Rotomolded coolers are sort of a contentious subject for fishermen, some swear by them whereas others say they’re only a approach of “flexing on the poors” and a waste of cash. I say they’re extra of a specialised software that’s not for everybody however for many who want them properly definitely worth the cash. I’ve used and abused this Engel 165 High-Performance Hard Cooler for 2 and half years now with it dwelling its life at the back of my Tacoma. The Engel cooler has blown each different cooler I’ve used out of the water. I exploit this cooler for work shifting meals from wholesale suppliers to the restaurant within the Georgia summer time, and for fishing to retailer my catch for days at a time as properly.
The ice retention high quality of the Engel coolers is nice, constructed with a thick ground, sidewalls, and lid the insulation high quality is great. The coolers have 2 inches of closed-cell foam insulation on all sides. The gasket is Engel’s ArticVault Gasket, fabricated from silicon to make a near-airtight seal that’s sturdy and can by no means warp and lose form. The latches on the cooler is totally different from different widespread producers who use rubber straps stretched via notches within the cooler. Engel’s Unity Latch System is a recessed marine-grade latch, the {hardware} is fabricated from chrome steel and might double as a bottle opener.
Now we’re previous a tough masking of the specs of the cooler let’s speak about the way it truly does in the actual world. I’ll be upfront about this, everytime you see a cooler firm saying that “this cooler holds ice for 7 days, 9 days, 11 days” take that with a grain of salt. Between three manufacturers with the Engel included I’ve solely matched these ice retention claims by utilizing the cooler impractically. Starting off with utilizing sacrificial ice to drop the temp of the cooler itself first after which filling it fully with ice. Then I might solely open the coolers one or two occasions a day to see the place the ice is at. But this isn’t a sensible approach of utilizing a cooler, once I’m on fishing journeys I’m out and in of the cooler all day including in heat fish or pulling bait out. Or for work I’m working the cooler solely half stuffed with ice to create space for circumstances of rooster thighs, pork loins, or cheeses. When used virtually, count on about 4+ days of ice retention relying on use. If simply transporting perishable meals, simple 6+ days of ice retention in the summertime. When fishing offshore and loading the Engel stuffed with snapper and grouper count on 4+ days of ice retention.
Compared to my “Bootleg Yeti” Rubbermaid Cooler the Engel does miles higher, even with upgrading the Rubbermaid it nonetheless falls quick. When I used to make use of it for my fishing journeys earlier than upgrades, that cooler was being topped off with ice with a 20lb bag each night most likely. That added up fast on my fishing journeys. Ice is pricey when you concentrate on it, particularly while you’re shopping for ice by the bag. Think about it a 10lb bag of ice is about 5 quarts of ice. A 10lb bag is normally $2-$3 a bag. A 165-quart cooler like my Engel can match roughly 33 baggage of ice which might value $66 to $99 {dollars} to fully fill with ice. I bear in mind pier fishing with my good friend with us utilizing a less expensive 75qt Coleman cooler for our catch for 3 days of tenting. Even with a smaller cooler, I bear in mind us having to refill the cooler with some ice each evening on our approach again from the pier. I feel we spent like $40 on simply ice to maintain the fish coated. So it’s not loopy cash however that’s no less than a pair circumstances of beer.
There are a couple of downsides to the Engel 165 cooler. The ft on the cooler aren’t too nice, they slide a bit within the truck mattress. That lets the cooler transfer round after which tumble on sharper turns. Another challenge is the ridging within the lid of the cooler lets chilly out/warmth in. The molded-in cutouts within the lid that assist with rigidity within the lid are additionally skinny spots within the lid. If you have a look at the cooler on a damp morning in the summertime you may truly see the place the cutouts are via the condensation. That’s the place warmth switch happens, however in comparison with earlier rotomolded coolers I owned had points with the lids warping, the lid would bow up after which break the gasket seal and simply let sizzling air seep all day into the cooler, it’s not a deal breaker. The final challenge is that the footprint may very well be a bit wider as a substitute of the cooler being so tall, the cooler is simply simply large sufficient for a case of boneless rooster thighs. For sensible use wider could be higher than taller.
The very last thing to speak about is worth, which honesty an enormous issue for these coolers. The Engel 165 retails for $769.99 now, it was $600 however nothing is priced the place it was now. On sale, it may be purchased across the $620 worth level. I acquired mine for round $550 with a coupon these years again. If you’re already set on a rotomolded cooler the Engels are most likely the perfect bang on your buck with the large manufacturers. While the Yeti 160 is priced at $750 and simply by naming it sounds prefer it’s solely 5 quarts totally different in quantity. When you measure out the inner dimensions the Engel 165 has about 25% extra quantity. So the Engel is a greater bang on your buck on the subject of how a lot you’re paying for every quart of area.
Overall I’ll say that the Engel 165 High-Performance Hard Cooler is the nicest laborious cooler I’ve ever used, it was additionally probably the most costly. The construct high quality and design make for a rugged cooler that has withstood the previous couple of years of solar and warmth simply. The latch design makes for a greater seal, and the truth that the Engel has three latches in comparison with rivals who solely have two makes positive the chilly stays in. The lid has groves constructed into the mould to assist maintain the lid inflexible and never warp within the warmth. Yes, it was the most costly cooler I’ve ever purchased, nevertheless it additionally has held up the perfect. This factor lives in a truck mattress within the solar all day on daily basis, no warmth warping or UV harm in any respect. It’s a bit stained now however I can’t blame the cooler contemplating how I deal with the factor. If I had to purchase one other rotomolded cooler I might go along with one other Engel cooler.
