Best Cooler for Ice Retention
What are the Best Coolers That Keep Ice the Longest?
Coolers are good and efficient alternatives to fridges. They can keep different amounts of your food or drinks fresh and cool for varied durations. A straight advantage that coolers always bag you is the simple cooling systems; they do not require electricity to run and can therefore be used wherever you are or want to go.
Since coolers depend on ice to keep your food at the desired temperature, their levels of ice retention will vary. This means that different coolers will serve you for different lengths. Powerful models have higher ice retention and will therefore run for longer hours.
But what is this ice retention? In simple terms, it means the ability of your cooler to keep ice. High ice retention equals lesser rate of ice-melting, while low retention equals faster rate of ice-melting. Several factors determine how well your system can keep the ice.
These factors, among others, are important to have in mind while shopping for the best coolers for ice retention. How else, however, can you make your shopping more hassle-free, beneficial and even fun? This article will discuss plenty on coolers for ice retention, beginning with the top products in the market.
Our list may not be the only list out there, but we will discuss each product, look at their strengths and weaknesses, and why we think they are the best in the market. Here are the five products:
Top Coolers for Ice Retention List
| ① Otterbox Venture -TOP PICK |  |
| ② Kong Coolers |  |
| ③ Technilce Coolers |  |
| ④ Siberian Alpha Series |  |
| ⑤ ORCA Coolers |  |
① Otterbox Venture
One of the impressive things about Otterbox is the duration it can keep your food fresh and cool. Its ice retention is at 14 days, which can drop to 10 depending on the climate of the place you’re using it in. Warmer surroundings may give you 5-7 days of efficiency.
Unlike rotomolded ice coolers, this injection model gives more attention to design. Its rubber latches, cam style, will come handy in mounting, and if you’re looking for products manufactured in the USA, then the Otterbox is for you! Its quality is top-level, and it also comes with a limited lifetime guarantee.
Does it have any setbacks? Well, you may not like its price. Coolers are meant to be cheaper, more affordable alternatives to fridges. A costly cooler beats this idea, and the Otterbox does come pricey. It has limited color options, and you may also find it to be space consuming due to its protruding side handles.
Pros
- 14 days ice retention
- High quality
- Lifetime guarantee
Cons
- Pricey
- Space consuming
② Kong Coolers
Made in the USA, the Kong coolers come in high quality and a lifetime warranty. They haven’t been in the market as long as Engel and YETI brands, but their designs don’t differentiate them as much. You may actually find the Kong ice retention to be better, and consistent.
There isn’t much difference between the Kong and the aforementioned Otterbox, save for the size of the former. Kong appears slightly bigger, but that’s just about the one major difference between the two.
Kong coolers have a good ice retention of up to or more than six days, and larger models could even go up to or exceed 10 days. These are high-end coolers that is sure to not disappoint. Rotomolded, you should find them to be quite durable. They are also bear proof and have both a freezer grade gasket and non-slip feet.
Most people love the thick and beefy lid latches. Opposed to the YETI’s rope handles, these coolers come with thick plastic handles, which you should find easier to carry. You can also use these handles with the Kong Kicker to make your cooler side tables, which should create more room for preparations.
One setback that you may find with the Kong is its availability. Since it’s still new in the market, it hasn’t been made as available in enough stores, save from Amazon.
Pros
- Lifetime warranty
- Great ice retention
- Big beefy latches
Cons
- Limited color options
- Limited availability
③ Technilce Coolers
Technilce is an Australian brand of coolers with really good ice retention. It can keep your food cool and fresh for seven to nine days, or slightly more. You may love it for its insulation, which is super thick. It comes measuring 3 inches, which as compared to the common 2 inches, delivers amazing results.
It also has 2 gaskets, freezer-grade, which help with maintaining temperature. Black is a good absorber of heat, and a good emitter as well. White, on the other hand, takes time to absorb heat but once it does, it retains the heat longer.
