What is the point of a summer road trip or camping trip if you’re not going to enjoy a nice chilled drink at the end of it from a car cooler?
The British weather doesn’t always go according to plan and those rain clouds normally come out just as you head off for a picnic at the beach. However, with a car cooler box, you can guarantee to arrive with fresh sandwiches and chilled drinks, whatever the weather decides to do. Or even turn up with hot drinks in chillier weather. Pass the scotch eggs, please.
A cooler box means you can enjoy food and drinks on the move. They’re perfect for picnics, brilliant for barbecues and also ideal on long car journeys. The cries of “Are we there yet?” from the back seat will be less frequent if a chilled drink is to hand. Cooler boxes are also great for preserving foodstuffs – keeping milk or cheese fresh, for example. Your investment could soon pay for itself if it prevents you throwing out old food.
The car cooler boxes UK
Coleman Xtreme Cooler
Editor’s choice
RRP £79.99 | VIEW OFFER
Coleman is a well-respected name in coolers, but its products are far more reasonably priced than some of the fancier options. If you’re after your first hard cooler box and need something dependable, look no further. With 26 litres of internal capacity, the Coleman makes use of HDPE plastic and foam insulation to keep food and drinks chilled for up to three days. It’s also tough. Case in point, the Xtreme Cooler is designed to also double as a seat with a maximum weight capacity of 113kg. The lid even features four recessed drink holders.
Pros
• Solid build quality and performance
• Good value for money
Cons
• Large size may overwhelm smaller cars
Specifications
Dimensions 31 x 20 x 33 cm
Weight 2.1kg
Capacity 26 litres
YETI Roadie 24 Cooler
The best premium cooler box
RRP £197 | VIEW OFFER
A more eye-catching way of keeping your egg and cress cool, YETI cooler boxes come in a range of vibrant colours and are packed full of innovative and ergonomic touches to make them a really worthwhile investment. Clever innovations in the 24 include a Heftyhauler handle for easier carrying, non-slip feet and a hinge that’s designed to never fail, all very useful features. The internals can fit a two-litre bottle of pop standing up and can hold up to 18 cans at capacity.
Pros
• Very ergonomic design
• Bank vault build quality
Cons
• Rather heavy
Specifications
Dimensions 43.4 x 36.3 x 45.7 cm
Weight 2.1kg
Capacity 26 litres
Thermos Radiance 12 Can Cooler Bag
The best small cooler
RRP £16.99 | VIEW OFFER
More of an insulated lunch bag than a proper cooler, the Thermos Radiance can still hold 12 cans and keep them cool for up to three hours. If you’re planning a long drive and don’t need too much sustenance, or are a smaller party of people, this can be a cost-effective way of getting cooled drinks. This bag makes use of both IsoTec insulation and reflective silver to do the cooling. The outside is also water resistant.
Pros
• Compact
• Excellent value for money
Cons
• Only three hours of cool time
Specifications
Dimensions 20.5 x 14.5 x 29 cm
Weight 225g
Capacity 8.5 litres
DOMETIC CoolFreeze CDF26 21-Litre Box
The best 12V cooler box
Price: RRP £489.99 | VIEW OFFER
Dimensions: 550mm (D) x 260mm (W) x 425mm (H)
Weight: 12kg
Sometimes being cool isn’t enough. If you want your drinks ice-cold, or your food frozen, only a portable car fridge/freezer box will do. The Dometic CoolFreeze holds a reasonable 21 litres, although a larger 31-litre option is available for a few extra pounds. Its main compartment is beneath a flip-up lid, with two drinks holders at the front. Internal temperature is adjusted via a touchpad and ranges from 10 to -18°C . At 12 kilos it’s not the sort of cooler to move several times in a day but does a great job planted at whichever site you have chose for it and it’s economical with power consumption.
AEG Board-Bar BK 6
Best cooler box for cold drinks
Price: RRP £105.28 | VIEW OFFER
Dimensions: 400mm (D) x 293mm (W) x 215mm (H)
Weight: 2kg
The compact AEG Board-Bar BK 6 is described as an ‘on-board bar’. And while we don’t condone drinking and driving, it’s perfect for a chilled lemonade or hot coffee in the comfort of your car. The main compartment holds six litres – enough for four 500ml bottles – and there are two additional bottle/can holders outside. The light 2kg weight and shoulder carrying strap make it well suited to adventures in the great outdoors, too. There’s even a compass on top, in case you get lost. AEG says it cools up to 20°C below ambient temperature and heats up to 65°C . Both 12v (car) and 230v (home) connectors are supplied. Larger volumes are also available.
Mobicool MT48W Coolbox
Best cooler box for families
Price: RRP £159.98 | VIEW OFFER
Dimensions: 532mm (D) x 400mm (W) x 452mm (H)
Weight: 7.9kg
Do you have a big family? Or enjoy a really big lunch? Then the Mobicool MT48W is for you. It swallows a banquet-sized 48 litres and has two wheels and a chunky fold-away handle, so you can pull it along like an aircraft flight case. The lid opens in two sections to minimise cooling loss, plus there are two removable dividers inside. Maximum chill is quoted at 16°C below ambient temperature. The box operates via a 12v car socket or the mains, but a 2-pin EU plug is supplied and you’ll need an adaptor. Though it weighs a bit, that is somewhat ofset by the addition of wheels.
What to consider when choosing a car cooler box
The traditional car cooler box is simply a spacious and well insulated container – we’ve featured one in the list below. Mainly, though, we have focused on powered 12V cool boxes that offer more effective heating/cooling and a greater temperature range.
These 12V cool boxes plug into your car’s cigarette lighter or the mains and draw a modest amount of power. You can also bolster their effectiveness with ice packs.
Choosing the right cooler depends primarily on how much space you need and your budget. But there are other factors to consider, such as portability and weight. Naturally, non-powered cool boxes are going to be lighter.
How much space do you need?
Car cooler boxes range from miniscule to massive. The smallest hold around five litres: enough for a couple of drinks and a pack of sandwiches. The largest will swallow about 40 litres: spacious enough for a big picnic.
Do you want to plug it in?
The simplest car coolers are just insulated boxes. Use ice packs and they can be pretty effective. However, a plug-in cooler – which uses your car’s cigarette lighter or the mains – is better still, especially for anything longer than day trips.
Do you only want cooling – or heating as well?
Some plug-in coolers also have variable temperature control to keep food or drinks warm. However, they’re certainly not ovens – so don’t expect to cook with them!
Does the cooler need to be easily portable?
Size is obviously a factor in how portable any cooler is. A smaller item could slot between passengers on the back seat. Larger boxes are rather bulky. Weight is a factor, too – especially if your picnic involves a hike first. Check this before you buy.
