PLAYING IT COOL - WHICH ICE CHEST IS BEST?
(Reprinted Courtesy of Trailer Boats Magazine)
By Ron Ballanti
We put a six-pack
of coolers through a grueling shoot-out to see which chest is best
 When you think about it, ice chests play a critical role in the boating
experience. It doesn't matter whether you're fishing, cruising with the
family or towing your buddies around on 'skis and wakeboards - sooner
or later, you're going to reach into the cooler to satisfy the thirst
and hunger that are a natural result of having all that fun. When you
do, the last thing you want to pull out is tepid soda or balmy bologna.
No matter how many fish you've caught, how flat the water was or how beautiful
the sunset, an experience like that can ruin your day faster than you
can flip a pop top.
Fundamentally, ice chests haven't changed much over the years. They remain
big boxes you fill with ice to keep things cold. That's not to say there
haven't been improvements.
Not only are today's models lighter, stronger and easier to care for,
enhanced designs and better insulation enable them to keep things colder
for longer periods. Some models, in fact, claim to maintain ice for five
days, even in temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is exactly why Trailer Boats decided to round up a six-pack of popular
ice chests suitable for boating use. Coleman and Igloo provided several
ice chests at our request, while a Rubbermaid model was purchased for
our evaluation. Then, using our own "fun-and-sun" simulation, we put 'em
to the test.
COLD, HARD FACTS
What better way to see which chests could really keep their cool than
to submit them to the blistering summer heat of Southern California's
San Fernando Valley? Midday temperatures in the mid-90s are a foregone
conclusion and triple-digit readings don't raise an eyebrow.
We'll be the first to admit this wasn't exactly scientific research. We
did, however, attempt to keep this as much of an apples-to-apples comparison
as possible. Cooler capacities are not uniform between manufacturers and
styles, so we strove to keep as narrow a range as possible, ultimately
testing ice chests ranging from 48 to 68 quarts. Interior shapes also
differed - some were taller and narrower, while others were shorter and
wider - so the placement of ice and perishables could not be exactly uniform.
If the cooler came with removable shelves, we tested them with the shelves
in place.
Our lineup included Coleman's 54-quart Steel Belted Cooler, 68-quart Marine
Ice Chest and 50-quart Xtreme Wheeled Cooler. We also tested Rubbermaid's
48-quart model and Igloo's 54-quart Marine and 50-quart MaxCold. The Coleman
Xtreme and Igloo MaxCold are both models that the manufacturers claim
will hold ice (and cool temperatures) for five days, so we were particularly
interested to see if they lived up to this claim under our rigorous testing
conditions.
While the ice chests were not identical, efforts were made to keep the
playing field level. We started by filling each chest with three 10-pound
blocks of ice. It's widely recognized that if your goal is to keep ice
over an extended period, block ice is your best bet. Burying drinks in
cubed or shaved ice will definitely keep them colder, but the ice will
melt much more quickly.
In addition to 30 pounds of ice, we added a six-pack of
sodas, a package of hot dogs and a quart of milk to each cooler. These
helped absorb the cold and provided a gauge of how well items in the chest
were being kept cool. Finally, a stainless steel, restaurant-grade thermometer
- placed as close as possible to the center of the ice chest and away
from direct contact with the ice - was used to measure the temperature
inside each cooler.
LET IT BAKE
Common sense tells you that any ice chest will perform better if it's
kept in a cool, shady place. The last place you'd want to keep it
is in direct sunshine or in a hot, poorly ventilated area such as inside
a boat locker or the cargo area of an SUV. But let's face it - that's
where coolers often end up, despite our best intentions. And since our
goal was to push these coolers to their limits, we positioned them where
they'd be in nearly constant sunlight and left them out for five days.
Every day at noon, we measured each ice chest's
performance on two points. First, we gauged the amount of ice that had
melted based on the water we drained into a measuring cup. Second, we
recorded readings from each in-cooler thermometer. Because we took our
measurements during the hottest part of the day (the average high during
the five-day test was 93 degrees), great care was taken to move quickly
and keep the lids open as little as possible.
Based on advice from the manufacturers, we measured the amount of melt-off
and quickly returned it to each chest. Cold water helps keep the chest
and its contents cold, and cooler manufacturers say it should only be
drained off when necessary for convenient removal of contents or before
adding more ice. This is important, as the amount of water drained off
each day in our test represents a cumulative total of new melt combined
with the volume from the previous days.
How do we feel about the results of our shoot-out? Pretty cool,
if you'll pardon the pun. Considering what we put them through, all of
the coolers performed well, holding at least some ice for a minimum of
three days. And it's safe to assume that when the chests are kept in a
cool, shady place, the results would be considerably better than what
we found here.