Following this simple science, the Technilce coolers come in white color. Its design is not the best, but no such compromise is made on ice retention and cooling. One of the setbacks of this product is that it hasn’t been well-distributed across online stores.
Actually, finding it elsewhere save Technilce’s online store may be tricky. As such, this brand is not well-known by many. While that shouldn’t determine the authenticity of a product, it would help if there was more on it.
Pros
- Good ice retention
- Super thick insulation
- Two freezer-grade gaskets
Cons
- Technilce is not a well-known brand
- It doesn’t have the best appearance
④ Siberian Alpha Series
If you’re looking to shop budget-consciously, then this Siberian Alpha Series may be the ice retention cooler you’re looking for. This is one of the products whose manufacturers keep making changes and improvements, and isn’t it good to have such a considerate and value-focused company?
You may love the small profile with this cooler, which is enhanced by the pull-down metal latches, recessed into the cooler’s body. Its handle is of nylon rope, and it also comes with a freezer-grade gasket and non-slip feet. It has good ice retention of 7 to 9 days
You should, generally, like the Siberian Alpha series for being a great cooler. Does it have any setbacks? Like any other product, it has a few. If you have a thing for USA-made products, then this may disappoint you. It is also available in few color options.
Pros
- Affordable
- It’s a dynamic product
- Great ice retention
Cons
- It’s not USA-made
- Only few color options available
⑤ ORCA Coolers
This is a cooler whose glory days are still in the minds of those who started using ice coolers before the generation of Kong and Otterbox. It still is a good choice to go for, that’s why it found a place in our list of the best five in ice retention, with a duration of 6-9 days.
The ORCA has great ice retention and a generally good build, delivering impressive performance over the year. USA-made, these coolers are among the best with a lifetime warranty. If you’ve been drawn to the Yeti before, then you may want to give ORCA a chance, with a similar design.
You will, hopefully, love this model because it is cheaper and available in a wide variety of colors and sizes. This is a big brand name of licensed cooler, which means that you can always get an ORCA with any of your favorite MLB, NFL or NHA team. You may love this product!
Does it have any setbacks? The ORCA come quite pricey.
Pros
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Wide variety of colors and sizes available
- Good build
Cons
- Pricey
You may not feel that you need a cooler, until you’re taking some cold food in the afternoon from work, or pass through the cafeteria and just “don’t feel like it.” If you are a hiker or a picnic fan, then you probably cannot imagine how your time out there will be without a cooler.
Ice coolers are easy to have with you, and they can get the job done just as decent as a fridge or freezer would. One of the critical determinants to keep in check with these coolers, however, is ice. If the ice all melts, then your cooling drops gradually to zero. You could refresh the ice every time it melts.
Before you do so, however, it’s important that you note how long it takes before your cooler needs fresh ice. There are many coolers available out there, and they can keep your food cool for different amounts of time. The best coolers will, definitely, serve you longer.
It should also have a few more features that will help maintain the temperature within the insulation compartment. Most other things that you could watch out for, will depend on your preference. What do would you like from an ice cooler?
If its appearance would mean something to you, then it wouldn’t cause any harm to get a catchy model. Why don’t we have a look at more factors that you should consider when shopping for the best coolers for ice retention?
Size
The size of your ice cooler is important to consider, since it will determine a few more things. Large coolers will retain ice longer than small coolers. A larger cooler, however, will eat up more space. So, here, you’ll have to decide what will take the day.
A large cooler is not easy to carry, despite providing more storage space. Undoubtedly large storage can be desirable, but often not in the expense of maneuverability. Here too, you’ll have to decide what works better for you.
Coolers come in varied sizes and shapes. Consider all of a product’s features before making the final decision on what to go for.
Insulation
Your cooler’s insulation is something to consider. Thick insulation will ensure that very little to no heat is lost or gained by the cooler or whatever is in it. Thin insulations may get the job done, but only for a short period. Combined with other features, good insulation should serve you optimally.
