A thermoelectric cooler box is one of the most important equipment in a camp environment. From our experience, it is important to carefully examine the features of a particular product to make sure it will match up to the conditions under which you will be using it.
Capacity: the size of your travel cooler box matters a lot, especially if you have a family to feed. A large cooler is important if you are a serial picnicker or typically like to pack a large quantity of food up front.
It’s worth knowing that a fridge will work better if it is kept as full as possible. This is because it can withstand the door being open far better than an empty one, so try and buy with that in mind. No point in having a massive fridge on-site if you’re only going to put a pint of milk and a couple of scotch eggs in it!
Insulation: From our testing, not all electric cool boxes can reliably keep food and drinks sufficiently chilled if it’s warm outside. This can be due to a puny fan or, more often poor insulation.
We recommend looking for polyurethane foam as it is an excellent insulator. Check the interior of the electric cooler box to see if it’s divided into distinct compartments, especially those that can allow you to slot in additional ice packs if you want to be usable on non-powered day trips.
Weight and portability: the ease of walking around with the cool box is an important consideration if you are planning some picnic trips away from the campsite. If you are always on the move, perhaps a lighter, portable cooler box (a mini fridge) might suit you best. For portability, wheels and handles are very important. If it is non-wheeled, lacks a proper handle, and looks smaller in size, then it isn’t a portable box. Remember that the weight of the box itself is only of partial consideration–it’s how heavy it will be when filled to the brim with grub and champers!
Electric connectivity: 12V connections are a real advantage if you’re planning on running your cooler box off a leisure battery, however, we found that they don’t always cool quite as well as a 240V main powered unit. Also, check that a cigarette lighter socket lead is also included so you can run the cooler box in your car when traveling to the destination. In this way, you can pre-cool it at home and then keep it cooling while you drive.
Warranty and reputable seller: We’ve learned that buying from a reputable seller is important for powered camping gear in particular. Electric cooler boxes don’t typically go wrong (think how long the fridge in your house has lasted), but it’s useful to buy from a shop that will honor a warranty. The market is awash with lots of knock-offs, mostly sold cheaply and without a reliable warranty.
If you would like to find out more about Kelylands thermoelectric cooler boxes, please feel free to leave a message online, chat with our team on WhatsApp +86 170 5109 5790 or send us an email at sales@kelylands.com. We always welcome your inquiries.