Keeping drinks and food cold is important if you're camping, especially in hotter and drier climates. Though a portable power station hooked up to a minifridge can help, it's not the most power-efficient option compared with either an electric cooler or a traditional icebox. I set out to test a "regular" icebox-style cooler -- specifically, RTIC's icebox -- against Anker's new Solix EverFrost 2 to see how it would fare in real-world use against the best coolers on the market.
Recently, I tested a batch of 11 new coolers, and also several electric coolers and ice coolers, but I also wanted to do a more direct comparison between the two types. To that end, I picked up two coolers, a shameful number of cans of soda, a thermometer, and several large bags of ice and took my family on a camping trip.
Here's what I discovered during my testing, about cooler performance, longevity, cooling capability and portability.
Electric vs. traditional ice cooler compared
Product Name Anker Solix EverFrost 2 (40L) RTIC 45 QT Ultra-Tough Cooler Internal size 42 quarts 45 quarts Empty weight 50.71 pounds 29.5 pounds Battery 288Wh battery N/A Runtime 52 hours (one battery), 4.3 days (dual battery) 5 days (following cooling tips) Recharge Solar, car, wall outlet, USB-C N/A Temperature range -4 degrees to 68 degrees Fahrenheit Variable Price (MSRP) $900 $300
Electric coolers:
Electric coolers are basically small, battery-powered refrigerators. They use a cooling element to lower the temperature in their compartments, as opposed to traditional ice. They can hold ice but the main attraction is you don't need it to keep your food and drinks cool.
Pros
No ice needed
No mess/melted ice
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