Most models have an insulation of only about 2mm thick. While this is great, others have a thickness of up to 3mm. If you would like better results, you definitely should go for the thicker models. They always have plenty, good reasons with them.
Quality
You would want to use your cooler for a long time, especially if you depend on it for a regular basis. It’s best that you get a durable model, with a strong build. Avoid getting repairs, or your food cold sooner than you were hoping, while you could avoid it sooner with a good-quality cooler.
A top-level cooler isn’t marked so, and most products will claim to have what it takes even when they don’t. How then do you choose the best from the available? Look at the materials used in construction; they should be sturdy enough. Also, check if other customers have said anything on the same.
Appearance
Does a product’s appearance affect your possibility of purchasing it? Some people feel more drawn to beautiful things, and catchy designs. They like something interesting, and hopefully pleasing to the eyes. On the other hand, some manufacturers put performance before appearance.
You must have come across a product or more, that don’t have the looks, but have great power. Others will have both. If you simply cannot go for anything less impressive, then you could always look for a preferred design. If you wouldn’t mind a simple design, then you may have higher chances of bagging better pleasing results.
Warranty
A product’s warranty will cover any damage to it within the stipulated period. Some warranties cover all kinds of repairs, while others are specific to only manufacturing faults/errors. Any fault of your own, in such a case, may not guarantee a free replacement or fix.
You should get a covered product, so that you’ll have an easier time with help should anything go wrong within the early years of purchase. Each brand may offer the same or varied warranties; this shouldn’t give you a hard time. If you don’t know the differences, then you can consider other factors that directly affect the functionality or performance of your system.
Price
How much do you intend to spend? That is always a good question to ask yourself whenever you’re shopping for a cooler with good ice retention. This will give you a range of products that are possible to purchase, and will also help with eliminating what won’t work for you.
It is, however, a good idea to hold on to the slightly costly products. At times, a product’s features may be worth whatever price it goes for. You always hold the final decision, so take your time to consider before you choose.
The line here is that you shouldn’t be afraid to spend more than you had budgeted for, while keeping in mind how critical affordability is. There’s no need to strain if you can’t manage to buy; you can always find something manageable.
You now have top ice retention coolers in the market, and a guide on the factors you should consider while shopping for them. Is that all you need? Well, you can simply walk to a store for a start, or visit one online. It’s good to have a look at what you intend to buy.
Keep the above discussions in mind so that going through your options doesn’t feel confusing or hard. Shopping should be fun, and a cooler is no exception to that. What you’ll find satisfactory should win the day. Remember to check how much you can afford to spend, so that you don’t end up overdoing it.
While ice retention is what you’re looking for, it’s also a good idea to confirm how much of it you need. You may be looking for something to use fresh on a daily basis, so seven days won’t do you much good. You may, on the other hand, have greater requirements that will exceed seven days.
While checking ice retention for each cooler, keep in mind that you’ll not be stacking your unit with only ice, because of your food and drinks. So, expect them to be less efficient at times, with a day or two. Some units are powerful enough, nonetheless, to serve you as advertised or even better!
Bottom Line
Do you need a cooler with good ice retention? Definitely! Is it easy to find the best from the available brands? Well, it can get confusing and time-consuming; in this article, we’ve looked at our list of the best models available out there. Keep in mind factors to consider before or during your next shopping.
A good cooler for ice retention should have certain key features to ensure it can hold the ice for long enough. It a good idea to have a list, either in your mind or paper, of the things you’re looking for in an ice retention cooler. List even the obvious things! That will help with narrowing down to a desirable product.
All that said, I would like to recommend the Otterbox Venture. Its ice retention is at 14 days, which can drop to 10 depending on the climate of the place you’re using it in. Warmer surroundings may give you 5-7 days of efficiency.
Unlike rotomolded ice coolers, this injection model gives more attention to design. Its rubber latches, cam style, will come handy in mounting. It is manufactured in the USA, and its quality is top-level. The Otterbox also comes with a limited lifetime guarantee.
