The electric versions are designed for on-off use to regulate temperature, but they can wear out over extended use. A compressor-style cooler is designed for sustained operation and will be better suited for the long haul. If you lgloo Cooler are a trucker, on a road trip or even in a boat on a long journey, these types of coolers are helpful. Electric-only coolers are not as powerful, so they are better at keeping food that’s already cold at the desired temperature.
Most importantly, we had to know how well they’d maintain safe temperatures. Meat becomes more perishable over 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and rapid bacteria growth starts at 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so we needed to determine how well these coolers would hold the temperature. We placed a block of wood in each of the coolers, resting it on top of the ice.
Over the course of his decades-long career, Bob Vila has helped millions of people build, renovate, repair, and live better each day—a tradition that continues today with expert yet accessible home advice. The Bob Vila team distills need-to-know information into project tutorials, maintenance guides, tool 101s, and more. These home and garden experts then thoroughly research, vet, and recommend products that support homeowners, renters, DIYers, and professionals in their to-do lists. To change the wheels on a cooler, try to find replacement wheels from the cooler’s manufacturer to ensure a good fit.
Cooler manufacturers don’t always report the capacity in clear ways. While another 60-can cooler might fit 60 cans plus 20 pounds of ice. Some cooler manufacturers imply that a ’50’ might refer to a 50-quart cooler but it really has an interior volume of say, 42 quarts. Most good cooler manufacturers report interior igloo cooler with wheels dimensions, and you can use these dimensions to calculate a more accurate volume. With our top picks in our guide to the best wheeled coolers above, we’ve done the math for you. Just remember that the insides of coolers with wheels are often not perfectly cube-shaped, so the usable volume is an approximation.
Made by ARB, the same folks that build popular and respected off-road truck accessories, this sturdy cooler/freezer can handle an impressive 50 quarts and can keep things cold even in extreme heat. Some users report extended use in 100+ degree weather without an issue. It’s user-friendly and comes with an easy-to-read digital display that allows you to set the temperature and monitor the cooler’s performance. For soft coolers, we recommend anything in the 20- to 24-can range. That’s enough to hold plenty of ice, drinks, and food for a family of three. Anything smaller, and you end up carrying a lot of bag and not carrying much of anything else.