Coolboxes

Coolboxes naturally come in a range of sizes and specifications but there's more to consider than you might have thought. From a simple cool bag to keep your picnic fresh to what is essentially a portable fridge are all available. Essentially the full range can be broken down into two categories, passive and electric coolbox ranges. Passive boxes vary in cost depending on the level of insulation but all rely on icepacks, or the temperature of the contents you put in, to keep the inside cool. A typical family cooler such as the Glaciere Tropic 25 litre coolbox should keep you sandwiches cold throughout the day with a couple of ice packs inside and costs less than £20. Ice packs designed specifically for the job can be bought for just £2.99 and are easily recharged by popping them in the freezer for a few hours. At the top end of the passive range a box such as the Coleman 70QT Xtreme has a 66 litre capacity and the ability to keep ice frozen for up to 5 days at 32C. An electric coolbox on the other hand combines the thermal insulation properties of passive boxes with active cooling capacity powered by either a 12v DC supply such as a car battery or a 240v AC mains supply or, in many cases, both. For travelling, camping and caravanning, a 12v coolbox makes the most sense and these range in price from under £40 for a small, 24L box to over £150 for deluxe model, with this 12v coolbox also running off 230v mains or even gas power.