Small-ish coolers?

[rob_s]

There’s lots of cooler threads but this didn’t seem worthy of a necro so...

Looking for something in the 28-30 quart range. A few criteria

Lid needs to stay open when it’s open, and closed when it’s closed
Would prefer to have a drain
Don’t think Ineed the cost, complexity, bulk, weight, or ice retention of a rotomold (Yeti, Pelican, Rtic, Etc.)
Drink cutouts in the lid would be good, particularly if they’ll hold a 16 oz beer can...
prefer not to have latches on the lid, don’t want to have to use three hands to open the thing


I have had both of these and they suck and do not meet the criteria
https://www.coleman.com/all-coolers/hard-coolers/28-quart-coastal-xtreme-series-marine-cooler/col_3000001846_pr

https://www.coleman.com/all-coolers/hard-coolers/28-quart-cooler---blue/col_6278-718g_pr

[MGW]

Are you dead set on a hard cooler?

[rob_s]

Are you dead set on a hard cooler?

Yes. It needs to be hard. We have soft-side yetis and such and those won’t work here.

[rob_s]

I know I said no latches but this is the current front runner even with latches and without the drain...

https://engelcoolers.com/products/30qt-drybox-cooler

[Crawls]

I have one of the 26-Quart Ozark Trail High Performance Coolers from Walmart (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-26-Quart-High-Performance-Cooler/49229405?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=2233&&adid=22222222227038982942&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=80424840769&wl4=aud-393207457166:pla-177655523569&wl5=9008021&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=49229405&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjwoc_8BRAcEiwAzJevtVxbuKc9-wDg0klTD9LlhuVu9wbPaH_Tvtm_sKZJprQMWiEYj4eLOhoCpdc QAvD_BwE). One handed beverage retrieval can be a bit tricky but it will will keep freezer packs frozen solid for days. I like the carry handle, the built in bottle opener and the ability to throw a padlock on it if I need to.

[littlejerry]

I have the 52qt version of the Igloo BMX. It's held up much better than the cheapo Coleman coolers I've had in the past. The hinges are well designed and the rubber latches work well without being a PITA to use.

https://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Family-Technology-Tie-Down-Points/dp/B089ZDLDC8

[DMF13]

Larger than your 30 qts, but otherwise meets your criteria, and is available in P-T/P-F orange:

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/igloo-latitude-roller-60-qt-cooler#repChildCatSku=121319368&repChildCatid=7417503

I've had good luck using Igloo products.

Much more expensive, but other than latches, this meets all your criteria:

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/igloo-imx-24-qt-cooler#repChildCatid=6979071

[paherne]

I know I said no latches but this is the current front runner even with latches and without the drain...

https://engelcoolers.com/products/30qt-drybox-cooler

I've got one I take my lunch to work in. Not much of a cooler, more of a drybox. Not much insulation.

[TCB]

Pelican is the heat...I mean...really cool.

[rob_s]

Pelican is the heat...I mean...really cool.

Not picking on you, just using this last post as an example...

These are exactly what I don’t want
http://www.pelican.com/us/en/products/coolers

They are bog, expensive, bulky, hard to get into, and unnecessarily effective for what I’m looking for in this case.

The 30qt, for example
http://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/coolers/elite/30qt
It’s 18.5” x 25.3” x 19” and weighs 22 lbs empty and costs over $200

The Igloo marine ultra 30qt, by contrast
https://www.igloocoolers.com/products/44726-marine-ultra-30-qt-cooler-white
Is 16.82" x 18.42” x 13.26" and weighs 7.2 lbs and costs $30

In the case of the former, my kids can’t carry it, maybe can’t even open it, it won’t fit in as many places, and can’t be left behind in camp with any real sense that it’ll be there when we get back or that I won’t care if it’s gone.

[ranger]

We have good service with RTIC on our boating expeditions - we keep this smaller one in the cabin and have a much larger one on swim platform for long weekends.

https://rticoutdoors.com/shop/coolers/roto-molded/RTIC-20-Tan

[TCB]

Cool.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

Engel has a good reputation in the offshore fishing scene. If you're happy with the specs on that one, I'd say go for it.

Personally I use a 25l yeti knockoff. I believe the brand is Sub-Z. Its distinctive features were as follows:

Cheapest rotomold in its size range on Amazon the day I needed it.

I didn't expect to be a fan but it's become my most used cooler and I use coolers a lot, mostly because of the amount of time I spend either on the water or on a tiny island with no power. It is bulky and has no drink holders but stays open and closed when you want it to, has a drain, and the latches are one hand friendly. The only time I use two hands is if I've just dumped in a bunch of ice and then closed it. It develops a powerful vacuum and opening it is no joke. Sometimes you have to crack the drain.

Once it's hit temperature this goes away and you can open and close it at leisure.

[rob_s]

I know I said no latches but this is the current front runner even with latches and without the drain...

https://engelcoolers.com/products/30qt-drybox-cooler


I've got one I take my lunch to work in. Not much of a cooler, more of a drybox. Not much insulation.

I wonder if it's any worse than a Igloo Marine Ultra Cooler 30QT for $35 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008953C1M/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_0lVLFb0B2ZFHT)?

couple of guys seem to have kept ice at least as long as my current cheap-o

https://youtu.be/zFO_C1EkSw0

https://youtu.be/-fnQy-eOrSU?t=207

[rob_s]

has some things I'm not crazy about, but looks like finding a cooler this size with a drain is a bit of a stretch.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FLDK8TX/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A92P9BZO2SCX8&psc=1