Choosing the best cooler for your outings
Coolers are an easy way to keep food and drinks cold when you are enjoying outdoor activities. Whether you want to situate a convenient cooler beside your patio furniture or pick out a camping cooler to take on your next trip, there are a few factors and features to consider.
First and foremost, narrow down the type of cooler you want. The classic insulated cooler is great for camping, hunting, fishing and other situations in which you have no access to power. Meanwhile, a powered cooler might be the best choice for your backyard or an RV road trip. There are even car refrigerators that plug directly into your vehicle’s power outlet, making them ideal for long drives, tailgating or keeping groceries cold on the way home from the store.
A hard-sided cooler will provide better insulation for long trips, while a soft-sided cooler is lighter and easier to transport. You can even find soft-sided backpack coolers, which are great for picnics, hikes and other day trips. If you need a large cooler, a rolling cooler is often the easiest design in terms of transportation.
Types of coolers
Aside from, electric coolers, insulated coolers, wheeled coolers, hard- and soft-sided coolers, there are also sub-categories of coolers. For example, among insulated coolers, there is a wide range of insulation materials, which impact how long a cooler might keep your items frozen or cold. Within the electric cooler category, there are both plug-in coolers, which need a constant outside energy source, and battery-operated coolers, which must be charged only intermittently.
If you are adding a beverage cooler to your deck or patio, you might also consider an outdoor fridge. Additionally, you and your guests can benefit from having a handy ice maker for those summer drinks, helping you create the outdoor oasis of your dreams.
Whether you’re picnicking, gearing up for a camping trip or outfitting your backyard for barbecue season, take time to calculate how much space you will need in your cooler. The best cooler for you will fit everything you want inside with room for ice and ice packs if needed. No matter the type, the right cooler should strike a balance between capacity, convenience and cooling performance.