TEST NOTES
At 68 quarts, Coleman's smallest Marine ice chest offered spacious interior
dimensions and rope-and-wood carrying handles that look nautical and should
be nearly unbreakable. The 54-quart Igloo Marine featured stout, fold-down plastic handles and an available upholstered
cushion that - when attached to the lid with the provided adhesive Velcro
strips - turns the ice chest into a handy boat seat. Although it didn't
make it to Day 4, it stayed slightly colder and kept more ice through three days than the other "standard" coolers.
One cooler that was at a disadvantage in the direct sun was Coleman's
Steel Belted model. A virtual sun magnet, its stainless steel exterior
became extremely hot to the touch - undoubtedly hurting its performance
in this test scenario. Since coolers are often used as impromptu seats,
keeping it on deck may not be a wise move. Yowza! In the right environment,
however, this ice chest should have a lot to offer. Its gleaming retro
design is attractive and rugged (we especially liked the beefy metal latch).
On Day 3, the Rubbermaid was the first to run out of ice - but not by
much. The smallest and least expensive of the group, it stayed close to
others in its class and could still deliver a frosty, if wet, drink at
the end of its run. For the bargain price, you do sacrifice things such
as a locking latch and replaceable handles. On the positive side, it does
have a removable food tray and the inside of the lid accepts commercially
available "refreezing bottles."
PICKING THE BEST CHEST
In the end, our test showed that the five-day-rated chests do a better
job of keeping their cool than ordinary chests, and that this advantage
becomes more pronounced over time. Even in the baking summer sun, these
units maintained ice and reasonably cool internal temperatures for the
length of the test.
While both performed admirably, the Coleman Xtreme edged the Igloo MaxCold
in a photo finish. Both kept their promise of holding ice after five days (Coleman told us it plans
on introducing six- and seven-day-rated Ultimate Xtreme coolers in 36- and 62-quart sizes). The Xtreme
we tested featured wheels and an extended handle for easier transportation,
although offshore boaters might prefer the 58-quart, standard version.
Although it came in a close second, the MaxCold features noticeably thicker
walls, along with a reflective ice-blue exterior that the company says
keeps temperatures down.
Another feature we liked was its large-diameter drain with a secure screw-on
cap instead of the snap-on type.
For not much more or about the same price as the standard chests, the
Xtreme and MaxCold are clearly a cut above the rest, and would be excellent
choices for hot climates or extended trips where food and drinks need
to be kept on ice for several days.
Based on our observations, any of the coolers would do a good job of keeping things cold on shorter trips or in cooler climates - and in this scenario, might provide better value.
So, there you have it. Next time you're packing your ice chest with drinks,
snacks and food for a fun day on the water, please remember the hot, hard
work that went into this story. And if you think of it, take time to crack
open a cold one and toast Trailer Boats' hard-working product testers.
Ice Station Zebra
If you follow some general guidelines and common sense tips, you can greatly
improve any cooler's chilling capabilities and extend the life of your
ice chest.
- To extend ice, prechill drinks and food before placing them in an ice
chest. For example, just cooling down a six-pack from room temperature
can melt 11/2 pounds of ice.
- Begin with as much ice as you can fit in the cooler. Use block ice or
plastic bottles filled with frozen water if you want long-lasting ice,
crushed ice if you want to cool drinks and food fast.
- Don't drain the ice water as it helps retain cold temperatures inside
the cooler and preserves the ice much better than air space. Use the cooler's
food tray to keep food dry, or place items in air-tight plastic containers
or zip-seal bags.
- When cooling cans and bottles, put the ice in last on top of the items.
This will keep your drinks colder as cool air travels down.
- If you keep the cooler in the shade, your ice can last twice as long.
Avoid leaving an ice chest in a closed car or camper shell, as the heat
buildup causes rapid meltdown.
- At the end of each trip, clean your cooler with a mild soap solution,
rinse well and dry. For stubborn stains, you can use a highly diluted
bleach solution. Don't submerge your cooler, however, as this allows water
to penetrate air voids, causing mold and mildew.
For more cool tips, contact:
Coleman, Dept. TBM, 3600 N. Hydraulic St., Wichita, KS 67219; 800/835-3278;
coleman.com
Igloo, Dept. TBM, 1001 W. Sam Houston Parkway N., Houston, TX 77043;
800/364-5566; igloocoolers.com
Rubbermaid, Dept. TBM, 1147 Akron Road, Wooster, OH 44691; 888/895-2110;
rubbermaid.com |
