Published by Programme B
Do you take part in outdoor events such as picnics very frequently? If yes, then one item you will always need is a cooler. In the absence of a cooler, an outdoor event might be considered incomplete.
When shopping for a cooler, there are certain things you have to consider. Read on to find out what they are.
Cooler Size
There is a difference between the size of the cooler and its storage capacity. While the storage capacity of a cooler is responsible for what it can contain, the size of a cooler is its overall size. The size of a cooler has a direct impact on how easily it can be handled. If it is big, then transporting it might be a bit challenging. Furthermore, if the cooler is too big, you might not be able to fit it into your vehicle.
While the size of a cooler can have a negative effect on how easily it can be moved around, thicker coolers are known to be bigger.
If you are looking at buying a cooler that will last you a long time and also keep ice stored for longer periods, you will need to buy coolers with thick walls. While this is the norm, coolers with thick walls can be quite big and transporting them might not be the easiest thing to do. With this in mind, when buying a cooler, you should have a concrete plan for transporting it before going ahead to buy one.
If you do not have a concrete plan for transporting it, you might end up not buying the right cooler as you will struggle to move it from one place to another.
To ensure that issues of transporting a cooler are sorted out easily, you can go ahead and buy a soft-sided cooler. When moving a soft-sided cooler around, its dimensions can be altered a little to make it take up less space than it can. Also, if a soft-sided cooler is empty or almost empty, it can be compressed and made to take little to no space. On the other hand, if a cooler is made from hard plastic sides, its dimensions cannot be altered even in the slightest way.
Storage Size
The storage size of a cooler should not be mistaken for its actual size. The storage size is simply the quantity of content it can accommodate. The storage size of a cooler covers both non-insulated, as well as insulated storage space. With this in mind, if a large cooler as advertised as having a certain storage size, that does not imply that this entire storage space can be used in keeping items cold.
It is not a break from the norm for a cooler to have some space dedicated to storing cold drinks and another space dedicated to storing drinks that are not cold. If you want to have just cold drinks in your cooler, this might not seem like a very good feature. However, if you are looking at having both cold drinks and drinks that are not cold, this feature is one that will favor you.
Still, on size, you will need to put the size of items you are looking to store into consideration before going ahead to buy a cooler.
Look Out for Material
Coolers are made from various materials. Due to this, you need to be certain of what the various materials used for making coolers are before going ahead to pay for one.
Some of the materials that are used in making coolers are rubber, fabrics, metal, and plastic.
Rubber: Coolers made with rubber do not have a design that is entirely made from rubber. They only have rubber implemented in certain parts. The presence of rubber in certain areas of a cooler can create the right barrier between the box and the lid. In addition to being used to create a tight barrier between the box and the lid, rubber is used in making handles so gripping is easier. Furthermore, if the cooler features wheels, these wheels can be made from rubber.
When looking to buy a cooler, always note that rubber can only be used in making parts if the cooler and not entirely every part of the cooler.
Fabrics: Fabrics are usually used in making important parts of soft-sided coolers. The type of fabric you should look out for when buying a cooler is dependent on how much you are looking to spend. If you are looking to spend just a couple of dollars, you can buy a cooler with weak fabrics. However, if you are looking to spend a huge amount on a cooler, you can get one that comes with strong fabrics.
Metal: Although not all coolers have metals walls, there are those that actually do. All things being equal, metals are used in the hinges and zippers of some coolers. Usually, coolers made of metallic parts are more expensive than those made of other parts. While coolers with metal parts are generally more expensive than those without metal parts, they are also more durable and look better.
Appearance
The look of a cooler might not necessarily be of importance to everyone. It, however, is of importance to some people. All the coolers in the market do not have the same styles. If you are a very stylish person and are concerned about the general appearance of everything you own, you should consider the design, patterns, and color of a cooler before you buy one.
Go Through Reviews
You do not have to make use of a cooler to know its pros, cons, and features. You can easily tell what a cooler is all about and what it has to offer by reading up the reviews of those that have already made use of it.
After reading up a couple of reviews, you will be able to make the right choice of a cooler even if you are shopping for one for the first time.