Before the heat consumes you on your next road trip, consider getting a car cooler. This is great for everyday travel. Forget about the conventional coolers that take a back seat and warms drink when you want it cold or cold drinks when you want them warm. The cooler/warmer is truly a gadget roadrunners fall in love with easily.
Other Uses
Car coolers can make travel much more convenient. Small babies or children especially can be difficult to travel with, and a car cooler can make bottles stay warm and snacks stay cold when necessary. These coolers don’t use ice, either, but instead use your car’s cigarette lighter for power. That means there’s no mess of melting ice. What you have is a portable fridge that’s convenient, streamlined, and neat. These can have amenities like insulated cup holders and room for dry items, too, meaning that you can use them for any type of storage — even for wipes and diapers if necessary.
Vans, too, can use this type of cooler, since you as the driver have cold drinks and snacks at the ready. There’s no need to stop for meals or to partake in unhealthy fast food drive-throughs. Instead, you can stay on the road and get more done. If you’re driving a little car, you get more storage space. With the pluses car coolers can give you, why would you get on the road without one?
Features and Brands
Igloo 2707 Kool Cruiser holds a maximum load of 18 quarts and is tall enough to take on up to 3 liter bottles. The little wonder is lightweight yet cools up to 40°F below outdoor temperature and operates quietly. The lightweight grey-white cooler boasts of a replaceable thermoelectric lid. The unit comes with a 12 VDC power. This can be adjusted to cool/warm function. The problem with this cooler is the need to frequently replace the motor.
The Koolatron is featured next, and is a competitor to Igloo. It’s better in some cases, and has no necessity for frequent motor replacements. The lid, however, can begin to “chip” with constant use, opening and closing. However, if you only use the cooler infrequently, this won’t be a drawback for you. You simply plug the Koolatron into your car’s 12 V cigarette lighter for power, although you should be aware that this can cause some overheating for some of these coolers, similar to the Igloo. Its cooling temperature is a steady 40 degrees F.
The Wagan EL 2577 7-liter fridge/warmer is another option, and you can keep both drinks and food at perfect temperatures. You don’t need ice to keep things cool, so you have more room for snacks and drinks. Perfect for families who are always “on the go.”
How to Choose Your Cooler
With a long road trip ahead, whether you’ve got little ones with you or not, car coolers can make things much easier. Instead of stopping often for food or making unhealthy and expensive “drive-through” fast food choices, you can stay on the road and save your money. A hard cooler is best for long trips.
Soft coolers are good for short trips, but they’re only suitable for a few bottles of cold drinks and sandwiches. They can leak, which means they won’t be perfect for long-term situations. You also need to consider how many people are going to be using the cooler when you make your choice. There are lots of travel cooler designs available, and different brands and sizes to choose from, too. There’s a lot to choose from, so you won’t have any problem finding something perfect for you. Which one is the best cooler?
Tags: