The Coolest Cooler started out as a Kickstarter project that received over $13 million in funding, and now it’s available for purchase starting at $249.99. With neat features like a built-in blender, LED light, USB charger, weather-resistant Bluetooth speaker, and more, the Coolest Cooler lives up to its name. Read on to learn more from our hands-on review.
My initial impression after taking the Coolest Cooler out of the box was that it was extremely well made. The cooler feels heavy-duty, and the retro design is a really nice touch. My second impression was that it was a fairly heavy cooler on its own. Weight aside, I can’t wait to show it off on the beach next summer.
Showing off the blender lid
The capacity of the Coolest Cooler is around 60 quarts, which ends up being around 66 12-ounce cans plus room for ice. That’s a good capacity for a two-day camping trip or a day trip to the beach. The technology features, including the battery, take up a decent amount of space in the cooler, but as long as you’re comfortable with the amount of storage space, you’ll be happy with the cooler. Pictured below is 47 12-ounce cans, all the cans I had in the house, with room to spare.
Can capacity is approximately 66 cans plus ice.
The extra-wide wheels are ready for adventures on many terrains, especially sand. They’re rubberized for great traction on any surface and will help you get from your car to your spot on the beach with ease. Speaking of travel, the telescoping aluminum handle is solid and feels like it can handle heavy loads.
Check out these thicc wheels
While transporting your cooler, the done-in-one tie-down bungee allows you to tie down a ton of gear on top of your cooler to keep it safe and sound while on the move. This bungee is huge so it’ll allow you to strap down all of your stuff so you can unpack your car in just one trip, hence the “done-in-one” name. Another option to transport your Coolest Cooler is by using the double-wide handles whether by yourself or teamed up with a friend; they’re made extra wide to make your grip confident and comfortable.
Telescoping aluminum handle
Built into the front of the cooler is a secret compartment called the accessory deck where you can keep the weather-resistant Bluetooth speaker or your keys, wallet, cell phone, etc. Another item you can keep inside your accessory deck is the included corkscrew, a very nice touch by Coolest. Next to the accessory deck is a magnetic bottle opener, the bottom of the bottle opener is magnetic, so it’ll grab the bottle caps on their way down so you don’t litter.
The accessory deck and magnetic bottle opener
The included Bluetooth speaker is splash proof and is built with a shock-absorbing rubberized case. It has recessed buttons and sports an 8-hour rechargeable battery. It also features dual drivers and a resonator plate for maximum bass and volume. Another feature of the Bluetooth speaker is that it supports Party Pairing, which lets you connect another Bluetooth speaker up to 30 feet away to create stereo sound for outdoor parties. As far as sound quality goes, the speaker isn’t top of the line, but it’ll get the job done, especially when you’re outside with other competing noise.
Matching plastic plates and ceramic knife
In addition to all of the above, you also get a set of four plastic plates and a ceramic knife that are stored neatly into the top of the cooler itself. The plates simply slide into a custom-designed slot while the knife is protected from accidents by a spring-loaded holster within the top. Also included is a divider that fits perfectly into the center of the cooler so that you can separate your cocktail ice from your meat-chilling ice. The divider doubles as a cutting board! The guys at Coolest Coolers have really thought of everything, because what good is a knife without a cutting board, right?
Interior of cooler, showing removable divider/cutting board
All of the above features are included at the base price of $249.99, which is a great value on its own. However, Coolest has some add-ons that are worth their additional price points. First is the Blender add-on that includes the blender, LED lid light, and battery USB charger. Adding the Blender-add on brings the price up to $399.99. Another add-on is the solar USB charger, which includes a solar charging lid, bartop table, and magnestible utensils. If you add the solar USB charger option to the base price, it’ll bring the cost to $349.99. If you add BOTH add-ons, you’ll be up to $499.99.
All of the accessories, including a removable and rechargeable battery, battery charger, Bluetooth speaker, and charging/aux cables.
The blender is a great addition for those hot summer days at the beach. The blender fits perfectly onto the lid and you just squeeze the trigger on the lid and it’ll crush ice. The blender doesn’t rival a Vitamix by any means, but it’ll help you enjoy a mean frozen margarita by the sea. The blender jar and top are made of plastic, so you won’t have to worry about glass breaking. The blades are easily removable for cleaning.
LED light in the lid
The LED lid light is a nice touch when you’re searching for that beverage at night on a camping trip. The Battery USB charger is a great add-on for long trips where you don’t want to carry to many miscellaneous items. The USB jack is on the rear of the cooler and is protected from the elements by a silicone stopper. All of the electronic features use the same rechargeable battery that’s stored in the lid. The battery itself is fairly heavy, so if you know you’re not going to use the blender, light, or USB charger, you can leave the battery at home and save some weight.
USB jack in the rear so you can keep your phones charged.
The Solar USB Charger is exactly what it sounds like. It comes with a lid with a solar panel built into it that can be used to charge phones, Bluetooth speakers, etc. The solar lid is waterproof and removable and puts out 1 Amp of power in direct sunlight. In addition, it comes with a bartop table that clips onto the extended aluminum handle to sit just around table height so you don’t need to stoop down to grab your drink. Finally, this add-on also includes four sets of Magnestible utensils, which are forks, spoons, and knives that with magnetic handles that snap together into the lid for easy storage. My review sample didn’t include the solar option, as it’s a new feature, however Co,olest says your cooler can be upgraded with the new features at any time.
Solar lid option. Photo courtesy of Coolest.
The Coolest Cooler will be the hottest accessory come spring/summer. It’s absolutely perfect for camping, sporting events, tailgating, or beach trips. I’m already planning a beach vacation just so I have an excuse to use my Coolest cooler again! The Coolest cooler is extremely well designed and durable. Using a polyurethane foam insulation that has great thermal retention and resistant to moisture, the cooler will retain ice up to 5 days! Using rust-resistant stainless steel hardware and impact resistant polyethylene shell, the Coolest cooler is made to last.
You can purchase your Coolest cooler directly from the manufacturer at Coolest. While you’re there, check out their soft-sided Vibe coolers for a different style of cooler, in 18 and 30-can sizes.
Source: The Coolest Cooler with blender add-on was a manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Incredibly well designed; Great features; Multipurpose, Swiss Army Knife of coolers; Quality construction; Great ice retention
What Needs Improvement: Slightly heavy; Can get expensive if you add all extras
