The 6 Best Coolers of 2024 Reviews by Wirecutter

The more capable premium models should keep ice for up to a day and a half. Ozark Trail’s lineup of soft coolers tries to adhere to their “affordability first” approach. This includes simple lunch boxes and tiers up to premium totes and cooler backpacks.

ozark cooler

As with all such certified coolers, you do need to add a bolt or padlock. This roto-molded cooler is almost indestructible and has a lifetime warranty to back it up. It kept our ice frozen for a week and costs a touch less than a comparable Yeti cooler. This Coleman steel-belted cooler is supposed to be able ozark cooler to keep ice cold for more than four days. When it comes to ice retention, this Pelican cooler outperforms even a Yeti, retaining a temperature under 40°F for 135 hours in our tests. This makes it the perfect companion for fishermen, and a must-have for anyone in need of a reliable and long-lasting cooler.

The majority of coolers on the market claim to hold ice for an extended period of time. Temperature, how many times the cooler is opened, whether or not the cooler was pre-cooled, the type of ice being used, the type of insulation in the cooler, ect. If you’re on the fence about spending the money, consider how long you will be gone and what it would cost to add ice to your cooler everyday.

But you can anticipate the walls to be between 2.5” and 3” thick. This is about average among premium coolers that we have tested in the past. And these thick walls are coated in a UV-resistant layer that helps to protect the cooler from sun damage over time. For a leak-proof, easily transportable cooler with excellent build quality, the 35-quart Ozark Trail premium is ideal. It also has lots of nifty features for versatility, from a waterproof interior light that can be removed for use as a flashlight to multiple tie-down points. Among hard coolers, if you’re using your cooler for something like grocery shopping, small weekend gatherings, or barbecues, 50 to 55 quarts is plenty.

It’s definitely heavier than its more expensive friends on the market. The Pelican also features a different pull handle than the Yeti and Ozark coolers as well. I do think the Pelicans pull handle is the lowest on my list of the three.

The ice melted in the Coleman in 39 hours and the Ozark Trail in 73 hours. The water turned warm in both coolers fairly quickly after the ice melted. Several weeks ago we finally purchased an Ozark Trail 52-Quart High-Performance Cooler from Walmart. I was so excited to get it home and run a test to see if it really holds ice longer than my Coleman 60 Quart Performance Wheeled Cooler.

And for those who want a bit more ice life and toughness, the premium backpack and tote are going to be worth checking out. The ice life, well not bad, was ozark trail canopy not near what Ozark Trail stated in their specifications. We have a hunch this is because their testing was performed under more optimal conditions.

Here’s our take on the Ozark Trail 26 Quart Cooler which we think is perfect for van life. To achieve these asking prices, some shortcuts in manufacturing and quality were necessary. “We want our kids to be outside playing because they are tired of being cooped up inside. Let them out for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, let them come back ozark cooler in, cool them off, give them water or a light snack,” says Harnstrom. As the weather heats up, many of us head to nature to cool off in the shelter of trees and coolness of rivers. Whether your go-to exclusion involves fishing, camping, or road-tripping to the next town over, you’d better be stocked with snacks and drinks.