Getting ready for a 6 week trip, I was prescribed meds that require refrigeration. after two internet botched tries, I gave up and tried to find a unit in Sonoma County bricks and mortar, with almost no success. Why is nobody carrying these in stock? (Could it be that people buy them, use them for their camping trip then return them?)
But then I found two Igloo models that plug in at Sportsman's Wearhouse in Rohnert Park. (And these guys are good, down to earth, go camping kind of sports people that I will give my highest recommendation.) I opted for the smaller unit for two reasons. Space is an issue, and I felt that the larger unto would have a harder time maintaining cool temperatures.
I have a lot of experience with managing ice chests. 40 years working on the road will do that for a person.
I did put a lot of effort at managing the unit. In addition to running it anytime I was driving, I made sure the lid stayed closed, and opened only when necessary. Keeping it open for the minimum time needed. Keeping one medium size container with ice, or at least cold water also helps to stabilize the coldness. Keep it as full as possible as air changes temperature (becomes warm) faster than stuff. And when possible put stuff in already cold, or at least not warm. Use a bucket of water to set stuff in to precool if you are not near other coolness.
Keep the unit out of the sun. I usually cover my ice chests with a towel, blanket, and/or a space blanket. But as this has a motor with vents, this just wasn't possible in the van, so I made sure to push it to the shady side when driving long distances or parked.
So now with a month and a half of use Here is my evaluation: close, oh so close, but if Igloo had actual users rather than product designers they would have made some very small changes that would make this unit worth recommending.
Igloo is known for basic serviceable equipment at a lower price point. Not fancy, not the best quality, but basically OK. And one does not expect oatmeal to be eggs benedict.
On the plus side:
It did stay cold, well at least as cold as an old refrigerator set on the less cold settings. At least while running. I did put a lot of effort at managing it, and I think it was worth the effort. It kept cool overnight, but a couple of times is was not as cool as I would have liked. But this was August, in Montana and Idaho.
The van battery was never completely drained, but then I did have it on the auxiliary battery so there was no danger of not starting the car. Also I ran it mostly while driving. Your experience will have a lot to do with how you manage the power usage.
The shape packed well. Many coolers just don't fit the pack well. Too tall, or to wide. The handle fit in close to the cooler. It was stable and did not tend to tip over.
The Minus Side (and there are some biggies here):
Foremost is that the switch is in an unguarded position. The unit can be used for cool or heat. If the dog had jumped on the box, or if the book that fell off the shelf fell on it, the switch could move easily to the heat position with out my knowing. Disaster was possible. And because the top needs to be open to the air, you can't just put another box on top to protect it.
The lid doesn't latch closed. The smallest bit of wrapping, the corn husk, a paper towel can prevent a tight closing. 5º would make a huge difference in the scheme of things.
Now that I am home and wanting to do a deep cleaning, the fact that the lid, with all of the electric parts, cannot be removed is a real pain. Cleaning around it, propping it up, getting the crevasses is a real bother.
In short, I give it a solid C+, which is sort of what I expected. I's glad I had it for this trip. It cost about what it was worth. With extra insulation, and a correction of the switch problem this would have been my final cooler solution. But I am going to continue looking for a better solution for my issues.
Footnote to Igloo: I wish that you and other manufactures of stuff I use (like Ryobi and Mercedes) would have product testers that actually use the product for extended periods of time. You get so close to a great product, but then screw it up with trying to be trendy and some rookie overlooks.
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