During your walk across the river and through the waterfall, you might tip the cooler over and even drop it.
No need to worry because this one comes with a snap-close lid and tie-down loops. You can bang the Igloo cooler around all you want, and it should keep all your snacks safe and sound.
Finally, you won’t have to worry about tipping this beast over to drain all the excess water and ice when the party’s over. The cooler comes with a threaded drain plug to make draining easy and quick. You can even hook up a hose to run water into the cooler if that’s your game.
HOW WE REVIEWED
We understand how important it is to make the best buying decision. When we look online for an Igloo cooler review, it’s difficult to find and clear and concise information. For that reason, we only use the most reputable sources when we conduct reviews.
Who are the most reputable sources?
The people are. People who have purchased this item already and use it all the time. We get all of our information from verified purchasers of this cooler, and that’s why we want to provide you with the most honest and accurate information possible.
In addition to taking reviews from others, we also weigh in with our own experience. I can say that I have personally experienced the downfalls of a cheap or low-quality cooler many times in my life. I’ve had some that fell apart before I even got to my campsite.
For that reason, I recommend choosing coolers with the best reviews and most recommendations possible.
IGLOO COOLER REVIEW: WHICH IS COOLER?
We’re here now to see which cooler is the coolest of all. Sometimes, the best way to tell if a product is right for you is to see what other options are available. When you stack up two of the same products against each other, it’s easier to see the pros and cons.
All of our choices in this Igloo cooler review passed our inspection, so they are all great choices. Let’s see how they stack up to our Igloo cooler.
COLEMAN 120-QUART COOLER
Coleman 120-Quart Cooler, Blue
- Two-way handles for easier…
- Lid accommodates 24 in. (61…
- Exterior dimensions: 39.8 in….
- Interior dimensions: 32 x 12.6…
- Made in the USA
Our first choice is another beast that holds up to 120 quarts. This cooler comes with two-way handles that make it easy to carry and lift. They give a slight advantage to the Coleman cooler by saying that it holds 190 cans instead of 188 like the Igloo one.
Of course, we believe that there are many factors that could change that number.
The Coleman cooler uses what they call Xtreme 5 Technology that keeps ice cold for up to 5 days in 90-degree weather. This rating is the same as the Igloo cooler, so that checks out well.
Customers of this cooler say that it doesn’t hold as many cans as they say. One customer was only able to fit 160 cans, but hey, we’re splitting hairs.
Overall, customers are thrilled with this cooler. They say that it is well built, sturdy, and gets the job done for most situations.
Where to buy
ARCTIC ZONE TITAN GUIDE SERIES COOLER
Arctic Zone Titan Guide Series 36 Can Cooler, Blue
- Features TableTop lid with 4…
- Deep Freeze high performance…
- ColdBlock base has 3 thick…
- Leak proof lining with…
- Rhino-Tech stain and water…
Let’s size things down a bit with the Arctic Zone Cooler. This one comes in three different options. You can choose a 16 can cooler, 30 can backpack, or a 36 can cooler. The 36 can option comes with four drink holders and multiple exterior pockets to store things.
This is a soft exterior cooler, but don’t let that fool you. It comes with performance insulation and a multi-layer system that protects your contents in even the most extreme heat.
The main issue that I’ve had with soft coolers in the past is the collapse. That doesn’t seem to be the issue with this one. It has a leak-proof lining with microban that also helps protect against odors and stains.
Inside, the cooler is around 16 inches long, and it keeps ice cold for as long as 3 days.
The main issue we encountered with this cooler is a design flaw. The pockets on the front of the cooler are there to hold items that you might want to keep cool, but it’s not critical. They’re designed in a way that causes the whole cooler to tip forward if you don’t have it completely full on the inside.
We’ve noticed a few customers complain about this issue.
Overall, if you’re looking for a smaller cooler that guarantees nothing gets warm, this one is a great option.
Where to buy
COLEMAN XTREME COOLER
Coleman Cooler | Xtreme Cooler Keeps Ice Up to 5 Days |…
- XTREME TECHNOLOGY: Insulated…
- HIGH CAPACITY: Holds up to 100…
- HAVE-A-SEAT LID: Closed lid…
- CUP HOLDERS: Molded into the…
- COMFORT-GRIP HANDLES: No-crush…
Next, let’s introduce you to a moderately sized option from Coleman. This cooler has a 70-quart capacity and holds up to 100 cans. It comes with strong insulated walls that offer 5 days of ice retention in heat as much as 90 degrees.
On the lid, you’ll find four cup holders, which is nice for creating extra space and seating for around the fire.
The handles are no crush handles, so it helps prevent injury when carrying heavy drinks, food, and ice.
A frequent downside we see in a lot of these coolers is the lack of wheels on them. With a fully packed cooler, it would be challenging for one person to carry this, especially because of its size.
This one is more in the budget price range, so we assume that is why they have not included wheels as a standard option, but it would be nice to see.
Overall, customers say this is a reliable and durable cooler that can hold ice for five days. If you’re a hunter or camper traveling with a buddy, you’ll want to check out this option.
Where to buy
ARCTIC ZONE TITAN DEEP FREEZE COOLER
Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze 48 Can Zipperless Cooler,…
- Deep Freeze high performance…
- Patented, “flip open”…
- Ultra Safe leak proof lining…
- Rhino-Tech water and stain…
- Adjustable Backsaver shoulder…
Our last option is a hard body deep freeze cooler from Arctic Zone. This one offers high performance insulation with radiant heat barrier technology. Instead of absorbing the heat, it reflects it. It also has a patented flip open lid that eliminates the need for a clunky zipper.
We’re always nervous about features that stray too far from the ordinary. Many customers are pleased with the flip-open lid, and they say it does a great job, so you don’t have to worry about not getting the lid open.
Inside you’ll find a hard body to prevent food from getting crushed and a SmartShelf to keep things cool but not wet from the ice.
This cooler holds up to 48 cans and keeps ice cold for as long as 3 days.
Where to buy
CHILL OUT
By this point in our Igloo cooler review, you should know more than you ever thought you could about coolers. We’ve provided plenty of great options for you to choose from, and we would recommend any of them.
Keep in mind that the two Coleman coolers and the Igloo option do not come with wheels. If you don’t plan on carrying a ton of snacks and drinks, you might want to settle for the smaller Arctic Zone options.
On the flip side, we’d recommend choosing the Igloo cooler because it is affordable and large enough for those serious campouts and backyard barbecues.
If you consider yourself a campsite snack expert, be sure to leave us a comment and let us know what cooler you will use after reading this Igloo cooler review!
Featured image by: Pixabay
Jonathan O’Ryan is what you might call a seasonal digital nomad. When he is not thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail or finetuning his custom UL camping gear in the middle of nowhere, he comfortably sits at his home desk – yes, he still has a physical address, we don’t know for how long though – sharing his insights on all things outdoors with Wilderness Today’s audience. We know life is an adventure, Jon, but we’d still like to have that urgent work email answered by noon.
