I've observed that the electrification of any product brings with it a higher price for interested buyers. Case in point, everything from cars to bikes to coolers, once electrified, costs a lot more than their legacy counterparts. With that said, the benefits of a tool powered by electricity can't be understated.
With that said, if you're planning camping trips this summer and need a new cooler, I've set out to test a "regular" icebox-style cooler against Anker's new Solix EverFrost 2 to see how it fares in real-world use against the best coolers on the market. To begin testing, I picked up two coolers, a shameful number of cans of soda, a thermometer and several large bags of ice.
Here's what I discovered about performance, longevity, cooling capability and portability during my testing.
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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