Gone are the days of leaky-plastic coolers filled with half-melted ice. Now, there are more effective, stylish, and manageable ways to keep food cool on-the-go. Today’s coolers can handle any situation thanks to their durability and increased utility. Whether you are on a road-trip, camping, or simply need a portable cooler for entertaining, the modern convenience of 12 volt coolers is a sure step-up from that of the old models’.
Standard Use of a 12 volt cooler
12 volt coolers have two standard features; they keep food cool and are portable. How they achieve these goals differs wildly. This is a benefit to the consumer as it means that you can find a cooler that best meets your specific needs.
To start, consider what power sources you are most likely to use. For camping or adventures that are otherwise without outlets, it is essential to ensure the options you are considering can connect to your car’s battery or other alternative energy sources. If you are using your car battery, also consider features like power-saving modes that will help prevent your cooler from draining your car’s charge.
Regardless of how it charges, it is also essential to weigh how it uses that charge. All 12 volt coolers can keep food cool; some, however, are able to freeze food at temperatures around -4 degrees Fahrenheit while others cool relative to the surrounding. If you are looking for something to simply hold a bit of food for an afternoon, the latter will likely meet your needs just fine, but if you need something a little more serious, the former would be a better fit.
Just how portable do you need your cooler to be? 12 volt coolers come in a range of sizes, and those sizes have trade-offs. Smaller coolers will hold up to 15 quarts while larger ones can hold as much as 84 quarts. The bigger the cooler, however, the more it weighs. While larger coolers are still portable, they can weigh about 100 pounds while empty and thus might not be suited for traveling far.
Thanks to the materials of modern 12 volt coolers, they are all durable enough to carry about (even if some will be heavy). Often times, they have steel covering. This rough shell means you can carry your cooler over rocky and rough terrain without having to worry about punctures or dents. Coolers also sometimes have foam insulation that serves a dual purpose of keeping the heat out and the vitals protected.
Advanced features
Besides just serving as portable freezers and fridges, 12 volt coolers today can come with a variety of different perks. It is always vital to remember the size, temperature, and power-supply requirements you have, but the added bonuses that some coolers have can help set them apart.
Since 12 volt coolers all require outside power sources, some have realized that the cooler itself can serve as a charging port. This feature is especially useful for those who are camping and might otherwise be short a few outlets. These charging ports are often fitted for USB cords and are thus highly adaptable working with most phones and reading devices.
In addition to serving as charging ports, some coolers use extra power to introduce other features. Domestic makes a 12-volt cooler that not only has an internal LED light but also can connect to your devices on WIFI. Once hooked up to the WIFI, this cooler can communicate with your phone to give you temperature updates and provide other bits of useful information.
Rockpal’s 12 volt cooler only keeps food at 45 degrees or higher, but it comes with a food warming setting as well. With this cooler, you can keep food at a safe, cool temperature but are also prepared to keep food warm (a huge bonus on chilly days).
Not all features are power-reliant. Igloo makes a model that is distinct because it can be oriented in two different directions. With this feature, it is possible to use the cooler as a fridge one day and ice-chest the next. So, if you require a bit of organization, good ahead and stand it up. Alternatively, if you are chilling drinks to serve at a picnic, you can lay it flat and give your guests easy access to beverages.
All 12 volt coolers are portable, but what sets the Knox cooler and warmer apart is its’ wheels. This cooler looks more like the classic ones of old due to its’ blue exterior and white handle and wheels combo. It is, however, a far cry from whatever beat-up version still sits in your parent’s garage. Not only can it keep food warm, but the wheels here will also actually work. Instead of chunky white plastic wheels that somehow make the cooler both hard to carry and hard to roll, this new version has discreet wheels like those of a suitcase that allow for easy transport of even the heaviest loads.
Buying a 12 volt cooler
Today’s 12 volt coolers are functional and diverse. Whatever your specific needs are, there is a cooler to match them. Whether you are concerned with finding something light-weight and easy to carry or portable and sizable, there are options for you. This diversity in choices can seem a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, there are review sites, such as the outdoor pursuits, that provide reliable descriptions.
All of today’s 12 volt coolers are sleek and stylish, especially compared with the plastic monstrosities of the past. Their array of features is far more convenient than their boxy predecessors’. This new tech, however, doesn’t make them less durable; on the contrary, modern 12 volt coolers are built to last regardless of where your journey takes them.
