# What's the best cooler I can buy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 24, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-cooler-i-can-buy/702324 "2014-10-24T04:56:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-cooler-i-can-buy/702324/1 "2014-10-24T04:56:46Z")
I’m thinking about something along the lines of [Pelican](http://www.pelican-case.com/coolers.html) or [Yeti](http://yeticoolers.com/coolers/shop-by-category/tundra-series/) or something similar. Do any of you have first hand experience with any of these? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-cooler-i-can-buy/702324/2 "2014-10-24T05:17:52Z")
No personal experience\*, but internet-famous via Kickstarter is [the Coolest](http://coolestkickstarter.com/). \*Obviously. It’s not out yet. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-cooler-i-can-buy/702324/3 "2014-10-24T05:27:16Z")
I have a yeti and it’s top notch. Everything you could ask for in a cooler. Stuff stays cold forever, the handles are great, the entire thing feels indestructible. Can’t compare with the Pelican coolers though as I haven’t used them. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-cooler-i-can-buy/702324/4 "2014-10-24T06:40:31Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > No personal experience\*, but internet-famous via Kickstarter is [the Coolest](http://coolestkickstarter.com/). > > \*Obviously. It’s not out yet. Thanks, but no; I’m trying to keep things cold the longest. > [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](#): > > I have a yeti and it’s top notch. Everything you could ask for in a cooler. Stuff stays cold forever, the handles are great, the entire thing feels indestructible. Can’t compare with the Pelican coolers though as I haven’t used them. Thanks for this, can you be more specific as to how fast cubes/blocks melt? I’ve served ice cream on Day 4, so I’m no stranger to cooler tech. The Pelican coolers at Walmart have stickers claiming ten days of ice. That seems impossible. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-cooler-i-can-buy/702324/5 "2014-10-24T07:10:07Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > Thanks, but no; I’m trying to keep things cold the longest. > > Thanks for this, can you be more specific as to how fast cubes/blocks melt? I’ve served ice cream on Day 4, so I’m no stranger to cooler tech. The Pelican coolers at Walmart have stickers claiming ten days of ice. That seems impossible. To be honest I’ve never had to keep anything cold longer than three days; to me, that was pretty impressive for a cooler. 10 days seems like a lot, but I suppose it’s possible if everything else is taken care of–the cooler is as shaded as possible, is filled with 2/3 ice in blocks, and is rarely opened. With dry ice, it’s definitely possible, and I know Yeti coolers are built to properly vent the CO2 (though I’m not sure how exactly…), though dry ice gets expensive quickly. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-cooler-i-can-buy/702324/6 "2014-10-24T14:39:54Z")
My large [Coleman](http://www.colemancanada.ca/product/82-qt-signature-xtreme-6-wheeled-cooler/3000001146?contextCategory=0803) still had ice in it after three days outside at air temps of 20C +., and that was less than half filled. If you have power available what about a [mobicool](http://www.mobicool.com/pages/products/outdoor/w48_full.htm)? I (ab)use a lot of other Pelican products and they have yet to disappoint me, although I haven’t had a chance to use the coolers. ---
**Author:** ![SacFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@SacFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SacFly)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-cooler-i-can-buy/702324/7 "2014-10-24T18:25:29Z")
I spend a lot of time fishing on a boat. A couple of my friends have pelican coolers and they are really nice. They’re pricey, but they really do keep ice much better than my cheapo coleman cooler.